Erratic Saitek Mixture operation

[wa3pnt]

I see that Pete is away, but someone else may have encountered this problem and have an answer.

 

I have the Saitek Yoke and Throttle assembly, and have programmed it through FSUIPC.  It has been operating correctly for about a month.

 

No changes to the system or software, but suddenly the Mixture control is very erratic.  It acted as if the potentiometer itself was either dirty or open in spots.

 

I checked the pot (with a multimeter) and it shows smooth operation throughout its travel (no open readings).

 

I went back into FSUIPC and observed the values in and out of FSUIPC during movement of the Mixture control and found them very erratic and jumping to zero in spots.  This points to a defective potentiometer, but that is not the case.

 

I removed the FSUIPC mapping for the Mixture control and mapped it though the FSX Control calibration.  It now works flawlessly.  Perfectly smooth throughout its travel.

 

Has anyone run into this situation, and if so what is the solution?

 

RodeoGeorge

 

[Pete Dowson]

I see that Pete is away, but someone else may have encountered this problem and have an answer.

 

I have the Saitek Yoke and Throttle assembly, and have programmed it through FSUIPC.  It has been operating correctly for about a month.

 

No changes to the system or software, but suddenly the Mixture control is very erratic.  It acted as if the potentiometer itself was either dirty or open in spots.

 

I checked the pot (with a multimeter) and it shows smooth operation throughout its travel (no open readings).

 

I went back into FSUIPC and observed the values in and out of FSUIPC during movement of the Mixture control and found them very erratic and jumping to zero in spots.  This points to a defective potentiometer, but that is not the case.

 

I removed the FSUIPC mapping for the Mixture control and mapped it though the FSX Control calibration.  It now works flawlessly.  Perfectly smooth throughout its travel.

 

Has anyone run into this situation, and if so what is the solution?

 

RodeoGeorge

 

Sounds like you are assigning it in a way not compatible with whatever add-on you are using, and some other control is interfering or countermanding its input. However, nothing like that could possibly occur with no changes to hardware or software -- obviously something has changed. You'd need to track it down.

 

If you are assigning in FSUIPC (is that what you mean by "mapping"?) and not simply calibrating in FSUIPC (the two actions are separate and independent), then you MUST disable controllers altogether in FS itself or it will occasionally automatically re-assign axes and this causes conflicts of the type you describe. Of course you do not NEED to assign in FSUIPC -- calibration works however you choose to assign.

 

Pete

[wa3pnt]

First thanks for the reply Pete.

 

I had initially calibrated and assigned the entire Saitek Throttle Assembly (Throttle, Mixture, and Prop) through FSUIPC.  They worked flawlessly for about two months.

 

I ensured that these controls did not appear in the FSX Settings, as I had read about the conflicts that can occur when they appear in FSX Settings also.

 

When the erratic Mixture problem occurred, as I stated, I first suspected a dirty pot on the Mixture control but found that not to be the case.  I also again checked the FSX Settings to verify that they did not appear there.  There had not been any hardware changes during this period, and the only software changes have been scenery installations.

 

To rectify the issue, I removed the FSUIPC assignment of the three axis and assigned them through the FSX Settings.  They have been operating properly since I did this, and I have not tried reverting to a FSUIPC assignment (the old "if it ain't broke" saying).

 

When I have time, I will attempt to reassign them through FSUIPC and report the results.

 

Again, thanks for the response and info.  Don't know what I'd do without FSUIPC for all other functions.

 

RodeoGeorge