CAVUJIM

That was my thinking. The # 9 pin is pulled from the null modem adapter but I think #9 is input and they don't want input to input. I'll try to find a RS232 tester. I also have a USB Bluetooth adapter. I'll give that a try too. It would be nice not to have any wires.

The description of the \\\USB... settings wasn't totally clear so I gave it a shot to see if it would work. Apparently it only works with a USB to USB connection. FS9 PC has the regualr serial com port (I assume COM2 because COM1 is the PFC). The pen tablet has the USB port. When I installed the USB driver on the pen tablet, it assigned COM5. I see no activity (using PortMon) on the Pen Tablet.

There are 2 reported com ports and com1 is used for PFC sio I assume the other 9 pin port on the pc is com2. Could be the port doesn't work. Yes, I have a serial to usb adapter. Jim

I have newest version of FS9 update, GPSout, PFC and fsuipc installed. I have LS800 pen tablet with moving map and only USB connectors. So i hooked up serial to USB adapter with null modem . Portmon on FS machine show plenty of activity to com2. INI set to Com2 and 4800. Portmon on pen tablet shows no activity. Should I see activity on the port using portmon on the receiving PC. USB shows as com5 on pen tablet. Installed with manufacturers CD. I also tried changing port speeds and changing com2 to \\\WCEUSBSH001 I also tested cable and that seems OK though the #9 pin is removed on the null modem adapter. Any ideas.

Typing Dir>>Com2 from a command prompt sends data to the port and it shows up within Portmon. On my latest tests, I did not bother to hook up moving map laptop to FS9 computer. I assume it doesn't matter on a serial port. Here is the entire ini file that I extacted directly into the modles folder. I downloaded the GPSout last week. I do have ActiveSky installed. Besides FSUIPC v3.07 and PFC.dll (both downloaded 12/2003), I have no other modules installed. ; GPSout version 2.41 by Pete Dowson 31st October 2001 ; email: pete@millhays.demon.co.uk ; ====================================================== [GPSout] Sentences=RMC,GPRMZ ; This parameter selects the NMEA standard sentences to be sent by the ; GPSout module. Currently the following are supported: ; ; RMC -- best for FliteMap, provides course and ground speed, but no altitude ; RMA -- similar ; PGRMZ -- Garmin NMEA 0183 extension for Altitude only: use with RMC ; GLL -- used by Microsoft Autoroute 2001 but GGA works better ; VTG -- usually used with GLL to provide course and ground speed data ; GGA -- also works with FliteMap and others, and provides altitude, ; but not course and speed. Some need this for the number of satellites. ; GSA -- provides no useful information from GPSout, but appears to be needed ; by some applications (such as "Anywhere") in order for it to be ; able to use the altitude in the GGA sentence. ; ; To send more than one merely list them here separated by commas, with ; no spaces. For example: ; ; Sentences=RMA,RMC,GLL,GGA ; ; will make GPSout send these four formats every time (not very efficient, ; but useful to determine whether the target program supports any of these). ; ; GPSout has only been thoroughly tested only with FliteMap. With version ; 7 of that program, in the LORAN/Gps connection, select "NMEA 0183 RMC ; (9600)", or find a Garmin NMEA setting. Then the default settings in this ; .ini file should work okay (but possibly the Garmin setting will need ; the Speed setting to 4800) -- excepting for the Port which you'll need ; to set yourself (the default is COM2). ; ; In version 8 of Flitemap there are far more options, under "Connections- ; External Device Setup". Those I now find work best are the Garmin NMEA ; settings. All the values are recognised if you send RMC and PGRMZ ; sentences, or RMC, GGA and GSA, and you can choose a really decent ; speed like 19200 as well. Interval=1500 ; This specifies the interval, in milliseconds, at which the GPS message ; is to be sent. The minimum is 100 msecs, but bear in mind that the ; serial port is being asked to send around 65 characters at each interval. ; At the default port speed of 9600, this requires about 70 milliseconds ; in any case. The default interval of 1000 seems good for most purposes. ; I currently use 1500, as shown here. Port=COM2 ; The port to be used on the FS98/2K PC. Speed=9600 ; The speed to use. This must, of course, match the speed expected by the ; moving map program. most GPS's output at 4800 or 9600. Recent versions ; of FliteMap support 19200. Use the highest speed you can, for efficiency.

Trying to get GPS output to moving map program on laptop. I have FS9 running on XP machine with PFC Cirrus running off Com1 (works fine). I moved GPSout files into module folder (no changes to ini file). Placed serial cable (extension cable with null modem adapter) to remaining 9 pin serial port and connected to a moving map software program on laptop (Voyageur). I set the moving map to autodetect GPS signal ( I also tried forcing to Com1 on laptop). Started both programs up and PortMon on PC . I see no activitiy on PortMon at all. Shouldn't there be some activity for the PFC stuff? I looked in System > hardware and see the Com2 port and it does not report any problem. COM2 is set within the GPSout.ini file I tested the cable and the 2-3 connections are reversed but the 1 pin is jumpered to the 6 pin and feeds to the 4 pin on the other end. Pin 4 feeds to both 1 and 6. Without the null adapter its a straight through connection. I ran Dir>>Com2 from command prompt and I do see activity within Portmon then. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks for responding. I thought it was pretty obvious that I had been though the entire INI file. The default by the way is Com2. Someone who uses the same moving map as me said it works fine on the default settings, so I didn't change any. The problem seems to be in FS actually transmitting the data to the port, see my previous messages.

in cmd mode. Typed Dir>>com2 and saw activity to com2, so the port works, Why does FS not generate GPS output?

Portmon working,pfc activity continuous, but still no GPS. I have activeradar installed. Does that interfer?

Trying to get GPS output to moving map program on laptop. I have FS9 running on XP machine with PFC Cirrus running off Com1 (works fine). I moved GPSout files into module folder (no changes to ini file). Placed serial cable (extension cable with null modem adapter) to remaining 9 pin serial port and connected to a moving map software program on laptop (Voyageur). I set the moving map to autodetect GPS signal ( I also tried forcing to Com1 on laptop). Started both programs up and PortMon on PC . I see no activitiy on PortMon at all. Shouldn't there be some activity for the PFC stuff? I looked in System > hardware and see the Com2 port and it does not report any problem. I tested the cable and the 2-3 connections are reversed but the 1 pin is jumpered to the 6 pin and feeds to the 4 pin on the other end. Pin 4 feeds to both 1 and 6. Without the null adapter its a straight through connection. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

I have all the newest PFC and FSUIPC dlls installed. I am not using the FSUIPC to control the Heading bug with the RIC. The bug turns much slower than the altimeter setting within the kollsman window when turning the corresponding knobs at the same rate. The heading bug will sit on one setting for a few seconds while turning the heading bug knob on the RIC. It was never this slow before and was wondering if you could give me some ideas on what to check. JIm

I have not yet installed 3.3 which I will do tonight. I'll remove FSUIPC references to DG bug. I'll let you know how that works.

Calm down Pete. My message wasn't that difficult to interpret. I had an older version of FSUIPC (perhaps 3.0) then I updated to the newer version 3.22 and the newest vrsion of PFC.dll on the pFC website. It was at this time that the heading bug seemed to "slow down" When I spin the knob on the RIC, even very slowly, the heading bug seems to be not responding or responds very slowly. I tried to correct by using the buttn assignment within FSUIPC (tried using "rapid increase" and "regular increase"). This doesn't give the added response either. Rapid increase seems to jump the bug around. Is there any meaning to the parameter setting within FSUIPC for this function? I have downloaded the 3.3 version of FSUIPC and will load, but I doubt this will have any effect as the function used to work fine.

Actually I turning the knob unrealistical slow and it still doesn't keep up. Changed after installing FSUIPC. The PFC.dll (i believe the most current one I have is 1.90) is installed. I'd be glad to install newest one but older combination worked fine. Jim

I have FSUIPC 3.22 installed and using PFC remote console on avionic stack. The heading bug does not seem to spin (actually it doesn't keep up) when I spin the heading bug knob. I tried using FSUIPC to control it and that doesn't seem to do any better even I use Heading Bug Increase Rapid in both positions (press and release) Is this a polling problem? How do I correct this?

During simulation, if I get an ATC traffic call and I respond with any of the available responses (no contact, contact etc) the simulation stops (pauses actually) and the start up menu appears (the one with the list of saved flights etc). If I select CANCEL it continues on. I've only tested it while on an IFR flight plan and it has only started sine I installed the last FPC/FSUIPC update, though it may have nothing to do with that. Also, and maybe related, when ever I use the view pan buttons on my yoke to view left or right, the GPS pops into view. This may have something to do with screen focus since I'm using one monitor for outside view and the other (the one with the Windows task bar) for the panel and gps. I've checked the mapping of the view buttons and they are correct. This too happened after the last install of PFC and FSUIPC (around 9/19/2003)

Peter, When you say WideFS doesn't allow you to move panels around, does that mean I can not have outside view on one machine and the panel view on another? Both computers are running FS9 at the same time, correct? WideFS is a way to synchtonize them...? Sorry for the dumb questions. Jim

Peter, Just out of curiousity. What FS views do you put on the monitors? Do you use the preset LEFT FORWARD - FORWARD - RIGHT FORWARD or do you use LEFT - FORWARD - RIGHT FORWARD. I was going to play with putting a Y cable on the Middle Monitor so that two identical views are shown out the front windows and then have the right monitor on RIGHT and the Left monitor on LEFT FORWARD. Is there a way to create a static intermediate view between LEFT and LEFT FORWARD such as with PAN VIEW and then saving it? I'm seriously thinking of putting the outside views on one system and the FS panel on another. I take it the outside views are more processor and video card dependent than the panel. True? The systems don't have to have the same processors or anything like that to use WideFS do they? Jim

Hi Peter, I posted a question about the performance near airports (like you requested) and the response I got back was There are no settings that only work at a specific location. You either turn down 'sliders' or you don't, but the effects will be seen no matter where you fly in the virtual world. Here's a thought for possible FSUIPC enhancements. Say within 5 miles of an airport, while airborne, have a toggle which scenary or autogen can be reduced. Kind of like triggering the scenary slider to move when within 5 miles. It seems this would dramatically improve the performance during this phase OR would FS want to relad all the scenary again? Just a thought. Jim

I can't assign a button to bring up the Flight Planner while in flight. This is now necessary to get a clearance while in the air. I tried assigning Alt+F on keypress and P on release and that didn't work if assigned to one of the PFC Avionic PAnel buttons. It pauses FS and shows the first dropdown menu but no further. Is there a way to bring up the flight planner without pausing the flight also?

Hi Pete, Good morning. What type of monitors are these? Does the on-screen avionic stack take processor time when it is not displayed. The reason I ask is that I use the A/P readout (bottom instrument on the stack) because it is not displayed on the PFC Avionic Panel anywhere. Therefore I have the whole on-screen stack anyway, even though I hide most of it behind the main panel. I was thinking of using the Parhelia (this is a dual head card but with the cables they provide, you can have three independent monitors. Correct?) and a GeForce 4 card for the instrument panel. Do you have a recommendation of how much video card memory is good? Do you have a recommendation for which Windows OS (Does 98 work as well as XP for FS only). I'm not familiar with WideFS. Is it applicable to what we are discussing here? If you save the flight, it seems to keep the panel arrangement but the ordering (avionic stack behind the main panel) is not saved. I registered FSUIPC and assigned the buttons to the GPS. Two questions. 1) The PFC avionic panel group and page rotary knobs must be spun 2 clicks to register 1 click on the onscreen GPS. 2) Since I overlay the GPS on the main screen, I like to hide it when not needed. There seems to be no button that allows me to do this. I tried the Activate GPS assignment, but that didn't work. I have to click the satellite icon on the main panel with the mouse. Kind of defeats the purpose of the avionic stack. One general question reqarding processing. During landing, takeoff and in the pattern, screen stutter seems to be the most noticable. Is there anyway to have FS "focus" on flight manuevering and not on all the other things like distant weather during these times? Thanks

I would like to put 3 (maybe 4 if I use 2 dual heads) monitors on the FS9. What is the best hardware (processor, RAM, video and audio cards) to run this type of configuration. I aslo have Cirrus II with Avionic panel and the older rudder pedals but nothing else.

OK, I'll do that. I'm a charter 135 guy and use GPS alot. I was waitng for it to be a feature in FS. Its a bit of a chore getting the panels to appear and un-appear when using two monitors with undocked panels. Different then FS2002. What did they do to change this? Thanks for your great help and board. Jim

Is any work going to allow the mapping of PFC avionic panel to the GPS in FS9? It seems yuo can only map the lower buttons and they don't really correspond to the GPS. I am unable to map the DIRECT button or the turn knobs which would really make the GPS more functional.

I have undocked some panel parts (GPS, instrument panel etc) and moved to lower monitor, keeping outside view on upper view. Under FS 2002 this works great and the panels stay put when re-starting the program. Under FS 2004, I can not go to Full screen nor can I re-enter program without panels all appearing on upper screen. Will the registered copy of FSUIPC correct this (referring to your note of fixes and panels stay put). Is the version through PFC a registered version? Jim