CH Throttle quadrant problem

[ilovetofly]

Just recently a problem developed with my TQ. The 'U' axis has stoppped responding (5th lever). It shows OK when checking it for calibration and when moving the lever, all appears normal. However, it does nothing in any of the aircrat where I have separate mixture control levers. Nada, nothing. I have FSUIPC ver. 3.48 (registered) but it doesn't respond there either. All other axes respond correctly. I have tried removing and reinstalling the TQ, but to no avail. Also I checked the sensitivities and all are in the correct position.

One other note, I cannot adjust the mixture lever with the mouse in the aircraft. No movement at all. Lever is stuck at full rich. But I can get it to move using the keyboard key assignment (Cntl+Shift+F2 (F3).

Could it be FSUIPC? Doesn't seem likley since all other axes resond as they should. Even tried different usb ports, but again, nothing.

Any ideas?

[Pete Dowson]

Just recently a problem developed with my TQ. The 'U' axis has stoppped responding (5th lever). It shows OK when checking it for calibration and when moving the lever, all appears normal. However, it does nothing in any of the aircrat where I have separate mixture control levers. Nada, nothing.

Is it assigned in FS as the Mixture control? If so, have you, by any chance, elected to use it as a Reverser in FSUIPC (Joystics tab, page 7)? If so, just make sure you check the option on that page to only have it so diverted for Jets.

I have FSUIPC ver. 3.48 (registered)

That version is well out of date now, and not supported. Version 3.50 is current and is due to be replaced in early December by version 3.51.

One other note, I cannot adjust the mixture lever with the mouse in the aircraft. No movement at all. Lever is stuck at full rich. But I can get it to move using the keyboard key assignment (Cntl+Shift+F2 (F3).

That sounds like another axis is operating on the mixture too, one which is stuck at one end (possibly because it isn't actually connected). If FS Options - Controls - Assignments, go the the axis section and check the device drop-down (I think it is top right) -- see if there are other devices listed. If so select them and check for additional assignments which may be duplicating the one's on your quadrant.

Could it be FSUIPC?

If the mixture axis is not actively calibrated in FSUIPC (just click the "Reset" button in the relevant Page if it is visible), then FSUIPC will not be touching it at all. The only way it could be involved is if some other program or add-in were setting full rich via FSUIPC's interface into FS. This seems unlikely, but check with a default aircraft just in case.

Regards,

Pete

[JBRoberts]

Hi all:

I to seem to have the same problem as ILovetofly...Just got my new quadrant and can't get my FSUIPC (er sorry but version 3.125 Nov 2003) to recognize the 5th lever i.e. mixture 1 on twin prop.

I have tried everything Pete suggested above but nothing seems to be conflicting with it..I checked over and over again to see if Mixture 1 was being called out somehwere else.

Any help or ideas would be very helpful..

Pete..great work on FSUIPC...keep it up....thanks...JB

[Pete Dowson]

Any help or ideas would be very helpful..

Please update your two-year old (!!!) version of FSUIPC first. Then ask again.

Regards,

Pete

[Alan_A]

Similar problem here -- fifth lever (mixture 1) is recognized in the FS joystick calibration routine, but not in FSUIPC -- axis doesn't respond at all when I try to calibrate. Using FSUIPC 3.50. All other axes are responding OK. I've checked to see if there's a conflict for the mixture 1 assignment but can't find one. Would welcome any suggestions. Thanks!

[Pete Dowson]

Similar problem here -- fifth lever (mixture 1) is recognized in the FS joystick calibration routine, but not in FSUIPC -- axis doesn't respond at all when I try to calibrate. Using FSUIPC 3.50. All other axes are responding OK. I've checked to see if there's a conflict for the mixture 1 assignment but can't find one. Would welcome any suggestions. Thanks!

Have you calibrated the Reverser axis in FSUIPC and forgotten to select the option to have it only operate for jets? By default the mixture axis is used for the reverser.

Pete

[Alan_A]

I haven't calibrated the reverser axis -- none of the levers on the quadrant seems to apply to it. And the mixture 1 level produces no respose at all in FSUIPC. I'm sure there's something I'm missing -- but I'm open to suggestion as to what that might be.

[Pete Dowson]

I haven't calibrated the reverser axis -- none of the levers on the quadrant seems to apply to it. And the mixture 1 level produces no respose at all in FSUIPC. I'm sure there's something I'm missing -- but I'm open to suggestion as to what that might be.

Have you checked the obvious -- does the mixture lever actually work in FS? If not then it sounds simply as if you have the Sensitivity set to zero. Look in FS's Options-Controls-Sensitivities.

FSUIPC will only see what FS sees.

Pete

[Bob Church]

Hi Alan,

The sensitivity setting in FS is the most likely culprit. FS has no underlying default for that axis and invariably sets it to 0% sensitivity initially. You have to go to the Sensitivity and Null Zone page in FS and set the Sensitivities full right and the Null Zones full left for all 6 axes. That usually clears the problem. Also, when you calibrate the Quad in Windows and it asks you to "Center the stick", you need to move the first lever to the mid position and then line all the other levers up with it. Easiest to use a pencil or something. If they aren't at the same position when the center calibration point is picked up, they won't want to track. It's not terribly critical that you get the first lever exactly centered, only that the other levers are at exactly the same position. It definitely needs to be done with the 1st and 2nd levers, and there's some evidence that the later versions of DX are picking up center on the 4th (normally rudder) axis also. Centering them all is the easiest thing to do. Those that matter will line up, those that don't will just be ignored.

Hope this helps!

Best regards,

- Bob

The StickWorks

http://www.stickworks.com

[Alan_A]

Thanks, gentlemen -- sensitivity does in fact turn out to be the culprit. Now have a working quadrant. Appreciate the pointers to the obvious -- which unfortunately wasn't obvious to me. And good to be airborne again...

Best,

Alan

[Ramon]

The only problem I'm having is getting my reverse thrust to work. I'm running the current version 3.51, and when I try to set the idle, I can't get it to 0 at the detent. I've tried to calibrate in XP following the calibration instructions ( back all the way, to the detent, then full forward).

Also I can see data when I move the sticks in FSUIPC window #3 but only 0 in window 7 and 11 of FSUIPC. In FS4 everything works, except I can't get FSuipc to set idle to 0 when my levers are at the detent.

I've tried calibrating the levers in several positions but when I set FSUIPC, the idle moves from the detent to middle of the quadrant. At that time the reverse works but obviously their is play from the detent position to midway the quadrant before I engage the engines.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Pete Dowson]

Also I can see data when I move the sticks in FSUIPC window #3 but only 0 in window 7 and 11 of FSUIPC.

The reverser on page 7 is, by default, assigned to the mixture lever. If you have no mixture axis assigned in FS, you will see only 0 there as no axis is driving it. You CAN edit the INI file and use any other (otherwise unused) axis for a reverser, but this is SEPARATE from your thrust lever.

Similar considerations apply to the 4 separate reversers on page 11, except that none of those are assigned by default. If you do have axes to spare, by all means assign them in the INI file.

It sounds like you simply want a reverse zone on your normal throttle axis/axes, in which case certainly calibrating them on Page 3 is fine. Note that there is no such thing as an idle "position" -- you need a small range of movement for the idle, slightly above and slightly below your detente, so that you get two different values in the FSUIPC centre calibrations boxes. Anything below those values down to the minimum (reverse) will then give you reverse.

I've tried calibrating the levers in several positions but when I set FSUIPC, the idle moves from the detent to middle of the quadrant.

Unless there is something very badly wrong with your hardware, it just cannot "move" from where you set it in FSUIPC, so it simply sounds as if you are not calibrating it properly at all. You need 4 clicked positions -- one for max, two for idle, one for reverse. They all need to show different values in their respective boxes. The values for centre should be those read when your lever is around your detente. if they are not, then the idle won't be there.

Please just follow the simple steps outlined in the documentation. They work for everyone else.

Regards,

Pete