FSUIPC, TCAS Targets and VoxATC-X

[RichardL]

Hi Pete,

I am using the new FSX version of VoxATC. The problem is that I do not see TCAS targets in the PMRJ nav display when using VoxATC-X generated AI. I do see TCAS targets when using the default FSX generated AI.

From reading the doc file, FSUIPC controls how the PM nav display (add-on) shows TCAS targets. Specifically, the Misc. Tab "Limit TCAS Range" and "Set TCAS String ID".

To try and solve this problem, the developer suggested that is what might be happening:

This is a problem with the TCAS not picking up traffic inserted by a 3rd party add-on. Traffic Tools traffic map display does show VoxATC traffic so it is available to other add-ons. I think the main problem is that the VoxATC traffic is created without a flight plan (so that it can be controlled by VoxATC). I have a hunch that FSUIPC cannot handle AI traffic aircraft without flight plans and thus the project magenta gauges can not see the VoxATC traffic.

Could this be the reason I see not TCAS targets?

Regards,

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

I am using the new FSX version of VoxATC. The problem is that I do not see TCAS targets in the PMRJ nav display when using VoxATC-X generated AI. I do see TCAS targets when using the default FSX generated AI.

FSUIPC4 reads AI data from SimConnect. If SimConnect does not classify the traffic which VoxATC injects as "AI aircraft" then FSUIPC cannot see it.

I have a hunch that FSUIPC cannot handle AI traffic aircraft without flight plans

I've no idea whether the AI aircraft SimConnect tells me about have flight plans or not, although if they do not have flight plans, even merely saying "A to B", how on Earth are they being flown?

FSUIPC does not see ground vehicles, ships or ferries, because it doesn't ask for information on these. Even the ferries follow "flight plans", though the others may not. I don't know.

Perhaps you could ask the VoxATC author exactly what these "AI" aircraft are that it creates and how they get from place to place with no plans. He evidently has dug into the depths of FSX more than I. FSUIPC4 uses the facilities Microsoft provided via SimConnect.

If this is important, please ask him to contact me to discuss it.

Regards

Pete

[RichardL]

Thanks Pete. I emailed him with a link to this post.

Regards,

Richard

[RichardL]

Hi Pete,

Just a follow-up here.

I have no idea why but I now have TCAS targets in the RJ nav display. I can't think of anything I changed but noticed them last night.

However, I only see the targets flight name such as American or Delta and not Delta 242 or American 1121. I checked the FSUIPC 4.09 settings and the TCAS string is set to Flight. I also cycled through the RJ TCAS modes but that did not help either.

Any idea why I can not see the airline and flight number?

Regards,

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

However, I only see the targets flight name such as American or Delta and not Delta 242 or American 1121. I checked the FSUIPC 4.09 settings and the TCAS string is set to Flight. I also cycled through the RJ TCAS modes but that did not help either.

Any idea why I can not see the airline and flight number?

No. But I didn't think TCAS displays showed such information in any case, I though they just showed blobs with some numerical info. Or are you using a different sort of display, not TCAS?

Please use TrafficLook and let me know what that shows. I suspect that I may suppress the flight number for 'sleeping' aircraft because otherwise all the AI show up as flight 1142 (or whatever the default is) until assigned to a flight (i.e. file their plan). I may be able to change that but I would need to know how to distinguish between real AI and stuff injected by programs like VoxATC.

[LATER]

I checked my code. I only ignore the flight numbers for "sleeping" aircraft. The action I took to show VoxATC and MP injected aircraft was based on seeing them as "initialising" -- if they are above ground I change that to "enroute".

So, EITHER the aircraft from VoxATC are coming across as "sleeping", OR they don't have flight numbers supplied in the AI data to FSX. In the former case I can fix it, in the latter case I can't -- that would have to be fixed in VoxATC.

The TrafficLook display should show if it is the "sleeping" problem, but you could supply even more information by adding these lines to the FSUIPC4.INI file [General] section before running FSX:

Debug=Please

LogExtras=512

After observing the problem (and checking with TrafficLook for me), close FS, ZIP up the FSUIPC4.LOG file and send it to me at petedowson@btconnect.com.

Regards

Pete

Regards

Pete

[RichardL]

Thanks Pete. I'll take a look and report back.

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

Here is the log file. I hope it is what you need.

Thanks. As well as AI traffic logging you have Event logging enbled. Please turn it off for now, if we loook at any more logs. It produces all these sorts of lines in the Log:

158875 *** EVENT: Cntrl= 66371 (0x00010343), Param= 9509 (0x00002525) COM_STBY_RADIO_SET

Sometimes TrafficLook sees airborne aircraft and other times not. I can see aircraft take off but they do not show up in TrafficLook or on the RJ nav display. Other times I do see them. I have yet to figure out why. I have tried refreshing TrafficLook, restarting WideFS, pmRJ, and VoxATCX but can't figure it out.

Well, it is a shame we don't have the TrafficLook display available to compare the Logged aircraft with those being shown. I'm sure you could do this yourself quite easily. With that logging option I gave you there are entries like all these:

203734 AIRCRAFT: Ref=680 [x02A8],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9966S",Airline="NORTHWEST",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

203734 Lat=37.6261,Lon=-122.3794,Alt=21,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=0,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

203734 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

203734 AIRCRAFT: Ref=681 [x02A9],OnGnd=1,Tail="N7935L",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

203734 Lat=37.6356,Lon=-122.3873,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=4,Pch=1.0,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

203734 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

203734 AIRCRAFT: Ref=682 [x02AA],OnGnd=0,Tail="N6167P",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

203734 Lat=37.5348,Lon=-122.1105,Alt=2923,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=208,VS=0,Pch=0.0,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

203734 State="init" [12], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=683 [x02AB],OnGnd=0,Tail="N8211O",Airline="NORTHWEST",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

204766 Lat=37.6625,Lon=-122.5860,Alt=3413,Gnd=0, GS=209,AS=209,VS=-1082,Pch=0.9,Bnk=-1.0,COM1=2485

204766 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=684 [x02AC],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9138K",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

204766 Lat=37.6214,Lon=-122.3905,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

204766 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=685 [x02AD],OnGnd=0,Tail="N3177U",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

204766 Lat=37.3938,Lon=-122.1349,Alt=3007,Gnd=208, GS=208,AS=208,VS=-861,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.3,COM1=2485

204766 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=686 [x02AE],OnGnd=1,Tail="N8167S",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

204766 Lat=37.6168,Lon=-122.3805,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=7,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

204766 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=687 [x02AF],OnGnd=1,Tail="N5631Z",Airline="UNITED",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

204766 Lat=37.6190,Lon=-122.3969,Alt=21,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=7,Pch=0.6,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

204766 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=688 [x02B0],OnGnd=1,Tail="N4643M",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

204766 Lat=37.6166,Lon=-122.3937,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=50,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

204766 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=689 [x02B1],OnGnd=0,Tail="N7844F",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

205797 Lat=37.6201,Lon=-122.3729,Alt=6504,Gnd=13, GS=219,AS=219,VS=-933,Pch=0.6,Bnk=-1.2,COM1=2485

205797 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=690 [x02B2],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1458B",Airline="SPEED BIRD",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

205797 Lat=37.6267,Lon=-122.3735,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=2,Pch=0.9,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

205797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=691 [x02B3],OnGnd=0,Tail="N1193M",Airline="NORTHWEST",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

205797 Lat=37.5829,Lon=-122.2816,Alt=3419,Gnd=0, GS=210,AS=210,VS=-756,Pch=0.4,Bnk=-0.3,COM1=2485

205797 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=692 [x02B4],OnGnd=0,Tail="N9564D",Airline="SPEED BIRD",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

205797 Lat=37.6574,Lon=-122.0417,Alt=6511,Gnd=789, GS=220,AS=220,VS=-523,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.2,COM1=2485

205797 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=693 [x02B5],OnGnd=1,Tail="N5731N",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

205797 Lat=37.6253,Lon=-122.3988,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=18,Pch=0.6,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

205797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=694 [x02B6],OnGnd=1,Tail="N6349M",Airline="UNITED",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

205797 Lat=37.6126,Lon=-122.3879,Alt=21,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=9,Pch=0.6,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

205797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

205797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=695 [x02B7],OnGnd=1,Tail="N4342Z",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

205797 Lat=37.6199,Lon=-122.3972,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=5,Pch=1.0,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

205797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=696 [x02B8],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9718N",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206781 Lat=37.6173,Lon=-122.3807,Alt=27,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=2,Pch=0.6,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

206781 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=697 [x02B9],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1576Z",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

206781 Lat=37.6178,Lon=-122.3927,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=1.1,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

206781 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=698 [x02BA],OnGnd=1,Tail="N6618O",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206781 Lat=37.6145,Lon=-122.3820,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

206781 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=699 [x02BB],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3751X",Airline="DELTA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206781 Lat=37.6124,Lon=-122.3903,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.2,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

206797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=700 [x02BC],OnGnd=1,Tail="N5211X",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206797 Lat=37.6293,Lon=-122.3811,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=3,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

206797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=701 [x02BD],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3382X",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206797 Lat=37.6208,Lon=-122.3975,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=40,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

206797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

206797 AIRCRAFT: Ref=702 [x02BE],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1719N",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

206797 Lat=37.6174,Lon=-122.3919,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=58,Pch=0.5,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

206797 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=703 [x02BF],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9721R",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

207813 Lat=37.6115,Lon=-122.3895,Alt=27,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=2,Pch=0.6,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=704 [x02C0],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3555W",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="Airbus"

207813 Lat=37.6278,Lon=-122.3783,Alt=29,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=0,Pch=0.1,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=705 [x02C1],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1911K",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

207813 Lat=37.6122,Lon=-122.3835,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=2,Pch=1.1,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=706 [x02C2],OnGnd=1,Tail="N4786K",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

207813 Lat=37.6231,Lon=-122.3763,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=17,Pch=0.7,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=707 [x02C3],OnGnd=1,Tail="N6354O",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

207813 Lat=37.6189,Lon=-122.3867,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=3,Pch=1.0,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

207813 AIRCRAFT: Ref=708 [x02C4],OnGnd=1,Tail="N6256L",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="Airbus"

207813 Lat=37.6197,Lon=-122.3795,Alt=29,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=81,Pch=0.1,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

207813 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=709 [x02C5],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1979W",Airline="DELTA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

208828 Lat=37.6129,Lon=-122.3832,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=0,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=710 [x02C6],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9332W",Airline="NORTHWEST",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

208828 Lat=37.6196,Lon=-122.3838,Alt=21,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.5,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=711 [x02C7],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1957K",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

208828 Lat=37.6270,Lon=-122.3789,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=6,Pch=0.8,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=712 [x02C8],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3692E",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

208828 Lat=37.6215,Lon=-122.3900,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=2,Pch=1.1,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=713 [x02C9],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3911A",Airline="DELTA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

208828 Lat=37.6279,Lon=-122.3809,Alt=23,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=5,Pch=0.0,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=714 [x02CA],OnGnd=1,Tail="N8413G",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

208828 Lat=37.6124,Lon=-122.3852,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=14,Pch=0.4,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

208828 AIRCRAFT: Ref=715 [x02CB],OnGnd=1,Tail="N3381O",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="MCDONNELL DOUGLAS"

208828 Lat=37.6181,Lon=-122.3910,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=5,Pch=1.0,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

208828 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

209859 AIRCRAFT: Ref=716 [x02CC],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1713S",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

209859 Lat=37.6268,Lon=-122.3736,Alt=23,Gnd=13, GS=1,AS=1,VS=0,Pch=0.0,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

209859 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

209859 AIRCRAFT: Ref=717 [x02CD],OnGnd=1,Tail="N1245F",Airline="UNITED",Flight="",Type="AIRBUS"

209859 Lat=37.6289,Lon=-122.3782,Alt=21,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.5,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

209859 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

209859 AIRCRAFT: Ref=718 [x02CE],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9694T",Airline="CONTINENTAL",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

209859 Lat=37.6114,Lon=-122.3904,Alt=20,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=1,Pch=0.2,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

209859 State="init" [0], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

209859 AIRCRAFT: Ref=719 [x02CF],OnGnd=0,Tail="N1285B",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

209859 Lat=37.8317,Lon=-122.7940,Alt=5009,Gnd=0, GS=215,AS=215,VS=-694,Pch=0.1,Bnk=-0.2,COM1=2485

209859 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

209859 AIRCRAFT: Ref=720 [x02D0],OnGnd=1,Tail="N9356C",Airline="SPEED BIRD",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

209859 Lat=37.6102,Lon=-122.3840,Alt=26,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=10,Pch=0.9,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

209859 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

210703 AIRCRAFT: Ref=721 [x02D1],OnGnd=1,Tail="N8932J",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="Airbus"

210703 Lat=37.6151,Lon=-122.3807,Alt=29,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=0,VS=0,Pch=0.1,Bnk=-0.0,COM1=2485

210703 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

...

717109 AIRCRAFT: Ref=723 [x02D3],OnGnd=0,Tail="N8321Q",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

717109 Lat=37.8458,Lon=-122.8463,Alt=5038,Gnd=0, GS=9,AS=24,VS=-8590,Pch=8.5,Bnk=-3.2,COM1=2485

717109 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

795016 AIRCRAFT: Ref=724 [x02D4],OnGnd=0,Tail="N8323T",Airline="SPEED BIRD",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

795016 Lat=37.8452,Lon=-122.8444,Alt=4822,Gnd=0, GS=7,AS=18,VS=-7690,Pch=6.4,Bnk=-4.0,COM1=2485

795016 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

The ones I've emboldened were in flight (though the last two seem to be falling more than flying! ;-) ), so should have been shown by TrafficLook .... but I am a bit concerned now why the State is being logged as "unknown" when it is == 1. I think that should be "sleeping". I'll check -- it may be related to whether the aircraft is shown (sleeping aircraft can't be airborne). The first airborne one is actually state 12, logged as "init" too.

TrafficLook does show Ground aircraft all the time.

All those "On Ground" above has state "Init" (== 0), so this tends to emphasise my previous point. I will certainly have a look at this -- later today.

If FSUIPC TCAS string is set to Tail (?), I see N4721P, as an example. If I change FSUIPC TCAS to Flight, I see American or Delta in the TrafficLook ID column. This shows up both in TrafficLook and on the RJ nav display. However, I never see, Delta 242 or American 1123.

Unfortunately, as you will see from the above data, whilst VoxATC is always supplying the tail number, it is NEVER supplying a Flight Number (hence the Flight="" parts of those log entries). If FSX is not supplied with this then obviously FSUIPC4 cannot see it. You'll need to talk to VoxATC about this. By all means refer them to this thread and show them the logs.

Meanwhile I will double-check my code for the State anomalies shown above.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

Okay. I've been through my code and explained a few things to myself. Here are the 'anomalies' and their explanation:

203734 AIRCRAFT: Ref=682 [x02AA],OnGnd=0,Tail="N6167P",Airline="LUFTHANSA",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

203734 Lat=37.5348,Lon=-122.1105,Alt=2923,Gnd=13, GS=0,AS=208,VS=0,Pch=0.0,Bnk=0.0,COM1=2485

203734 State="init" [12], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

The "State" string is what I receive from SimConnect. In order to deduce a numerical state value to equate with previous versions of FS, I look that up and convert it to a number based on a list of known state strings.

In this case, the original state told to me was zero, ("Init"), but as the aircraft is above ground I convert that to 12 ("enroute"). Note that is has no flight number, nevertheless.

Strangely, of all those shown as airborne in your log, that was the only one in "init" state:

204766 AIRCRAFT: Ref=685 [x02AD],OnGnd=0,Tail="N3177U",Airline="AMERICAN",Flight="",Type="BOEING"

204766 Lat=37.3938,Lon=-122.1349,Alt=3007,Gnd=208, GS=208,AS=208,VS=-861,Pch=0.2,Bnk=-0.3,COM1=2485

204766 State="" [1], Runway="", From="", To="", Flags=03FF

This one, and all the rest, were actually set with an unknown state value, and SimConnect sent me the string "". By default FSUIPC4 converts unknown states to 1 ("sleeping"), not to 0 ("init"). As a result, even though it is airborne, its state is never converted to "enroute", so TrafficLook never displayed it.

Possibly, though maybe unlikely, these state flights might also have actually had Flight numbers. As already mentioned, FSUIPC clears Flight numbers for aircraft in "sleeping" state because otherwise, for true AI, they all get the same default flight number (the one in the Aircraft.CFG file).

SoI have changed FSUIPC4 so that it converts airborne aircraft of either state 0 or 1 to state 12 (enroute). This should at least bring more airborne aircraft to TrafficLook, and may, if we are lucky, get the flight numbers. If you still get no flight numbers, it definitely needs VoxATC attention.

Please try the attached interim test version 4.099c and let me know. I'd like to see another Log as before, please.

Regards

Pete

FSUIPC4099c.zip

[RichardL]

Hi Pete,

Downloading now. I'll report back here once I have a new .log.

Best Regards,

Richard

[RichardL]

Pete,

I see progress. Attached is the new limited .log file.

I was able to see many more a/c both inflight and on the ground in TrafficLook and RJ nav display.

Actually saw one aircraft identified with a "flight" (?) number. Citrus 1208 (AirTran). Now the only catch is I see more than one a/c. TrafficLook and RJ nav display showed more than one a/c as Citrus 1208. On the nav display both were in flight at the same time but well apart from each other.

Hope this helps,

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

I see progress. Attached is the new limited .log file.

I was able to see many more a/c both inflight and on the ground in TrafficLook and RJ nav display.

Yes, that is because of the conversion of "unknown" state aircraft to 2enroute" when they are above ground.

Actually saw one aircraft identified with a "flight" (?) number. Citrus 1208 (AirTran). Now the only catch is I see more than one a/c. TrafficLook and RJ nav display showed more than one a/c as Citrus 1208. On the nav display both were in flight at the same time but well apart from each other.

This is worrying. It may simply be that this flight number is the default once inside that particular aircraft's CFG file. could you check that for me please? The two entries were:

254781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=862 [x035E],OnGnd=0,Tail="N4459Y",Airline="Citrus",Flight="1208",Type="BOEING"

254781 Lat=33.5539,Lon=-84.7435,Alt=7271,Gnd=863, GS=20,AS=196,VS=0,Pch=-5.8,Bnk=25.4,COM1=2485

254781 State="" [12], Runway="", From="", To=""

254781 AIRCRAFT: Ref=866 [x0362],OnGnd=0,Tail="N1883H",Airline="Citrus",Flight="1208",Type="BOEING"

254781 Lat=33.6856,Lon=-84.8744,Alt=4244,Gnd=960, GS=22,AS=199,VS=-131,Pch=-2.1,Bnk=-22.6,COM1=2485

254781 State="" [12], Runway="", From="", To=""

They are obviously distinct aircraft with distinct positions and tail numbers.

It looks like VoxATC is not injecting the Flight numbers (or possibly it cannot in the interface it is using -- I don't know, but Tegwyn will). If SimConnect is merely supplying whatever flight number happens to be placed in the AIRCRAFT.CFG file then I will have to change my code to clear it again -- best to have nothing than have wrong information.

So, let me know please.

Apart from undoing that change there doesn't look like I can do anything else. At least not without input from Tegwyn.

Regards

Pete

[RichardL]

Hi Pete,

Here is my question and an answer from Tegwyn West.

" ...... I only see the aircraft name, such as Delta, American, Continental and no flight number, ie Delta 242."

REPLY

"Because VoxATC generates traffic without an FSX AI flight plan so that it can control the traffic using waypoints, no flight plan will be displayed by TCAS. I am not sure that there is any way round this. When VoxATC created AI traffic with flight plans, FSX would not allow them to be controlled with waypoints. Do real TCAS display the airline and flight number of conflicting traffic?"

I'm not completely understanding this but I'll post if I get any more info.

Thanks for the help,

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

"Because VoxATC generates traffic without an FSX AI flight plan so that it can control the traffic using waypoints, no flight plan will be displayed by TCAS. I am not sure that there is any way round this."

I think he is saying that he cannot set the flight number using the AI creation interface in SimConnect. This is correct when creating non-ATC AI traffic. For traffic with flight plans the Flight Number is actually specified -- in fact as far as I can see it is used to select the plan.

I agree with him that there isn't any way around this, unless he decides to use flight plans which, if it can be made to work, is a big job indeed.

Do real TCAS display the airline and flight number of conflicting traffic?

If you recall, I asked you this question. I don't know what sort of TCAS you are using, but those in Boeing aircraft don't carry any sort of identification. only position, altitude difference (in 100's ft) and an ascending/descending arrow if applicable.

I will blank out the false Flight Number which SimConnect supplies from the CFG file.

Regards

Pete

[RichardL]

Pete,

I thought I replyed to your TCAS question. Maybe it was in an email.

I use the Project Magenta RJ software. The modes in the software are TCAS OFF, TCAS AUTO, TCAS ALL, TCAS CALLSIGN. I have no idea if these are real modes or something Enrico added. I guess I could ask him.

TCAS OFF shows no targets. AUTO and ALL show a triangle target with the altitude, such as +34. If in CALLSIGN mode, I see the triangle and Delta or SpeedBird, but no flight number. I could never see the flight number that is why I was checking.

Thanks for the help.

Regards,

Richard

[Pete Dowson]

I use the Project Magenta RJ software. The modes in the software are TCAS OFF, TCAS AUTO, TCAS ALL, TCAS CALLSIGN. I have no idea if these are real modes or something Enrico added. I guess I could ask him.

Ah, yes. The PM software does has extra options -- they aren't per the aircraft though, I think you'll find. The "callsign" mode is something Enrico added just because the information was there. At least I think that's so -- I have real Boeing 737 and 747 manuals and there's no mode showing any type of ID.

Regards

Pete