Simkit EGT gauge and FSUIPC4

[smeg99]

Until recently I've been using FS2004, FSUIPC3 and Simkits gauges. I've now upgraded to FSX, FSUIPC4 and latest the Simkits software. All of the Simkits gauges work except for the Cessna EGT. I can calibrate it OK but as soon as I start the engine the needle moves straight up to maximum and will not reduce until thrust is reduced to idle. I've been in touch with Simkits support who replied :

It seems that FSUIPC for FSX has an error, because the I/O towards FSUIPC

3.xx and 4.xx should not be different!

I'll check with Peter Dowson.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to send me an

email.

Best Regards,

Peter Brown,

I did not hear from Peter Brown for a few weeks and emailed him. He emailed me back :

I have not received an answer from Pete.

However, it can only be an error in the FSUIPC, because for our software the

side which "talks to us" should look the same as FSUIPC 3.xx. That's why

FSUIPC 4 has been written.

You might check with Pete directly.

From: Simkits Support [mailto]

Sent: 15 February 2007 08:24

To: 'Phil McEvoy'

Subject: RE: EGT

I'd appreciate any suggestions as to why the EGT gauge would do this. Thanks.

Phil McEvoy.

[Pete Dowson]

I did not hear from Peter Brown for a few weeks and emailed him. He emailed me back :

I have not received an answer from Pete.

No one of that name is known to me and I've certainly never had any emails from SimKits or TRC about any problems with EGT. But I was on holiday on the 15th and when I returned found my father had died on the 11th, so a lot of emails had to be processed a lot later. There's a possibility that it got swallowed in the process, even by my spam eater!

However, if it was important or they had done any testing you'd think they would have asked again, wouldn't you?

I would need to know which offset they are reading so I can check it.

First, please make sure you are using the latest version (4.08 or 4.081).

Assuming it is still wrong, you could try establishing a known EGT (from the FS panel), then logging IPC reads (FSUIPC logging page) and emailing me the log (ZIP and attach, to petedowson@btconnect.com). Tell me what FS was reading.

I'd appreciate any suggestions as to why the EGT gauge would do this.

I'll tell you when I have feedback from those who use it. Unfortunately I cannot possibly test all of the offsets for all types of aircraft, even if I understood them all. As in all previous versions of FS since Fs2000, I am completely dependent upon feedback from those who use them, and I fix any errors as they are discovered.

I'm afraid TRC and Simkits, although one of the main users, seem to be generally rather poor at testing and reporting problems, at least from where I sit, and although their use of FSUIPC gives me lots of work, they don't actually pay any license fees (I wouldn't mind so much supporting them if they did! :-(. )

Regards

Pete

[Pete Dowson]

I'd appreciate any suggestions as to why the EGT gauge would do this.

Okay. Not hearing anything from you so far, I've been checking. FSUIPC supplies two separate EGT values:

08BE (a 16-bit value), where it says "Engine 1 EGT, 16384 = 860 C. [Note that for Props this value is not actually correct. You will get the correct value from 3B70. The value here has been derived by FSUIPC to be compatible with FS2004, FS2002 et cetera]"

and

3B70 (a 64-bit floating point value), where it says "General engine 1 EGT in degrees Rankine, as a double (FLOAT64). Convert to Fahrenheit by Rankine – 459.67. FS default gauges show Centigrade."

Now, contrary to where it says "for Props this value is not actually correct" for the first value, it is, in FSX, actually correct -- the derivation FSUIPC is supposed to do is not actually being executed. :-(

I suspect that SimKits are using the 08BE value, the incorrect one, and so, now having the correct one supplied, are displaying it incorrectly, if you see what I mean! ;-)

I run some comparisons between the 3B70 and 08BE values on the Cessna in FS2004, and it appears the value for Props in Fs2004 is about 2.96 times the value I am reading in 3B70. It most certainly isn't a value is degrees C scaled so that 16384 represents 860C!

None of the values I read in either FS2004 or FSX semed to tie in with the Cessna's own default EGT gauge, which is difficult to read but has tiny divisions with a label saying 25C per div. The third tick (idle) seems to represent about 150C and each subsequent tick seems worth about 100C, as by the 7th or 8th (full throttle) the true EGT is up to 1554R or 1094F which is 590C. Weird.

It's a bit daft havng someone like me, who doesn't know an EGT from a XYZ, testing and trying to calibrate this sort of stuff -- this is where SimKits feedback would have been, er, useful ...

Anyway, I am fiddling the reading in 08BE to be just as inaccurate/wrong as it was in previous FS versions, so hopefully your gauge will show something approximating the truth (?). This will be in the next increment (probably 4.084 or 4.085) which I will post in the FSX downloads announcement above. When you have tried it, please let me know.

Incidentally, the FSX Cessna seems to have slightly higher EGTs than the FS2004 one in any case, espcially when idling (152C rather than 80C).

Regards

Pete

[smeg99]

Hi Pete,

Thanks for your reply. I've been away for a few days which is why I didn't get back to you. Much of what you said goes right over my head but I think I get the gist of it. I'll use the version of FSUIPC you suggest and let you know the results. I feel that Simkits could do more for their users and cannot believe that they pay you nothing for the software that is required to use their product. I think FSUIPC is fantastic and your support is excellent. Thanks again.

Phil McEvoy.

[smeg99]

Hi Pete,

I've just installed the 4.09 version of FSUIPC4 and it has cured the EGT gauge problem. This will make flying the Cessna 172 so much better. Thanks for your help.

[Pete Dowson]

Hi Pete,

I've just installed the 4.09 version of FSUIPC4 and it has cured the EGT gauge problem. This will make flying the Cessna 172 so much better. Thanks for your help.

Good. I'd be grateful if you would confirm this to Simkits / TRC support.

Thanks,

Pete