CH throttle quad spikes

[seippg]

Hi,

I installed the new FSUIPC 4.9 yesterday and, since then, I have been getting spikes from my CH throttle quad into my sim. I'll be sitting at idle and suddenly I'll get a blip to full throttle or back to beta. Or the mixture suddenly cuts an engine. Need help.

Thanks!

[Pete Dowson]

I installed the new FSUIPC 4.9 yesterday and, since then, I have been getting spikes from my CH throttle quad into my sim. I'll be sitting at idle and suddenly I'll get a blip to full throttle or back to beta. Or the mixture suddenly cuts an engine. Need help.

Merely updating your version of FSUIPC changes absolutely none of your settings. You need to look elsewhere.

Regards

Pete

[seippg]

After I sent this, I realized that the same thing is happening with my GoFlight peddles. They got a spike and my parking break went off. It's definitely more than a cleaning thing. Something changed. I turned the filter checkboxes off...didn't seem to help anyway. I verified that I have the controls disabled in FSX. I guess I'll just have to keep working on it.

Edited May 7, 2013 by seippg

[Pete Dowson]

After I sent this, I realized that the same thing is happening with my GoFlight peddles. They got a spike and my parking break went off. It's definitely more than a cleaning thing. Something changed. I turned the filter checkboxes off...didn't seem to help anyway. I verified that I have the controls disabled in FSX. I guess I'll just have to keep working on it.

Have you checked the calibrations? Also always test first with a default aircraft.

Pete

[seippg]

Hi Pete,

After you told me to look elsewhere I did. I think I found the culprit...an application called VAFS that uses FSUIPC. For some reason (still testing) the spikes seem to not happen until after I start that app and even after I shut it down. If I don't start it, they don't seem to happen. I will continue testing tonight and tomorrow but that's what it's looking like.

Gregg

[Pete Dowson]

After you told me to look elsewhere I did. I think I found the culprit...an application called VAFS that uses FSUIPC. For some reason (still testing) the spikes seem to not happen until after I start that app and even after I shut it down. If I don't start it, they don't seem to happen. I will continue testing tonight and tomorrow but that's what it's looking like.

Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I looked up VAFS and it seems to me that it should only be reading data, not interfering with controls. That is if it really is the "Virtual Airline Financial System" program?

Pete

[seippg]

Ok. Thanks for letting me know. I looked up VAFS and it seems to me that it should only be reading data, not interfering with controls. That is if it really is the "Virtual Airline Financial System" program?

Pete

Yeah, that's what it is. I just did a 90 minute flight with it off and not a single issue. Usually they happen anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes apart. Not sure why. Maybe it's polling too hard or just my system. The only thing I can do is keep it off until I get it resolved.

[seippg]

Hi Pete,

I think I spoke too soon about VAFS (I think). Yesterday was perfect but today I have been getting the spikes again without it running. I uninstalled it as well. I did a bunch of troubleshooting, cleaned my controls just to be certain. Watching the processes, I notice that LINDA jumps up on the CPU just before it happens. I turned on the tracer and it has a VisibleRightThrottlePos thing it's writing to the log on a regular basis (left too). When the spike comes I see VisibleRightThrottlePos=100 and then usually the throttle restores back to its normal position...matching back to the hardware position again.

I also notice another thing that changed. It used to be (talking last week and all throughout the past) the virtual controls on the screen would sit in some position that did not match my physical controls until I moved the physical controls...even a little bit. Now that's changed. If I start an aircraft, the virtual controls sync up to the physical controls right away without me touching them. Seems something is a lot more sensitive than it used to be. Again, not sure how useful that is but those are the two bits of information I've gotten since this weirdness started.

I'm baffled again and just wondering if this gives you any clues.

Gregg

Edit: I notice that, usually, there is a EngineXThrottlePosition = blah when I move the physical throttle followed by some Visble RightThrottlePos stuff. But when I get the VisibleRightThrottlePos=100 there is no EngineXThrottlePosition = blah. It just pops up without the EngineXThrottlePosition = blah. Does that mean that the spikes are not coming from the physical throttle quad but someplace else?

[Pete Dowson]

I think I spoke too soon about VAFS (I think). Yesterday was perfect but today I have been getting the spikes again without it running. I uninstalled it as well. I did a bunch of troubleshooting, cleaned my controls just to be certain. Watching the processes, I notice that LINDA jumps up on the CPU just before it happens. I turned on the tracer and it has a VisibleRightThrottlePos thing it's writing to the log on a regular basis (left too). When the spike comes I see VisibleRightThrottlePos=100 and then usually the throttle restores back to its normal position...matching back to the hardware position again.

That does sound like either software interference, or more likely an disconnected and possibly ancient (game port even) type joystic kdriver sending signals. Disconnection looks exactly like a full on or off spike.

There is a spike suppression facility in FSUIPC which you could try, but it would be best to find the source.

I also notice another thing that changed. It used to be (talking last week and all throughout the past) the virtual controls on the screen would sit in some position that did not match my physical controls until I moved the physical controls...even a little bit. Now that's changed. If I start an aircraft, the virtual controls sync up to the physical controls right away without me touching them. Seems something is a lot more sensitive than it used to be. Again, not sure how useful that is but those are the two bits of information I've gotten since this weirdness started.

Nothing's changed to do anything like that in my software.

Edit: I notice that, usually, there is a EngineXThrottlePosition = blah when I move the physical throttle followed by some Visble RightThrottlePos stuff. But when I get the VisibleRightThrottlePos=100 there is no EngineXThrottlePosition = blah. It just pops up without the EngineXThrottlePosition = blah. Does that mean that the spikes are not coming from the physical throttle quad but someplace else?

I've no idea what "a EngineXThrottlePosition = blah" is. Sorry. It isn't one of my messages. Is this maybe a question for Linda support, if that's where it's from?

The fact that it all "went away" for a significant period, then came back, points to something more hardware, temperature or condition related. Software really doesn't do that sort of thing, at least not voluntarily.

I'm afraid I'm now off for a long weekend (steam train tour in Ireland). I'll be back on Wednesday next week.

Regards,

Pete

[seippg]

I'm afraid I'm now off for a long weekend (steam train tour in Ireland). I'll be back on Wednesday next week.

Regards,

Pete

I should do something like that instead of fighting with this...this...thing. LOL. My yoke is OLD but USB. My throttle is young...6-7 months. PC's about a year old. Still...could be hardware. Common themes are 1) stressed out CPU 2) USB port issues. It's an i7 but FSX stresses everything. USB ports? Could be. I did futz with Delta some (I've futzed with everything.) I've gotten my hopes up before but that seemed to help if only by reducing the amount of throttle reads LINDA was getting.

Have a great trip!!

[seippg]

The solution was to delete my fsuipc.ini file. I deleted it and let fsuipc create a new one. Recreated my assignments manually and recalibrated. No spikes at all for two days.

[Pete Dowson]

The solution was to delete my fsuipc.ini file. I deleted it and let fsuipc create a new one. Recreated my assignments manually and recalibrated. No spikes at all for two days.

In that case you must have had conflicting assignments somewhere in the earlier INI file.

Regards

Pete

[seippg]

Okay. Things are all good now. Just figured I'd let you know in case someone else chimes in with the problem.