1.JaVA_Platypus

Also, I noticed T.A.R.G.E.T. renames your joystick to something else. So DCS doesn't see the assignments to 'warthog Joystick' or 'Warthog throttle' anymore. But now sees a diffrent USB device for wich it has no assignments. You can rename your stick back to the default name. But mind the spelling. All the old assigned commands (including axis assignments) should come back. A rather ugly feature of the powerful T.A.R.G.E.T.program.

Since I have a Warthog throttle and stick, rudder pedals wired to the BU8036X, and also a DSD BBI32, I was forced to start-up two different programs, just to be able to fly. That doesn't include TrackIR and VoiceChat. I got frustrated by that. Now I have adapted the default.lua files of all my aircraft modules so it is easier to assign controls from within the game itself. I like it better. No more starting-up and tweaking programs before I even start-up DCS.

The graph seems to be in english. Can it be from the "Have Doughnout" project? That one was a MIG-21 F-13. IIRC

Excuse me, the Flap switch can easily be done with one switch (wich has three positions) it only needs some extra coding in the joystick default.lua. It is also usable for the Warthog Throttle Flap switch. Here is the code: {down=device_commands.Flaps0,cockpit_device_id=devices.FLAPS,up=device_commands.Flaps25,value_down=1.0,value_up=1.0,name='Alternate Flaps Up',category='Flight Controls'}, {down=device_commands.Flaps45,cockpit_device_id=devices.FLAPS,up=device_commands.Flaps25,value_down=1.0,value_up=1.0,name='Alternate Flaps Down',category='Flight Controls'}, Now you only have to assign the command of "Alternate flap up" and "Alternate flaps down" and the middle position of the Warthog Flap switch also 'works'! Something similar can be done with the Landing Gear switch and the radar on/off/standby switch.

You can use as many keyboards and mice you want on a single computer. However, I think there is only one mouse pointer. So there can be conflicts when two people are moving around the two mice.

A while ago, I did this mod for the Warthog joystick. Ik makes the brake-handle paddle assignable as an axis in DCS. So it has a more realistic functionality. The aim of this 'mod' was to minimize the 'damage' done to the Warthog. The Braking Axis can be used in DCS with the MiG-15, MiG-21, Mi-8 and the L-39. First up, a vid of the actual functioning. Secondly, I got some pictures to explain the actual fabrication. There are three parts to the construction. The front part, consisting of a larger bracket, made out of sheet aluminium (0.5mm IIRC), the middle part, brass tubing of diffrent diameter and the rear part containing another bracket and a pot-meter. The actual 'axis' is a normal linear POT meter with a 4mm shaft. I attached it to a sheet-metal bracket wich i made myself. I drilled two 2.5mm holes in the Warthog handrest, wich don't come out the other end. And I made M3 thread in it. It is very easy to drill the holes too deep, so the drill-bit comes out the other end. Also, the Warthog metal is rather soft, so it is easy to make the holes too wide. The bolts got locking washers in them. Here you can see most of the parts I used for the linkage between the front bracket and the Pot-meter. I used brass-tubing of different diameter. These can slide into eachother wich is very important. Because the length of tube long tube is very important. Also, brass can be soldered easily. It is a good way of joining the different pieces of tubing wich won't come loose quickly if you know how to solder. it correctly. You can also see the small spring I used over the Warthog button. This is also an important part. I still got the button functioning. It is important to maximize the travel of the front and rear parts. So I made the front bracket as large as I could, without hindering the movement of the joystick itself. The rear arm/tube, wich is joined with the POT-meter must be as small as possible. But some length is still required. Standard POT-meters have a 300 to 320 degrees of motion available. This ensures maximum sampling resolution from the USB/joystick input board. In my case, the paddle switch rotates about 20 to 30 degrees and the rear part with the POT-meter rotates about 70 to 80 degreees. After calibration, this is enough for the brake-axis as you can see in the vid above. The length of the tube between the front and rear part is important to keep the mechanical tension on the rotating parts as small as possible. I also soldered the pot-meter to a 3 wire (male) audio plug I still had lying around. Well, the plug has two wires and I used the shielding as the 'ground' for the pot-meter. So when I disconnect the joystick, I don't have 2meters of electrical cable dangling. For the link between the front and rear parts, I used M3 bolts wich fit snugly inside the 3mm tubes and used self-locking bolts so they won't come loose on their own. The bolt that is fastened into the Warthog paddle is cut to size, so it doesn't stick out the other end. I had to file away a bit on the inside of the construction that holds the paddle to make room for the bracket without everything becoming stuck. The Original Warthog axle was retained. And 'the other end' is wired onto the BU8036X board. After connection, it is necessary to calibrate the new axis in Windows or it won't be functional in DCS. Leo Bodnar's BU8036X is rather expensive. Other board should work just as well. The BU8036X supplies the POT meter with 5V, ground and the 'signal' wire. To prevent accidental short-circuit, the female part of the plug is connected to the board. The construction of this mod was done in an afternoon. It makes for more realism in DCS when taxi-ing. The Brake axis should be assigned as a 'slider'. And a small deadzone should be added to prevent spiking.

Looks like sheet aluminum to me.

Can't be said enough. :thumbup: Also, if you are not comfortable opening-up the Warthog and you don't really have a problem with it, you shouldn't do it. But the vid that I posted on the first page is really very good. Watch it two or three times and maybe you can make sure you can watch sections of it during your actual disassembly. This vid is very good with lots of good hints and instructions.

Ow Yessssss.... I want one!!! :D :D :D Now let's hope for a flyable Tornado! Should also be usable for the FSX Tornado I think. :)

I have had several issues with USB devices not responding (anymore) in the past. Luckily, it is not my Warthog. Did you open-up the Warthog base or is the USB cable damaged? USB really does need the metal shielding in the cable.

Now it is very clear! I admire your mechanical and electro-technical skills. But I use the Warthog now. It looks like a neat little solution that is very easy to install. I use the Warthog now. But I think this is defenitly a worthwhile upgrade for people who use the Cougar.

Me too! :music_whistling:

Do you have some more pictures of the whole setup, an overview of some sorts. The pictures now are too close-up to show the genius of your work. ;)

Silicone spray? Years ago, my poor old X45 died from silicone spray. It creaked and squeked like a pig. Silicone spray is essentially tiny particles of sand. Imagine that grinding against the plastic parts of your joystick... Anyways, There are small seems, leftovers from the molding process on the plastic parts of the Warthog. It makes sense to remove those by carefull sanding. The seems may lead to quicker wear and tear. I think the grease itself is fine. But after the sanding, particles of plastic stick to the grease and that is not good for the lubrication. Extending the joystick is not an option for me. I can not build a home cockpit and sticking the Warthog to my chair is clumsy I think.

I love this setup! Nice and general without the expensive CNC and backlighting crap. If you have the time, you can easily do it yourself. Altough I don't think it will be much cheaper. I really like the vid as well! p.s. what kind of 'thing' did you use to move around the laser targeting thingy?

The pics are a bit large. Can't you resize them?

He is rather careless with the electronics. Why doesn't he disassemble the electronics? The HALL sensor is easily removable. And also expensive to replace if you damage it. If you are able to solder the ground wire back on, you should also remove the PCB and set it safely aside. And I don't recommend using drill bits to enlarge the holes. If you damage the holes, or make them too big, you will end up with mechanical play. He is also endagering the rather flimsy wires running through the gimbal. And why doesn't he remove the old grease first? The grease should be thick and not silicone or oil based. Silicones and oil can damage plastic parts. I performed a similar procedure according to the vid below. It is much safer this way: and the vid is much shorter, less fiddling and more instructions.

Yeah pretty much. The joystick should function. Altough you have to calibrate it again. Calibrating is required everytime you open up the joystick and fiddled with the inner bits. Joystick boards look for voltage variations. Not resistance. So basically, a 10KOhm pot works as good as a 50K or 100K. (but don't mix-up different pots on one joystick controller) And just as well as a HALL sensor. Without any magnetic influence, the HALL sensor's output is about half the nominal voltage. But it should be connected correctly. It is possible to blow up a HALL sensor (it happened to me) But it is nearly imposible to blow up a POT-meter. Anyways, I would be interested in the HALL sensors. Don't you have any pictures and/or a YouTube vid showing its functioning?

I finished the mission without issues. Mind you, it was in 1.2...

My point is, how do you know the air is dry?

You mean were the air is minus 50 degrees Celsius? I thought Pitot heat is recommended whenever the temperature is near or below the freezingpoint. And is the airhumidity even modelled in DCS?

Het LLTM is een beetje ten-onder gegaan aan het prijskaartje. De allerlaatste keer zaten we op een supergave locatie in Enschede als ik het me goed kan herinneren. Ik deed nog veel Il-2. Echter dat was best duur, vooral als je nog ergens in een hotelletje moest logeren voor het weekend. In Ahaus zaten we SUUUUUPPPEEERRRR. En voor een goede prijs. Maarja, Thobith (de sponsor) trok zich uiteindelijk terug. Dus.... eigenlijk moeten we voor een goede LAN party een goedkope behuizing zien te vinden waar genoeg electriciteit te vinden is. Want doorgeslagen 'stoppen' elke vijf minuten, daar zit niemand op te wachten. Evt zelf een aggregaat huren. Maar dat is best een hele opgave om te regelen!

Yeah, That's it. It is a useless feature wich can be anoying, especially if you use track IR. I turned it off immediatly.

Er bestaan al wel Nederlandse groepjes DCS vliegers. Maar geen enkele die ook open multiplayer sessies aanbieden. Lijkt me leuk. Maar er moet wel iemand de server hebben staan draaien zeker?

Yup... The AI is cheating. Altough the R-60M has a limited aall-aspect capability, you will never get a lock in a head-on. And the AI is in blessed ignorance and fires them away. It is a known issue. Not MiG-21 related I think. More DCS related.