VHF radio cannot be tuned to FM frequencies

[Tomsk]

There appears to be a bug with the VHF radio in the F-16: it does not seem to be possible to tune it to FM frequencies.

 

The AN/ARC-222 VHF radio in the F-16CM Block 50, as I understand it, should be able to tune to:

• 30.000 to 87.975 MHz FM
  
• 108.000 to 151.975 MHz AM (where 108.000 to 115.975 is receive only)
  

This agrees with the F-16C.lua in the CoreMods folder as well as various sources online.

 

However, it does not appear to currently be possible to tune the radio to any of the FM frequencies. First, I set the frequency to 30.00 FM in the Mission Editor as preset 1. This works correctly and is accepted as a valid frequency for that radio:

 

Then I go into the mission and select preset 1 on the VHF radio, this shows incorrectly. It shows 300.00 rather than 030.00. This is wrong for two reasons: firstly it's not what I selected in the ME, secondly it is outside of the valid frequency range for that radio:

 

 

I tried to contact an AWACS which is listening on frequency 030 using the VHF radio to see if it is just displaying incorrectly. However, this fails, the AWACS does not respond.

 

Next I tried to change the preset to 030.00, this fails as the input is rejected (the display flashes). This is likely incorrect as 030.00 is a valid frequency within the range of the VHF radio.

 

 

Next I tried to enter 030.00 into the scratchpad for the radio to tune the frequency manually. This is also rejected (flashing).

 

 

I retried the test with a number of different FM Radio frequencies in the 30.000 to 87.975 range. I got the same result each time.

 

NOTE: I discovered this bug trying to contact a friendly AI A-10 flight whose flight frequency had been set in the FM range.

Edited October 27, 2019 by Tomsk

[Frederf]

When entering 30.000 MHz FM

 

Invalid frequency entry:

0-3-0-ENTR

0-3-0-0-ENTR

0-3-0-0-0-ENTR

 

Valid frequency entry:

3-0-ENTR

3-0-0-ENTR

3-0-0-0-ENTR

 

Confirm about the preset thing. "30" in the ME field gives 300.00MHz.

[Tomsk]

Well sort of. You can type 3-0-ENTR into the scratchpad and it'll SAY it's tuned to 30.00 but it's actually not: you can't contact anything on that frequency.

 

In contrast if you type 3-0-ENTR into the preset setting you get 300.00 instead. All in all it's a bit broken.

[Sedlo]

I've just tested this on Nevada map, I've got a preset set to 37.5 but it shows up at 375.0 in the scratchpad DED when I cycle through the presets, and I cannot contact a JTAC on 37.5.

 

However, when I take a look at the cockpit parameters, it will show COMM2 set to 37.5. Odd.

[Frederf]

Well sort of. You can type 3-0-ENTR into the scratchpad and it'll SAY it's tuned to 30.00 but it's actually not: you can't contact anything on that frequency.

 

In contrast if you type 3-0-ENTR into the preset setting you get 300.00 instead. All in all it's a bit broken.

 

I can. I set Tanker to 30 MHz FM and contacted him with with ARC-222 VHF FM. I did it both with preset #2 set to "30" in ME (which showed "300") and by manual 30 MHz scratchpad entry.

 

You probably set AWACS to 30 MHz AM and not 30 MHz FM. When I set my tanker to AM instead of FM he was not contactable.

 

The only bug seems to be the decimal place display error.

[txmtb]

Noticed this tonight creating some Nevada praactice missions, the UHF Presets seem to work fine from the ME, but the VHF ones do not.

 

Manually entering the VHF on ICP works.

[Tomsk]

I can. I set Tanker to 30 MHz FM and contacted him with with ARC-222 VHF FM. I did it both with preset #2 set to "30" in ME (which showed "300") and by manual 30 MHz scratchpad entry.

 

You probably set AWACS to 30 MHz AM and not 30 MHz FM. When I set my tanker to AM instead of FM he was not contactable.

 

The only bug seems to be the decimal place display error.

 

Ah right you are I had indeed set the AWACS to 30Hz AM. I'd just put it into the frequency window in the ME, but on closer inspection it does indeed say "AM". I'm not really sure why DCS allows that ..there's probably not a radio in existence that can tune to 30Hz AM as that is an exclusively FM band, but hey ho :)

 

Yes using a SetFrequency task to 30Hz FM, it is indeed possible to contact the AWACS. So it's only the display that is bugged, the actual functionality works fine. It should probably also accept 0-3-0-0-0-ENTR (and variants) as a valid way to enter 30.00 as it is completely unambiguous and so I suspect the real jet would accept it.

Edited October 28, 2019 by Tomsk