How to prevent comms menu from appearing when using mic switches?

[dporter22]

When using SRS for comms during multiplayer missions, the default comms menu always appears in the upper right screen whenever I use any of the mic switches even though I haven't pressed the \ key.  This means I have to exit out of the comms menu before using any of the F keys which is cumbersome, and if I forget and hit an F key before exiting, it changes my radio frequencies.

 

Is there any way to activate the mic switches without pulling up the comms menu?

[MAXsenna]

It's doable, but I don't know how. I use VAICOM and there we have an option to hide the radio menu.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Foka]

Buttons you use in SRS for mic - unassign them in DCS for mic. You need separate keys for comms many than for SRS mic.

 

"\" key is only if you're using "easy communication" or for Intercom. In realistic comms you need to use correct mic switch in DCS to get in contact with station on correct radio with correct freq.

[dporter22]

SRS doesn't use assigned keys, you use your mic switch in DCS and SRS uses it for comms so there's nothing to unassign.

[Nealius]

10 hours ago, dporter22 said:

SRS doesn't use assigned keys, you use your mic switch in DCS and SRS uses it for comms so there's nothing to unassign.

 

You assign keys in SRS. I tend to assign the standard mic switches in SRS, then in DCS bind modifier+mic switch for in-game comms. Example: COM switch down for SRS UHF, modifier+COM switch down for in-game UHF.

[dporter22]

Thanks guys. 

 

I set the SRS keys to the same keys as in DCS (I have to use keys because I don't have a mic switch on my throttle), I have "Radio Switch works as PTT" to On, and "Allow INCOCKPIT DCS Controlled PTT" to Off.

 

Correct?

 

 

[Frederf]

Yup

[dporter22]

Unfortunately none of the suggested settings worked for me.  No matter what combination of settings I try the comms menu still shows up.

Edited April 4, 2021 by dporter22

[Frederf]

If your input into SRS and DCS is the same then both programs will respond to this singular input. They must be made into different buttons.

 

DCS>HOTAS MIC Switch Forward>Keyboard "A"

SRS>Radio 1>Keyboard "A"

You press "A" and both things will happen.

 

Instead:

DCS>HOTAS MIC Switch Forward>Keyboard "A"

SRS>Radio 1>Keyboard "B"

You press "B" and only SRS thing will happen.

[dporter22]

Got it, thanks.

 

Interestingly, when I changed the DCS keys to 4, 5, and 6 for the radios to make them different than SRS as you explained, somehow it changed the SRS keys from what I had (1, 2, and 3) to 3, 4, and 5 for the radios, yet 1, 2, and 3 are the SRS keys that work in game and the comms menu doesn't appear.

 

It works though, so I'm not going to mess with it.

[Ready]

It is somehow not working for me.

Inside DCS I removed all HOTAS Mic bindings and in my Vaicom profile in VoiceAttack I added a modifier to use for the TX presses and releases for the AM, UHF and FM radios, which works:

1. ModifierButton + Mic.Fwd -> DCS TX on the Fwd radio. 
2. Mic.Fwd -> SRS transmits on the Fwd and does nothing within DCS.

But now how do I stop SRS from listening when I use the modifier? It is also transmitting in SRS when I use the modifier. 

Thanks,

Edited October 17, 2021 by Ready_ENP

[MAXsenna]

It is somehow not working for me.
Inside DCS I removed all HOTAS Mic bindings and in my Vaicom profile in VoiceAttack I added a modifier to use for the TX presses and releases for the AM, UHF and FM radios, which works:

1. ModifierButton + Mic.Fwd -> DCS TX on the Fwd radio. 
2. Mic.Fwd -> SRS transmits on the Fwd and does nothing within DCS.

But now how do I stop SRS from listening when I use the modifier? It is also transmitting in SRS when I use the modifier. 
Thanks,

You might want to ask in the VAICOM forum. Or just search it for the solution. People have posted their VAICOM/SRS setup there.
I rarely fly MP, so I haven't dived into this yet, or I would have told you mine.
Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Ready]

Yes I went through exactly the same ordeal. I also started out wanting to get rid of the comms menu while talking on SRS.

At the moment I use the DCS comms mainly for my AAR practices. So I did the same as you, having the mic press button for DCS. This way I can order DCS to go through menu options, but am not able to TX on the right radio freq to call out 'approaching for refuel' for example. I now have to press the mic and then navigate through the menu until I reach the right command, which is a pain in the *(& especially with lots of 'ready precontacts' . Am going into the JTAC side of things in a couple of weeks and there it will be the same nightmare..

[Frederf]

3 hours ago, Ready_ENP said:

 

1. ModifierButton + Mic.Fwd -> DCS TX on the Fwd radio. 
2. Mic.Fwd -> SRS transmits on the Fwd and does nothing within DCS.

 

But now how do I stop SRS from listening when I use the modifier?

Try setting Modifier + Button to do something in SRS which has no practical effect like transmitting over Radio 10.

[Ready]

1 hour ago, Frederf said:

Try setting Modifier + Button to do something in SRS which has no practical effect like transmitting over Radio 10.

Thanks for the tip but, setting the same button (Mic.Fwd) to Radio 10 and modifier (button 'x') to radio 10 Modifier does not help. Radio 1 still broadcasts when pushing Mic.Fwd, also when first using button 'x'. 

[MAXsenna]

Yes I went through exactly the same ordeal. I also started out wanting to get rid of the comms menu while talking on SRS.
At the moment I use the DCS comms mainly for my AAR practices. So I did the same as you, having the mic press button for DCS. This way I can order DCS to go through menu options, but am not able to TX on the right radio freq to call out 'approaching for refuel' for example. I now have to press the mic and then navigate through the menu until I reach the right command, which is a pain in the *(& especially with lots of 'ready precontacts' . Am going into the JTAC side of things in a couple of weeks and there it will be the same nightmare..

I don't really understand why you need to map any buttons for the comms menu in DCS when using VAICOM though.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[Frederf]

8 hours ago, Ready_ENP said:

Thanks for the tip but, setting the same button (Mic.Fwd) to Radio 10 and modifier (button 'x') to radio 10 Modifier does not help. Radio 1 still broadcasts when pushing Mic.Fwd, also when first using button 'x'. 

It does work, just don't use Radio 10. Any input on radio 4-10 (i.e. radios beyond what you have) just acts as PTT on the current radio (who knew?).

Try:

• Up 100MHz - A
• Up 100MHz Modifier - Shift
• Radio 1 - A
• Radio 1 Modifier - None
• DCS Transmit - Shift+A

When I press "A" I transmit SRS, "Shift+A" SRS tries to adjust freq but can't and DCS radio text menu is activated.

[jaylw314]

15 hours ago, Ready_ENP said:

It is somehow not working for me.

Inside DCS I removed all HOTAS Mic bindings and in my Vaicom profile in VoiceAttack I added a modifier to use for the TX presses and releases for the AM, UHF and FM radios, which works:

1. ModifierButton + Mic.Fwd -> DCS TX on the Fwd radio. 
2. Mic.Fwd -> SRS transmits on the Fwd and does nothing within DCS.

But now how do I stop SRS from listening when I use the modifier? It is also transmitting in SRS when I use the modifier. 

Thanks,

 

Use Joystick Gremlin.  Set up your mic switch to output one set of 4 DirectX buttons, and a different set of DirectX buttons when you have the modifier button held down.  That way there's no ambiguity when you're trying to get SRS to NOT listen.

[jaylw314]

Argh, I have my contacts in and can't read too well.  Here's my setup.

Under Tools->Mange Modes, I created a new mode called "Shift Button 3"

I have TWCS Button 3 set as the modifier.  In this case, I added the "Temporary Mode Switch" function, which changes the mode from "Default" to "Shift Button 3" when TWCS 3 is held down.  The mic hat switch is TWCS Buttons 7-10, which normally fire off DirectX buttons 38-41 respectively.  Notice my setup also has TWCS 3 firing off DirectX 34 so I can use it as an actual function as well, but that's optional.

Now change the dropdown in the upper right to "Shift Button 3" to view the button binds while TWCS 3 is held down.  You can see in this mode that TWCS 7-10 fires off DirectX 58-61.

Now there is no ambiguity with the mic hat switch in the two different modes that you can send to different apps.  You could go crazy and make additional modes with other modifiers to make completely distinct and unambiguous button binds in different modes. 

I should also point out that while you can tell DCS what device you want it to detect DirectX buttons from, SRS and apps that recognize keybinds will often associate it with the DEVICE output (which you don't want) rather than the vJoy output (which is what you want).  If you accidentally bind it to the DEVICE output, all your best laid plans get bypassed and are for naught.  Three workarounds:

• Use HID guardian to remove the hardware devices from your USB list like the TM TARGET software does (I don't use it, so not sure how well this works)
• Use Tools -> Input Repeater.  This repeats your output on vJoy after you press a button.  That way, if you tell SRS to listen for a button press, it will catch the later vJoy output instead of the initial hardware output.  Don't forget to turn this off before you fly again!!
• Use keyboard outputs instead of DirectX buttons.  Kind of defeats the purpose of doing this.

Edited October 19, 2021 by jaylw314

[Ready]

Thanks! Will give it a go and report back.

In the meantime I have Vaicom's TX Link option working, as explained in the manual pages 23-26 (with 200ms setting instead of 100msec, because otherwise it is hit/miss), but it is a bit weird using short presses to toggle Listen/suspend in order to talk to AI or DCS. 

Edited October 20, 2021 by Ready_ENP

[Caldera]

I went simple.  I use the keyboard (mapped to a single press) for in game and the HOTAS for SRS.

Caldera

[Ready]

7 hours ago, Caldera said:

I went simple.  I use the keyboard (mapped to a single press) for in game and the HOTAS for SRS.

Caldera

I am not using the keyboard in VR, breaks the immersion.