Using Vaicom with more than TX1 ?

[dburne]

Serious question - currently I fly mainly the Hornet, and am still early learning stages of the Apache. Usually I would assign the TX Nodes per the Vaicom manual. However seems all I ever need is my TX1 press/release.

So is there any good reason to use those other TX nodes and where? I have now just assigned TX1 and seem to be getting along fine with just it, but still early I guess.

[MAXsenna]

1 hour ago, dburne said:

Serious question - currently I fly mainly the Hornet, and am still early learning stages of the Apache. Usually I would assign the TX Nodes per the Vaicom manual. However seems all I ever need is my TX1 press/release.

So is there any good reason to use those other TX nodes and where? I have now just assigned TX1 and seem to be getting along fine with just it, but still early I guess.

I'd say it depends on the module/hardware and to what extend you want it most realistic.
Many modules have only one transmit button, and you need to change what radio you want to transmit on. Like the Mirages and the Huey, so you can do fine with only TX1. While in the Huey, like the Hind and the Hip, you have ICS/Intercom on the first trigger stage on the cyclic. The Apache have TX1 and ICS as buttons on the grip.
Others like the A-10, Viper, Hornet etc. have a transmit button for every radio, and might even haven for for Intercom, so adding TX2,Tx3 and TX5 could be "required".
Then you have the option of TX4, auto, which could be everything you need, and the rotary dial on the VAICOM control panel. But I haven't tested that extensively.

Hopefully VAICOM will have better support for special cases in the future. I use different TXs depending on the module like this.

Cheers!

 

 

null

[dburne]

2 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

I'd say it depends on the module/hardware and to what extend you want it most realistic.
Many modules have only one transmit button, and you need to change what radio you want to transmit on. Like the Mirages and the Huey, so you can do fine with only TX1. While in the Huey, like the Hind and the Hip, you have ICS/Intercom on the first trigger stage on the cyclic. The Apache have TX1 and ICS as buttons on the grip.
Others like the A-10, Viper, Hornet etc. have a transmit button for every radio, and might even haven for for Intercom, so adding TX2,Tx3 and TX5 could be "required".
Then you have the option of TX4, auto, which could be everything you need, and the rotary dial on the VAICOM control panel. But I haven't tested that extensively.

Hopefully VAICOM will have better support for special cases in the future. I use different TXs depending on the module like this.

Cheers!

 

 

null

 

Ok thanks much guess I will just leave it as is for now. Like I say I mainly fly the Hornet and so far have not run across needing anything other than my TX1 button. And this in the Hornet. So that is all I have assigned now - will just plan on assigning more if I ever run across a need for it.

Edited November 6, 2022 by dburne

[Tshark]

With the F-18, A-10, and F-16, I use TX1 for Comm 1 and TX2 for Comm 2.  With the F-14 I also use TX5 for crew chief Comms.  Have not messed with Apache comms using Vaicom since it is broken.

With the F-18 it is nice that with one hat press I talk to AWACS/Tankers and the other hat press I talk to ATC or flight.

 

Edited November 6, 2022 by Tshark

[dburne]

5 minutes ago, Tshark said:

With the F-18, A-10, and F-16, I use TX1 for Comm 1 and TX2 for Comm 2.  With the F-14 I also use TX5 for crew chief Comms.  Have not messed with Apache comms using Vaicom since it is broken.

 

 

 

Ok thanks - for comm 1 and comm 2 in the Hornet I usually just make the selection on the radio itself. How do you assign TX2 to use Comm 2?

Edited November 6, 2022 by dburne

[MAXsenna]

 
Ok thanks - for comm 1 and comm 2 in the Hornet I usually just make the selection on the radio itself. How do you assign TX2 to use Comm 2?

You just configure TX2 and VAICOM knows it, like if you configure TX3 (Warthog) or TX5, VAICOM will use TX5 for intercom. Hop in the Hornet, press TX2, and watch what VAICOM does on the PTT tab in the control panel.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[dburne]

47 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

You just configure TX2 and VAICOM knows it, like if you configure TX3 (Warthog) or TX5, VAICOM will use TX5 for intercom. Hop in the Hornet, press TX2, and watch what VAICOM does on the PTT tab in the control panel.

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk
 

Ok thanks will give it a shot. I might have been missing out on something good.

I may be a little confused though - seems I would change the channel to appropriate one on the second radio and still use my regular PTT TX1 button to communicate. Been a while I just need to get back in there and work with it I reckon.

Edited November 6, 2022 by dburne

[MAXsenna]

Ok thanks will give it a shot. I might have been missing out on something good.
I may be a little confused though - seems I would change the channel to appropriate one on the second radio and still use my regular PTT TX1 button to communicate. Been a while I just need to get back in there and work with it I reckon.

You can use the appropriate TX to tune the radios to a channel/frequency, so you can have the flight on one, and ATC/tankers etc on the other, if that's what you mean by missing out.
Yeah, just test it, and you'll see how it works.
Cheers!

Sent from my MAR-LX1A using Tapatalk

[sthompson]

On 11/6/2022 at 10:57 AM, dburne said:

Serious question - currently I fly mainly the Hornet, and am still early learning stages of the Apache. Usually I would assign the TX Nodes per the Vaicom manual. However seems all I ever need is my TX1 press/release.

So is there any good reason to use those other TX nodes and where? I have now just assigned TX1 and seem to be getting along fine with just it, but still early I guess.

You only need TX1 if the only radio you want to use in the module is on TX1. But that isn't always the case. My recollection is that in some modules (e.g. The A-10C) you have a choice of AM and FM radios and need separate TX for each. In the Mirage 2000 there are separate UHF and VHF radios and for at least some campaign missions you really want to have them tuned differently so that you can monitor and reply on more than one frequency.

[dburne]

10 hours ago, sthompson said:

You only need TX1 if the only radio you want to use in the module is on TX1. But that isn't always the case. My recollection is that in some modules (e.g. The A-10C) you have a choice of AM and FM radios and need separate TX for each. In the Mirage 2000 there are separate UHF and VHF radios and for at least some campaign missions you really want to have them tuned differently so that you can monitor and reply on more than one frequency.

 

Yeah like I said earlier I have as of yet not come across a situation in the Hornet where I need to use a button press other than TX1. Change the channels on radio 1 and 2 sure, but not changing my TX button press. I use TX1 for requesting start up, removing wheel chock, taxi, take off (although not always get a reply to these),  wingman commands, then calling inbound to carrier and coms for it.