Questions on radio comms, battery and canopy

[Drevin]

Hello. New simmer here. I'm trying to learn the F/A-18C, and I'm at the point where I'm learning the radio communications. But I have a few unanswered questions, on and off-topic:

1. Why can't I use the radios as soon as the battery is on? I noticed I have access to the radios only after engine start.

2. What does "requesting startup" supposed to mean? I'd logically think I'm asking permission to start the APU and engines, but I can't while the radios don't work. Is this an overlooked feature?

3. I'm currently using Nellis as a base. It has 4 radio frequencies, but no indication ingame which frequency is dedicated to what? I picked the first two (327.00 and 132.55) and used them as presets 1 and 2, and they seem to do the same job. Is there a more indepth thing I need to know when choosing airbase's frequencies? Or it's just "pick the first one and don't bother anymore than that"?

4. When looking for answers, I stumbled on a post saying that the canopy is moved by the battery. Is that true? So far I see I can close the canopy with or without battery on, and honestly my expectation was that the canopy could only be closed with at least the APU on? I'm a bit baffled. Is this a bit of a bug? I can close a heavy canopy while cold and dark (by still using a cockpit button, not by grabbing it manually, as far as I can tell), but can't use radios until an engine is on? PS: my personal preference would be to close the canopy before APU startup (so it's more quiet in the cockpit), but I'd really like to know what would be the correct earliest possibility to close the canopy in the real F/A-18C.

Thank you.

[razo+r]

8 minutes ago, Drevin said:

Hello. New simmer here. I'm trying to learn the F/A-18C, and I'm at the point where I'm learning the radio communications. But I have a few unanswered questions, on and off-topic:

1. Why can't I use the radios as soon as the battery is on? I noticed I have access to the radios only after engine start.

You do have Radio 1 available once the battery is on, but no indications and cannot tune it, so you would need to have the airfield frequency preset.

8 minutes ago, Drevin said:

2. What does "requesting startup" supposed to mean? I'd logically think I'm asking permission to start the APU and engines, but I can't while the radios don't work. Is this an overlooked feature?

In real life, certain countries require you to obtain a startup clearance before you start the engines. In DCS, the ATC communication system is almost obsolete, so if you want to request it, you can but nothing will happen if you don't.

And since you can use the radio once battery is on, it will work just fine.

8 minutes ago, Drevin said:

3. I'm currently using Nellis as a base. It has 4 radio frequencies, but no indication ingame which frequency is dedicated to what? I picked the first two (327.00 and 132.55) and used them as presets 1 and 2, and they seem to do the same job. Is there a more indepth thing I need to know when choosing airbase's frequencies? Or it's just "pick the first one and don't bother anymore than that"?

They are all the active frequency for the tower but in different frequency bands. Each aircraft has a different radio, broadcasting on a different band. So for example a warbird would need to use the HF frequency for the tower while you in the Hornet can chose between the VHF and UHF one.

8 minutes ago, Drevin said:

4. When looking for answers, I stumbled on a post saying that the canopy is moved by the battery. Is that true? So far I see I can close the canopy with or without battery on, and honestly my expectation was that the canopy could only be closed with at least the APU on? I'm a bit baffled. Is this a bit of a bug? I can close a heavy canopy while cold and dark (by still using a cockpit button, not by grabbing it manually, as far as I can tell), but can't use radios until an engine is on? PS: my personal preference would be to close the canopy before APU startup (so it's more quiet in the cockpit), but I'd really like to know what would be the correct earliest possibility to close the canopy in the real F/A-18C.

Thank you.

The canopy is on a hot bus to the battery so you can close or open the canopy at any time, even if the battery switch is set to off.

[Drevin]

OK, so basically:

For 1 and 2: I'll have to recheck and fiddle some more.

For 3: so after checking a Wiki, the 327.00 is UHF and the 132.550 is VHF, and I can use whichever I want, I guess.

For 4: ok, so the canopy movement is correctly modeled, then. I guess I'll close the canopy as soon as I finish talking to the ground crew.

[speed-of-heat]

I got this from the Aggressors campaign.

1) Ground Power On

2) On Ground Power Panel -> EXT Power On - RESET (Right Click)

3) GROUND POWER - > 1 , 2 and 4 ON B (hold each switch a few seconds until it engages)

4) Select COMM 1 and turn the nob to manual (M)

5) Enter the appropriate frequency for the tower

6) Contact ATC for start up clearance