fixed Static noise when flying FC3 aircraft on a MP server with Voice Chat Server off

[mousepilot]

Hi everyone,

In an MP server with the Voice Chat Server off, if you slot into an F-15C you'll get the static noise from the radio.
Unfortunately, because the VCS is off, the shortcut to show the VCS window won't show it. Therefore, I can't "turn off" the static noise.

I'm unsure what more information to provide as this is not an "error" in the code. It's just an inconvenience and it makes flying with that noise very annoying.

Please let me know if you need logs or tracks anyway.

Thank you.

[Smax70]

 

  Been getting the same for quite a while. Don't know why it hasn't been addressed. If they aren't going to fix FC issues why are they still in the game?

 

 

[intruder11]

+1, also experiencing this, it's _very_ annoying.

[nicelife]

Yes, makes FC3 planes unplayable on Syria because there are VOR beacons which are transmitting on a specific frequency. And as described the solution with the voice chat menu is not an option because it is not active on all servers. See post:

But I guess we will not get a fix for this since it's broken since ED introduced the new radio system and no care is taken for FC planes anyway.

[Yaga]

You hear the same thing periodically in the F-16C on certain channels, but I'm not sure it works correctly. If you change freq, the static stops, but if you revert to the original freq it doesn't start again, even if you didn't move or change channels quickly. As far as I can tell it's somewhat random. 

I'm sure it's utterly obnoxious in FC3. Yuck. 

[Flappie]

A fix is in the making for what looks like the same issue (reproduced in the Apache).

Could someone provide a F-15C track?

[nicelife]

Hi Flappie,

Here you go. Hopes this helps for testing and validation. Used Contention on Syria Beirut and spawned into an F-15C.

Cheers

 

SPS-Contention-Syria-20250126-214701.trk

[Flappie]

Argh,  I can't replay your track (stuck at "vti" step).

[TAIPAN_]

On 2/1/2025 at 9:35 AM, Flappie said:

Argh,  I can't replay your track (stuck at "vti" step).

SPS-Contention-Syria-20250214-181825.zipHere's a track from multiplayer Syria. Voice chat is not enabled for this server like many others using SRS, so there is no way to turn off the noise or change channels.

Also I have voice chat disabled in my settings.

If voice chat is disabled on both client and the server, it seems logical that any radio noise coming through voice chat radios should get disabled in the future fix?

 

[Flappie]

This does not load either ("Mission load fail").

1 hour ago, TAIPAN_ said:

If voice chat is disabled on both client and the server, it seems logical that any radio noise coming through voice chat radios should get disabled in the future fix?

The problem which as been fixed internally is not about Voice Chat, it's about the squelch which can be heard at the end of radio comms with AI (ATC, wingmen, tankers...).

[TAIPAN_]

14 hours ago, Flappie said:

This does not load either ("Mission load fail").

The problem which as been fixed internally is not about Voice Chat, it's about the squelch which can be heard at the end of radio comms with AI (ATC, wingmen, tankers...).

Is that related to the OPs issue?

The constant static noise when using F-15C on Syria, even when not having radio comms with AI?

Or a separate issue?

14 hours ago, Flappie said:

This does not load either ("Mission load fail").

Mission might be too complex. This one is pretty easy to reproduce without track, jump into Contention server on one of the closest to the frontline dynamic spawns (not Aleppo which is at the back).

I tried to reproduce in the mission editor, but it does not happen when running an empty mission on my local PC. It might require multiple players or something to trigger the voicechat to engage and thus start listening to the 116 beacon.

 

Edited February 14 by TAIPAN_

[Flappie]

9 hours ago, TAIPAN_ said:

Is that related to the OPs issue?

The constant static noise when using F-15C on Syria, even when not having radio comms with AI?

Or a separate issue?

Mission might be too complex. This one is pretty easy to reproduce without track, jump into Contention server on one of the closest to the frontline dynamic spawns (not Aleppo which is at the back).

If it's only in MP, it's a different bug than the one I was talking about. Thank you for the indication, I'll give it a go right away.

EDIT: the Contention server needs a password that I don't have.

Edited February 15 by Flappie

[TAIPAN_]

1 hour ago, Flappie said:

If it's only in MP, it's a different bug than the one I was talking about. Thank you for the indication, I'll give it a go right away.

EDIT: the Contention server needs a password that I don't have.

Ahh if there's a password that's just the beta/test server, it might be the only one you see because of a different bug - sometimes the server browser doesn't show servers after restart..   It happened to me today as well.

The main public server is here, can click the join with IP: 45.141.24.156:10308 and there is no password on this one.

To reproduce:

a) Select Blue

b) Select airfield Abu Al Duhur

c) Select Centre Dynamic Slots

d) Select F-15C, there will be static before even turning on the electrics.

I just ran a quick test again.

Edited February 15 by TAIPAN_

[Flappie]

Thank you. These slots are taken! I'll wait in line.

EDIT: it's OK, I took a dynamic slot and I can reproduce the constant squelch sound, thank you very much.

A-10A is affected too, and Soviet aircraft cannot be spawned here, but I guess all FC3 are affected. It looks like the radio beacon issue. I'll check.

Tracks don't replay the issue.

Edited February 15 by Flappie

[TAIPAN_]

Great thanks!

Yes I also noticed it in A10A, though I had only done one flight with it

[Flappie]

So, that's what I thought: it is caused by the Damascus 116 MHz beacon. I hosted the mission on my own dedi server, with Voice Chat enabled, and as soon as I change the default VHF frequency (116 MHz in FC3 planes), the noise stops.

I understand the issue for servers with Voice Chat turned off, because there is no way to turn that noise off. I'll ask the Syria terrain makers to change Damascus frequency, which is the simplest solution.

EDIT: actually, this sound shouldn't be heard when Voice Chat is off, since it cannot be heard in SP.

EDIT2: Damascus real beacon is really 116 MHz, by the way.

Edited February 15 by Flappie

[Flappie]

Some good news: I've tried my best but I'm unable to reproduce the issue with DCS internal version. This means this issue should be gone with the next DCS update.

[TAIPAN_]

21 hours ago, Flappie said:

Some good news: I've tried my best but I'm unable to reproduce the issue with DCS internal version. This means this issue should be gone with the next DCS update.

Nice, possibly related to the other thing that was fixed.

23 hours ago, Flappie said:

as soon as I change the default VHF frequency (116 MHz in FC3 planes), the noise stops.

I understand the issue for servers with Voice Chat turned off, because there is no way to turn that noise off. I'll ask the Syria terrain makers to change Damascus frequency, which is the simplest solution.

EDIT: actually, this sound shouldn't be heard when Voice Chat is off, since it cannot be heard in SP.

EDIT2: Damascus real beacon is really 116 MHz, by the way.

Yeah I remember another thread where a workaround was to change frequency in voicechat.

I'd say a more bulletproof solution would be to play no frequency broadcasts at all if voicechat is not enabled, similar to how single player works. 

Possibly multiplayer enables voicechat on the client even if the server has it disabled, this is my guess based on the comparison of single player to multiplayer (with voicechat off). 

Since you can't reproduce it though, probably best we wait and see if it's fixed in the next patch

thanks!

[ZuluThreeZero]

On 2/15/2025 at 1:07 PM, Flappie said:

Some good news: I've tried my best but I'm unable to reproduce the issue with DCS internal version. This means this issue should be gone with the next DCS update.

Hope the answer to this is "yes, obviously" but has it been checked on other maps too? Currently on Sinai and getting the same issue, haven't cast around to see which beacon is to blame.

[Flappie]

2 hours ago, ZuluThreeZero said:

Hope the answer to this is "yes, obviously" but has it been checked on other maps too? Currently on Sinai and getting the same issue, haven't cast around to see which beacon is to blame.

This is a core game fix, not a terrain fix. I'm pretty sure it will work for every terrains.

For the sake of it, I'll check Sinai if this can reassure you. I'll first reproduce the issue in Release.

[Flappie]

@ZuluThreeZero I now can confirm that your ears wont bleed anymore over Syria AND Sinai with the next DCS code update.

[mousepilot]

Hi @Flappie,

This is great news. I just wanted to add that I originally had the issue manifest with the Afghanistan map. I had an F15C at Camp Bastion.

But if I understand correctly the fix will "apply" to all maps, right? So in that case we should be good.

Thanks again for your help.

[Flappie]

I'm positive the fix was applied to the game core files, not to terrain files.

The update is now live, you can give it a try.