Need help on building a Radio

[trevorwarren]

Folks,

Have just joined the forums a couple of days ago. Been using FSX for over a couple of years now and have a Dual monitor - CH Flight sim yoke + CH Pro pedal setup. I want to start out by building a Com/Nav module. Been looking at various forums including opencockpits and am terribly confused. Ideally i would like to proceed by building something like:

http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfradio.htm
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfpanel.htm
http://www.saitek.com/uk/prod/pfmulti.htm

starting with the radio first to get me hands dirty and get a good understanding of what it takes to build these sim components. At this point i don't intend on building a whole cockpit but intend on building the three modules above in a modular approach with the ability to add additional modules as time passes by.

The biggest challenge i have is spending the moolah. You might say...why not just go out and purchase the saitek/go flight modules....but i can't afford it due to financial commitments. Infact i have intelligently sourced my entire sim setup second hand.

Can someone help me get started. I want to know the best way to go about building the radio stack. Do i need to buy the opencockpit boards or can i just build these without the boards. If i need the boards, what boards do i need to invest in, etc.

Also, please tell me if i am being downright stupid and if purchasing the saitek modules is the only cheapest way to go. Given that i am a complete newbie i would like to know whats the most practical way to go about.

Appreciate pointers in the right direction. Am willing to read and experiment with some guidance.

Thanks in advance.

Trevor
trevorwarren@gmail.com

[npbosch]

Hi Trevor

Sometimes these Saitek/go flight modules show up on ebay or second hand sites.
The only other possibility is to make the yourself.
Use IOCards or FSBUS. You can make the pcb yourself or buy them and solder them together.

Do you know these sites: (a must for starters)
http://www.mikesflightdeck.com/
http://www.fscockpit.com/

[No Longer Active]

Hi Norbert,

Can I just say I love your GA Radio stack idea where you have made 'encoder' style rotary knob just by using micro switches!

Genius!

Very Clever, never seen anyone do this before!

Cheers,

Alex

[Jylhami]

Hello,

I am also building a King style NAV/COM for my sim.
I will use 2 pcs dual shaft encoders for the frequecies.
2 pcs of toggle switches to change the USE STBY frequency.
And 20 pcs of small 7-segment displays to show the frequencies.

The concept works with SIOC code and Opencockpits hardware.
When i found the Leo Bodnar card, i use it to configure the encoders and buttons via FSUIPC and only OC displaysII card for output.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu/radio_4.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu/radio_10.jpg

[Wendy]

Well I'm doing it the same way as Jylhamy.

I already did a test with Leo's BU386x for the double rotary encoders and configured them in FSUIPC. This works great and is very easy to configure. For the displays I've just ordered OpenCockpits MasterCard, USB expansion and Display card. These will drive the displays.


Regards, Wendy

[Chris Baker]

Hi All,

I am interested to know what double encoders you are using part numbers ,supplier etc , also why don't you use Opencockpits for these encoders ? Not compatible?

Thanks
Chris

[Jylhami]

Hello Chris,

The double encoders came from Leo Bodnar also. Fast and reliable service.

The fine part is, that i can now leave about 40 rows of SIOC code off, since the Leo's card recognise those encoders as joystick buttons and i can configure them via FSUIPC.

These don't work right with OC cards (not even with the Encoders card)
Also i have found that the ALPS dual rotaries don't work with OC cards, but they do work like a charm with the BU0836X card from Leo.

[Wendy]

I can only agree to Jylhami. Completely the same for me.


Regards, Wendy

[No Longer Active]

Can someone point me in the right direction into understanding SIOC, to me all it is is lots of brackets and numbers with lots of symbols and means nothing, its not the sort of thing that is self-explanitory, looking at it you wouldnt be able to say " ol yeah that does that and that does this" because like i said it it lots of numbers and symbols etc....

Is it possible for someone to 'write code' for someone else that doesnt understand it, like could you write the code for me to display nav and com on a 7 segment displays board etc etc!

also what programs can you download to write sioc?

Thanks guys!

[Jylhami]

Hi,

SIOC is a very powerful programming langue for the Opencockpits products. You can make almost anything possible (if there is a FSUIPC variable) and beyond.

You write it with much like any other programming language like C++ or VisualBasic scripts.

Yes it is possible for someone else to write the program, but then there is a lot of testing because it's not likely that the hardware is the same.

But, with the latest versions of SIOC you can name the variables and then give it a link to the hardware.

Some code from my radio stack for you to study:

Var 0801, name Nav1_sby, Link SUBRUTINE // subroutine wich when called else in the code...
The bracets are for the SIOC to undestand wich part to do and not
{
IF &Avionics = 1 // if the variable Avionics is ON (depending on Batt master switch and Avionics master switch state)
{
L0 = &Nav1_sby_mhz * 100 //local variable gets value (14) init value*100 = 1400
L0 = L0 + &Nav1_sby_khz //local variable 1400 is added with khz 20 = 1420
&Nav1_sby_out = L0 //this is linked to display card 4 digits, the first "1" is hardwired, so on the display it says 114.20
&Desimal = 1 //my outputcard is wired to the desimal point and "1" to be able to blank the display.
&FS_NAV1_SBY = TOBCD &Nav1_sby_out //now we need to make the 1420 to BCD for the display card to understand it
}
ELSE //otherwise (if the avionics is OFF)
{
&Nav1_sby_out = -999999 //Nav 1 standby display is shut off
&Desimal = 0 //the hardwired "1" and desimal point is turned off
}
}
Var 0802, name Nav1_use, Link SUBRUTINE
{
IF &Avionics = 1
{
L0 = &Nav1_use_mhz * 100
L0 = L0 + &Nav1_use_khz
&Nav1_use_out = L0
&Desimal = 1
&FS_NAV1_USE = TOBCD &Nav1_use_out
}
ELSE
{
&Nav1_use_out = -999999
&Desimal = 0
}
}

If you like you can grab my sioc code (incomplete) and study it as you will.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/jylhami/simu/cold_dark.txt

[Chris Baker]

Thanks for the reply, I will keep this in the back of my mind as I proceed with building.

Regards
Chris

[kiek]

Can someone point me in the right direction into understanding SIOC,

http://www.lekseecon.nl/sioc.html

http://www.lekseecon.nl/howto.html