Updated: 03Sep2020 # Radios The radios and dual crew of the F-14 Tomcat are arguably the most critical system in the airframe. The radio turn any aircraft from a single threat into a team member. Dual crew members each having their own radio doubles that threat. Proper usage and understanding of the radios is therefore paramount to your success as a team member and maximizing the amount of fun you can have in DCS. # V/UHF2 (AN/ARC-182) Located in position 1 on the diagram to the right. Capable of VHF and UHF transmission. 30 preset channels are available. These can be loaded at the start of a mission by the mission editor or entered and saved manually by the RIO (Jester). Frequency Range is 30 to 88, 108 to 156, 156 to 174, and 225 to 399.975 MHz adjustable in 25 KHz increments. Guard Channel is 243.000 Mhz. Below 225 MHz the AM is selected automatically, above is a manual selection. The ARA-50 is used to provide automatic direction finding (ADF) The pilot has a Channel/Frequency repeater in his cockpit ![[F-14 RIO Cockpit Panels.png]] # V/UHF 2 Controls ![[ARC-182 Radio Panel.png]] 1. Volume 2. Squelch 3. Frequency select switches 4. Frequency/Channel Display 5. UHF Mode switch (`AM`/`FM`) 6. Brightness Knob 7. Mode Selector (`Off` | `T/R` | `T/R G` | `DF` | `TEST`) 8. Frequency Mode (outer dial) 9. Channel Selector (inner dial) # How it works Using the radio in DCS requires 2 trains of thought. 1. Am I talking to an AI or NPC in the game. 2. Am I talking to another player. To talk to another player, CSG3 uses SRS as its communications provider. This is a free 3rd party application that simulates radio communications. It must be installed and configured correctly before you can communicate effectively. To talk to the AI or NPC, you have to use the communications menu. Bringing up the communications menu with the correct radio selected is critical to smooth efficient comms. # RIO Communications Panel Unlike the pilot, the RIO has mappable buttons to select which radio is transmitting. These buttons are on the RIO Communication/TACAN Command panel. ![[RIO Communications Panel.png]] 1. Transmitter Select switch (1 | 2 | Both) 2. Antenna Select switch* 3. TACAN CMD pushbutton (Pilot | NFO) 4. Volume 5. KY Mode* (* nonfunctional) ![[RIO Communications Panel Binds.png]] These options are mappable to control this panel # How to talk to the AI... To the right are the 3 different communications menus that are available from the F-14. Most of these has a clickable button and can be mapped in DCS to allow access. The Mic Button ICS and Mic Button UHF have to be mapped. The Mic Button UHF uses whichever radio is selected on the previous slide. Selector switch ![[RIO Radio Panel Binds.png]] ![[ICS Comms Menu Example.png]]![[ARC-159 Comms Menu Example.png]]![[ARC-182 Comms Menu Example.png]] (optional axis based mapping for pedals) ![[RIO Axis Binds.png]] # How to talk to other players... The items highlighted to the right must be correct for SRS to work for you. ![[SRS Client with Callouts.png]] The ‘SRS Only / No Menu’ options in DCS work as PTT. The red arrows below show the DCS mappings to use SRS. The Mic Button UHF - STS Only / No Menu transmits out the selected transmitter from the RIO communications panel. ![[Pasted image 20230907123443.png]] # Mapping in SRS If you don’t map the SRS specific controls in DCS you have to map them here. If you map them in both places they MUST match or you will get unpredictable radio operations. Mapping the radios here as the RIO, prevents having to toggle the RIO communications panel transmit selector to use both radios when talking to other players. (Still required for menu operations) ![[SRS Client Keybind with Callouts.png]] # Auto Connect solves a lot.. Allowing SRS to auto connect to the SRS server that is assigned to the DCS server can save a lot of pain on startup. **Auto Connect** - ON (lets the magic happen) **Auto Connect Prompt** - ON (lets you know the magic happened) **Auto Connect Mismatch Prompt** - ON (lets you know when you switch) ![[SRS Auto Connect Prompt.png]] ![[SRS Client Auto Connect Prompt Callout.png]] # Too many voices? You can adjust which radio you hear in which ear to help distinguish who’s talking to you here. ![[SRS Client Audio Channel Balance with Callouts.png]] # ADF, where to find the frequencies ADF is supported by the ARA-050 integrated into the ARC-182 radio. Technically, any continuously transmitting frequency can be used for ADF. Special stations for this purpose exist at many airports and are designated as VOR stations. ![[Pasted image 20230907125217.png]] # ADF how to use it... Select the frequency using the frequency selection switches. Turn the mode switch to DF. The BDHI will point the smaller needle towards the signal. The HSI will point the large arrow inside the compass rose towards the signal. Azimuth only is available with this function. No range data is available. RIO XMTR SEL must be in UHF 2 >[!note] >System takes 5 minute to warm up after cold start. ![[ARC-182 Radio Panel.png|400]]![[RIO Communications Panel.png|400]] ![[Pasted image 20230907125409.png|300]]![[Pasted image 20230907125511.png|300]]