Updated: 03Sep2020 # Intercom The intercom dual crew of the F-14 Tomcat is the only method of communications between the pilot and RIO. Proper usage and understanding of the intercom is very important to your success as a crew member and maximizing the amount of fun you can have in DCS. The ICS provides normal, backup, or emergency communications between crewmembers. It also combines and amplifies audio signals received from other electronic receiving equipment (ECM, Sidewinder tone, IFF/SIF, radar altimeter, and voice radios). The ICS consists of 4 amplifiers, two in each cockpit, which permits duplex operation. # ICS Control Panel Located in position 1 on both diagrams. ![[F-14 Pilot Cockpit Panels.png]] ![[F-14 RIO Cockpit Panels.png]] # ICS Controls ![[F-14 ICS Control Panel.png]] 1. Volume 2. Amplifier Selection knob 1. **B/U** - Uses amplifier 2 in your cockpit 2. **NORM** - Uses amplifier 1 in your cockpit 3. **EMER** - Uses selected amplifier in other cockpit 3. ICS function switch 1. **RADIO OVERRIDE** - Makes ICS audio override radio audio 2. **HOT MIC** - Allows talking without PTT 3. **COLD MIC** - Requires PTT to talk >[!note] >If both amplifiers in either cockpit fail, no intercommunications are available. >[!caution] >With the front cockpit amplifier set to EMER, engine stall/over temperature and Sidewinder tones will not be available to the pilot. # Crew Preferences The use of HOT MIC is a crew preference. however use caution and test your setup. Since mic sensitivity, noise suppression, and background noise have a big influence on what you partner can hear and not hear. These unintended noises (heavy breathing) can drown out other vital communications causing the crew to miss instructions from lead or other critical call outs when engaged. Just ask your crew mate how it’s working and be courteous to other peoples experience. # How it works Using the ICS DCS requires 2 trains of thought. 1. Am I talking to an AI or NPC in the game. (Only applies to ground crew) 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. There is no button in the cockpits you can click with your mouse to select ICS. This button is on the throttle for the pilot and left foot pedal for the RIO. They must be mapped in DCS to get access to them. For the RIO, the ICS mic but can be mapped to an axis and sim pedal will work like they do in the real jet. # 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]]