[TUTORIAL]How to Connect Flightgear to VATSIM | WINDOWS,LINUX,MAC

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NOTAM : A new VATSIM client named swift is now there for all simulators, please use it instead of this.
https://datastore.swift-project.org/page/about.php
P.S. I don't use flightgear anymore, so I've absolutely no experience with this

Read the whole thing. Don't skip anything.

If you've any problems, comment below

Pre-Requisites :

• VATSIM Account (https://www.vatsim.net/)
  Make one if you don't have one.
• Python 2.6 (32bit) [https://www.python.org/download/releases/2.6/]
• SquawkGear
• Squawkbox747
• Advanced Voice Client (AVC)
  
• Wine (Only if you're on Linux, Mac)

Downloads :

• All the required softwares except Wine (if you're on linux).
  https://github.com/SH-M/VATSIM-Flightgear-Bridge
  
  
• Wine
  Install depending on your distro.
  After installing wine, when you try to install some of the above programs, you will have to install some dependencies which wine will ask. Just click install when it asks and you shouid be good.

Installation:

Unzip all the .zip downloaded and put it in a folder.

• SquawkGear
  1. Make a shortcut to squawkgear.exe on your desktop, or wherever you wish.
  2. Copy the file squawk.xml to $FG_data/Protocol
  3. Go to $FG_data/gui/dialogs, and backup radios.xml
  Copy the file radios.xml to $FG_data/gui/dialogs and overwrite the old file.
  
  
• AVC
  1. install AVC by clicking AVC10setup.exe
  2. Start AVC.exe from your desktop (if you asked the setup to place a shortcut on the desktop).
  3. Fill in the CID and Password, and type in a server manually from the list below depending on your location.
  http://faq.apollo3.com/ljames/fsinn/vatsim/data/testservers.pl
  
  4. Now setup your audio setup with the audio setup tab.
  
  
  
• Squawkbox747
  1. Start SB747 from SquawkBox\SquawkBox\BIN, go to File->Setup.
  
  2. Fill up your name, CID and password as registered with VATSIM.
  3. Finally, select a VATSIM server geographically near you.
  4. In the path voice prg, select the location of AVC.exe you just installed.
  For Windows, it should be in C:\Program Files (x86)\Advanced Voice Client\AVC.exe
  For Linux, go to ~/.Wine and then find location of AVC.exe

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Making a flight

• SquawkGear
  Start SquawkGear from SquawkGear\squawkgear.py
  You'll get something like this:
  
  
  
• FlightGear
  Now start flightgear with the following additional options:
  

  Code: Select all

  --generic=socket,out,1,IP_OF_SQUAWKGEAR,1863,tcp,squawk
--telnet=socket,in,1,IP_OF_SQUAWKGEAR,5900,tcp
  
  
  where IP_OF_SQUAWKGEAR is the IP address of the PC running squawkgear. Default is 127.0.0.1. Try it first.
  
  

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  Multiplay 1: out,10,mpserver01.flightgear.org,0
Multiplay 2: in,10,,5000
  
  
  Make sure you start in an airport with ATC, to check that go to http://www.vattastic.com/
  Never start FG at some airport and then respawn to another airport from FG. Instead close FG and start again.
  
  
• Now start SB747.exe from SquawkBox\BIN\SB747.exe
  Go to File, Flight Plan, And fill in all required information.
  For you first flight, put in the remarks.

  Code: Select all

  First Flight on VATSIM.
  
  And if you're unable to follow a SID, STAR : Put that also in the remarks.
  Also, for the first flight type in .rw a/on which will cause AVC to automatically enter the corresponding channel when you enter a frequency in FG.
  
  If you're using a plane other than the 747, use this online form for filing the flight plan.
  https://cert.vatsim.net/fp/file.php
  
  Make sure you're at a gate/stand.
  Then, click Online.
  
  Whatever you do from now, will be transmitted to the network. So, don't do anything without ATC Instruction.
  
  
  Now you'll have something like this on SquawkGear.
  
  
  
  If that is not that case, try if any other program is using the above ports. If yes, close the processes and those ports should be available.
  
  
• AVC
  Now start AVC
  
  Fill in Callsign with the same callsign you used to file the flightplan.
  
  
  Now try to hear a ATIS freq by tuning it to the ATIS frequency at that airport.
  If it fails, check on AVC whether something new has been entered in the server/room. If yes, click connect.
  If any error pops up, try connecting again. It should work the second time.
  
  
  If nothing is seen in the server/room, copy the voice server from squawkbox747 and paste into AVC and click connect.
  
  
  
  OR go to http://www.vattastic.com/
  And click on a controller, you will get the address of the voice server:
  
  Copy,paste and click connect.
  If any error pops up, try connecting again. It should work the second time.

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Transponder dot commands which can be used by pasting onto squawkbox VHF box

Code: Select all

.xpdr standby

force squawk-standby, regardless of the code that is set

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.xpdr on

force squawk-mode C (except when code is set as 0000)

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.xpdr auto

squawk-standby when airspeed is below 120 knots, regardless of the code that is set, and mode C when above 120 knots. This feature is meant to reduce ATC's radarscope clutter.

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Updated Navaids database.
Copy the folder NavAid to your main scenery folder (terraGit/terrasync)

https://github.com/FGDATA/Navaids

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Reserved

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FG's multiplayer-in option should be activated with "--multiplay=in,10,,5000" specifically, do not include an IP address. This will allow SquawkGear to inject Vatsim traffic into FG as multiplayer objects.

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Live : Test flight from ENGM to EHAM as VT-SMD.

For this event
https://www.vatsim.net/events/oslo-real-time-2017

Busy airspace.

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Made it all the way from clearance to holding short 1L.
Model matching was fine, others showed as blue yellow.

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Ok. Its a success. Screenshots to follow soon.

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Excuse the quality because it was done in my potato laptop which was the only one I had linux on.

Joining Voice Channel


Requesting clearance


Following a SID