more VOX channels

[Jappa52]

I searched but only found two threads, both started in 06
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,171852.0.html

Last night�s FSO placed 4 squads and 55-65 people in the same place at the same time.  Was a wonderful sight but the comms traffic was so cluttered no one knew what the hell was going on. Our squad was split into 3 different flights and trying to decipher what was sighted, where and what alt was a lot harder than it should be. It would also be nice when we are flying tactical in the MAs to tune a separate channel for your wingman and not force the rest of the squad to hear your every move.

Here�s how I would have set my radio up last night if we had another 2 VOX channels available.

Radio 5: Strike Leader VOX � for communicating with the other squad Cos who are in your strike package. The CIC could tune in and talk to each strike group personally.
Radio 6: (Squad) Flight Lead VOX-for communicating with the other 4ship flight leads in your squad.
Radio 7: (Squad) Flight VOX-a separate channel that could be set for each 4ship.

What would it take to get two more VOX channels added to the radio?

[Ghosth]

First off, until we actually get more radio channels in AH either vox or text you might want to consider Ventrillo.

Our squad has been using it for about a year now. Still use AH channel vox for orders. But wingmen, elements can communicate freely over vent without disrupting whats being said on the AH vox.

Also I've asked for years now for a Wingman channel. So if you did a .wingman Baumer I could with a keypress talk directly to him and just him.

I'd also like to see customizeable colors for channels 101 - 299. So that if your listening in on text to 2 or 3 different channels.
The colors would make it possible to keep it all straight.

Typical FSO will see CO's & XO's tuning in to

A squad channel for vox, & text # 143
B Side CO's orders channel text  # 150
C Strike force vox & text           # 181

All 3 of these look identical in the text buffer. If your in combat, and you MUST get the right message out to the right group.
And you screw up, you could easily hit the wrong key combo, and send it to the wrong place.

Plus it makes it much harder to follow conversations.

Even just making it possible to change the color for text on the tunable vox channel (example 143) would help.

As FSO gets bigger, and bigger, with more and more squadrons. Bigger and more complicated plans. The need for more choices in communication becomes more and more apparent.

[Cajunn]

First off, until we actually get more radio channels in AH either vox or text you might want to consider Ventrillo.

Our squad has been using it for about a year now. Still use AH channel vox for orders. But wingmen, elements can communicate freely over vent without disrupting whats being said on the AH vox.

Also I've asked for years now for a Wingman channel. So if you did a .wingman Baumer I could with a keypress talk directly to him and just him.

I'd also like to see customizeable colors for channels 101 - 299. So that if your listening in on text to 2 or 3 different channels.
The colors would make it possible to keep it all straight.

Typical FSO will see CO's & XO's tuning in to

A squad channel for vox, & text # 143
B Side CO's orders channel text  # 150
C Strike force vox & text           # 181

All 3 of these look identical in the text buffer. If your in combat, and you MUST get the right message out to the right group.
And you screw up, you could easily hit the wrong key combo, and send it to the wrong place.

Plus it makes it much harder to follow conversations.

Even just making it possible to change the color for text on the tunable vox channel (example 143) would help.

As FSO gets bigger, and bigger, with more and more squadrons. Bigger and more complicated plans. The need for more choices in communication becomes more and more apparent.

Thanks for the info, I'm going to look into Ventrillo.

[vonKrimm]

I searched but only found two threads, both started in 06
http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,171852.0.html

Last night�s FSO placed 4 squads and 55-65 people in the same place at the same time.  Was a wonderful sight but the comms traffic was so cluttered no one knew what the hell was going on. Our squad was split into 3 different flights and trying to decipher what was sighted, where and what alt was a lot harder than it should be. It would also be nice when we are flying tactical in the MAs to tune a separate channel for your wingman and not force the rest of the squad to hear your every move.

Here�s how I would have set my radio up last night if we had another 2 VOX channels available.

Radio 5: Strike Leader VOX � for communicating with the other squad Cos who are in your strike package. The CIC could tune in and talk to each strike group personally.
Radio 6: (Squad) Flight Lead VOX-for communicating with the other 4ship flight leads in your squad.
Radio 7: (Squad) Flight VOX-a separate channel that could be set for each 4ship.

What would it take to get two more VOX channels added to the radio?

Sounds like ya'll need to exercise radio discipline.

[moot]

"Brevity"

[daddog]

Sounds like ya'll need to exercise radio discipline.

  With 20 or 25 guys on one channel I don't care how much radio discipline you have, once your in a dog fight it hits the fan. You have to have separate channels, you have to be able to communicate with your wingman. With that many guys on one channel wingman can't communicate let alone a C.O. give out directions.

[moot]

A dedicated wingman channel would be really great.

[Jappa52]

Sounds like ya'll need to exercise radio discipline.

"Brevity"

Both of you are correct and the 367th has been working at using the brevity code in combat during FSOs.  We have a lot to work on but it�s getting there. An Example http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_008a.html
But even if the 367th was composed of nothing but military trained combat pilots we would still have problems working with the other squads in our strike package. Most other squads do not use any sort of Brevity Code and one true VOX channel limits your options. Communication can be a great advantage or your weakest link.

FSO is so large now that I think it�s time to start adding options such as these to stay in step with its growth.  It�s no longer a night where you pit two sides against each other and funnel them into the same airspace to ensure a fight.  There are so many players on each side that the CICs are taking advantage of their available resources and penciling very strategic operations.  It would be nice to have the �software� to support those plans.  Options such as these is where HTC can give FSOs a little nudge and keep it moving forward or let it plane out.

Until HTC decides one way or the other I will look into Ventrillo or Teamspeak. Is there a difference between the two?

[awrabbit]

I agree with Moot .

Maybe a squelch for the range channel as well. if you are tuned to you wingman.

Rabbit

[RedTop]

A dedicated wingman channel would be really great.

.Radio 5 <name>
.radio 4 ###

[moot]

No Redtop.. There's a range channel by default because people in proximity inherently need communication.. A tunable channel for your combat group. Would you say that either of those should replace the other or that you'd have to choose one over the other?  There ought to be a wingman channel dedicated the same way as for range, that you don't have to sacrifice Range or Tunable for.  Wingman coms are as essential as Range and Tunable.  And it'd be a one to one cost in extra vox traffic, so this is as cheap as it gets.

[Ghosth]

Spot on moot!

[Bruv119]

Until HTC decides one way or the other I will look into Ventrillo or Teamspeak. Is there a difference between the two?

Ventrilo is by far the clearer quality (we've used it for 5 years now) but if you have more than 8 people using it you need to pay to rent a server.  There are loads of companies out there and it isn't expensive.   

Teamspeak 2 does the job and I believe thats free for however many people you want.  But pros use Vent. 

[Jappa52]

Thanks guys. Going to try Ventrilo and see how it works. 

[B4Buster]

+1

I always thought this would be a good idea. I know 100% what you're talking about, I encounter the same problem every Friday during FSO.