Cougar for Dummies...and idiots like me

[Max]

I've had my Cougar for 3 months but I'm a buzy guy who hasn't had a lotta time to RTFM. I grabbed Revvn's profile but wanted something simpler...so I tried my luck with Foxy GUI. No go.

OK so then I figured I'd just program it using the AH stickmapping program. Got as far as getting HAT 1 and the other joystick buttons mapped out ...which seemed to work with Cougar CCP turned off.....until...

All of a sudden the stick is spiking like crazy. It won't hold auto pilot and wants to yaw left or right. Add in plenty of nose bounce and I've got a $260 bookend.

Can anyone help me get this stick working right? At this point I'm so confused, I'm not even sure it's calibrated right.

Help would be much appreciated!

Thanks,
DmdMax

[Griego]

Have you tried to recalibrate it in the game setup. Mine will sometimes get out of calibration. I just recalibrate it while in flight or just before i take off a runway.

[214thCavalier]

I have to use the in game calibration every time i start AH.
If i dont do this the stick is very sensitive and hard to control.

[AKIron]

Don't know if you did this but don't calibrate the stick in Windows. Use the calibration utility that came with the stick, can be launched from within Foxy. After that, calibrate in AH.

[Revvin]

Never ever calibrate in Windows..assuming that's what you may have done. If you give me an idea of what you'd like on a profile I'd happily put one together with less functions or a different layout, the macro is done so it's just a case of reassigning the buttons, just mail me at revvin@ntlworld.com if you'd like to. Other than that try running the Foxy tutorial. Even after being a longtime TM user I ran it to get to grips with the programming. It takes you step by step creating a joystick profile and macro.

[Max]

I did make the mistake of calibrating in Windows once but used James Hallows regedit fix to undo it.

Couple of weeks ago I posted the spiking problem over at CougarWorld general forum. Today a squaddie pointed me over to a thread in the hardware issues forum. It seems the spiking issue is pot and gimble related, and has been a known issue for many Cougar owners...to the extent that some of them have developed mod kits to cure this problem.

Upon learning of this, I posted a BEWARE thread over in general discussion. I'm livid! Rumor has it that these mod conversion kits run up to $100+  It sure seems to be the source of my problem as I've re-installed all current software, flashed the stick with 1.07 firmware. The only workaround I've come up with, thus far, is to push the damping slider up in AH, for both X & Y axes, all the way. Cures the spikes but renders the stick unplayable in terms of response. I also find that I need to calibrate the stick in AH like every 15 minutes.

Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks ~ DmdMax

[Hussein]

Buy MS PP with optical 'pots' two years of use, damping at ZERO and smoooooth flatline in all positions. Best damn thing I ever bought (or stole) from microsoft.

[WpnX]

Max,
Spiking has been a known issue with TM for years. My F-22 did the same thing until I cleaned the pots and it is free, I used WD-40 to clean em out. Go to this page:

http://cougar.frugalsworld.com/faqhardware.php#Topic3.1

and it will explain how to clean the pots. This should fix your spiking.
Also, like you I like a simple file to run my Cougar. I have a simple Aces High file for the cougar with no Up, Middle, Down, In, Out modifiers. All those settings always confuse me and I can never remember them all. Email me if you want a copy of it.
Joe/WpnSG

[SC-Sp00k]

Revvin, I have your current AH profile for the Cougar but get confused. I cant seem to get the Up views, ie, front up, rear, etc etc.  They appear mapped in the profile when I look at it but I dont really understand it.

Also I cant seem to find range mic and Squadron vox channel on the stick either tho they are also in the profile....i think.

Could you explain what buttons they are here for me please.

Much appreciated.