FGCOM with and without MSFS

[didierma34]

Hello,

Is it possible to use radio FGCOM Java without launching MSFS for an ATC ?

Thank's
Didier

[hbeni]

Hi, yes it is.
The FGCom-mumble RadioGUI can be used exactly for that. You can setup your location and radio stack there.
Only pilots using FGCom-mumble can participate, however, and they need the Simconnect bridging feature of the RadioGUI for that.

[didierma34]

Ok, Thank's a lot.

Tomorow I'll receive my Linux so I will try to install Mumble on it.
I'll have an Ubuntu. Is-it eays to install Mumble on it ?

Thank's for your help :) :) :)

[hbeni]

It is sort of easy. Afaik there is not yet a package for it, so you need to self compile.
The mumble project has a guide for it.

[didierma34]

Hi,

I've found a package for Ubuntu and all works find but i've some problem to create special channel "fgcom-mumble".
I've read again server install but I don't understand how to create this special channel.
Couls you help me to create it ?
Thank's :) :)
Didier

PS : prehaps after, i'll ask you some help to use GUI-RADIO... ;) ;) ;) but before I must do some tests with the special channel :) :)

[hbeni]

That is an mumble issue, not an fgcom one.
You need to be Admin on the mumble server, and there you just create a new, ordinary channel.
The only "special" thing about it is it's name, which needs to start with the term fgcom-mumble.

Make sure, you have a mumble-server >=1.4.0. The ubuntu packages I know of, are still 1.3.4 (and thats not enough to support fgcom-mumble).

[didierma34]

:) Of course my version number is 1.3.4

So I've build with cmake and make... It's all right

But now, how to install my build ? ;) ;)

[hbeni]

You should end up with binaries in the buildfolder. You now just configure the server with the server inifile (tough defaults shuld be sufficient for testing) and then just call up the server binary, for example from a shell: mumble/build$ ./mumble-server.
At startup the server prints the password of the user SuperUserinto the console and logfile. You need to connect as SuperUser in order to add channels to the server.

You can also test against the "official" testing server at fgcom.hallinger.org.

[didierma34]

Ok...
How to know if mumble server is 1.4.0 ?

[hbeni]

Usually your package manager application (where you search mumble and push the "install"-button) tells you the version of the package.

[didierma34]

Hi,

All is all right now...
Plugin works well...
I've tried with GUIRadio like an ATC, but when I want to connect the GUIRadio with SimConnect, nothing works.
I've followed explanations in MD for GUIRadio, but I didn't what's wrong...
I think, there is no connection to SimConnect (I use MSFS 2020).

What can I try to test or to debug ?

Thank's :)

[didierma34]

The build is made to work on linux, on windows I can't help much unfortunately.

I'm on Windows ! :) :) :)

Never mind... :( :( :(
I won't be able to try debugging in Java... snif snif :) :) ;)

I'll look at your code in NetBeans and I'll try with Windev (PCSOFT) to connect to fgcom-plugin in UDP (port 16661) with a right message. :) :)
I've made a connector to SimConnect and I use it. I know frequencies, so i'll try this.
In the end, it will do the same thing as RadioGUI for the ATC and for the pilot.

I'll say you if it's work :) :) :)

[didierma34]

So could tell me informations about UDP Message ?

CALLSIGN is a string for Callsign ? (it's not difficult :) :) :) )
LAT and LON are Latitude and Longitude, but are they in decimals ?
HGT is Altitude above ground Level, but in feet or meters ?
COM1_PTT (Push To Talk) is 1 or 0 ?
COM1_FRQ is frequency in Khz or in Htz ? ( exemple : 121.250 is 121500 ?)
COM1_VOL is an int but wich values ? I think it's 0 to ???
COM1_PWR is the Power of Transmitter in Watt ? How is it for a Plane ?
COM1_SQC is for the Squelch ? but which values ?
COM1_CWKHZ is Channel Wide ? 8.33 or which other values ?
COM1_PBT is for Power Button ? is it 0 or 1 ? 0 = Off and 1 = On ?
AUDIO_FX_RADIO is 1 for On and 0 for Off ?
AUDIO_HEAR_ALL is 1 for On and 0 for Off (Off = hear only on the same frequency) ?

and DEBUG_SIGQLY, I think i'ts for debugging signal, but how to use it ?

Thank's :) :) :)

[hbeni]

I'll say you if it's work :) :) :)

would be very cool if you could opensource this, so others can benefit from your work :)

I'll look at your code in NetBeans and I'll try with Windev (PCSOFT) to connect to fgcom-plugin in UDP (port 16661) with a right message. :) :)

In the end it is straightforward. You just need some piece of software that continuously read out MSFS and craft UPD packages in a "special" string format, that will then be sent to the plugins UDP port (this is what the "bridge mode" was supposed to deliver and what worked when i tested it).
From github actions, you should be able to download a nightly build in debug mode. This prints out the received and processed UDP messages of the plugin, alongside the plugins internal state every second. This might come in handy to see if your messages are parsed correctly.
But the key information is also displayed in your mumble's identity comment.

The needed UDP format is extensively specified in the doc's, i think you already found it.
To get real world examples, fire up the RadioGUI and look at the string next to the "connect" button, there the gui prints out what is actually being sent to the plugin:

CALLSIGN=ZZZZ,LAT=48.3440238,LON=11.765083,HGT=6.6,COM1_PTT=0,COM1_FRQ=121.000,COM1_VOL=1.0,COM1_PWR=10.0,COM1_SQC=0.1,COM1_CWKHZ=8.33,COM1_PBT=1,COM2_PTT=0,COM2_FRQ=122.540,COM2_VOL=1.0,COM2_PWR=10.0,COM2_SQC=0.1,COM2_CWKHZ=8.33,COM2_PBT=1,DEBUG_SIGQLY=-1.0,AUDIO_FX_RADIO=1,AUDIO_HEAR_ALL=0

[hbeni]

So could tell me informations about UDP Message ?

RTFM :) (see post above for details)

[didierma34]

The needed UDP format is extensively specified in the doc's, i think you already found it.

Sorry, I didn't see that... All right.
Thank's !!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, of course it will be open source, I could tell you code but it's very special and in French cause I'm a old Frenchy :) :) :) :) I'm 59 years old.

[hbeni]

and DEBUG_SIGQLY, I think i'ts for debugging signal, but how to use it ?

Its meant for debugging radio models and should not be a concern for your case.
Anyway, specifying DEBUG_SIGQLY=<FLOAT> (ex. DEBUG_SIGQLY=0.72) will get ignored in a normal plugin build.
A debug build of the plugin will force any transmission to be received at the given signal quality, regardless the calculated quality of the radio model in question. You can use this if you want to fine tune the noise/cancellation audio effects for a given radio model and signal quality.

[didierma34]

Ok

[didierma34]

Hi,
I have a little problem with the message that is transmitted to the plugin.
I saw this code:

byte[] buffer = msg.getBytes();
DatagramPacket request = new DatagramPacket(buffer, buffer.length, address, radioGUI.Options.udpPort);

Can you explain this message to me ?
Are you converting the string into a byte array ?
Can you tell me what this DatagramPacket is?
All this is useful for me to know how and in what form the message (msg) is transmitted.

Thank's

[hbeni]

Yes, just send the string as bytes in plaintext over the wire.

[hbeni]

Can you tell me what this DatagramPacket is?

Its a standard java lang class: https://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/net/DatagramPacket.html
It models UDP datagram packets, the standard UDP network format that takes care of the UDP headers etc. Basicly you use it to package up your data into a UDP network message which then can be send()to the network card (via the class DatagramSocket).

[didierma34]

Ok... thank's

[didierma34]

Hi,

I just made a small piece of code to try to send a message via a UDP socket, but the plugin does not respond to me and nothing is displayed on Mumble (A message on the left on Mumble is displayed when RadioGUI connects and when he sends his first message).

So I have a question:
I can't create a socket to address 127.0.0.1 and I have to use my PC's address. It is a problem related to the language which does not allow the creation of a UDP Socket with the address 127.0.0.1
Is it absolutely necessary to send the packet to 127.0.0.1 or is it possible by addressing the packet to the IP of the PC ?

[hbeni]

I can't create a socket to address 127.0.0.1 and I have to use my PC's address. It is a problem related to the language which does not allow the creation of a UDP Socket with the address 127.0.0.1

I have no Idea, but that sounds weird to me and an issue with your computer/OS setup. Java definitely allows sending to arbitary IP's.

Is it absolutely necessary to send the packet to 127.0.0.1 or is it possible by addressing the packet to the IP of the PC ?

As long as the listening socket is open, it accepts messages. By default it listens on 127.0.0.1 which should ALWAYS be reachable- its the local loopback interface address. Are you employing a local firewall application?

You ca instruct the plugin to listen on any adress by supplying a config file, details here, and:
See:

fgcom-mumble/client/mumble-plugin/fgcom-mumble.ini

Lines 63 to 74 in df16cc6

	;; UDP listening host and port
	;; This is where the plugin will accept the fgcom-mumble protocol fields and
	;; to which your client (ATC-Pie, Flightgear, ...) should send messages.
	;; The port denotes the "tried" starting port, if it is already occupied, the plugin
	;; will try up to ten consecutive following ports (the actual used port is printed
	;; to the mumble chat window).
	;; The host denotes the listening interface. Change it to "*" to listen on any
	;; interface (or change this to the public IP-Address to select the interface)
	;; to accept outside connections.
	;; ATTENTION: this may open security holes! Only do that on secure networks!
	;udpServerHost=127.0.0.1
	;udpServerPort=16661

[didierma34]

Hi (Sorry I don't know your first name, mopi is Didier)

I have good news !!! :) :) :)

I just made a piece of code and I am connected with MSFS + My Application + Mumble with your Plugin and everything works !!

I can change the frequency of the plane so I can interact with Mumble for connections.

I continue my tests with more features and I'll let you know.

:) :)

[didierma34]

Hello,

I've now a little problem with Mumble :
When I launch Mumble with FGcom, Mumble crash every time during launching and I must send (or not) a report to continue.
When I launch Mumble WITHOUT FGcom, all is all right and Mumble works fine (no crash).

Do you know what can I do ?
Thank's

[hbeni]

No, but that’s a known issue in the mumble project.
It also happens sometimes without fgcom-mumble plugin.

however, if you can reproduce the crash, use debug builds of mumble and fgcom-mumble and produce a stack trace.

[didierma34]

I just find why :
When Mumble stops, it creates a file "mumble.dmp".
If you delete this file before launching Mumble, there is no crash :) :) :)