OnCourse Software

Hi Dave, Happy Holidays! I guess you are probably busy with FS2024 issues but when you have a chance try and figure out why this is happening.

Free Flight KORL to KSRQ with waypoint. ATC works fine/ I contact Radar control Miami for initial check in and flight following.
Response is received (but no squark code). Later I report position and received acknowledgement. However, when I touch Hotkey 1 to start Approach Handoff the key beeps but there is no response from ATC.
pck42

Hello Dave, I hope retirement is treating you well. I noticed that you are still responding to enquiries, though less frequently then earlier as you indicated. Perhaps my issue was overlooked but I still hope you can tell me what I'm doing wrong.
pck42

I can't provide detailed help as Dave can, but I tried your VFR Free Flight and also did not get a squawk code assigned by enroute flight-following, so this may be a bug. However the rest of the flight proceeded normally.

For your flight, you were on the correct enroute flight-following frequency 125.02 for much of the flight, but it looks like your COM frequency changed to 127.4 just before you pressed Hotkey 1 to trigger the handoff to destination Approach. This was not an active PF3 frequency and may be the reason you got no response. I think if you repeat the flight and make sure you are on the assigned flight-following frequency when you press Hotkey 1, you should get the handoff.

Thank you, Dan, for getting involved in this anomaly. This only happens in VFR Free Fight, VOR and IFR work as expected, as does waypoint guided VFR.

Before going deeper, you should know that I have other issues with PF3. For many months I have worked with Dave because the PF3 displayer will not show giving me a message that says I am not connected to FS2020 (ridiculous, since I receive taxi and take off instructions from ATC). Dave and I have not been able to resolve the issue. I also cannot connect with the PF3 web display and Martin and I cannot solve the problem but kind of isolated it to my MS User account controls. Dell has also been unable to solve the problem.

Regarding the frequency you say I am in touch with 125.02 my com1 does not show that. Once ATC advises me the radar services are terminated Squawk 1200 I have no further contact with them, and I contact FSS 122.2 radar services (Jacksonville radar provides the frequency. I dial it, make initial contact and request Flight Following and ATC responds with either Roger or the altimeter reading....NO SQUAWK CODE. Obviously then, Contact Approach Handoff will not work since I'm not transmitting.

I figured out a work around. In contact with FSS I amend the flight plan to IFR. Tower advises me to expect vectors etc. Nav frequency is set, and I COULD turn on approach. But since I am in touch the tower, I can also NOT do that and simply report airport in sight. ATC responds with directions for landing as usual i.e. downwind for runway xxx.

Not very immersive but it does work. I think a more permanent solution is going to be a new computer. new Windows 11, FS 2024 and then reinstall PF3. $$$$ haha.

Again, thanks for your help
pck42