VRC Documentation

Introduction
Installing or Upgrading VRC
What's New
Running VRC for the First Time
A Tour of the VRC Primary Display
The Profile System
Color Profiles
Configuring VRC (General Settings)
Configuring Sounds
Configuring Audio Devices
Calibrating Your Microphone
Configuring the Scope
The Weather Panel
The Controller List
The Aircraft List
The Comms Panel
The SELCAL Panel
The Incoming Chat Log
Setting your ATIS
Connecting to VATSIM
Navigating the Scope
The Various Radar Modes
Opening Additional Displays
Selecting Aircraft
Working With the Command Line
Chat Windows
Communicating with Pilots
"Tagging-up" an Aircraft
Viewing & Editing Flight Plans
Assigning a Squawk Code
Assigning Temp and Cruise Altitudes
Setting the Scratchpad
Setting the Voice Type
Tracking Targets
Handoffs
Pointing Out an Aircraft
Ground-to-Ground Communications
The Right-Click Menu
The Flight Strip Bay
The Oceanic Tracks Window
Conflict Alerts
The Virtual Tower View
Some Useful Tools
Advanced Topics
Appendix A - Command Reference
Appendix B - Files in the VRC Folder
Appendix C - Contents of a Profile
Appendix D - Error Messages
Appendix E - The VRC End-User License Agreement
Appendix F - The .sct2 Sector File Format
Appendix G - Sector File Formatting Requirements

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Introduction

What is VRC?

VRC stands for Virtual Radar Client. VRC is used to connect to the VATSIM Virtual Air Traffic SIMulation network. VRC simulates the radar system used by air traffic controllers to guide aircraft along their routes through the simulated world on VATSIM. VRC is developed by Ross A. Carlson, a controller and instructor in the VATSIM Boston ARTCC. (ZBW) Portions of VRC (mainly the underlying networking and voice libraries) were contributed by Chris Serio and Ben Supnik, also of the virtual Boston ARTCC.

Development of VRC began in April of 2005. Phase one of the closed beta test began in November of 2005. Phase two began in March of 2006, and VRC was released in April of 2006.

Why Make Another ATC Client?

VATSIM began with ProController, which was then replaced by ASRC. ASRC is a fantastic program with many great features and excellent reliability. VRC was developed as an alternative to ASRC, primarily for users with multiple-monitor computer systems. VRC also takes a slightly different approach in terms of its user interface. Where ASRC strives to more closely model real-world radar systems, VRC was designed more for ease of use in the simulated radar environment found on VATSIM. Realism is a secondary concern, instead of a primary design goal.

Single vs. Multiple Monitor Support

As mentioned above, VRC is design for use on multiple-monitor systems. The goal is to keep the primary radar screen as uncluttered as possible. This is achieved by moving all secondary functions to floating tool windows which are intended to be dragged onto a side monitor. These secondary functions include flight strip editing, chat, communications control, the controller list, the arrival/departure list, etc. The only items that are kept on the main screen are those that the controller interacts with very often, such as the radio text area, the command line, and current weather information.

Because of this design approach, many users with single monitors may find the VRC interface quite "stuffy" or uncomfortable. It is possible that a future version of VRC may bring a more single monitor friendly version of the interface, but there are no such plans as yet.

Major Differences From ASRC

Following are the most notable areas where VRC differs from ASRC:

• Numerous Floating Windows - As mentioned above, most secondary functions in VRC have been relegated to floating "tool windows" which the user can position anywhere on the screen. These are intended to be positioned on a side monitor, freeing up screen real estate for the primary scope. ASRC integrates all of its functionality into the main screen.
• The Button Bar - Across the top of the main scope you'll find the Button Bar. This area contains various buttons which offer quick access to certain pieces of information or certain actions. This feature is vaguely similar to the buttons seen across the top of real-world STARS scopes. This feature is listed in this section because it represents a significant user interface difference between VRC and ASRC.
• Communications Management - ASRC has a feature called the VSCS (Voice Switching and Communications System) which models its real-world counterpart. The VSCS contains buttons for both air-to-ground and ground-to-ground communications. VRC has no such device. Air-to-ground communications in VRC are handled through the Comms Panel. Ground-to-ground communications are only accesssible through dot commands.
• The Profile System - VRC includes a system where the user can save different configurations as a "profile" and quickly restore any such configuration by way of the Profile Selection window. ASRC users can achieve similar functionality through a third-party program called ASRC Configurator.

Assumptions

In order to fully understand the concepts laid out in the manual, you should have at the very minimum: knowledge of basic Air Traffic Control terminology and procedures, as well as access to the sector files, alias files and POF files used in the area where you intend to control. Check with the Air Traffic Manager or training staff in your area in order to acquire the necessary files and information.

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Installing or Upgrading VRC

Requirements

VRC has the following hardware & software requirements:

• Windows 2000 or Windows XP (Other Windows versions are untested)
• Video card with OpenGL support with current drivers
• Any Windows-supported sound card with current drivers
• Internet connection with reasonable latency (modem is sufficient)
• Headset/speakers & microphone if using voice

VRC makes use of the following network ports:

Port	Protocol	Data Type	Notes
6809	TCP	Aircraft position updates and general network data	Outgoing - generally no forwarding needed.
3782	TCP+UDP	Voice communications	Outgoing - generally no forwarding needed.
3290	UDP	Voice communications	MUST be forwarded through your router!

Note that only port 3290 UDP must be forwarded through your router for incoming connections. The other two ports are for outgoing connections only.

Installing for the first time

After downloading VRC, you will have a file named "VRCInstaller.exe" or perhaps just "VRCInstaller" depending on your Windows Explorer settings. Run this program to start the VRC installation. You will be prompted to accept the VRC End-User License Agreement before you can continue the installation. After accepting the EULA, you will be given some options to how VRC is installed:

The first option is obviously required and cannot be unchecked. That option simply installs the main VRC executable file.

If you select the second option, "VRC Sound Set", then a set of default sound files will be installed in a "Sounds" folder within your chosen VRC installation folder. These sounds will also be configured automatically within the "Default" profile. (See "The Profile System") You can always change the sounds later if you wish.

The last two options allow you to choose whether or not you want the installer to create a shortcut on your desktop and/or in your Start Menu under "All Programs".

The next screen allows you to choose the folder where you wish to install VRC:

Simply type the location you want to use, or click the "Browse..." button and select a folder on your hard drive. After choosing the installation folder, press the "Install" button and VRC will be installed.

Upgrading to a new version

Upgrading VRC is essentially the same as installing. There is no need to uninstall VRC first. Simply download the installer for the latest version and run it. It will overwrite the existing version, while keeping your configuration intact. (It will not overwrite an existing VRC.ini file, which is where your profiles are stored.)

When upgrading to version 1.2, your INI file will undergo a conversion process the first time you run version 1.2. Starting with version 1.2, all color selections are stored in Color Profiles which are new bracketed sections in the INI file. Color profiles based on your existing color selections will be created when you first run version 1.2.

Uninstalling

There are two ways to uninstall VRC. Assuming you allowed the installer to create Start Menu shortcuts, you will find an Uninstall option in the VRC folder in your Programs Menu. The other method is to access the "Add or Remove Programs" option from your Windows Control Panel. Select the VRC entry from the list and press the "Remove" button.

The following actions are taken when the VRC uninstaller is run:

• The VRC.exe file is deleted.
• Support files are deleted from the folder where you installed VRC. These files include uninstaller.exe, servers.txt, VRC_EULA.txt, and VRC_sector_parse_results.txt.
• The Start Menu and Desktop shortcuts (if any) are removed.
• VRC is removed from your "Add or Remove Programs" list.

Note that your VRC.ini file (where all your profiles are stored) is not deleted. It will remain on your hard drive in case you decide to reinstall VRC in the same location. All other files remain untouched as well, such as any sector files, alias files, or sound files that you may have added.

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What's New

Version 1.2

The most significant additions in VRC 1.2 are certainly the Voice ATIS functionality and the new color profiles. Following is a full list of new features:

• Voice ATIS. You can now record a voice ATIS message and have it broadcast on a separate frequency and voice channel.
• Your text ATIS is now managed entirely within the ATISMaker window ... there is no longer a text ATIS box in the General Settings.
• Color Profiles allow you to define a set of color selections and then assign them to each scope window independently, allowing for ultimate flexibility in scope color configuration.
• New checkbox options for automatically adding, deleting, and pushing flight strips.
• New command for tagging up all aircraft owned by a specified controller. See the Command Reference for details.
• New command to reload the current sector file. This is useful for sector file authors while making changes and tweaks to the sector file.
• VHF simulation option for headset and speakers. This makes pilots more understandable when using speakers or headphones with lots of bass.
• Tabbed interface in general settings. The settings are now much easier to find and are less cluttered.
• Show aircraft route with waypoints. CTRL-F6 now shows the aircraft route, and displays the labels for all known waypoints on the route.
• Separation links allow you to link two or more aircraft together and see the separation between them, updated in real time.
• "Realistic Tags Mode" prevents you from seeing a full data tag for aircraft not squawking their assigned beacon code.
• Quicklook feature allows you to temporarily tag up all aircraft on the scope. There is a new button in the button bar to toggle this feature.
• Sticky Notes. You can now place a sticky note containing any text, anywhere on the scope. Sticky notes can be dragged to a new location as desired, even to a different scope.
• Aircraft info lookup. A new dot command allows you to look up information about a selected aircraft, such as engine type, number of engines, weight class, SRS category, etc.
• Flight strip annotations are now preserved when pushing a strip to another VRC user.
• The new incoming chat log shows all incoming chat messages in a single box, without having to open the chat window for each sender.
• Current oceanic tracks can now be downloaded from the web and plotted on your scope.
• Each scope can now have its own airspace floor and ceiling filters defined.
• Each scope can also have a defined radar floor, below which no targets will be shown, regardless of your filter settings.
• Scratchpad presets. You can now define a list of preset scratchpad entries, and select them from a list in the aircraft right-click context menu.
• STARS radar mode. VRC now simulates the STARS radar system used in many TRACONS and Towers in the United States.
• The aircraft's weight class (heavy, etc) is now shown in the target data block where appropriate.
• Entries in the Controller List and Arrival/Departure list are now be grouped with section headers. These can be disabled in the Controller List.
• The /v voice tag is now hidden, as it is the most common case. Only the /t and /r tags are shown. If the voice type is unknown, /? is shown.
• Chat and radio history can now be timestamped.

Version 1.2 also includes numerous tweaks to existing features, as well as bug fixes.

Version 1.1

The most significant additions in VRC 1.1 are certainly the Virtual Tower View and the new radar modes. (Simple, Park Air, TAAATS, PSR, and 3D) Following is a full list of new features:

• Virtual Tower View. VRC can now create an MSFS multiplayer session and populate it with aircraft. By connecting FS9 to this session, you can have a realistic "out-the-window" view of the airport environment.
• Simple radar mode. This mode is what used to be called the Ground mode in version 1.0.
• Ground radar mode. This is a new mode which shows the callsign, aircraft type, and ground speed.
• Park Air radar mode. This mode emulates the approach control radars used in the United Kingdom.
• TAAATS radar mode. This mode emulates the TAAATS system used within and around Australia.
• PSR radar mode. This mode provides basic "skin paint" primary radar targets without SSR information.
• 3D radar mode. This unique mode provides a 3D "wire frame" view of your airspace, with targets represented as basic 3D models.
• Colorized sector areas. VRC now supports the ability to draw filled, colored polygons on the screen, to represent airways, special-use airspace, bodies of water, etc. This is also useful for creating ground radar maps. These polygons, referred to as "REGIONs" are available in .sct2 format sector files.
• Static text labels. You can now define simple lines of text to display on your scope at a specified lat/lon. This is useful for labeling items such as taxiways, MVA values, special-use airspace names, etc. These labels are available in .sct2 format sector files.
• F2 <ASEL> allows you to quickly add a weather button for the destination field for the selected aircraft. This is handy when controlling aircraft flying into satellite fields, so that you can quickly pull up the weather and monitor altimeter changes.
• The new .center2 command allows you to quickly center both your scope and the range rings at the specified point.
• Right-click context menus. Most areas in VRC now have right-click context menus, allowing you to quickly access important functions with only the mouse. For example, by right-clicking a target on your scope, you can quickly initiate a handoff to another controller. Right-click context menus are available for targets on the scope, entries in the arrival/departures list, entries in the controller list, entries in the weather panel, entries in chat group member lists, and flight strips.
• Profile import/export. You can now easily share profiles and common settings using the profile import, export and merge functions.
• Reminder lights. A new button in the button bar contains four reminder lights. These lights remind you if you have a chat message waiting, a pending handoff, aircraft in your reminder list, or if your microphone is muted.
• Tool window hotkeys. Using the Alt key plus a number, you can quickly show or hide the various tool windows. See the Command Reference for details.
• The new CTRL+G key combination provides quick access to the Diagrams Window for the currently active scope.
• Callsigns in the reminder list are now sorted by how long they have been on the list, so you can quickly see which aircraft has been waiting the longest.
• The SELCAL window. VRC now provides a window listing all aircraft in range which have a SELCAL code in their flight plan remarks. By double-clicking an entry in the list, you can quickly send a SELCAL alert to the specified aircraft.
• Mutable microphone. You can now mute your microphone if you don't wish to have a hot microphone when being overridden.
• The new .fd command allows you to use aliases to toggle diagrams on/off.
• Session statistics. VRC now keeps track of various operational statistics during your session. You can view these stats with the .showstats command.
• New alias variables and functions. You can now insert additional data in an alias. The new variables and functions include $atiscode, $type(), $route and $aircraft.

Version 1.1 also includes numerous tweaks to existing features, as well as bug fixes.

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Running VRC for the First Time

The Default Profile

When you run VRC, the first thing you see is the Profile Selection Window. The first time you run VRC, the profile list will contain only the "Default" profile, as shown here:

Once you have configured VRC and created one or more profiles (see "The Profile System") those profiles will be listed in the Profile Selection Window as well. Since this is your first time running VRC, you will obviously have to start with the Default profile. Select the Default profile either by double-clicking on the entry in the list, or by clicking it once then pressing Enter or clicking the OK button.

After loading the Default profile, you will see a single Display window (the scope) on your primary monitor. No other windows will be loaded for now. Also, this Primary Display will not have any sector data loaded yet. You will also see a reminder message telling you to specify a POF file. See below for more information on initial configuration.

What VRC Does at Startup

After selecting a profile, VRC does two things before allowing you to continue:

1. Downloads the server list
2. Performs a version check

When VRC downloads the server list, it makes a web connection to the VATSIM data servers in order to fetch a list of currently available servers for you to connect to. This usually takes about 5 or 6 seconds to complete. If you are running a firewall, you may be prompted to allow VRC to access the internet. You will have to allow this in order to use VRC.

After downloading the server list, VRC then makes another web connection to the VRC web site in order to confirm that you are running the latest version. If you are not, then you will see a message showing that there is a new version available. When you see this message, you should visit the VRC website and download the new installer.

If either the server list download or the version check fails, you may see an error displayed at the bottom of the scope. Normally you can continue to use VRC if the server download fails, but only if it has succeeded at least once previously. This is because each time the server list is downloaded, it is cached on your hard drive. This allows VRC to load the last successfully-downloaded server list in case the download fails.

It's fine if the version check fails as that will not prevent you from using VRC.

Loading a Sector File

The first thing you should do is load a sector file. You can usually get sector files from the website for the area where you will be controlling. Download the sector file and save it in the same folder where you installed VRC. (You can save the sector file anywhere you like, but it's easiest if they are in the VRC folder so that you don't have to dig for them later when you actually load them.) Then, select "Open Sector..." from the "File" menu. In the window that opens, double-click the sector file. The sector file may take a few moments to load, depending on the speed of your computer and the size of the file. After it is done loading, you will see the sector information on your Primary Display. You can experiment with the options in the "View" menu in order to turn various pieces of sector data on and off.

Initial Configuration

Once a sector file is loaded, you could connect and start controlling right away, but there are a few items you'll want to configure first in order to be able to use all of VRC's features. The first such item is your key configuration. This includes your Push-to-talk (PTT) key and your Aircraft Select (ASEL) key. The PTT key is used when transmitting your voice either to pilots or other controllers via a "land line" connection.

In order to configure these keys, open the "Settings" menu and choose "General...". This will open the main VRC General Settings window. Select the "Hotkeys" tab:

To set the key, click in the box, then press the key you wish to use. The name of the key will be shown in the box. Be sure to use a key that you will not be needing for any other reason while using VRC. The default settings are usually best if you haven't used VRC or ASRC before. Press the "Apply" button to save your hotkey settings.

Other items that you should configure right away include:

• POF file
• Alias file
• Arrival & Departure field lists
• ATIS

See the section on Configuring VRC for details on how to configure these items.

Connecting to VATSIM

Once you have completed the basic configuration, you are ready to connect to VATSIM. To do so, choose "Connect..." from the "File" menu. You will then see the Connect Window:

First, fill in your chosen callsign. The first time you connect, while you are getting used to the VRC interface, you should connect as an Observer, so choose an appropriate Observer callsign. Usually, the staff for the area where you will be controlling will have policies on how you should format your callsign when connecting as an Observer. For example, at the Virtual Boston ARTCC (ZBW), I would use "BOS_CN_OBS". The first three letters are the airport identifier, the second two letters are my operating initials, and the last three letters obviously identify you to the network as an Observer. Observer callsigns should always end in "_OBS".

Next, fill in your Real Name. This is required to be accurate in order to comply with VATSIM policies.

Next, select the facility type you will be connecting as. The first time you connect, you should leave this as "Observer".

Next, select your VATSIM rating from the "Rating" dropdown list. If you have not yet attained any ratings as a controller, you will need to select "Observer". The VATSIM servers will not allow you to connect unless you choose the correct rating from this list.

Next, enter your VATSIM CID and Password. These are normally numeric, at least 6 digits each. You get them when first registering on VATSIM.

Next, select the appropriate server from the "Server" dropdown list. Choose a server that is "geographically close" to your real-world location. All of the servers are interconnected, so you will be able to "see" any controllers or aircraft within range regardless of which server they choose to connect to.

Finally, press the "Connect" button. The Connect Window will close, and VRC will attempt to connect to the VATSIM network using the information you just provided. Text messages will be shown in the Primary Display telling you whether or not the connection succeeded. Normally, the connection will happen instantly, and you will see some welcome messages from the server. The Primary Display title bar will also be updated to show which server you are connected to.

You are now connected to VATSIM!

Creating Your First Profile

Once you have gone to all the trouble of configuring the above items, you won't want to have to do it all over again the next time you use VRC, so you should save your settings in a session profile. To do so, choose "Save Session Profile As..." from the "File" menu. You will be prompted to enter a name for your session profile. Since this first profile is just for observing, you should give it a name that identifies it as such. For example, if you are observing at KBOS, a good name for the session profile might be "Boston Observer".

After you type in a name and press Enter, VRC will save the session profile in your VRC.ini file. The next time you start VRC, this new profile will be listed in the Profile Selection Window, allowing you to quickly re-load these settings.

For details regarding creating and using session profiles, see "The Profile System".

Disconnecting From VATSIM

When you are ready to disconnect from the network, choose "Disconnect" from the "File" menu. You will be prompted to confirm that you really wish to disconnect (this prompt can be disabled in the General Settings) and then your connection will be closed, assuming you confirm the disconnect. A message will be shown in the Primary Display showing that you are no longer connected. The title bar will be updated as well.

Closing VRC

When your VRC session is over, you can close VRC by either clicking on the standard window close button (usually an X in the upper right corner) in the Primary Display, or by choosing "Exit" from the "File"menu. If you are still connected to VATSIM, you will be prompted to confirm that you really wish to disconnect. If you have unsaved changes in your session profile, you will also be prompted to save the profile before closing VRC. Both of these prompts can be disabled in the General Settings.

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A Tour of the VRC Primary Display

Refer to the following screenshot while reading this section:

1) The title bar

The very top of each display contains a standard Windows title bar. This text in the title bar shows three pieces of information. The first is the Display Number for this display. This is obviously always "1" for the Primary Display. As you open Secondary Displays, they will each be assigned a sequential number which will appear in the title bar. This number is used for sending commands to specific displays. (See "Opening Additional Displays" for details.)

The next piece of info shown in the title bar is the current VRC version number, for your reference.

Finally, your connection status is shown. This will either say that you are not connected, or it will show the name of the server to which you are connected.

2) The menu bar

This is a standard Windows menu bar. The items in the menu bar vary depending on if you are looking at a Primary Display or a Secondary Display. For Primary Displays, the following menus are available:

• File
• Settings
• View
• Tools
• Help

For secondary displays, only the following menus are available:

• File
• Settings
• View

Also, the options available in each of these menus vary depending on if you are looking at a Primary Display or not. For Secondary Displays, only those options that pertain to the configuration of that Display are shown. None of the "main" functions such as Connect/Disconnect, profile options, etc. are available on the Secondary Display menu bars.

Most of the various menu items are described in detail in the pertinent sections of this User Manual. The exception is the "Help" menu. This menu contains links to various sections of the VRC web site. The "About VRC" option simply opens a small window showing your current version and some development credits.

3) The Button Bar

The Button Bar contains various buttons which provide quick access to certain VRC functions. The buttons you see in the Button Bar vary depending on how you have VRC configured, among other things. Following are examples of all possible buttons that may appear in the Button Bar during your VRC session:

Clock/Callsign/Primary Frequency     Weather Info Filters On/Off     Land Line Status Countdown Timer     Conflict Alert Active Timer     Ruler Data Radio Frequency     ATIS Code Reminder Lights     Quicklook

Descriptions of most of these buttons and their functions can be found within the pertinent sections of this User Manual. Some are described here:

The reminder lights button contains four small lights which blink to remind you of various important items. If the H light is blinking, that means another controller has handed an aircraft off to you and you haven't yet accepted the handoff. If the M light is blinking, that means your microphone is muted. If the C light is blinking, that means you have an unread chat message. And if the R light is blinking, that means you have one or more aircraft on your reminder list.

The quicklook button tags up all aircraft which are not already tagged up. This is so you can quickly see the callsign and other information for aircraft not under your control.

4) The Radio History area

This portion of the Display is referred to as the Radio History area, though displaying radio text is only its primary function. In addition to text messages sent to or received from aircraft, the Radio History area also contains any other messages that you receive during your VRC session, other than chat. These include ATC messages, server messages, broadcasts, error messages, and confirmation messages sent as a result of you performing some action within VRC.

The size of the Radio History area can be adjusted via key commands. See "Communicating With Pilots" for details.

5) The command line

The command line is where you will enter all commands for working with aircraft, configuring your scope, etc. See "Working with the command line" for more information.

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The Profile System

Loading a Session Profile

When you first run VRC, you will see the Profile Selection Window. This window lists all of your various saved session profiles. When you choose a session profile, all of the settings that were in effect when you created or last update the profile will be restored, and the various Display Windows and Tool Windows will be opened and positioned in the same location where they were when you last saved the profile. Here's an example screenshot of the Profile Selection Window:

Notice that the "Boston Tower" session profile is currently selected. This is because the profile that you used last is automatically selected when you view the Profile Selection Window. In order to use the selected profile, you can simply press Enter. To select any other profile, you can use the arrow keys or click on the profile name in the list. You can also type the first few letters of the profile and the selection will change as you type. You can then open the selected profile by pressing Enter, by pressing the "OK" button, or by double-clicking the entry in the list.

You can also click the "Exit" button or press Esc if you just want to close the Profile Selection Window without actually starting VRC.

Creating a New Profile

To create a new profile, you must first load an existing profile. Load the profile that most closely matches the profile that you want to create. After loading a profile, make the necessary changes to the configuration and choose "Save Profile As..." from the "File" menu. You will see the following prompt:

Enter a name for your new profile. Note that you cannot save over the existing "Default" profile. Also, if you enter a profile name that is already in use, VRC will overwrite the existing profile.

Now that you have saved your profile with a new name, any changes you make will be saved under this new profile.

Deleting a Profile

If you wish to delete an existing profile, simply select it within the Profile Selection Window and press the Delete key. You will be prompted to confirm that you actually want to delete the selected profile.

Note that you cannot delete the "Default" profile.

Saving a Profile

While you are working with VRC, any time you make changes to your configuration, you may want to update your currently loaded profile with these changes. To do so, simply choose "Save Profile" from the "File" menu. Your VRC.ini file will be updated with the new profile configuration, and a confirmation message will be shown in the Primary Display.

Note that if you attempt to overwrite the "Default" profile, you will be prompted to enter a new name for the profile instead.

Importing Profiles

VRC provides a way for you to import settings from another controller's VRC.ini file. This function is especially useful to allow instructors to share pre-made profiles for their region.

To import one or more profiles, select "Import Profiles..." from the "Tools" menu on the Profile Selection Window. You will be prompted to locate and select an .ini file on your hard drive. Once you select a file, you will see a new window similar to the following:

All profiles found in the selected file (with the exception of the Default profile) will be shown in the list on the left side of the window. Using your mouse, select one or more profiles to import, then press the Import button. The selected profiles will be added to your main VRC.ini file and will appear in your Profile Selection Window. If you try to import a profile which has a name matching one of the profiles already in your VRC.ini file, then the newly-imported profile will have a number appended to its name, such as "Boston Center (2)".

Merging Profiles

VRC also provides a way for you to copy groups of settings from one profile to another. This is useful if for example you have changed the color settings in one profile, and you wish to use the same color settings in another profile. This is also handy for importing regional defaults (such as radio frequencies and voice channels) from a file provided by your local instructors.

To merge selected settings between two profiles, select "Merge Profiles" from the "Tools" menu on the Profile Selection Window. A new sub-menu will appear with two choices: "Merge From File..." and "Merge Existing...". Choose "Merge From File..." if you wish to merge groups of settings from a profile found in an INI file you received from someone else. Choose "Merge Existing..." if you wish to merge groups of settings from one of your own profiles to another. If you choose to merge settings from a file, you will be prompted to locate and select an .ini file on your hard drive. Once you select a file, or choose to merge two of your existing profiles, you will see a new window similar to the following:

First, using the list on the left, select the profile you wish to merge settings from. This list will show all of the profiles found in the file you selected to merge from, or all of your existing profiles. Then choose which groups of settings you wish to merge into your profile. Then, using the list on the right, select which profile you wish to merge the settings into. This list will show all of the profiles in your main VRC.ini file.

Once you have made your selections, press the Merge button. All the selected groups of settings will be copied from the profile selected from the list on the left, and saved into the profile selected from the list on the right. Obviously, any merged settings will overwrite their previous values. There is no "undo" function, so make sure your selections are correct before pressing Merge!

Exporting Profiles

VRC also provides a way for you to export one or more profiles to an external file suitable for sharing with other controllers. This is useful if you wish to create a set of standard pre-configured profiles for other controllers working in your area.

To export one or more profiles, select "Export Profiles..." from the "Tools" menu on the Profile Selection Window. You will see a new window similar to the following:

Using your mouse, select one or more profiles to export. Then enter a filename for the export in the box provided. Enter only the filename, and not the extension. VRC will automatically add the .ini extension to the file. Then press the Export button. VRC will create the specified file and copy the selected profiles into the file. Your CID and Password will automatically be left blank in the exported profiles. You can then send this file to other controllers, and they can then import the profiles or merge selected settings from them.

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Color Profiles

Introduction

Starting with version 1.2, VRC allows you to define multiple color profiles. A color profile is a set of color selections which you can apply to any scope window. Each scope in a given session profile can have a different color profile assigned to it. This allows you to have one scope set up in one radar mode with colors appropriate to that mode, and another scope using a different radar mode with a different set of colors. For example, a tower controller might have one scope window set up using an ASDE-style ground radar color profile, with another scope set up using a DBRITE-style color profile.

The first time you run VRC, there will be a few color profiles available, including a default color profile, and a few profiles specifically made for certain radar modes such as TAAATS, Park Air, and STARS.

If you upgrade from a version of VRC prior to version 1.2, color profiles will be created based on the colors you have selected for each of the session profiles in your INI file. These color profiles will be named "Imported 1", "Imported 2", etc. You may want to rename them to something more intuitive.

To modify your color profiles, choose "Color Profiles..." from the "Settings" menu. You will see the following window:

Double-click on the color profile you wish to modify, or select it from the list and press the "Modify..." button. You will see the color profile editing window:

Refer to Configuring the Scope for more information about modifying scope colors.

Creating a New Color Profile

To create a new color profile, click the "Add..." button on the Color Profiles window shown above. A new color profile will be created with a default name, and you will see the color profile editing window. You can make changes to any of the colors and give the color profile a new name. Press the "OK" button to save your changes.

Deleting a Color Profile

To delete a color profile, select it from the list and press the "Delete" button. You will be prompted to confirm that you actually wish to delete the color profile. Once you delete it, any scopes in your session profiles that used the deleted color profile will be set to use the default color profile.

Importing/Exporting Color Profiles

You can import and export color profiles in the same manner as you import or export regular session profiles. Refer to the documentation on session profiles for more information.

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Configuring VRC (General Settings)

Most of the VRC configuration settings can be found in the General Settings window. You access this window by selecting "General..." from the "Settings" menu on the Primary Display. Starting with version 1.2, the General Settings window consists of a collection of tabbed pages, each of which contain a group of related configuration options. Each tab is described below:

Miscellaneous Tab

Alias File

Press the "Select..." button to the right of the text box in order to select your alias file. Alias files define command shortcuts which you will enter in the command line when working with pilots via text. Consult the training staff for the area where you will be controlling in order to obtain the appropriate alias file.

POF File

Press the "Select..." button to the right of the text box in order to select your POF file. A POF file defines all the ATC sectors in and around the area where you are controlling. The information in the file defines, among other things, the tag shown in ARTS mode, the two-character ID shown in the controller list for each controller, and the various sector "Radio Names". Consult the training staff for the area where you will be controlling in order to obtain the appropriate POF file.

Range Ring Spacing

This sets the distance in nautical miles between the range rings drawn on the scope. See "Configuring the Scope" for details on activating the range rings.

Centerline Length

This sets the length in nautical miles of runway centerlines drawn on the scope. See "Configuring the Scope" for details on activating the centerlines.

Prompt to Save Profile

If this option is checked, you will be prompted before exiting VRC or loading a new profile if you have made changes to the current profile without saving them.

Prompt Before Disconnect

If this option is checked, you will be prompted before exiting VRC, loading a new profile, or disconnecting from the network if you are currently connected.

Use System Precision Cursor

If this option is checked, the "Precision Select" cursor defined in your Windows Mouse control panel will be used instead of the DSR-style cursor (or the ARTS cursor) included with VRC.

Play/Show Request List Reminder

If this option is checked, and you have aircraft in your reminder list, every 30 seconds a sound will be played and a message will be shown listing the aircraft that are in your reminder list. The aircraft are also shown in red in your Aircraft List. See "Some Useful Tools" for details on the reminder list.

Flash Radio Text Box On New Message

If this option is checked, the radio history box on your Primary Display will flash when new text messages are received from pilots on your primary frequency or on the guard frequency. Click on the radio history area or press CTRL-SPACE to stop the flashing.

Flash Chat Box Title Bar On New Message

If this option is checked, the title bar will flash in a chat window when a new message is received for that window. The flashing will stop when you click on the chat window.

Invert Mouse in 3D Mode

If this option is checked, the pitch up/down movement sensing for your mouse will be reversed in the 3D radar mode.

Assign Squawwk Codes In Random Order

If this option is checked, squawk codes will be assigned to aircraft from your range at random. This can help prevent duplicate squawk code assignments among controllers sharing the same code range.

Format Mouse Coords as Deg/Min/Sec

If this option is checked, and you have enabled the display of the mouse location on the View menu, the mouse coordinates will be shown in degrees, minutes, and seconds instead of of in decimal degrees.

Show Oceanic Track Waypoint Labels

If this option is checked, labels for each waypoint on an oceanic track will be displayed along with the track route itself.

Download Only Curernt Oceanic Tracks

If this option is checked, only those oceanic tracks that are active for the current day will be shown in the Oceanic Tracks window. Otherwise, all recent tracks including those from previous days will be shown.

Enable Group SEparators in Controller List

If this option is checked, a separator line will be shown for each grouping of controllers (based on facility type, etc.) in the Controller List.

Show Timestamps In Chat/Radio Logs

If this option is checked, a timestamp will be shown for each receieved radio or chat message.

Hotkeys Tab

Aircraft Select Key

To set a new Aircraft Select (ASEL) key, click in the box and press the key. The key name will be shown in the box. For details on when the ASEL key is used, see "Selecting Aircraft".

Controller Select Key

To set a new Controller Select (CSEL) key, click in the box and press the key. The key name will be shown in the box. For details on when the CSEL key is used, see "Chat Windows".

Push to Talk Key

To set a new Push to Talk (PTT) key, click in the box and press the key. The key name will be shown in the box. The PTT key is used for voice transmissions either to pilots or on the land line with other controllers. Select a key which will not be used for any other reason while working in VRC. The left or right CTRL key are good choices.

Airspace Tab

Target Visibility Range

This slider sets the range at which you will see targets on your scopes. This value is given in nautical miles from your "visibility center(s)". (See "Configuring the Scope" for details on setting your visibility center(s).) It is important that you keep this slider set as low as possible. The higher your visibility range, the more bandwidth you consume on the network. It should be set to only cover your airspace. If you are working Ground or Clearance Delivery, it should only cover the airport surface area, which would generally mean the minimum setting of 5 miles.

Arrival and Departure Fields

These lists determine which aircraft appear on your Aircraft List. These are simple comma or space-separated lists of ICAO codes.

Transition Altitude

This setting defines the altitude (in feet) at which VRC will begin to format altitudes in terms of flight levels instead of feet. This also affects the display of altitudes (true versus pressure altitude) in data blocks for aircraft above this transition level. If you are unsure what the transition level is for the area where you intend to control, consult your training staff.

Data Tags Tab

Vector Length

In the DSR radar mode, when tracking an aircraft, a vector line will be drawn from the aircraft primary target in the direction of the aircraft's travel. This setting determines the length of the vector line. It is either specified in nautical miles or in minutes, depending on which of the two radio buttons (just below the text box) is selected.

History Count

In all radar modes, a history trail for moving aircraft will be drawn. This setting determines how many such history targets are drawn. Set this to zero to disable target histories.

Leader Length

This specifies the default length (in pixels) of the leader line drawn between a target and its data block. Note that you can use the mouse to click and drag a data block to a new position, with a different leader length if desired.

Default Tag Position

This specifies the default position of a data block for new aircraft. The value corresponds to the position of the number on your numeric keypad. Note that you can reposition data tags by dragging them with the mouse.

Hide Target For Filtered Aircraft

If this option is checked, any aircraft outside of your defined airspace (see below) will not have a target symbol drawn.

Hide Tag For Filtered Aircraft

If this option is checked, any aircraft outside of your defined airspace (see below) will not have a data tag drawn.

Realistic Data Tag Mode

If this option is checked, the Realistic Data Tags mode is enabled. See the Advanced Topics section for more information.

Use Selected Color

If this option is checked, the currently radio-selected aircraft target will be drawn in the "Selected" color from the current Color Profile. Otherwise, the target will be drawn using the normal color for unselected aircraft. This option is provided for the purposes of realism.

Use Handoff Color

If this option is checked, the target for any aircraft you are handing off to another controller, or for any aircraft being handed off to you will be drawn in the "Handoff" color from the current Color Profile. Otherwise, the target will be drawn using the normal color. This option is provided for the purposes of realism.

Use Conflict, Emregency & Coasting Colors

If this option is checked, targets that are currently in any of the listed conditions will use the appropriate color from the current Color Profile. Otherwise the target will be drawn using the normal color. This option is provided for the purposes of realism.

VFR Codes

You can specify a set of codes (comma-separated) or even ranges of codes here. Any aircraft squawking a code included in this set will be drawn as a VFR target. Example values: "1200", "1200,1201,1202", "1200-1277,1300-1355,1234".

Scratchpad Presets

You can specify a list of preset scratchpad codes here. Separate them with spaces. This list will appear when you right-click a target and choose "Set Scratchpad" from the pop-up menu.

Flight Strips Tab

Two-column Flight Strip Bay

If this option is checked, the Flight Strip Bay will contain two columns for strips. If this option is unchecked, the Flight Strip Bay will consist of only one column. See "The Flight Strip Bay" to learn how to use the Strip Bay.

Auto-Add Arrival Strips

If this option is checked, whenever a flight plan is received for an aircraft which is arriving at a field on your arrival airport list, a flight strip for the aircraft will automatically be added to your Flight Strip Bay. See "The Flight Strip Bay" to learn how to use the Strip Bay.

Auto-Add Departure Strips

If this option is checked, whenever a flight plan is received for an aircraft which is departing from a field on your departure airport list, a flight strip for the aircraft will automatically be added to your Flight Strip Bay. See "The Flight Strip Bay" to learn how to use the Strip Bay.

Add Strip When Initiating Track

If this option is checked, a flight strip will be added to your Flight Strip Bay whenever you initiate track on an aircraft.

Add Strip When Accepting Handoff

If this option is checked, a flight strip will be added to your Flight Strip Bay whenever you accept a handoff of an aircraft.

Push Strip When Handing Off Aircraft

If this option is checked, whenever you handoff an aircraft to another controller, you will automatically push a flight strip to the receiving controller. This action can happen either when you initiate the handoff, or when the receiving controller accepts the handoff, depending on the radio button setting here.

Delete Strip When Controller Accepts Handoff

If this option is checked, and you handoff an aircraft to another controller, if you have a flight strip for the aircraft you handed off, it will be deleted.

Delete Strip When Pushed Manually

If this option is checked, and you push a flight strip to another controller, that strip will be deleted from your Flight Strip Bay.

Delete Strip When Dropping Track

If this option is checked, and you drop track on an aircraft, if you have a flight strip for the aircraft, it will be deleted.

Strip Color Options

The six color options shown here allow you to determine the background color of various types of flight strips in your Flight Strip Bay.

Conlict Alerts Tab

Minimum Lateral Separation

This sets the minimum required lateral separation in nautical miles between aircraft before a conflict alert is sounded. Use the buttons to the right of the text box to increase or decrease the value.

Minimum Vertical Separation

This sets the minimum required vertical separation in feet between aircraft before a conflict alert is sounded.

Conflict Alert Floor

Below this level, no conflicts will be detected. This value is specified in feet.

Show Separation Rings Around Conflicting Targets

If this option is checked, a flashing red ring will be drawn around aircraft in conflict. The radius of this ring will be equal to the lateral minimum value set above.

See "Conflict Alerts" for details on how conflict alerts are detected and displayed.

Button Bar Section

Each checkbox here simply causes the associated button type to be shown or hidden, allowing you to customize which types of buttons appear in the Button Bar on your Primary Display.

Once you have made any changes to the setting in the General Settings window, press the "Apply" button to activate the changes. The General Settings window will remain open, allowing you to make further changes if necessary. If you wish to save your changes and close the General Settings window, press the "OK" button. If you wish to cancel your changes and stay with the previous settings, press the "Cancel" button.

Important: changes to items in the General Settings window will not be saved in your session profile until you choose "Save Session Profile" from the "File" menu. Until then, they will only take effect during the current VRC session. This applies to all other configuration items as well.

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Configuring Sounds

Many different "events" within VRC can have sounds associated with them. In order to select an event and associate a sound with it, first open the Sounds Window by choosing "Sounds..." from the "Settings" menu on the Primary Display. The following window will be shown:

First, using the "Event:" dropdown, choose the event with which you want to associate a sound. Any existing sound will be shown in the "Sound File:" box. To change the associated sound, press the "Select..." button. This will show a standard file window with which you can locate and select the sound file you wish to use for the selected event. All sounds must be standard Windows .wav files. The sounds can be anywhere on your hard drive. They do not have to be in the VRC installation folder.

To hear the sound you have selected, press the "Play" button.

To clear the sound selection, press the "Clear" button. This will obviously mean that no sound will be played when the selected event occurs.

If you want to disable all sounds while still retaining your sound selections, uncheck the checkbox labelled "Sounds Active" at the bottom left corner of the window.

Once you are satisfied with your sound selections, press the "OK" button to save your changes. If you would like to cancel your changes and retain the previous selections, press the "Cancel" button.

As with all other configuration items, changes to your sound selections will not be saved in your profile until you choose "Save Profile" from the "File" menu. Until then, they will only take effect during the current VRC session.

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Configuring Audio Devices

For the purposes of air-to-ground or ground-to-ground voice communications, VRC can make use of any audio hardware available in your system. In order to configure which audio devices are used, select "Audio Devices" from the "Settings" menu on the Primary Display. The following window will be shown:

The "Microphone Input Device" is obviously used to record your voice for sending to pilots or other controllers.

The "Headset Output Device" is used when you have opened a voice channel (either air-to-ground or ground-to-ground) and assigned it to your headset.

The "Speaker Output Device" is used when you have opened a voice channel (either air-to-ground or ground-to-ground) and assigned it to your speakers.

See "The Comms Panel", "Communicating with Pilots", and "Ground-to-Ground Communications" for details on routing voice transmissions to your selected audio devices.

The "Headset Output Volume" and "Speaker Output Volume" sliders are used to set the volume of incoming voice transmissions sent to your headset or speakers, respectively.

The VHF Simulation checkboxes determine whether or not VRC applies a bandpass filter to the audio for your output devices. If enabled, most of the low-frequency sound will be removed from the audio. This can often make pilots much easier to understand when using speakers or headphones with a fair amount of bass response.

Once you are satisfied with your audio device configuration, press the "OK" button to save your changes. If you would like to cancel your changes and retain the previous settings, press the "Cancel" button. If you would like to save your changes without closing the Audio Devices window, press the "Apply" button.

As with all other configuration items, changes to your audio device configuration will not be saved in your profile until you choose "Save Profile" from the "File" menu. Until then, they will only take effect during the current VRC session.

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Calibrating Your Microphone

In order to accurately transmit your voice over the network, VRC needs to test the sensitivity of your microphone and the level of background noise in your room. This is called "Calibrating" your microphone. This calibration only needs to be done once for any given microphone device. If you change to a different sound card or purchase a new microphone, you will need to perform this calibration again for each profile you intend to use with the new device.

To begin the microphone calibration, choose "Calibrate Mic..." from the "Settings" menu on your Primary Display. The following confirmation window will be shown:

Press the "OK" button to continue. Press the "Cancel" button if you change your mind and do not want to recalibrate your microphone at this time.

If you press the "OK" button, the following window will be shown:

Press the "OK" button and remain silent until the next window appears. This will take about 5 seconds. During this time, VRC is measuring the level of background noise in your room. VRC will use this measured level to determine the "noise floor" for your room. Any sounds at or below this noise floor will not be sent while you are transmitting on voice. For this reason, it is important to avoid loud noises during this 5 second period.

After about 5 seconds, the following window will be shown:

Press the "OK" button and begin speaking in a normal voice as though you were talking to pilots. Speak at the same volume you will use while controlling. During the next 5 seconds or so, VRC will be recording your voice and measuring its volume level. This is done to make sure the volume of your voice is sufficiently loud enough to overcome the previously measured noise level in your room.

After the 5 second recording period, a window will be displayed showing the results of your microphone calibration. If the calibration succeeded, and your microphone is set properly, then the window will look similar to the one shown here:

If the window contains a message informing you of a problem with your microphone levels, then you may need to correct the problem either by lowering the ambient noise level in your room, or by increasing your microphone recording volume in your Windows mixer settings. Note that some sound drivers include a "boost" option for the microphone input level, which may be needed if VRC tells you that your microphone is too quiet.

After pressing the "OK" button, your voice recording will be played back so that you can confirm that it was recorded properly. At the end of this playback, you will see the following confirmation message:

Press the "OK" button. Your microphone calibration is complete and you should now save your profile. See "The Profile System" for details.

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Configuring the Scope

This section describes some of the common functions you can use to control the way your scope looks and how the sector file data is drawn.

Zooming & Panning the Scope

To zoom the scope, use the mousewheel or the F11/F12 keys. Panning the scope can be accomplished by holding down the right mouse button and moving the mouse. You can also instantly recenter the scope by double-right-clicking on a point.

The View Menu

The View Menu is used to toggle the display of various items on the scope. Here's a screenshot:

The "Button Bar" option toggles the display of the Button Bar, which is the row of buttons across the very top of the Primary Display.

The "Radio History" option toggles the display of the radio history area at the bottom of the Primary Display.

The "Anchor Lines" option toggles the display of anchor lines on the scope. Refer to the Anchors section of the "Some Useful Tools" page for details on creating anchors.

The next section of the View Menu contains toggles for all the various types of data contained in the sector file, as well as an option to toggle the range rings on and off.

The last item in the View Menu, labelled "Diagrams...", opens a new window which lists all the items from the SIDS and STARS sections of your currently-loaded sector file. Refer to the following section for details.

The Diagrams Window

The Diagrams Window is accessed by choosing "Diagrams..." from the "View" menu or by pressing CTRL+G. Here's a screenshot:

The two lists in this window include the entries from the SIDS and STARS sections of the currently-loaded sector file. (Note that those sections are often used for other types of diagrams such as airspace diagrams, sector split definitions, etc.) To enable or disable the display of any of the listed diagrams, simply click on the entry. Any entries currently being drawn are highlighted in gray. Press the buttons underneath each list to unselect all entries in the associated list.

When you are done making selections from the Diagrams lists, press the Esc key or press the X icon in the upper-right corner to close the window.

Note that each open display has its own Diagrams Window. Selected diagrams are only visible in the associated Display.

Setting Sector Data Colors

All color selections in VRC are made via the color profiles. You can modify the colors in a color profile by choosing "Color Profile->Modify Current..." from the "Settings" menu. Here's a screenshot:

In order to change one of the color settings, simply click on the colored box next to the item you want to change. A standard color selection window will appear. Choose your color and press "OK". The new color will be shown in the box next to the item name. Note that new color assignments take effect immediately, though you obviously won't see the color change unless the color profile is in use on at least one of your scope windows. Changes to color profiles are saved in the INI file once you choose "Save Profile" from the "File" menu.

Most of the color items in this window are self-explanatory, but two of them warrant an explanation. The first is "Anchor Lines". The color you select here will be used when you set an "Anchor" for an aircraft and you have "Anchor Lines" enabled in the "View" menu. See "Some Useful Tools" for more information on Anchors.

The other item that may not be self-explanatory is "Tool Lines". This color is used for several different functions within VRC that draw lines on the scope. They include the "Ruler Line", the "Separation Predictor Lines", and the "Route Line". See "Some Useful Tools" for more information on these functions. The Tool Line color is also used when highlighting a fix using the .find command or when showing your visibility center(s).

Scope Configuration Commands

Following are some of the more important and most commonly-used commands for working with the scope:

.rings POINT

Centers the range rings on the specified POINT. (VOR, Airport, Intersection, etc.)

.norings

Disables range rings

.center POINT

Centers the scope on the specified POINT.

.vis POINT

Sets your primary visibility center at the specified POINT.

.vis2/.vis3/.vis4 POINT

Sets one of your secondary visibility centers at the specified POINT.

.novis

Clears all visibility centers. The center point of the scope will then be your visibility center.

.showvis

Shows a circle around any configured visibility centers.

.ff FIX ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual intersections.

.fv VOR ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual VORs.

.fn NDB ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual NDBs.

.fa AIRPORT ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual Airports.

.fc RUNWAY ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual runway centerlines.

.fw AIRWAY ...

Toggles the display of one or more individual airways.

.fd Diagram Name|Diagram Name|Diagram Name|...

Toggles the display of one or more diagrams (SIDs/STARs).

.nofixes

Disables the display of fixes toggled on via the .ff command.

.novors

Disables the display of VORs toggled on via the .fv command.

.nondbs

Disables the display of NDBs toggled on via the .fn command.

.noairports

Disables the display of airports toggled on via the .fa command.

.nocenterlines

Disables the display of runway centerlines toggled on via the .fc command.

.noairways

Disables the display of airways toggled on via the .fw command.

.nodiagrams

Disables the display of all diagrams toggled on via the .fd command.

Visibility Center(s)

As mentioned above, you can use the .vis/.vis2/.vis3/.vis4 commands to define the "Visibility Center(s)" for your scopes. A visibility center determines the center point of your sector. Combined with your visibility range, the visibility center is used by the network to determine which aircraft are visibile on your scope. For example, if you issue the following command:

.vis KBOS

Then your primary visibility center will be set at the Boston airport. If your visibility range is set to 100 NM, then you will be able to see targets within 100 NM of KBOS, regardless of where your scope is actually centered. If your scope was centered on the Syracuse VOR (SYR) which is about 250 miles west of KBOS, you would still only see aircraft around KBOS ... you would not see aircraft near SYR.

In some cases, a single center point isn't enough to cover a very large or oddly-shaped sector. If this applies to your sector (generally this only happens in Oceanic sectors) then you can define additional (secondary) visibility centers. You can specify 3 secondary visibility centers, for a total of four. Your visibility range applies separately to each visibility center. For example, in addition to the .vis command issued in the example above, if you entered:

.vis2 SYR

Then you would still see aircraft within 100 NM of KBOS, but you would also see aircraft within 100 NM of the Syracuse VOR. The secondary visibility centers allow you to expand the range of your radar in order to cover extremely large or strangely-shaped sectors. Please use them with caution, and only when absolutely necessary, since each time you define an additional visibility center, you consume additional network bandwidth. For example, a controller with three visibility centers defined consumes three times as much bandwidth as a controller with just the primary visibility defined, assuming they both have the same visibility range.

Note that your visibility center(s) also determine which other controllers you will see in your Controller List.

You can change (update) a visibility center at any time simply by re-issuing the command with a new point. If you wish to clear your visibility centers and revert to having only one, issue the .novis command. If you have no visbility centers defined, then the center of your scope becomes the visibility center. This of course means that your visibility center moves as you pan the scope. This is why it's always a good idea to set your primary visibility center (using .vis) as soon as you open a profile and/or load a new sector file. (Loading a new sector file clears any defined visibility centers.)

Airspace Filters

In VRC, your airspace filters are defined simply by a floor and a ceiling. If you define this floor and/or ceiling, and your airspace filters are active, then targets above your ceiling or below your floor will be shown using the "Filtered" color. Some controllers like to set the filtered color to something quite dark, so that the targets can be seen, but they are not distracting and so that they are not easily mistaken for aircraft within the defined airspace.

You also have the option of hiding the data block and/or target symbol for filtered aircraft. (See "Configuring VRC.")

Starting with VRC 1.2, you can define airspace filters separately for each scope. To set the filters, press Ctrl-Alt-F and set the appropriate values in the resulting popup window. You can also choose "Filters->Configure..." from the "Settings" menu.

You can also define a hard radar floor for each scope. The radar floor is different from the airspace floor in that aircraft below the radar floor will never be displayed, regardless of your filter settings. This is to allow you to simulate line-of-sight radar coverage in hilly or mountainous areas.

To enable or disable the airspace filters, press Ctrl-F, or choose "Filters->Enable..." from the "Settings" menu. On the primary scope, you can also click the Filters button in the button bar to toggle the filters on and off for the primary scope. Note that the radar floor setting is always in effect, whether your airspace floor and ceiling are enabled or not.

The Button Bar

As mentioned above, you can turn the Button Bar on and off using the "View" menu. You can also select individual types of buttons using the "General..." option in the "Settings" menu. For example, if you are working Ground, you might not have any need for the Timer button, which is normally used for wake turbulence separation by Tower. In that case, you might disable the Timer button using the checkbox in the General Settings.

Saving Your Configurations

Remember to always save your configurations in a profile for easy recall the next time you work the same position!

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The Weather Panel

VRC's Weather Panel is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. The Weather Panel lists all of the weather stations that you are currently monitoring, along with the latest altimeter and winds reported for each station. VRC checks for new METARs for each station every 5 minutes. The lower half of the Weather Panel is used to display full METARs for selected stations, or to show METARs retrieved as a result of the .WX command.

To open the Weather Panel, choose "Weather Panel" from the "Tools" menu. The following is an example of the Weather Panel with five stations currently being monitored:

In order to view the full METAR for any of the listed stations, simply click on it with the left mouse button.

To view a pop-up menu with options for the selected station, right-click on any station in the list.

To add stations to the list, or to remove stations from the list, press the F2 key. This will place the .QD command in the command line. Complete the command by entering a list of weather stations to add to or remove from the list. Example:

.QD KBOS KALB

This would remove KBOS from the list shown in the example screenshot (since it is already in the list) and add KALB.

You can also press the F2 key followed by slewing a target or pressing the ASEL key if an aircraft is already selected. This will add the selected aircraft's destination field to the list of stations in the weather panel.

To see the METAR for a station without adding it to the list of monitored stations, press the F7 key. This will place the .WX command in the command line. Complete the command by entering the ICAO code for the airport, such as .WX KIAD. VRC will then fetch the METAR for KIAD and display it in the lower half of the Weather Panel. This will also cause the Weather Panel to be shown if it is currently hidden.

You can change the height of the Weather Panel using your mouse in the same way you resize normal windows. You can hide the Weather Panel by pressing the X icon in the upper-right corner of the window, or by pressing the Esc key.

Similar to the other Tool Windows in VRC, you can "roll up" the Weather Panel by double-clicking in the title bar. Double-click the title bar again to "unroll" the window.

Weather Buttons

The list of stations in the Weather Panel also determines which weather buttons will be shown in the Button Bar. For each station, a weather button will be shown (if enabled in your settings) which looks similar to this example:

You can view the full METAR for any monitored weather station by clicking on the associated weather button. The full METAR will be shown just below the button bar, as in this screenshot:

Click the weather button again to hide the full METAR.

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The Controller List

VRC's Controller List is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. It is also known as the "CL". To open the CL, choose "Controller List" from the "Tools" menu. Here's a screenshot:

The Controller List is primarily used to display other controllers within your range. It is also used to display chat groups or private chats you have open with pilots or controllers not within your range.

Controllers within your range are shown with a two-character "Sector ID" along with their callsign and primary frequency. They are normally sorted first by facility type then alphabetically by callsign. In order to sort all controllers alphabetically, ignoring their facility type, press the "Alpha Sort" button at the top of the window.

Observers are shown at the bottom of the list of controllers. They are shown with a single-character ID and their callsign.

If a pilot or out-of-range controller messages you, his/her callsign will also be included in the controller list. It will be shown as just the callsign, with no ID next to it.

Chat groups are shown below all other entries. The name of the chat group is contained within square brackets.

To open a chat window with any controller, observer or pilot in the list, simply double click their respective entry. A new chat window will be opened, or the keyboard focus will be switched to the existing chat window if there is one. This applies to existing chat groups as well.

To view a pop-up menu with options for the selected controller, right-click on any entry in the list.

If an entry in the CL is highlighted in blue, that means that you have at least one chat message waiting from that person. If an entry is highlighted in gray, that means that person is a member of the currently selected chat group. If an entry is highlighted in red, that means you have a pending incoming or outgoing intercom call with that person.

If the text of an entry is blue, that means that person is monitoring you. They can hear everything that you hear or transmit on voice. If the text of an entry is green, that means you are on an intercom call with that person. If the text of an entry is dark green, that means you are on an intercom call with that person, but the call is currently on hold. If the text of an entry is orange, that means that person has requested help. (See "Some Useful Tools") If the text of an entry is red, that means that person is overriding you. (See "Ground-to-Ground Communications") If the text of an entry is pink, that means that person is requesting relief. (See "Some Useful Tools")

If you wish to filter out observers, you can press the "POF Only" button at the top of the window. This will mean that only controllers who have a matching entry in your POF file will be shown in the list. Any controller or pilot for whom you have a waiting chat message will also be shown even if the "POF Only" button is depressed.

You can open a chat box (or switch to an existing chat box) with any controller, observer or chat group by entering the one- or two-character ID into the command line on the Primary Display and pressing your CSEL key. See "Chat Windows" for details.

Clicking on an in-range controller or observer brings up some information about that person in the box at the bottom of the CL. This information includes:

• Callsign
• Primary frequency
• Radio name (if defined in your POF file)
• Full name
• Rating
• Sector file name
• Help request message (if any)

You can change the height of the Controller List using your mouse in the same way you resize normal windows. You can hide the Controller List by pressing the X icon in the upper-right corner of the window, or by pressing the Esc key. You can also "roll up" the window by double-clicking in the title bar. Double-click the title bar again to "unroll" the window.

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The Aircraft List

VRC's Aircraft List is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. It is also known as the "Arrival/Departure List". To open the Aircraft List, choose "Aircraft List" from the "Tools" menu. Here's a screenshot:

VRC adds aircraft to this list for any one of three reasons:

1. The aircraft is departing from a field included in your Departure Fields list. (See "Configuring VRC")
2. The aircraft is arriving at a field included in your Arrival Fields list. (See "Configuring VRC")
3. The aircraft is on your reminder list. (See "Some Useful Tools")

Aircraft on your reminder list are shown first. They are displayed in red text along with the letter "R" and a timer showing how long the aircraft has been on your reminder list.

Departures are shown next. They are shown in black text along with the letter "D", the ICAO code for the field they are departing from, and their assigned squawk code, if any. Departures are sorted by callsign. Once the aircraft is airborne (determined by a ground speed above 50 knots) it no longer appears as a departure on this list.

Arrivals are shown next. They are shown in black text along with the letter "A", the ICAO code for the field they are arriving at, and their current distance from that field. Arrivals are sorted by distance from their arrival field.

You can click on any entry in the list to see details about the aircraft in the box at the bottom of the Aircraft List. These details include:

• Callsign
• Aircraft type
• Transponder code assigned to the aircraft
• Transponder code the aircraft is currently squawking if different from the assigned code
• Departure field
• Arrival field
• Route

You can right-click any entry to get a pop-up menu containing many different functions which you can perform on the selected aircraft.

You can double-click any entry in the list in order to load that aircraft's flight plan into the Flight Plan Editor window. See "Viewing & Editing Flight Plans" for details.

If you hold the Alt key and click an entry in the list, a flight strip for that aircraft will be added to the Flight Strip Bay. See "The Flight Strip Bay" for details.

Note that you can use the single-character indices in this list for selecting aircraft on the command line. See "Selecting Aircraft" for details.

You can change the height of the Aircraft List using your mouse in the same way you resize normal windows. You can hide the Aircraft List by pressing the X icon in the upper-right corner of the window, or by pressing the Esc key. You can also "roll up" the window by double-clicking in the title bar. Double-click the title bar again to "unroll" the window.

Finally, you can double-click one of the separators, or single-click the +/- icon in the separator to show or hide that group.

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The Comms Panel

VRC's Communications Panel is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. To open the Comms Panel, choose "Comms Panel" from the "Tools" menu, or click on the button in your Button Bar which shows the clock, your callsign and your primary frequency. Here's a screenshot of the Comms Panel:

Each horizontal row of checkboxes (and its associated button) is called an "entry." Each of the twelve entries represents a single frequency which you can tune in on text, voice, or both. Each entry has the following four items associated with it:

1. Short descriptive name
2. Numeric radio frequency
3. Voice server hostname
4. Voice channel name

The first two items are required, and the last two (the voice-related items) are optional. The short descriptive name is what appears on the entry's button. It has no purpose other than to identify the frequency for your own reference when selecting frequencies to use during your VRC session.

Each entry also has five checkboxes associated with it:

PRIM

The first checkbox (to the left of the button) is used to set the entry's frequency as your primary frequency. This is the frequency that pilots will contact you on. You can only have one primary frequency set at a time, so only one entry can have its primary frequency checkbox checked. Once you check the PRIM checkbox for one entry, the PRIM checkbox is automatically unchecked for all other entries. Also, if you check the PRIM box, the TX and RX boxes (see below) will automatically be checked. This is because you obviously must be set to transmit and receive on your primary frequency.

TX

The second checkbox (to the right of the button) is used to enable transmitting on the frequency. If this checkbox is checked, whenever you send text radio messages, they will go out on this frequency as well as any other frequencies for which you check the TX box. Also, if you have a voice channel configured in this entry (see below), and you have either the HDST or SPKR checkbox checked (see below), then whenever you press your Push-To-Talk (PTT) key, your voice will be transmitted to the voice channel associated with this entry. Note that checking the TX box will automatically check the RX box as well if it is not already checked. This is because you cannot transmit on any frequency without also receiving it, since that wouldn't make much sense.

RX

The third checkbox is used to enable receiving on the frequency. If this checkbox is checked, any text messages sent by pilots or controllers on this frequency will be shown in your radio history area. Also, if you have a voice channel configured for this entry (see below), and you have either the HDST or SPKR checkbox checked (see below), you will hear any incoming voice transmissions from pilots or controllers using that voice channel.

HDST

The fourth checkbox is used to connect to the voice channel associated with this entry, and route the audio to the sound device you have configured for your headset. When you first check the box, it will be disabled (greyed out) for a brief moment while VRC connects to the voice server. Once the voice connection is made, the checkbox will be enabled again. Note that if you check the HDST box, the RX box will automatically be checked if it isn't already. Also, the SPKR box will be unchecked, since you cannot route voice to both your headset and speakers at the same time.

SPKR

The fifth and last checkbox is used to connect to the voice channel associated with this entry, and route the audio to the sound device you have configured for your speakers. When you first check the box, it will be disabled (greyed out) for a brief moment while VRC connects to the voice server. Once the voice connection is made, the checkbox will be enabled again. Note that if you check the SPKR box, the RX box will automatically be checked if it isn't already. Also, the HDST box will be unchecked, since you cannot route voice to both your headset and speakers at the same time.

Editing Entries

In order to edit the name, frequency, and voice channel information for an entry, simply click the entry's button. The Comms Panel will be expanded to show four edit fields and three buttons, as shown in this screenshot:

If you attempt to edit the information for a frequency that is currently in use, the edit fields will be disabled.

Enter any changes in the fields as indicated. The frequency for any position, as well as the voice server name and channel name, should be provided to you by the training staff at the area where you will be controlling. Note that the frequency must be entered as 3 digits followed by a decimal point, followed by three digits. Use extra trailing zeroes if necessary.

When you have finished making changes, press the "Save Changes" button. If you wish to cancel editing the entry and retain the previous settings, press the "Cancel" button. If you wish to remove an entry, press the "Clear" button followed by the "Save Changes" button.

After pressing the "Save Changes" or "Cancel" button, the Comms Panel window will be reduced in size to hide the edit fields. You can then make selections as normal, or close the panel by pressing Esc or by clicking the X icon in the upper right corner of the panel.

Routing Voice

The following functions are available for routing voice transmission. Use the three buttons across the top of the Comms Panel to enable/disable these functions:

Auto Route

If this button is depressed, all incoming air-to-ground voice transmissions will be routed to your speaker device while you are on a ground-to-ground (land line) call. See "Ground-to-Ground Communications" for details on using the land lines.

A/G to SPKR

If this button is depressed, all air-to-ground voice transmissions will be routed to your speaker device at all times, regardless of whether or not you are on a land line. This is useful when you normally use a headset and you need to step away from your computer for a moment but still want to hear pilot's transmissions.

G/G to SPKR

If this button is depressed, all ground-to-ground (land line) voice transmissions will be routed to your speaker device at all times.

Mute

If this button is depressed, your microphone will be muted. This is useful if for some reason you don't want your microphone to be active if another controller overrides you. Note that this also mutes your microphone for communications with pilots.

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The SELCAL Panel

VRC's SELCAL Panel is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. To open the SELCAL Panel, choose "SELCAL Panel" from the "Tools" menu. Here's a screenshot of the SELCAL Panel:

The SELCAL panel allows you to quickly see which aircraft within range have specified a SELCAL (SELective CALling) code in their flight plan remarks. SELCAL is a system used mainly by oceanic controllers to get a pilot's attention during long overseas flights when the pilot may have turned his com radio down due to the noise commonly found on long-range radio frequencies. When the controller sends a SELCAL signal, using the code assigned to the aircraft he wants to reach, it sounds a chime within the cockpit, alerting the pilots to turn up the com radio and respond.

When VRC detects that a pilot has specified his SELCAL code in his flight plan remarks, his callsign and code are added to the list in the SELCAL Panel. The controller can then simply double-click on the entry to send a SELCAL signal to the pilot.

Note that just because an aircraft is in the list, doesn't mean the pilot is actually tuned to your frequency, which means he won't necessarily hear the SELCAL tone in his cockpit.

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The Incoming Chat Log

VRC's Incoming Chat Log is one of several "Tool Windows" available to you during a controlling session. To open the Chat Log, choose "Incoming Chat Log" from the "Tools" menu.

The Incoming Chat Log is used to display any chat messages you receive from other controllers or from pilots. You cannot respond to any chat messages using this window ... it is intended to be used to monitor incoming chat to decide whether or not you want to open a chat window with the sender and respond to the message. This is most useful for busy controllers that don't want to have to open a chat window every time a chat message comes in, but don't want to miss a potentially important message.

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Setting your ATIS

On VATSIM, your "ATIS" is the text sent to pilots when they first tune your primary frequency. It is also known as your "Controller Info". Your ATIS can contain a variety of information, depending on your position, but at the very least, it should contain your name and your radio callsign, such as "Boston Center".

Depending on the position you are working, you may want to include some of the following items as well:

• Runway(s) in use at one or more fields
• Weather for one or more fields
• Current ATIS code
• Link to a controller feedback form
• Link to area charts
• Information about events or training in progress
• List of fields you are covering for coordination purposes

Basically, your ATIS should contain any information considered important for pilots flying under your control. Contact the training staff in the area where you will be controlling for specifics. Different areas have varying standards for what information should be contained in your ATIS.

Note that you do not need to include your voice channel URL (via the $mypvtrw or $myrw variables) anymore. VRC takes care of inserting that for you automatically, if you are using voice.

You set your ATIS using VRC's integrated ATISMaker function. If you have ever used the stand-alone version of ATISMaker, then you will be familiar with the interface. See below for details on using ATISMaker from within VRC.

ATIS Variables

Since many of the items you will commonly want in your ATIS change with time, or from one pilot to the next, VRC provides a number of variables which you can insert into your ATIS text. When a pilot tunes your frequency and requests your ATIS, these variables are replaced with the relevant information. The following table lists all of these variables:

$arr Inserts the aircraft's destination airport. $dep Inserts the aircraft's departure airport. $callsign Inserts your callsign. $com1 Inserts your primary frequency. $myrealname Inserts your full name. (From the Connect window.) $winds Inserts the winds at the aircraft's departure field if the aircraft is not airborne, otherwise inserts the wind at the destination airport. $time Inserts the current zulu time.

ATIS Functions

VRC also provides several functions for inserting information into your ATIS. A function differs from a variable in that a function can accept a parameter to alter the text that is inserted in place of the function. The following table lists all of the functions available when constructing your ATIS:

$metar(airport) Inserts the current METAR for the specified airport. Note that the METAR must have been retrieved previously either by having the station listed in your weather panel via F2, or by having previously retrieved the full METAR via F7. $altim(airport) Inserts the current altimeter setting for the specified airport. $wind(airport) Inserts the current winds for the specified airport. $radioname() Inserts your "Radio Name" as defined in the POF file. Leave the parentheses empty. $freq() Inserts your primary frequency, same as $com1. Leave the parentheses empty.

ATISMaker

VRC includes an integrated version of ATISMaker, which is a tool to help ASRC users manage their ATIS. The ATISMaker functionality is built into VRC. Throughout the rest of this manual, "ATISMaker" refers to the integrated version, not the stand-alone version, unless otherwise specified. To access ATISMaker, choose "ATISMaker..." from the "Settings" menu. A screen similar to the following will appear:

Initially, the Airport ICAO box will be empty, and the runway lists will be empty. You will need to enter the ICAO code for the field where you will be working. You will also need to enter the list of runways. Once you have done this, you should save your profile so that you don't have to repeat the process the next time you work the same field.

To enter runways, enter the runway identifier in the box provided, and press the "Add Rwy ->" button. The runways are added to the list in the order you enter them. If you make a mistake and you want to remove a runway, enter its identifier and press the "<- Del Rwy" button.

The next thing you need to configure is the ATIS Template. The template text is used by ATISMaker to construct your ATIS when required. You can use all of the normal ATIS variables and functions as listed above, plus there are some new variables that only have meaning when used in the ATISMaker template. These variables are listed below:

%icao% Inserts the ICAO code for the airport weather station. %id% Inserts the current ATIS identifier. (Alpha, Bravo etc.) %time% Inserts the timestamp from the METAR. %wind% Inserts the last reported winds. (%winds% also works for this.) %vis% Inserts the last reported visibility. (%visibility% also works for this.) %sky% Inserts the current sky conditions including cloud layers. (%clouds% also works for this.) %precip% Inserts the last reported precipitation type. (%precipitation% also works for this.) %alt% Inserts the current altimeter setting. (%altim% and %altimeter% also work for this.) %temp% Inserts the last reported temperature. (%temperature% also works for this.) %dew% Inserts the last reported dewpoint. (%dewpoint% also works for this.) %metar% Inserts the full text of the METAR. %runways% Inserts a sentence listing the selected arrival and departure runways. %name% Inserts your full name, from the Connect window. %callsign% Inserts your callsign. %rating% Inserts your VATSIM rating.

Any of the above variables will be replaced with their actual value whenever ATISMaker generates your ATIS. There are a number of situations which cause ATISMaker to update your ATIS. The first is by manually pressing the "Generate ATIS Now" button. This will cause ATISMaker to fetch the latest METAR for the specified field, insert the appropriate variables into your template, and copy the resulting text to your actual ATIS which will be sent to pilots.

Your ATIS is also updated by ATISMaker when you manually choose a new ATIS identifier from the "ATIS code" dropdown list.

Finally, your ATIS will also be updated if you place ATISMaker in "Auto" mode and a new METAR is received by VRC. (VRC checks for new METARs every five minutes.) To place ATISMaker in Auto mode, press the "Auto" button. The button will remain depressed while in Auto mode. If a new METAR is recieved, ATISMaker will automatically switch to the next ATIS identifier and update your ATIS. The ATIS identifier will flash in the Button Bar to alert you that a new ATIS is available.

Note that any time you place ATISMaker in Auto mode, or manually choose an ATIS identifier from the dropdown list, the current ATIS identifier will be shown in the Button Bar on the Primary Display.

Selecting the Active Runways

If you use the %runways% variable in your template, ATISMaker will build a sentence listing the selected arrival and departure runways and insert it into the template in place of the %runways% variable. To select the active runways, simply click on the runway identifier in the appropriate list. The entry will be highlighted in gray if it is selected. As an example, in the above screenshot, runway 33L is active for arrivals, and runway 15R is active for departures. This would cause ATISMaker to replace %runways% with "Landing rwy 33L. Departing rwy 15R." in your template. Experiment with different combinations of active runways to learn how the information is portrayed in your ATIS.

Other ATISMaker Settings

ATISMaker also provides checkboxes which allow you to indicate whether or not visual approaches are in use, and whether or not Land And Hold Short Operations (LAHSOs) are in effect. If you check these boxes, ATISMaker will add text to the list of active runways in order to pass on the information to pilots. Experiment with checking these boxes to see the effect on your ATIS.

Remember to save your profile when you are done working with ATISMaker.

Voice ATIS

Starting with version 1.2, VRC supports the ability to provide your ATIS information as an audio recording, just like real-world ATISes.

To create a voice ATIS, you must first create a Voice ATIS template. The template box is shown on the ATISMaker window just below the "Last METAR" box. Default Voice ATIS template text is provided if you have not previously configured it. You use all the same variables and functions as you use for creating your regular Controller Info template.

When you are ready to record your voice ATIS message, press the "Record ATIS button". A window will be shown containing your voice ATIS template with all the variables filled in:

This text is called the Voice ATIS "script". Review the script to make sure the information is correct, then press the "Record" button and begin speaking. Leave a few seconds of silence at the end of your message before pressing the Record button again to stop the recording.

Next, press the "Play" button to listen to your recording. Press the play button again to stop the playback. If you wish to re-record the message, press the Record button again. Your previous recording will be overwritten. Once you are happy with the recording, press the "Save" button. If you decide not to record a new voice ATIS message, press the "Cancel" button.

After saving your recording, you can then connect your voice ATIS to the VATSIM network. First, be sure to enter the appropriate server address in the "Voice ATIS Server" box. Your local instructional staff will tell you what to use here. Also, enter the correct radio frequency for the airport in the "Voice ATIS Frequency" box. This frequency can usually be found on airport diagrams or other charts.

When you are ready to connect your voice ATIS, press the "Connect" button. The button will be temporarily disabled while the connection is made. Once the connection is created, the Connect button will be changed to read "Disconnect". Press the Disconnect button to disconnect your voice ATIS from the network.

If the conection is made successfully, you will see a new entry in your Controller List representing your voice ATIS. For example, if you are creating a voice ATIS for KBOS, you will see "KBOS_ATIS" appear in the controller list. This is your voice ATIS connection. It appears on the network as a separate "controller" with its own primary frequency and voice channel. Pilots will see this entry in their list of in-range controllers once they are within radio range of your airfield. If a pilot tunes your voice ATIS frequency, they will hear your message looped repeatedly until they tune a different frequency. Note that VRC only transmits your recording to the voice server if there is at least one pilot listening in on the frequency.

During your session, when the weather changes, you will need to update your voice ATIS message. You can do so at any time, even if you already have an active voice ATIS connection. Your existing voice ATIS recording will remain in effect while you are recording the new message. The new recording will replace the current one once you press the Save button on the recording window.

After recording and saving your message, you can listen to it by pressing the "Monitor ATIS" button on the ATISMaker window. Press the same button again to stop monitoring the recording.

While you have an active voice ATIS connection, a small green "v" will appear in the ATIS button in your button bar. If for any reason the voice server connection fails, the v will turn red and begin blinking. If this happens, disconnect your voice ATIS and check the voice server address in the ATISMaker window.

Note that the voice ATIS script also serves as the text version of your voice ATIS. This text will be shown to pilots when they tune your ATIS frequency. Your regular Controller Info (described at the beginning of this page) is still maintained separately using the Controller Info Template. Your controller Info will be displayed to pilots when they tune your primary frequency, and your voice ATIS script will be shown to pilots when they tune your voice ATIS frequency.

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Connecting to VATSIM

After loading VRC and choosing a profile (See "The Profile System") the next thing you will normally do is connect to the VATSIM network. To do so, choose "Connect..." from the "File" menu. You will then see the Connect window:

If you have previously connected and saved the connect information in a profile, the boxes on the Connect window will already be filled in. Take a quick look to make sure everything is correct, then press the "Connect" button.

After pressing the Connect button, the Connect window will close, and VRC will attempt to connect to the VATSIM network using the information you just provided. Text messages will be shown in the Primary Display telling you whether or not the connection succeeded. Normally, the connection will happen instantly, and you will see some welcome messages from the server. The Primary and Secondary Display title bars will also be updated to show which server you are connected to.

Assuming no errors are shown, you are now connected to VATSIM. You will begin to see aircraft targets appear on the scope if any are in range. You will also see any in-range observers and controllers appear in the CL.

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Navigating the Scope

VRC provides a few different ways to alter the view presented to you in the Display Windows. The scope can be smoothly panned using the mouse, zoomed in and out, or instantly recentered using keyboard commands. See the sections below for details:

Recentering the Scope

There are four ways to change the center point of a scope. The most common way is by panning. To pan the scope, click and hold the right mouse button, and move the mouse. The radar display will move along with the mouse as though you were sliding a map around on a table.

The second way to recenter the scope is by double-right-clicking on any point. The scope will instantly recenter on that point. This is handy for taking a quick look at a certain spot such as a cluster of aircraft in order to get a closer look at their tags.

The third way is by using the .center command. To use this command, enter it on the command line followed by the name of an airport, VOR, NDB or intersection. The scope will instantly recenter on the specified fix. For example:

.center KBOS

This command will center the Primary Display on the KBOS airport.

Finally, you can also recenter the scope by recalling a bookmark. See the section on bookmarks below for details.

Zooming the Scope

There are three ways to zoom the scope in and out. The first and most common method is by rotating the mouse wheel. While doing so, if you are holding the CTRL key down, the zooming will be much faster, allowing you to very quickly zoom in on a small area such as an airport, if you were previously zoomed far out working a large sector.

The other method for zooming the scope is to use the F11 and F12 keys. These keys zoom in and out respectively.

You can also change the zoom level for the scope by recalling a bookmark. See the section on bookmarks below for details.

Bookmarks

While working just about any position from Tower on up to Center, you will find yourself needing to zoom and