TQ assign & calibrate Axis

[jackpilot]

Before I forget, here is a way to assign axis and calibrate them for a TQ.
Everything is explained in detail in Pete's manuals. This is just an "Executive Summary".

I used the FDS FC1 board and the Phidgets sliders . I highly recommend these sliders, very precise, wide range of calibration. No jitter/spike.
Just a note for the sliders: The wiring is: white is imput, red is +, black is neg.
Red and black can be inverted if needed.


It looks complicated but it is not.
You can make as many trials and errors as you want. As long as you do not Hit the OK button, nothing is changed in the ini.file.

Print this text, and keep it handy when doing the assg/calib.

First Plug in your TQ USB joystick card and make sure it appears in FS.
Beware FS will automatically assign some axis to that joystick when it recognizes it.
For that joystick:
DISABLE all Axis assignements in FS
Set Sensitivity  to Maximum and Null zone to minimum
Reload FS and check that the Axis are effectively disabled.

1) Open FSUIPC Axis assignement page.

In the MOVE__LEVER line you should have one axis showing, if not, move a lever and see that it is identified.
On the left check: Send direct to FSUIPC
Click on the first little box and in the scroll down menu assign the axis to one of the functions listed  (throttle 1...or whatever you want.to)

Do not click OK      ( OK only when all assignements and calibrations are done)
2) Go direct to the Joystick calibration page
Calibrate this axis (Read below Levers calibration)

When done go back to the axis assignement page
And repeat the same procedure  1) 2) as above for another Axis, until all four axis are done.
The idea is to assign one axis and then calibrate it, assign another axix and calibrate it, and so on.When all done click OK. This creates an ini. file in FSUIPC folder (make a backup of it somewhere else)

That's all folks!!

LEVERS CALIBRATION:
Starting  with the Separate throttle levers
Go to FSUIPC page 3
If you activate the reverse with a switch(recommended) check the No Reverse box, top left.
Click the reset box to start fresh, it now shows: Set (axis not processed.)
Click the Throttle one set button.
2 values appear: min  max (if you get 3 it is because you did not check the No reverse box.)
Move the lever form idle to full and check that values ARE INCREASING. This is valid for all calibrations, otherwise you will get the "ding" sound.
If they are decreasing reverse your pot connection , easier than playing with the rev box.
Now, easy, put the lever at idle, click on the Min Set button
Put the lever at full , click on the Max Set button
DONE

Spoiler:
Goto page 6: Trim spoilers and flaps
3 colums, numbers have to increase when you move the lever towards you  ( opposite from the Trottles)
Set left tab: lever full away from you
Set Middle tab: Armed position
Set right tab : lever full down towards you.

Flaps:
Check the little box :Dt
3 boxes appear.
Much easier than it looks: The idea is to define one ZONE for each setting to allow some margin in the lever exact position.
1)Check that numbers are increasing when going from Flaps up to Flaps down. If not invert pot.
IMPORTANT: On top of the flaps section you must see  #0 , a small scroll box,  #1,   #2
if you play with the scroll box you see the two right numbers increase. We will use this to calibrate the notches.
MAKE SURE to bring back these two values to #1 , #2 by clicking the Cl (clear) button close to the Dt button.
Otherwise you will get the "Ding".

2) Move the lever to Up notch and bring it back a little bit towards you (a few millimeters)
Click the SET left Tab
3)Move the lever a little bit before the Full down
Click the SET right Tab
4)Now we will set the intermediate notches.

Move the lever close to the first notch
Click the middle Set button
Move the lever just after the first notch
Click again the middle Set button

Click the Up arrow of the little scroll box , numbers will be #2   #3
Move the lever close to the second notch
Click the middle Set button
Move the lever just after the second notch
Click again the middle Set button

Repeat..
If you goof, hit Cl and start the flaps again.

That's it

[Trevor Hale]

Awesome Post Jack.  I am sure it will be very helpful to others..   

[Steve A]

Very helpful to me. I often wondered how i was gonna calibrate the flaps.

[jackpilot]

It worked on the first try! piece of cake.
This way you can make your notches the way you want and calibrate later according to the physical layout.
For the spoilers/speed brake, do not forget to set the Arm position (wherever it is) as the middle button on the calibration page. This way they deploy automatically as soon as the wheels touch the ground. Little bug in FS if you look at the airplane when it is on the ground, the inward spoilers are deployed if the lever is in the arm position. But they do not in flight.
Who looks at the airplane anyway!! lol

[Steve A]

Your right Jack, i dont think i even have a shortcut key assigned anymore to look at my aircraft from outside, I need to redo my spoilers and flaps levers as the spring plungers are a little too strong, but i can see how your advise will work perfectly once im happy with the little detents for each position.

[Joe Lavery]

Masterly instructions Jack, I wondered why my flaps were a bit hit and miss.
I think sometimes RTFM is not always the answer, it needs someone to provide an idiots guide foro folk like me... 

Thanks again, regards
Joe.

[NAX228]

Remember to upgrade your FSUIPC. There was a release with an error regarding thrust lever setting, but it's fixed in v.4.57 and later.

[jackpilot]

Yep, but that's for FSX, I run FS9, sticking to my "old" guns. lol

[Trevor Hale]

I am doing the same Jack.  I need to stick to FS9 too, it makes things run so much better.  Although I could go and buy a faster FSX PC I would rather just stick with FS9.

Trev

[ETomlin]

Jack, thanks a ton. Im getting ready to interface my real LJ45 TQ as I picked it up on last Friday. Cant wait to get it installed and callibrated. This guide is much appreciated.

[ETomlin]

Jack

What offset do you use for full reverse since I see you said that you are using a switch to activate vs. a pot for the reverse axis?

[Trevor Hale]

Hey Eric,

He is probably using FSUIPC "Button Press" F2 and setting it to repeating while held.

Switch function released would be set for a single "F1"

Trev

[jackpilot]

Right! no brainer  , works perfect

[ETomlin]

Hey Eric,

He is probably using FSUIPC "Button Press" F2 and setting it to repeating while held.

Switch function released would be set for a single "F1"

Trev

Thanks, that's the part I missed..."Repeat while held". DuH! :-) In my defense, it was really late at night when I tried this. I have always had proportional reverse via the CH yoke but now Im moving to real Lear throttles and there's not much room in there to put the analogue pots for reversers, but the switches were easy to mount. Thanks!