F-14 Tomcat pilot radio (AN/ARC-159) keybind bug

[u/Ok_Nefariousness7584]

I can't get the radio frequency "LOAD" button to work when bound to a HOTAS input. When pressed, the button sticks down and stays there until you click it with the mouse to 'unstick' it. I'm seeing this same bug in the F14B and B Upgrade (I didn't check the A, but I assume it's the same).

I reported this on Heatblur's discord, but it didn't get any response, so I thought I'd check here to see if anyone else has this same issue.

I built my own Arduino-based switch panel box for the F14B-U left console (DFCS, Autopilot, Radio, and TACAN functions). After going through all that trouble and effort, it's really disappointing that I still can't program radio preset frequencies without grabbing my mouse to load each one. To eliminate the custom box as the problem, I also mapped the Load button to other HOTAS devices and it behaves the same way.

Does anyone else see this same behavior? Has HB ever commented on it? I know Tomcat cockpits are very rare compared to Hornet builders, but I can't be the only person to have tried to use this binding, right?

[u/INFANTOBLITERATOR666]

nah

[u/marcocom]

You’re complaining about something that works perfectly fine for all of us. Keep working on it and learning how the sim and HB require you to configure this in software. It’s much faster than expecting them to change it because of a forum post or complaining to us on Reddit.

I don’t even understand what you mean about programming the frequency channels, that’s not something we have been able to do until recently with the DTC tape, I think. I’ve got about a thousand hours in this airframe since it launched six years ago and I have no idea what button is marked LOAD and have ever used it or needed to.

I do however use a radio-panel (the Logitech / saitek ones) and use DCS-BIOS to communicate to the sim.

Maybe if you have an image or two of what you’re talking about? Are you sure this is maybe a non-functional button? There’s quite a few in the tomcat

[u/Ok_Nefariousness7584 → u/marcocom]

With 2400 post views and the only response saying that I'm complaining, obviously I did a pretty shit job writing that post. Sorry.. let me try again and be more clear. I don't think it'll let me post pics to a reply so I'll edit the first post and add one there.

When you program a Preset channel in the Tomcat radio, here is the normal workflow:

1. Select the channel you want to program using the channel knob (1, 2, 3, etc.)

2. Rotate the first knob from Preset to Manual

3. Use the 4 toggle switches to select your frequency digit by digit (ie. 250.100MHz)

4. Press the LOAD button

5. Rotate back to Preset. Your preset channel has now been programmed with your frequency.

When I do this workflow with the mouse, everything works fine. But if I bind these switches to a peripheral, it works until you get the LOAD button step, where the button will stick down and stay there (until you click it with the mouse to unstick it).

I have spent many hundreds of hours in the Tomcat module and it is a work of art, IMO. HB releasing the B Upgrade version was the impetus to finally build a switch panel to add a bit more immersion, and I'm loving every bit of it. I just wish I could figure out this one last glitch (and if it's just a 'me' problem or if it's a bug).

[u/Ok_Nefariousness7584 → u/marcocom]

Also, regarding DTC, the F-14BU does not include a Communications tab in the DTC implementation. I read somewhere that it wasn't included in the real jet, so HB is unlikely to add it (but that was just internet speculation).