Usage

This page walks through vacs in a control session: connecting, calling, answering, conferencing and closing. It assumes the installation is already done.

Connecting

flowchart LR
    A[EuroScope connected<br/>and primary frequency] --> B[TrackAudio<br/>connected]
    B --> C[Connect<br/>in vacs]
    C --> D[Keys for online<br/>sectors active]

1. Connect the position in EuroScope and set the primary frequency. Without it, vacs does not recognise your station.
2. Connect TrackAudio, if you use radio integration.
3. In vacs, click Connect.

The screen

The main screen is made of direct access keys, one per sector. The layout comes from the Vatsim Brasil dataset: in tabs, on the bottom bar, or on a map (GEO). A key is clickable when the sector is online in vacs and on the network.

Besides the keys, you will use:

The indicator in the top-left corner shows the line state: orange calling or ringing, green connected.

Making a call

1. Prepare the message before calling.
2. Click the sector key. The call rings whoever covers that sector now, including through top-down.
3. Wait for the indicator to turn green (or the call start sound) and talk.
4. When done, click END.

If nobody answers, the key flashes red and the top bar shows REMOTE TARGET DID NOT ANSWER. An unanswered call ends on its own after 60 seconds.

Which station you are calling from

If you cover more than one sector, such as an APP covering the TMA towers, vacs picks the call's source station on its own. To choose another one:

• one click on one of your sectors sets the source for the next call only (light orange);
• a double click fixes the source (dark orange) until you click again.

Priority call

For urgent coordination, click PRIO and then the sector key. On the other side, the call shows with a yellow border and a different ring. Use it only when the coordination cannot wait.

Receiving a call

When someone calls, the calling sector's key flashes dark green and the ring sounds. Click it to answer, or use the Accept first call shortcut.

• If more than one call is ringing, choose which to answer.
• A conference shows as CONF on the key.
• There is no reject button: if you cannot answer, let it ring, and the caller gets a no-answer notice.
• Answering a second call hangs up the current one. You can change this in Settings › Call, with End active call on accept.

Conference

To add a third sector to a call in progress:

1. Click CONF. It flashes dark blue.
2. Click the key of the sector you want to invite.

Whoever added the third participant is the leader. Only the leader invites and removes participants, and if the leader leaves, the conference ends for everyone. Other participants leave with END without dropping the call. A conference holds up to eight controllers.

The telephone page

The telephone button, on the right, opens four sections:

Radio and replay

With TrackAudio integration, the vacs Radio page shows your frequencies, with Rx and Tx and the CPL and FAST CPL couplings. It is a shortcut to TrackAudio, which remains your radio.

• RADIO PRIO: while on, the line microphone is muted, so you can talk on the radio without the call hearing you. It turns off by itself at the end of each call.
• PLAY BACK: lists the transmissions received on the radio so you can hear them again. Turn on Enable radio playback in the advanced settings first. It works on Windows and Linux, not on macOS.
• SAY AGAIN: replays the last transmission received. Useful when a pilot talked over the line.

Line calls are not recorded.

How to talk on the line

Messages between units follow Annex II of MCA 100-16:

• when answering, say your unit's name and "go ahead" or "stand by";
• prepare the message before calling and check you are talking to the right unit;
• when there is no read-back, confirm with "roger".

More models for estimates, requests and transfers are in the Phraseology of the Coordination and Transfer Manual.

Closing

1. End any calls in progress with END.
2. Disconnect vacs before disconnecting TrackAudio and EuroScope.

When something goes wrong

Learn more

• Official vacs documentation;
• Server status;
• Brazil's sector dataset, in the vacs-data repository.