DME not working sometimes

[mike2060]

I have noticed that sometimes the DME will not pick up any stations. It just has dashes for all of its values no matter what the station is. I flew today not noticing it wasn't working until up in the air and when I was done with my flight I ended up exiting FSX and restarting the flight to see if it was working again and sure enough it was. I have never had this problem before with the default C172 which I flew a bunch before I bought this one.

[Gypsy Baron]

Just some possibilities here.

Are you certain you were tuned to a DME and not a VOR without DME?

Also, were you in range of the tuned DME? Their range varies.

Paul

[mike2060]

Just some possibilities here.

Are you certain you were tuned to a DME and not a VOR without DME?

Also, were you in range of the tuned DME? Their range varies.

Paul

Yes 100% certain since I have flown from the airport before. I also couldn't tune to the VOR I was going to either even when right over it.

[wothan]

Just some possibilities here.

Are you certain you were tuned to a DME and not a VOR without DME?

Also, were you in range of the tuned DME? Their range varies.

Paul

Yes 100% certain since I have flown from the airport before. I also couldn't tune to the VOR I was going to either even when right over it.

If Your right above a station You won´t be able to tune it, since there is a cone from the station and upwards where signals aren´t valid.
Depending on altitude this can be up to a couple of miles.

To pick up a a station the station must also be in line of sight, thus You need to climbe to a certain altitude, depending on distance before You will receive it.

[mike2060]

Just some possibilities here.

Are you certain you were tuned to a DME and not a VOR without DME?

Also, were you in range of the tuned DME? Their range varies.

Paul

Yes 100% certain since I have flown from the airport before. I also couldn't tune to the VOR I was going to either even when right over it.

If Your right above a station You won´t be able to tune it, since there is a cone from the station and upwards where signals aren´t valid.
Depending on altitude this can be up to a couple of miles.

To pick up a a station the station must also be in line of sight, thus You need to climbe to a certain altitude, depending on distance before You will receive it.

I flew from CYYG to CYAW and could not pick up DME from YYG, YHZ, YQM, or UAW. So something was wrong. I could not get any DME reading from the VORs. Even if I was right above a VOR I still should get a DME readout. This has only ever happened with the A2A C172 and it has happened a couple of times when I have only flown the plane with a DME a half dozen times so far. The default C172 has never had this problem.

[renaissanceman]

I have noticed that sometimes the DME will not pick up any stations. It just has dashes for all of its values no matter what the station is. I flew today not noticing it wasn't working until up in the air and when I was done with my flight I ended up exiting FSX and restarting the flight to see if it was working again and sure enough it was. I have never had this problem before with the default C172 which I flew a bunch before I bought this one.

Hi mike2060,

I have seen this problem 2 or 3 times with the C172. Tuning a known DVOR, OBS comes alive, Morse code received, but getting no DME data. Restart FSX, tune the same DVOR and I get DME data. I have not found a cause for this.

Jim

[Lewis - A2A]

Noted for further investigation

thanks,
Lewis -A2A

[GrahamP]

Just to support what's being reported here, in the A2A C172 I can't get a DME readout on Prince George (YXS) VOR-DME or Houston (YYD) VOR-DME. Tried shutting down FSX and starting again but no different. I can tune to the VORs OK but no DEM readout from either.

In the default C172 I get a DME readout on both, no problem.

[Great Ozzie]

This is really bizarre... Last night I started having DME problems too...

I was trying to find a way to repro this... BDL & BAF were not working last night or today... VOR needle & DME Audio was working for both.

So I tested the above VORs (YYG, YHZ, YQM, UAW, YXS, YYD) on the ground using the closest airport... DME readout worked for all. This using NAV1 with the DME in Remote mode.

Then I'm thinking maybe this has to do with what class VOR it is... BDL is a Terminal VOR and BAF a Low Altitude (the rest mentioned above are High Altitude). So I find CEF (a Low) and it works fine. Go back to BDL & BAF... now they are both working! Only thing I did during the process was go from airport to airport (using "go to") which, when I did come back both BDL & BAF are not working. But then using the Flight Planning window -- used to do the search for VORs (the class) and that is when upon going back BDL & BAF after CEF they decide to start working.

Just very, very strange...
Rob

[mike2060]

My DME now never works. I have just started using the GPS until it is fixed.

[Marvin]

If I load Microsofts C172, set my frequencies, then select A2A C172 then all my radios work fine. Otherwise it's a 50-50 shot if they work or not.

[Great Ozzie]

If I load Microsofts C172, set my frequencies, then select A2A C172 then all my radios work fine. Otherwise it's a 50-50 shot if they work or not.

Great idea Marvin!

I have used similar before -- loading the default C172 to initialize certain aircraft -- but not for 'initializing' the radios.

Still cannot figure out why "all of a sudden" this has become an issue -- after a couple months of no problems.

Thanks!

[Eikthrynir]

The thread might be old, but the problem still exists.

I flew from LRIA to LRBC and had no problem with getting data from the ISI DME (113.5 MHz). I even got data on the ground, before taxi and take-off. It has always used to work.

I got to LRBC, shut down everything (the whole system) and restarted after an hour or so. I placed myself at LRBC, tried to tune in to the frequency of BCU DME nearby (109.4 MHz), did not work. I flew anyway, got 12 nm near LRIA, tuned in to ISI 113.5, did not receive any DME data.

[Lewis - A2A]

The thread might be old, but the problem still exists.

I flew from LRIA to LRBC and had no problem with getting data from the ISI DME (113.5 MHz). I even got data on the ground, before taxi and take-off. It has always used to work.

I got to LRBC, shut down everything (the whole system) and restarted after an hour or so. I placed myself at LRBC, tried to tune in to the frequency of BCU DME nearby (109.4 MHz), did not work. I flew anyway, got 12 nm near LRIA, tuned in to ISI 113.5, did not receive any DME data.

This is a core MSFS issue, it sounds like you are loading the C172 incorrectly meaning it isn't initializing the simulation correctly.

thanks,
Lewis