3 Commando Brigade

Task Force Arrowhead Radio Basics.

While I wouldnt say I am the greatest expert when it comes to TFAR (Task Force Arrowhead Radio), I have some experience with it and I have been using it for some fair ammount of time before I joined the 3CB. Since is still quite new for us here, I thought I explain the simple basics.


         Task Force Arrowhead Radio.

1. Explanation
2. Frequencies and channels
3. Different types of radios.
4. Radio usage.
5. Other Information.

1.  Explanation
Not much so say here. It works pretty much the same way as ACRE does. TFAR is trying to simulare a more realistic and natural way of voice communication in the game. Like when using the direct channel in the game, you can only hear what other players or you say when they are close enough to you. While I have never completly checked, I am quite sure you can hear or be heard as long as you are about 60m close the someone else. If you want to talk or hear somebody who is further away you have to use a radio.


2. Frequencies and channels
The main difference when it comes to using the radios compared to ACRE, is that TFAR is not really using channels but frequencies. You are still using channels, but the channels are simply a placeholde or a saveslot for a frequency you entered in the radio earlier. So when you want make sure you can stay in touch with your squad etc, you make sure you are all on the same frequency. Basically it doesnt really matter if you are using the correct frequency on channel 1, 5 or 9 because only the frequency matters.


3. Different types of radios
Right now there are 4 different types of radios in the mod.

1. Rifleman Radios
2. Shortwave Radios
3. Longwave Radios
4. Underwater Radios.

1. The Rifleman Radios are small radios that are used for the communication inside a section or another team. You can not able to change the frequency as a user for the radio and the range is limited to 2km. Right now we are using the RF-7800S-TR on the server.



2. Shortwave Radios.are pretty much the next step up the ladder. Those radios have a higher range which can go up to 5km and you can edit the frequency you want to use on it. Right now we are using the AN/PRC-152 on the server.



3. Long Wave Radios are for long range communication and are usually used by a FAC or other parts of the team that need to be able to communicate over long distances. You can also edit the frequency like on the short wave radio. However as infantry the long wave radios will be handled as a backpack (and you can put stuff inside it.) Right now we are using the RT-1523G (ASIP) the on the server.



4. Underwater Radios are equipped by wearing a rebreather, so they do not take away the normal radio slot. This radio allows you to communicate with another person who is also underwater and on the same frequency as you. The range is limited to 300m and you can only use it underwater.



Worth to mention is also that most vehicles have a inbuilt radio that you can bring up by pressing your key kombination for opening a long range radio. The inbuilt radios also have 40km range, which is 10km more range was the other long wave radios that are used by infantry.


4. Radio Usage
If you want to check out the default keys, or find out how you can change the default keys you should read this. When you open up your radio interface you can just place the mouse over the buttons and you get the info what they are good for. By default you are on channel. If you have a radio where you can change the frequency, you can change it here to the one that you need to be on. You will also find buttons to change the stereo settings, the volume and another important option. This option is called additional channel. Being on a additional channel allows you to be on two channels at the same time. Let's say you are hotel lead and you have to be on your own command frequency (let's say 50), while keeping contact to the FAC whch is on frequency 40. Without the the additional channel function you would have to switch between those functions and you might miss something. Setting a additonal channel works like this.

1. You go to a channel that you dont use (example channel 2).
2. You clear the frequency of the channel and set it to the frequency you want use.
3. you press the set additional channel button.
4. You should now be good to go.


5. Other Information
There are some other small things that you should know when using TFAR.

1. Complications with the Virtual Ammobox System and the Virtual Arsenal
This sounds a bit dramatic but there is one thing you should keep in mind. Do not save a loadout in the VAS or the Virtual Arsenal with a TFAR Radio. Each radio a player is putting in his inventory is getting a ID number. You can find this ID when you check your inventory and go with the mouse over your Radio. It will look like this RF-7800S-TR 10. In this case 10 is the ID of the radio. When you save it in a loadout and load it later, the radio will still have the same ID. So sooner or later another player might have the same radio with the same ID as you. This will cause some issues like frequencies that appear to be chaning on their own or the radio itself simply not working.

2. Obstacles
Like in ACRE the range and the quality of your radio communication is not also limited by range, but also by obstacles that might be in your way. If one player is on one side of a mountain and the other player on the other side, you eventually will encounter some issues when you are trying to communicate with that player. On the other hand radio towers you can find on the map should boost your range and quality a bit. However I can only confirm this working on Stratis and Altis.

3, Multiple Radios
Another good thing about TFAR is that you can now easily use two or more radios without much dancing around on your keyboard. For example you will have no issue having a short and longwave radio at the same time. Unlike in ACRE (correct me if iam wrong) you have two seperate buttons for talking on a short or longwave radio. So there is no need to switch between these two radios all the time in TFAR. If you have two radios of the same type in your inventory you can change which one should be the active one by simply pressing the keys to bring up the interface, a popup on your screen should appear that lets you change the active radio.

Thanks.



Also updated the post with some pictures and another small section.

TFAR sets predefined frequencies for each channel.  These frequencies are by default only common across the same group.  So channel 1 in Alpha section with have a different frequency to channel 1 in Bravo section. 

This creates a problem on the public server when we create adhoc sections.  (We lost 15 minutes last night dicking around with radio frequencies)

There are a number of solutions.  

1. Predefined frequencies that we manually apply each time we login.  These could be placed on the boards at base, as Apollo previously suggested

2. changing the init.sql on the server to include:

tf_same_sw_frequencies_for_side = true;
tf_same_lr_frequencies_for_side = true;
which forces all frequencies of the same side to be consistent

3. changing the init.sql on the server to include:

#include "\task_force_radio\functions\common.sqf";
if ((isServer) or (isDedicated)) then {
   tf_no_auto_long_range_radio = true;
   publicVariable "tf_no_auto_long_range_radio";
   tf_same_sw_frequencies_for_side = true;
   publicVariable "tf_same_sw_frequencies_for_side";
   tf_same_lr_frequencies_for_side = true;
   publicVariable "tf_same_lr_frequencies_for_side";
   _settingsSwWest = false call TFAR_fnc_generateSwSettings;
   _settingsSwWest set [2, ["311","312","313","314","315","316","317","318"]];
   tf_freq_west = _settingsSwWest;
   _settingsLrWest = false call TFAR_fnc_generateLrSettings;
   _settingsLrWest set [2, ["30","41","42","43","44","45","46","47","48"]];
   tf_freq_west_lr = _settingsLrWest;
};
which predefines all channels automatically.



More examples and discussion is here

http://forums.bistudio.com/archive/index.php/t-169029-p-6.html

Do eeeeeeeeeeet!

Dont worry, It looks more complicated as it actually is. I think the big strengh of TFAR compared to ACRE is that it is more user friendly.

BOGUS!
There is sortcuts for 3 radios in ACRE.
https://www.3commandobrigade.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1611

Well, in TFAR you have possibility to use 4 channels at the same time. 1 main + 1 additional on shortrange and same on longrange.
And just like ACRE, TFAR can be configured By editing radio_keys.hpp and you find it from "Your HDD":\SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\userconfig\task_force_radio

Here's 2 questions...

Is there a way to have one key assigned to say a 152. And another on say the 7800 i.e. two "shortrange" radios. ?

Assuming you were using the extra channel on the 152; is there a way to reply on that extra channel using a second key or is it listen only ?

SJ

I have not checked it out, but I do think it is possible. In the radio_keys.hpp you find these entries for the short and long wave radios.

class tanget_sw_2

class tanget_lr_2

Gonna try this out now.

Tested this out and it does not seem to work.

And about the question for the alternate channel, yes you totally can. The default keys for this should be T for short and L for long wave.

You can edit this in the config gile mentioned earlier under:

class tanget_additional_sw {

and

class tanget_additional_lr {

Shift [ or Shift ] to swap between 7800 and 152.
Could change those key combo's to just one key.
Can't really see a reason why someone would have both radio's in inventory though?

Squady: 7800
Section 1IC: 152, primary ch on squad freq, secondary ch on command, able to send/receive on both and in different ears