Taking the Honeycomb Bravo to the next level - advanced configs

[FltsimFlyboy]

I was one of the few people fortunate enough to secure an order for the Honeycomb Bravo when it launched back in December 2020. Since then, I’ve been constantly tweaking my setup for the most ideal mapping that is easy to use with the least amount of preset changes. (Hopefully, once Asobo implements aircraft specific presets, this will become much easier.)

Anyhow, I love both my Alpha and Bravo a lot, but I was a bit disappointed with the default configuration that the Bravo switches were set to by MSFS. A lot of them were duplicated from the Alpha, and some of them didn’t quite ‘feel right’ for the aircraft I was flying.

The autopilot panel especially took a bit of time to get used to; I’ve seen a lot of mixed opinions about that specific implementation.

A few days ago, I was messing with my configs and I realized, there are a lot more advanced setups you can do with the Bravo buttons and switches. This post is a configuration guide for the Bravo switch/button panel that I’ve set up to provide me quite a few extra controls in my hand.

The following config setup uses switch combinations for the controls - so please be careful while assigning. It is a pain to set it up initially (mapping mistakes take time to fix and remap), but was well worth it for me as the end result is super useful. Anyway, enough talk, let’s start tweaking!

Idea

Idea

• We will be using a 1-hot encoding of the 7 unmarked switches to set the ‘mode’ of the Autopilot panel. 1-hot encoding means, at any time, only one of them will be ON, rest needs to be OFF. E.g., flicking switch 7 ON can set the ‘mode’ of the above buttons to Autopilot, switch 6 ON can reconfigure the above buttons to control radios and so on.

• The left Knob on the Autopilot panel will select ‘functions’ in the set ‘mode’. E.g., in Autopilot mode, it selects ALT bug, HDG bug, etc. while in some radio mode, it selects the whole and fractional parts of the frequency.

• The right Knob will be used for incrementing and decrementing the ‘function’ values.

• The middle push buttons will be used for any ‘activate’ actions.

Autopilot

Autopilot

Autopilot mode is selected by setting Button 46 (switch 7).

As you can see below, every flight instrument selections and Autopilot mode toggles are modified as a combination of Button 46 and the respective buttons. You can set it up according to your autopilot configuration.

COM Radios and Altimeter

COM Radios and Altimeter

COM1, COM2 and Altimeter mode can be selected by setting Button 44 (switch 6).

COM1 function is selected by positions ALT (whole) and VS (fractional) on the left Knob.
COM2 function is selected by positions HDG (whole) and CRS (fractional) on the left Knob.
Altimeter function is selected by position IAS on the left Knob.

Increment/Decrement is with the right Knob as usual.
Swap standby ⇄ active with IAS button. COM1/2 depends on the position of the left Knob.
(Because there is actually no SELECT for these things, note the triple button combo for some of these.)

Transmit+receive on COM1 by pressing HDG button.
Transmit+receive on COM2 by pressing NAV button.
Toggle simultaneous receive on COM1+COM2 by pressing APR button.

Just to give you an idea about the mapping - e.g. Incrementing Altimeter is a combination of the following buttons:
Switch 6 (Joystick Button 44) + Left Knob at IAS (Joystick Button 17) + Right Knob Incr (Joystick Button 13)

Transponder

Transponder

Transponder mode is selected by setting Button 42 (switch 5).

1000’s place select by left Knob in ALT position.
100’s place select by left Knob in VS position.
10’s place select by left Knob in HDG position.
1’s place select by left Knob in CRS position.

Increment/Decrement is with the right Knob as usual.

NAV Radios

NAV Radios

NAV Radio mode is selected by setting Button 40 (switch 4). Rest is similar to COMs.

NAV1 function is selected by positions ALT (whole) and VS (fractional) on the left Knob.
NAV2 function is selected by positions HDG (whole) and CRS (fractional) on the left Knob.

Increment/Decrement is with the right Knob as usual.
Swap standby ⇄ active with IAS button. NAV1/2 depends on the position of the left Knob.

I have tested this setup with the following:
G1000: C172
G3000: TBM930
GNS530/GNS430: C172 Classic
Non-garmin: C152 (except mic selection)

Please note that I have set this up according to my needs. I’ve mapped the functions I feel I use the most and the way it makes intuitive sense to me. E.g., using the IAS button for frequency swap as that is right next to the adjustment knob; or keeping the COM1/2 and Altimeter selection in the same mode since I might me tuned to tower on COM1, listening to ATIS on COM2 and setting the altimeter after that.

Hope this helps! Feel free to tweak it according to your needs and post below if you have any similar setups!

[hendis55]

Interesting reading. I actually have the same two Honeycombs and tend to fly the same planes, so you have my attention.

Do you know if it’s possible to assign four keys to each function?
If so, it should be possible to eliminate the 1-hot requirement and use only two of the rocker switches for mode selection. I mean, up/up, up/down, down/up and down/down produces four combinations.

Already, I’m struggling with remembering to check/turn the left knob before I turn the right one, so I’m not sure this solution is for me. But good thinking.

[FltsimFlyboy]

Yes, you can use a 4-button combo for each function, setting 00 01 10 11 as the modes.

Also, if you don’t use all of these functions, you can use less switches. For example, when I was initially experimenting, I was using only one switch. OFF controlled the autopilot and ON controlled COM1 NAV1 and Altimeter.

[hendis55]

That’s probably where I’ll begin.
Unless I decide to go with FSUIPC or Gremlin/vJoy or something…

[BestEndymion328]

Even as an FSUIPC user I appreciate this suggestion, thanks! Instead of using the rockers as modes, I’m thinking of using the magneto selectors (on the alpha)

[danzio56]

I just saw this thread for the first time and think it is very interesting to see how others in the community are using their Alpha and Bravo hardware to take advantage of the various commands within the sim.

With so many buttons and switches available, and in many cases the same button to provide a different function through the use of another button as a modifier, it seems the choices are nearly limitless.

One of my goals in the use of both the Alpha and Bravo is to completely eliminate the need to do any mouse clicking within the virtual cockpit. I am far from achieving that goal but at the moment I’ve at least managed to perform all ATC comms without the use of the mouse. I bring up the ATC menu with top left white button and then use the forward left trigger as comm 1 response, since this is by far the most frequent reply used, then I’ve mapped all the 4 black switches to provide responses 2-9. I’m going to make some changes and instead of using the forward left white button (trigger) as a modifier and that should give me almost double the options with the switches.

It would be great if we could keep this thread alive with input from the community as to their configs so that others may benefit. I know I’m not using my hardware to the fullest functionality and with some imagination (and time configuring) I could do a lot better. I also hope to someday eliminate the in game ATC and get onto VATSIM. If/when I do it will obviously free up all the buttons/switches I’m currently using for ATC.

If there are other threads with Alpha/Bravo configurations I’d love to know about them. It seems there are endless possibilities and that’s not even considering 3rd party apps like FSUIPC or SPAD.Next or Axis and Ohs. I’m not too familiar with how those work but imagine that takes the options to a whole new level. Along with a big learning curve I suppose.

[BestEndymion328]

I am going down the path of FSUIPC to manage the rotary selectors on the Alpha and Bravo so that their positions control the function of the POV hat and various pushbuttons. My goal is enabling every important control from the alpha and bravo while in VR. I expect a lot of trial and error in coming up with a good functional set of mappings, so I am using a Python module I wrote to easily regenerate the appropriate button programming in the FSUIPC7.ini, based on whatever ideas I want to try out. Here’s a thread Python-based generation of FSUIPC ini file content - User Contributions - The simFlight Network Forums in the FSUIPC forum focused on the Python module, but the gen_ini.py example provided is the gist of what I am thinking.

I foresee a problem keeping track while under the VR headset of the current rotary selector positions and how they change the functions of various buttons, so am thinking about writing some kind of VR overlay showing the current Alpha/Bravo switch positions and the resulting mappings of the pushbuttons to FS controls.

[somethingbrite]

This is quite interesting. You are using the msfs2020 input config to effectively make one of your switches a modifier (or indeed in this case several of your switches become modifiers)

Does this require any Honeycomb specific setup or is this purely using the msfs2020 config?

If it’s purely msfs2020 config then this could be exploited by anybody regardless of their kit and it would be. Pretty useful to those with limited button/switch options. - definitely wins award for innovative use of the configuration options.

[FltsimFlyboy]

The combo button technique is purely msfs config. Will work with any controller. My post describes the setup for the Honeycomb Bravo.

I have since moved on to using Axis and Oh’s, because of its greater flexibility. But that’s a paid product and requires a bit of scripting knowledge; so, it may not be for everyone. The above is a solution that can be adapted by anyone.

[PacificSet90456]

After reading these posts, I was impressed with the “out-of-the-box” thinking. I created several 3-button combinations to increase/decrease NAV1 or NAV2 OBS heading. In addition, I found that one button or switch can do multiple things at the same time. For example, I configured one switch to turn on and off the panel, cabinet, and pedestal lights at the same time. I did the same for de-ice, one switch turns all the deicing on or off.

The keybindings can be very powerfully, not only for the Alpha/Bravo but any peripheral. Also, it appears that new keybindings are added at updates and releases that aren’t documented in the release notes.

Today my biggest challenge is having multiple Bravo configurations, one for each type of aircraft, and keeping identical keybindings current across all the configurations.

[monkiesandtools]

Not sure if you can provide some insight,

I’m currently trying to figure out how to assign a single bravo toggle to rotate between the COM1 and COM2 (ref Multiple Logitech Flight Radio Panel compatibility). As noted within that posting, I went into the control settings thinking that by assigning one of bravo toggle switches, I could end having it change between COM1 (toggle state up) or COM2 (toggle state down), no current need for the other rotated states as usually found on the KMA-28

Sadly this didn’t do anything, and as far I currently know, the only means is the soft switch option (under atc) to swap COM1 and COM2 as active. I have mapped the the Bravo annunciator lights, but it’s more of a monitor flag state instead of a “new input type not already configured”.

Any recommendations on if there is a keyboard shortcut to toggle or how the xml was coded for the custom input (on the bravo side)?

[FltsimFlyboy]

I’m not exactly clear on what you are trying to achieve. If you want to tune COM1 and COM2 you can select the radio on the logitech panel and just tune it.

I only have one Logitech radio panel and that seems to work. If you want the G1000 like functionality (select between com1/2 and tune with a single knob), I haven’t been able to work that out with the custom driver provided by AAO. I can do that with the bravo rotaries though.

Keep in mind that the radio panel does not appear to windows as a standard joystick. It has its own driver that sends the corresponding simconnect events to the sim. So, toggling the radios in the sim has no effect on what the radio panel sends to the sim.

There are custom driver interfaces that lets you customize the events, such as the ones provided by AAO, Spad.next etc. I have AAO, and that driver seems really buggy and inconsistent in sending my custom commands. So, I just use the default one provided by logitech.

If you are looking to just select the mic/receive on com1/2, there are four controls for that:
SET COM1 TRANSMIT
SET COM1 RECEIVE
SET COM2 TRANSMIT
SET COM2 RECEIVE

There is no single toggle. You have to do some RPN scripting to inject the toggle behavior.

You can also play around with the following controls to see if they work for your aircraft:
SET PILOT TRANSMITTER
SET COPILOT TRANSMITTER

I have actually stopped using MSFS common controls for all button behaviors. I find it easier to just look at the aircraft’s model behavior file and see what event is getting triggered for a button and set the correct value externally through simconnect.

If you tell me the specific aircraft for which you are trying to do this, I can look into its files and let you know the correct event.

[sdmaxpilot]

I am also interested in sharing Bravo configurations. I would like to know what tool you use to post your presentation with such well organized text and images using drop down expanding chapters. My focus has been on extending the functions of the right side up/down rotary encoder as they are set using the left side FCU switch. I have not yet expanded use of the middle Autopilot buttons but I too have been eying them for activating things like frequency swapping. Could you also explain the use of the two side by side control input windows on the CONTROLS OPTIONS screens. Do they simply allow alternate bindings to trigger the same event?

[FltsimFlyboy]

I am not using any special tool, haha. You can create collapsible sections using the Details control.

[details="Your Summary Text"]

>**Your Heading**

Your content
[/details]

That is how I formatted the text.

And yes, the two input windows is exactly that - it allows two different inputs on the same controller to trigger that event.

[sdmaxpilot]

Is detail control a feature available in MS Word?

[FltsimFlyboy]

No, it is an editing feature here. Just type it like that and it will work.

[sdmaxpilot]

Yes that detail control editing feature is very handy. Particularly when a posting is lengthy. Thanks for the tips. Are there any more like that?

FURTHER REMARKS

Looking at your bindings was very interesting because they are so similar to mine in many ways. I am trying to use only the 2 rocker switches near the left and right side because the throttle levers are so in the way of the middle ones.

I am now considering combining some of your ideas with mine. Particularly expanding the roles of the Autopilot buttons., and adding Transponder code settings along with ADF frequency setting that I presently have . I do intend to post my resulting arrangement here when they are complete.

The ability to use a physical knob in place of virtual ones is what made me spring for the Bravo Throttke Quadrant. The ability to expand the functions that knob can control is irrestible.

[gordongreig]

@sdmaxpilot

Yes that editing feature is very handy. Particularly when a posting is lengthy. Thanks for the tips.

Off topic, but you can do the same thing by highlighting text you’ve written, clicking the little cog icon and selectng hide details, like in this screenshot:

You can then change the word “summary” which is the default heading given

[sdmaxpilot]

So noted thank you. I akso see the other available editing features I was curious about.

[sdmaxpilot]

ANOTHER EXPANDED HONEYCOMB BRAVO THROTTLE QUADRANT CONFIGURATION

I modified the default MSFS Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Profile to achieve the configuration described below. It is a combination of features that I originally came up with along with additional features inspired by the original post from the author of this topic. My goal was to enable the Bravo’s right side adjustment knob to operate as many of the virtual cockpit knobs as possible.

THIS IDEA

The role of the left side function control knob and some of the top Autopilot Mode buttons have been expanded by making use of four of the seven mid-level rocker switches as mode controls. The right side rotary encoder knob continues to be used to increase or decrease values of those parameters selected by the left side knob.

AP MODE MODE
Bravo controls function as they were with the default profile when rocker switch #1 (counting from left to right) is placed in the bottom position which I refer to as the “AP Mode”. Except that when the left knob is placed in the CRS position either the OBS for NAV1 or the OBS for NAV2 can be controlled
as set by rocker switch #2 which functions as a NAV/COM unit selector. Its bottom position selects NAV/COM unit #1, and top position selects NAV/COM unit #2 for control.

NAV/COM MODE
When rocker #1 is placed in the top position, which I refer to as
the “NAV/COM Mode”, those parameters selected by the left knob are expanded to
enable control as follows as follows:

Position Control Parameter
ALT - Altimeter setting.
VS - COM whole frequency values.
HDG - COM fractional frequency values (no carry).
CRS - NAV whole frequency values.
IAS - NAV fractional frequency values (no carry).

In addition functions of the top Autopilot VS and IAS Mode buttons have been modified so that in this Mode the VS Mode button swaps COM frequency and the IAS Mode button swaps NAV frequency. Here again the NAV/COM unit under control is set by rocker switch #2.

ADF MODE
With rocker #1 placed in the bottom position, rocker #3 placed in the top position sets
“ADF Mode” where the left knob can be used to enable control of ADF frequency as follows:

Position Control Parameter
ALT - 100KHz digit (with carry).
VS - 10KHz digit (no carry).
HDG - 1KHz digit (no carry).

In this mode the Autopilot IAS Mode button swaps ADF frequency. However it is important to remember that rocker #1 must be placed in the bottom position for this Mode to work.

TRANSPONDER MODE
The top position of Rocker switch #4 sets “Transponder Mode” when rocker #1 is is also in the down position, In this mode the left knob enables control of Transponder code digits as follows:

Position Control Parameter
ALT - 1000s digit
VS - 100s digit
HDG - 10s digit
CRS - 1s digit

I would have liked to employ one or more of the Autopilot mode switches as operational controls such as IDENT, ON, or STANDBY. However I could not find command variables available within the MSFS profile to control them. I was able to employ a momentary button on another control device as an IDENT button using FSUIPC7 which made that command variable available. A Bravo Autopilot Mode button could have been used if I knew how to use switch combinations in FSUIPC7.

CREATING THE BINDINGS

Implementing the above configuration involves creating many new bindings in the Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant Profile. Making these bindings is time consuming, error prone, and just a bit tricky. I found this video available at Custom Switches for Honeycomb Bravo Throttle Quadrant in MSFS 2020 - YouTube to be most helpful by
demonstrating this process. In particular at about 11 minutes into this video the author, Rmag, describes his bindings to control the OBS for VOR2. This example clearly shows how multiple switches can be combined to trigger an event which is the key to expanding the Bravo’s configuration. Attached below are screenshots of the bindings needed to implement this configuration as they appear on the CONTROLS OPTIONS screen within various sections of an expanded BRAVO Profile. They each include a diagram of the Bravo Throttle Quadrant illustrating the switch numbers assigned to each Bravo control that are used to create each of the bindings

ALTIMETER SET

COM FREQUENCY

NAV FREQUENCY

STANDBY FREQUENCY SWAP

ADF FREQUENCY

OBS and TRANSPONDER CODE