Learn how to tune COM, NAV, ADF and transponder radios in FS2004, swap standby frequencies, use shortcuts and fix reception problems.
To tune the radios in FS2004, open the aircraft’s radio stack, set the required frequency with the large and small tuning knobs, then press the transfer button to move it from standby to active. Use COM for voice and ATC, NAV for VOR or ILS, and ADF for NDB navigation.
How do I open the FS2004 radio stack?
The radio stack is available as a pop-up panel on most stock FS2004 aircraft. Select Views > Instrument Panel > Radio Stack, or try Shift+2, which opens it in many default aircraft.
Panel shortcuts are assigned by each aircraft’s panel configuration, so Shift+2 may open a different window—or nothing at all—in an add-on aircraft. Use the Instrument Panel menu in that case. Some basic or vintage aircraft have radios built directly into the main panel rather than a separate stack.
How do I tune COM and NAV frequencies?
Tune the standby window first, then transfer it to active. On the common Bendix/King-style units, the active frequency is normally shown beside a standby frequency, but add-on panels may arrange them differently.
- Choose the correct receiver. Use COM1 for normal FS2004 ATC communication, NAV1 for the primary VOR or ILS, and NAV2 for a second navigation aid.
- Set the whole-number portion. Operate the large or outer tuning knob. Clicking different sides of the knob usually increases or decreases the value.
- Set the decimal portion. Use the small or inner knob to step through the available radio channels.
- Transfer the frequency. Press the transfer or flip-flop button, often marked with a double arrow, so the standby frequency becomes active.
- Confirm the selection. Check that COM1 is selected on the audio panel for ATC, or select the appropriate NAV audio if you want to hear a station’s Morse identifier.
Some older radios have no standby display. Their tuning knobs change the active frequency directly. FS2004’s stock ATC can also present a Tune option in the ATC window; selecting it automatically enters the listed COM frequency and avoids tuning the wrong receiver.
Can I tune FS2004 radios with the keyboard?
FS2004 provides keyboard commands for selecting and changing radio fields. In an untouched control setup, C starts COM selection, N starts NAV selection, A selects ADF and T selects the transponder; the increase and decrease keys then alter the selected field.
Repeated selector-key presses can cycle between receivers or frequency portions, which makes the method easy to mis-key. Assignments may also have been changed, and the main keyboard and numeric keypad plus/minus keys are not always treated alike. Check Options > Controls > Assignments for the exact radio commands and bindings in your installation.
Which FS2004 radio should I use?
Use COM1 for stock ATC and NAV1 for the primary VOR or ILS receiver.
| Equipment | Purpose | Common FS2004 use |
|---|---|---|
| COM1 | Voice communication | ATIS, ground, tower, departure and centre frequencies |
| COM2 | Second voice receiver | Holding or monitoring another frequency; stock ATC normally relies on COM1 |
| NAV1 | Primary VOR/ILS receiver | CDI or HSI guidance and most autopilot NAV/APP operations |
| NAV2 | Secondary VOR receiver | Cross-radials, a second bearing or backup navigation |
| ADF | NDB receiver | Tunes an NDB frequency in kHz |
| Transponder | Aircraft identification code | Four digits using only 0–7; it is a code, not a radio frequency |
DME is normally obtained from the selected NAV station when that facility provides distance information. You do not tune the runway course into the radio: tune the ILS frequency into NAV1, then set the published front course on the aircraft’s course selector or OBS.
Why will an FS2004 radio not tune or receive?
Most radio faults in FS2004 are caused by the wrong active window, wrong receiver or lost avionics power.
The frequency will not enter
- Make sure you are changing the standby side and pressing the transfer button afterwards.
- Check that the battery, electrical master and avionics master are switched on. A visible radio stack does not mean the unit has power.
- Click the correct part of a concentric knob: the outer and inner sections control different portions of the frequency.
- Read the add-on aircraft’s documentation if it uses custom gauges. Mouse-wheel, left-click and right-click behaviour is not consistent across third-party panels.
- FS2004’s stock radios use older channel-spacing conventions and do not provide full modern 8.33 kHz COM spacing. Some present-day frequencies therefore cannot be entered exactly unless an add-on radio implements them independently.
ATC is silent after tuning
Confirm that the required frequency is active on COM1 rather than waiting in the standby window. COM1 must also be selected on the audio panel, and FS2004’s ATC and voice-volume settings must not be muted.
Real-world frequencies may differ from FS2004’s period airport database. For stock ATC, use the frequency displayed by FS2004’s map, airport information or ATC menu rather than assuming a present-day chart will match.
The VOR or ILS needle does not move
A tuned NAV frequency produces no useful indication if the wrong receiver or navigation source is selected. For an ILS or VOR approach, tune the facility into the receiver connected to the CDI or HSI—usually NAV1—and place the panel’s NAV/GPS switch in NAV mode.
The aircraft must also be within reception range and positioned where the facility’s signal is available. Listen for the Morse identifier before relying on the indication. If the intention is to follow a route from the satellite navigator instead, our explanation of using FS2004’s GPS and choosing the NAV/GPS source covers that separate setup.
Can I tune FS2004 radios with external hardware?
External radio panels work when their driver or control software sends commands that FS2004 and the aircraft’s gauges recognise. Stock aircraft usually accept the simulator’s standard COM and NAV events, while complex add-ons may use custom variables that require aircraft-specific profiles.
If the hardware cannot be mapped through FS2004’s normal control assignments, setting up FSUIPC for FS2004 can provide additional assignment and calibration options. Do not install it merely to correct a powerless radio or a frequency left in standby; fix those cockpit issues first.