Learn to tune COM, NAV, ILS and ADF radios in the FSX Airbus A321, swap active frequencies, and fix controls that will not respond.
In the default Airbus A321 in FSX and FSX: Steam Edition, open the Radio Stack with Shift+2 or from Views > Instrument Panel. Choose COM1/VHF1 or NAV1, set its standby frequency with the tuning knobs, then press the transfer button to move that frequency into the active window.
How to tune COM1 or NAV1 in the default A321
The quickest reliable method is to use the A321's 2D Radio Stack, even if you normally fly from the virtual cockpit.
- Open the Radio Stack. Press Shift+2. If the menu bar is hidden, press Alt and select Views > Instrument Panel > Radio Stack.
- Choose the correct receiver. Use COM1 or VHF1 for normal FSX ATC, NAV1 for the primary VOR or ILS receiver, and NAV2 for a second navigation station.
- Enter the standby frequency. The large or outer control changes the whole-number MHz portion; the small or inner control changes the fractional part. Use the gauge's increment and decrement hotspots, or the mouse wheel where supported.
- Transfer the frequency. Press the swap or double-arrow button between the displays. This exchanges the standby and active frequencies.
- Check the active display. Tuning the standby side alone does nothing until the frequency has been transferred. Trust the ACTIVE and STANDBY labels rather than assuming which side is which on a modified panel.
For help identifying the controls elsewhere in the cockpit, our cockpit and systems reference for the default FSX A321 provides a useful companion to the stock aircraft.
Which A321 radio should I tune?
The required receiver depends on whether you are contacting ATC, tracking a navigation beacon or setting an approach frequency.
| Purpose | Receiver | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| FSX ATC voice | COM1 or VHF1 | Place the assigned frequency in the active window and select COM1 on the audio panel if necessary. |
| Second voice frequency | COM2 or VHF2 | Useful for monitoring, but stock FSX ATC normally works through COM1. |
| VOR navigation | NAV1 | Tune the VOR frequency, select NAV rather than GPS, and set the required course separately. |
| ILS approach | NAV1 | Tune the localiser frequency; course selection and APP mode are separate actions. |
| Second VOR or DME source | NAV2 | DME distance appears only where the tuned station supplies DME. |
| NDB navigation | ADF | ADF controls may tune the active frequency directly rather than using a standby transfer. |
| ATC squawk code | Transponder | Set the code assigned by ATC; this is not a COM frequency. |
How do I tune an ILS frequency in the A321?
An ILS should be tuned into active NAV1 before intercepting the localiser.
- Find the simulator's ILS data. Use World > Map or the FSX flight-planning information to obtain the runway's localiser frequency and inbound course.
- Tune NAV1. Enter the frequency on the standby side and transfer it to active NAV1.
- Select radio navigation. Put the NAV/GPS selector in NAV when using the radio-based localiser, then set the course and use APP mode only when positioned for a sensible intercept.
Pressing APP does not tune the receiver. If no localiser or glideslope appears, confirm that NAV1—not NAV2—contains the frequency and that the aircraft is within range and approaching from the usable side of the localiser.
Can FSX ATC tune COM1 automatically?
Stock FSX ATC normally tunes COM1 automatically when you select an offered contact or frequency change in the ATC window. Manual tuning is still useful for frequencies obtained from the simulator's map, for online flying arrangements, or when practising radio procedures without the built-in ATC prompts.
Why won't the A321 radio frequency change or work?
Most A321 radio problems come from operating the wrong hotspot, leaving the new frequency on standby, or tuning a channel that FSX does not support.
- Only part of the number changes: the whole and fractional portions use separate knob hotspots. Move the pointer around the inner and outer parts and watch the tooltip.
- The correct number is visible but nothing happens: check whether it is still in the standby window and press the transfer button.
- ATC remains silent: verify that COM1 is active and selected for reception or transmission. A frequency entered in COM2 may not be used by stock FSX ATC.
- The navigation needle stays centred: confirm NAV1 versus NAV2, select NAV instead of GPS, and check the station's range. ILS reception also depends on aircraft position and approach geometry.
- The display is blank: the radio bus lacks electrical power. Restore battery, generator or external/APU power as appropriate to the aircraft state.
- The knob skips the required COM channel: FSX predates widespread 8.33 kHz channel use, and its stock radios cannot select every modern channel. Use the frequency stored in FSX's own airport and ATC data.
- Shift+2 opens something else: an add-on or replacement
panel.cfgmay have changed the pop-up order. Open Radio Stack from the Views menu instead.
If the original gauge is too awkward to operate, a replacement A321 radio panel with familiar COM and NAV controls is available. Back up the aircraft's panel folder before changing it, because replacement panel files can alter pop-up shortcuts and overwrite earlier modifications.