BGvACC Controller Software
Quickstart Guide
Table of Contents
1. Overview......................................................................................................................................1
1.1. Euroscope Setup........................................................................................................................2
1.2. AudioForVatsim Setup..............................................................................................................7
1.3. vATIS Setup.............................................................................................................................. 8
2. Connecting to VATSIM..............................................................................................................10
2.1. Connecting as Observer.......................................................................................................... 10
1. Overview
In order to start controlling with BGvACC, you will need to set up and learn how to use three
pieces of software: Euroscope, AudioForVatsim, and vATIS.
- Euroscope is our main controller client. It is how you will see traffic on the network, see
flight plans, record instructions, and communicate with other online controllers.
- AudioForVatsim is the voice connection to the server and the primary way to
communicate with pilots. It serves the same purpose as vPilot and xPilot do for pilots.
- vATIS uses our profile to generate the ATIS for the airport you are staffing.
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1.1. Euroscope Setup
Euroscope is the most complicated of the three, but most of the setup is taken care of by our
navigation team in the form of sectorfiles. The following guide will run you through the steps of
downloading and loading everything that is needed to observe or control.
Step 1: Download our recommended version, Euroscope v3.2.3 from here.
Step 2: After downloading and running the Euroscope installer, download the LBSR
LBSR-Install-Package from http://files.aero-nav.com/LBSR. This is our sectorfile package.
Step 3: Navigate to the newly created Euroscope folder within your AppData folder, either by
typing %appdata% in the Windows search bar, or through File Explorer.
The Euroscope folder will be located at C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\EuroScope.
Step 4: Drag and drop everything from the sectorfile download into the Euroscope folder. You
should now have the following files there:
Step 5: Launch Euroscope. If this is the first time you are opening it, it should prompt you to
open a profile file. Select and open the Bulgaria.prf file that is located in the main Euroscope
folder from earlier.
If you are NOT asked to open a profile file when setting up the files for the first time, you will
have to deselect “Auto load last profile on startup” from the Other SET button as shown below:
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Welcome to Euroscope. It is normal to initially feel overwhelmed by the amount of buttons and
menus everywhere, however you will learn and get used to them during your training process.
There are just a few more settings that need to be changed before the setup is complete.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Step 6: ASR files are your views, those being Tower, Approach, and Control. To open one, click
on the Open SCT button in the top left and select Open.
You will need to navigate to the ASR folder, located within LBSR in the Euroscope:
C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\EuroScope\LBSR\ASR
If your AppData folder is not showing up, you will need to “show hidden folders” from the File
Explorer options, and then click open in Euroscope again.
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From the ASR folder, select and open the file called TWR VIEW. Your screen should now show
the tower view for LBSF, as shown below:
This is the main view you will be using for the majority of your training. You can also open and
switch between views from the same menu.
Step 7: Open General settings by clicking on the Other SET button, and selecting General
settings … as shown below:
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Once there, make sure that “Auto assume on ground state set” is not ticked:
Finally, go to page 2 of the general settings and set these keybinds by clicking on browse and
selecting the files shown:
These keybinds are only recommended as the best starting option, feel free to set different views
and play around with what’s useful for you.
Click ok to save and close the general settings menu.
Step 8: EXTREMELY IMPORTANT
This step is extremely important, as it will save all of the changes we have made above and
ensure you do not have to redo them the next time you open Euroscope. Please follow the
instructions carefully and do not skip ahead.
1. Click the X button in the top right to begin closing Euroscope
2. Click Yes on the popup asking if you are sure to exit.
3. You will now see a series of popups like the one below, asking if you want to save all of
the changes we have made:
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4. Click cancel ONLY the first one, and save on ALL subsequent ones!
5. You are now free to open Euroscope again, and all of the changes will be saved.
If something goes wrong and you don’t save your changes properly, you should go back and
repeat steps 7 and 8.
Note: On each subsequent closing of Euroscope it will ask you if you want to save changes
again, this is not necessary after the initial setup unless you have deliberately made a change
you want to keep.
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1.2. AudioForVatsim Setup
AudioForVatsim facilitates the audio connection between you and the network while you are
connected via Euroscope. There are no region-specific files needed for this, only the application
itself.
Step 1: Download the latest version of AudioForVatsim from here or audio.vatsim.net.
Step 2: Run the installer and open the application.
Note: AudioForVatsim has two views, full and minimized. The minimized view is useful
when controlling as it hides information that is not needed and takes up space, however if
you need to access the settings or make other changes you will need to open the full view.
To switch between them, click either this arrow:
Or this one:
Step 3: Open the settings, and fill in your user details, select your microphone and headset
devices, and set your push to talk button. If needed, increase or decrease your mic volume so that
the bar goes to the middle of the green band when speaking normally. When done, click apply
and the setup is complete.
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1.3. vATIS Setup
vATIS is the program that generates an ATIS connection for the airport you are controlling. It is
only used when actively online to control, and not when connecting as an observer.
Step 1: Download the latest version of vATIS from the official website.
Step 2: Download our vATIS profile from our website.
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Step 3: Once you open the application, you will see the profiles screen. Select Import, and open
the Bulgaria vATIS profile that you downloaded in step 2. Once that has been imported, it should
look like this:
Step 4: Double click Bulgaria to open the profile. You will now see this:
As with all of the other applications, click User Settings and fill in your real name,
VATSIM CID and password, and rating.
Step 5: vATIS is now set up, you will not use it any more until further into your training so you
can close it until then.
Note: Connecting an ATIS will be explained in more detail by your mentor.
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2. Connecting to VATSIM
There are two ways to connect to VATSIM using Euroscope. Either as an observer, or as a
controller. Anyone can connect as an observer to watch and listen to other online controllers.
However, to connect as a controller you will have to go through training and earn your controller
rating.
This guide will walk you through connecting as an observer, while your mentor will explain how
to connect as a controller when you get to that stage in the training process.
2.1. Connecting as Observer
1. Click the CONNECT button in the top left corner of Euroscope to bring up the connect
dialog.
2. This is what it looks like:
You will need to fill in the following details:
- Callsign: Your initials_OBS, for example AT_OBS
- Real name: Your real name (in accordance to VATSIM policies)
- Certificate: This is your VATSIM CID, for example 1604267
- Password: Your VATSIM password
Then from the dropdown menus to the right of the above fields, you need to select:
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- Facility: Make sure it is on Observer
- Rating: Your current VATSIM ATC rating, if you have not been through training
then this will be Observer as well
- Server: Select AUTOMATIC
3. The connection dialog should now look something like this:
4. Now, click the Connect button in the bottom left corner to connect to the network.
5. Another menu will appear, prompting you to select voice communications. This is
basically asking you which position/frequency you want to listen to. In most cases, this
will be Sofia Tower (LBSF_TWR), so select it as shown by ticking the Prim box:
Click close.
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6. The chat is located at the bottom of your screen. It also serves as a command line,
allowing you to run commands starting with a dot. Type in “.vis LBSF” and press enter:
7. Finally, open AudioForVatsim and click connect. Then, click the plus button to add a new
position to listen to:
Type in the callsign LBSF_TWR, and click the check. The frequency will not be in the
database, so you will have to manually enter its frequency of 118.100 and press ok.
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8. Lastly, click the RX button to select it and listen to the frequency. TX and XC should
remain unselected:
You can now click the up arrow to minimize the AudioForVatsim window and drag it out
of the way to a corner of your screen.
9. That is all you need to start listening to ATC at LBSF, to disconnect just press the
disconnect buttons on both the AudioForVatsim window and the Euroscope connection
dialog.
Note: After each online session, Euroscope will ask you if you would like to save the
automatically logged session data. This is not necessary and you should select No.
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