Realistic military UHF radio simulation for Microsoft Flight Simulator
If vARC adds to your MSFS experience, consider buying me a coffee.
vARC simulates military UHF radio communications between MSFS pilots connected to a shared server. It models real-world radio behaviour including:
- Line-of-sight propagation — range is calculated from your actual altitude using the standard aviation radio horizon formula. Two aircraft at FL350 have a range of ~252nm. On the ground, ~20nm.
- Audio effects — bandpass filtering, noise floor, squelch break/tail, and range-based static that increases as you approach the edge of coverage
- Simplex operation — only one transmission on a frequency at a time
- Dual radio — independent Radio 1 and Radio 2, each with its own frequency and PTT
- SimConnect integration — your position is read directly from MSFS in real time
vARC is intended for use in military aviation simulation communities, squadron exercises, and multiplayer operations.
FOR SIMULATION USE ONLY. vARC does not interface with real-world radio systems.
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| UHF radio simulation (225–400 MHz) | ✅ Live |
| Line-of-sight propagation | ✅ Live |
| Dual radio (Radio 1 + Radio 2) | ✅ Live |
| Keyboard and joystick PTT | ✅ Live |
| Audio effects chain | ✅ Live |
| SimConnect (MSFS 2020 + 2024) | ✅ Live |
| Multi-user server | ✅ Live |
| Server admin (kick/ban) | ✅ Live |
| Auto-update via GitHub Releases | ✅ Live |
| Channel presets | 🔜 Planned |
| Mini window (MSFS overlay) | 🔜 Planned |
| Encryption simulation (KY-100) | 🔜 Planned |
| Guard frequency (243.0 MHz) | 🔜 Planned |
- Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit)
- Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 or 2024
- .NET 8 Desktop Runtime (download)
- Download the latest release from the Releases page
- Extract the ZIP to a folder of your choice (e.g.
C:\vARC\) - Run
vARC.Client.exe
No installer required. vARC is fully portable.
- Enter your callsign (up to 10 alphanumeric characters)
- Set your frequency on Radio 1 or Radio 2
- Click CONNECT
vARC will read your position automatically from MSFS via SimConnect. If MSFS is not running, you can enter your position manually.
- Open SETTINGS
- Click REBIND next to Radio 1 or Radio 2 PTT
- Press the key or joystick button you want to use
- Click SAVE
Keyboard, mouse buttons, and all joystick/HOTAS buttons are supported.
Each radio has an independent volume control (0–11):
| Step | Level |
|---|---|
| 0 | Muted |
| 6 | Default (recommended starting point) |
| 11 | Maximum boost |
- Channel Presets — save and recall up to 10 named frequencies per radio
- Mini Window — compact always-on-top overlay for use in full-screen MSFS
- Busy Tone Improvement — more authentic blocked-channel audio
- Encryption Simulation — KY-100 style. Transmissions only audible to clients sharing a matching key
- Guard Frequency — 243.0 MHz always monitored in background
- Terrain Masking — signal obstruction based on terrain elevation
- HF / SATCOM Simulation — extended range, different propagation characteristics
- Server Web Dashboard — browser-based admin panel
- Regional Servers — community-run server network with server browser
- Terrain masking is currently disabled pending API reliability verification. Range is pure line-of-sight.
- The busy tone (heard when trying to transmit on an occupied channel) will be replaced with a more authentic sound in a future update.
vARC is developed in my spare time. If you find it useful, a Ko-fi is always appreciated and helps keep the server running.
For bug reports and feature requests, please use GitHub Issues.
vARC is a simulation tool for use with Microsoft Flight Simulator. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any real-world military organisation, radio authority, or aviation body. All radio frequencies simulated within vARC are for entertainment and educational purposes only.
FOR SIMULATION USE ONLY.