Captain Jelami is DA Man !
It worked !!! ahhghhh
after weeks of fiddling, reading through posts, cheking the inept CHProducts support (or lack thereof), I google "MS Sim forum" , post a little question, send it to the virtual universe go for a jog and a shower and the gods respond ! Within the hour . Amazing.
For the record here are the steps for those who wish to use CHProduct gameport flightsim yoke and rudder pedals found on Ebay !
Yoke and pedals plug together though a plug on the pedals .
Another cord plugs in one gameport or serial port.
Latest driver for game controller (not that new) installed from the net.
In game controllers choose CH Flight sim yoke - no need to choose rudder pedals as those become part of the yoke when plugged together just like a new button or axis.
You can calibrate the yoke and pedals right there. (properties)
Start flight sim
Settings
X in "enable joystick"
click "Realism setting"
ensure auto-rudder is off
click ok
click "assignments" , " joystick axes"
scroll down to "rudder axis"
"change assignments"
toggle the rudders with your feet (or any available body part)
"Z Rotation " appears in the selection box
click OK
it works , even if calibration considered the rudders to be axis "R"
and trottle is considered Z axis"--go figure .
thanks to Jelami for the tips
Gates1
Montreal, Canada