IO error diagnosed in the end.
(Idiot operator, if you must know)
I got confused and tried to enable Joysticks under Hotkeys, by enabling the checkbox, and then pressing the button I wanted to use. This is not possible!
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Go to the GENERAL Tab, not the HOTKEYS Tab. Both have Joystick functionality. This is where I got confused. YOU MUST ASSIGN JOYSTICKS IN GENERAL FIRST, BEFORE GOING TO HOTKEYS
Click Joystick options
In the case of the Warthog, select the virtual Thrustmaster Combined Joystick if you run that. CH Products needs this to be done as well.
Enable the necessary POV's, if using.
Enable the Push to talk button functionality by pressing the button you want to assign.
After this, you can fiddle with the Hotkeys tab and override Push to talk buttons by command or profile.
To others with similar problemsPlease Note that to SEND A JOYSTICK BUTTON PUSH TO YOUR GAME IS A VERY DIFFERENT BEAST INDEED. I speak under correction, but at the very least this needs
a plug in for Voice Attack
Vjoy virtual joystick driver, ppjoy does not function any more.
And fiddling
When I last was active on the forums this feature was not implemented, anyway, and I am not yet up to speed with 1.6.1. It may be now, but in case this is what you want, you will need to look further in other posts. Good luck