Caldera

Random, I believe I do, yes but... In the past I could not post a track if the file size was to large (it used to be a 5 MB limit). The track in question that you wanted to see, was too large. In the past I converted those files to a video type format, uploaded them on YouTube and then posted the links into this ED forum. I got allot of help in that thread as well. (it seems YouTube lost one of my videos) So, for your viewing pleasure I have attached a track file. It is only 4 MB. Take a look if you care to and leave me comments if you like. All, I put some words of wisdom to good use. Those words saved me allot of time in trial and error mode. Pretty shaky really, but my first fill up in the F-16C! No doubt I still have a ways to go before I am proficient, but for just the third time that I have ever tried I consider it a success. Throttle control is what currently haunts me the most. The F-16C is much slicker than what I am used to. Thanks again everyone for the advice, Caldera F-16C AAR 1st Fill up.trk

OK! Yes, I did realize that I was not in the ideal spot, mostly because I was not connected or BODO would not connect. But all in all it did not look so bad either. The little amount of time I have spent connected looked very close to that. This is near the end of at least 30 minutes straight of trying and failing, being many times in this almost exact position. I would have had to make a video (big file size) of it and use YouTube (or some such) and it was not worth the effort for me to do so. It is hard to tell from the pictures, but right about this point in the track the tanker was in a turn at end of its race track orbit. I had been trying to connect for quite awhile, backing off and moving back in when things got too far out of whack. I actually did connect a few times, but never for more than 5-15 seconds at a time. I am still a bit too wobbly, but mostly throttle control was the trigger that got me discombobulated. Then... The hose just dried up and it would no longer connect at all. So on and on we flew, BODO managed to get back on my S### List and then there were flash backs of my trials and tribulations I had with the A-10C. I got frustrated and decided to figure out where I was going wrong. I did not want to restart the track over so I just grabbed the screen shots at the point you see in the pictures above so that I could get some quick advice on my technique. The feeling is quite a bit different than refueling the A-10C where the hose is out in front. The visual references seem harder to maintain and I have to to get over the feeling that a collision could happen at any moment being under the tanker. Being under that tanker and in the shade. I don't know why, but realistically the director lights are very hard for me to make out. I had started only glancing at them for position adjustments and mostly trying to just maintain formation. Is that sounding about right? II is cool however to have the CGAS lady tell me that altitude my is too low. When I am just above the tanker... Thanks for all the advice! Caldera Thanks Fred, I was typing when you were. Caldera

Hey All, Something seems a bit off in the pictures below. Here is my position under the tanker. Sorry for the bad quality picture due to the extreme zoom in. Ideal position. Here is my position on the boom. BODO = Boom of Doom Operator ---> My nemesis... Director calibration needed? I flew in that position, even through the turn, for quite some time before my WTFO kicked in. The above pictures are from the track file. Caldera

OK We had a post post simultaneous going on. Let me rephrase: Does the AP automatically disengage? to Does the AP automatically disengage with control stick movements? Thanks again, Caldera OK The missing link. Caldera

Rongor, Thanks! Not quite right here. The toggle switch you call a paddle is just a 3-way toggle switch. It does not change position on its own ie no spring return to center losing the magnetic latch. The button next to that switch engages the AP only. It is the same with the pinky switch. If I am getting this right, then holding the paddle switch, for example the PITCH switch held at the ALT HOLD position (with mouse or keybind), is the same a "pressing" as described in the manual? Caldera

Hey All, OK... Coming from the A-10C where the AutoPilot (AP) works pretty well, straight forward and kind of like the cruise control on my truck. It has indication on the HUD. You can turn it on, you can turn it off, also turns itself off and even tells you that it did so. The F-16C AP not so much... The first time I noticed weirdness was on a strafing run as I was engaging a convoy in the CCIP training mission. Some kind of porpoising started happening as I was trying to shoot. I could not understand what was going on. It was kind of like fighting with I-PAC. I could not find out if the F-16C had I-PAC or some such, but I noticed that I had left the AP on. The PITCH switch was in ALT HOLD and the ROLL switch was in ATT HOLD. Could this porpoising behavior be caused by the AP? Does the AP automatically disengage? Manual: PITCH – ALT HOLD. This maintains the aircraft at a constant altitude. The autopilot will attempt to maintain the current altitude from when the switch is set but may not be able to capture the desired altitude if the aircraft is in a climb or dive. An altitude within the control authority of the autopilot will be commanded. The altitude may be changed by pressing the paddle switch, flying to a new altitude, and releasing the paddle switch. How do you "press" the paddle switch? It seems to have only three positions up, middle and down. PITCH – ATT HOLD. This maintains the aircraft’s current pitch attitude, nose up or nose down. The autopilot will not engage if the pitch angle exceeds ±60°, however, the switch may remain engaged. The stick may be used to change the attitude in this mode. If the switch remains engaged does the AP also stay engaged? Does using the stick to change attitude supposed to lock in another attitude setting or does it go back to the original setting? ROLL – HDG SEL. This causes the aircraft to fly the heading selected on the HSI. Roll commands are limited to a 30° bank or a 20° per second roll rate to capture the desired heading. The autopilot will not engage if the roll angle exceeds ±60°, however, the switch may remain engaged. ROLL – ATT HOLD. This maintains the aircraft’s current roll attitude. The autopilot will not engage if the roll angle exceeds ±60°, however, the switch may remain engaged. The stick may be used to change the attitude in this mode. There is actually a ROLL switch mode missing from the manual called STRG SEL. It does seem to work though. These ROLL modes seem pretty cool and are way better than the A-10C. Especially the "fall asleep in the saddle and let the horse find its own way home" mode I like. Because, the F-16C INS Alignment Location (A-10C Initial Point) seems to be missing from the steer points and until I figure out how to navigate better with out it. The switches are held in place until they are returned to the OFF position or any of these situations occur: • air refueling door opened • alt flaps extended below 400 knots • A/P FAIL PFL • AoA exceeds 15° • DBU on • landing gear extended • low-speed warning • MPO switch in OVERRIDE • STBY GAIN PFL • TRIM/AP DISC switch set to DISC Holding the paddle switch presses disengages the autopilot until the switch is released. Holding the paddle switch how? This is confusing to me. Here it implies a press disengages, above a press engages. Sometimes I can't get the AP to engage. The PITCH switch moves up or down but spring returns to the center. That is with the ROLL switch in ATT HOLD. If the ROLL switch is in HDG SEL or STRG SEL it will work just fine. The manual does not explain why this would happen. Thanks in advance, Caldera

Hey All, I took some pictures while playing the A-10C on the SoCal - Through the Inferno server. I would guess that there were about 20 guests and quite a few AWACS / Tankers in flight. The results some what surprised me considering the comments made above. I have increased my FPS limiter to 45 and I have added fan speed monitoring. My GPU fan speed minimum speed setting is about 30%. This is in flight north of Sochi-Adler looking at at the ground with the TGP off. Notice that GPU utilization is 38%. This is at Sochi-Adler on the tarmac right after I parked looking straight forward with the TGP off. Notice that GPU utilization is 98%. This is the same shot as above taken 15 minutes after doing nothing. Notice that GPU utilization is 45% and that VRAM usage has gone up by about 10%. DRAM has also dropped for both allocated and usage. I have to wonder... The only really difference I see in all of my testing is basically changes in FPS / GPU utilization. My frames can get pretty stuttery in multi player at times. That could also be CPU utilization and / or server ping times as well as the GPU is struggling to keep up. I have not monitored either. But, DRAM and VRAM usage seems more or less constant for single and multi player modes. Caldera

Tholozor, Hmm... OK! Is there a chart some where of Russian designed aircraft and their RADAR types as these are the ones often trying to put holes in my canopy. This knowledge could come in handy at times. Caldera

Deano, Before I read you post I did make an AB run in just to see. I eventually picked them up around 10 miles or so. But I might not have had perfect tail alignment. So after I read your post I gave it a shot. It worked much better. Methinks I need to understand RADAR a bit more. With the average RADAR wave traveling at or about the speed of light it seems like it should be able to catch up to speeding jet, so it has to be a relative movement thing. The jets in front of me still had relative movement in relationship to the ground, otherwise notching would never work. So it seems another strategy to defeat RADAR might literally be flying straight away and at the very same speed as the pursuer. Baffling really... Thanks again, Caldera

Lee, Hard for me to take anything the wrong way.... As of yet "quiet" or "silent" is unknown to me as to how to turn it on or off. I am following the MIG's direction of flight at 30 NM. Caldera I found the RF Switch. MIG-29 stealth fighters maybe?

Thanks for all the feedback! Below is the more complete mission picture. I set this up purely, as a first pass, to familiarize myself with radar modes. The MIG's ROE = Weapons Hold and their only purpose is to fly along happy happy sipping vodka as they can be to let me practice radar modes. However, the radar is not working... Attached is a short track that I made. Sorry for all the look downs, but I use two monitors and the one below is for the MFCD's. I am in the habit of looking there. Other than the crazy autopilot, which I am sure has a dedicated AI just to mess with me, I hope this is enough for you to work with. Caldera F-16C NO RADAR.trk

Thanks for the replies, 15 minutes and counting up, no change in FCR display. How long should it take? Caldera

Hey All, Just starting out on the F-16C and it is amazing to me what things can trip me up. I have gone through the training missions (the ones that actually work) and I am still get FUBAR'd. First on my list, I put the jet in A-A. Me and my two targets are at 15000. This is the set-up and it is pretty darn simple. With my finger on the fire button in hot anticipation, this is what I see. What am I doing wrong? Caldera

GX5, Thanks! In DCS MP, it seems that every server operator has a different idea what those frequencies should be. For even in the A-10C it becomes a real shuffle to load all of the presets that I might need for the flight. Quick question, what do you mean by this? I am missing the meaning of "will appear on the paper". The flip up that covers the load button? Caldera

Bosco, Thanks! It seems to me that DCS is probably using some kind of a soft ceiling that, as you say, is dependent solely upon how much VRAM the card has. Using my above assumptions: 16 MB is 16384 KB so 16384 x .98 = 16056 VRAM available. 16056 x .80 = 12845 which is not that close to the usage that you describe. 16056 - 1286 = 14770 which is pretty close to the usage that you describe. It seems to near impossible to get around the current scalping strangle hold, at least in the near future. Too bad, but that is how it is... Considering a purchase from pre-built PC company, I see these cards listed in the options with respectable delivery dates. Do you happen to know, is this a for real thing or a fantasy? Caldera

Hey All, After getting more or less proficient in the A-10C I have taken on the F-16C. This is the "other" aircraft I have romanced all these years. The ICP / UFC DED can be a bit confusing to start. Let's start with trying to learn the radios. This is how the DED looks after engine start-up. I select override button COM 1. I press the number three button (evenutally...) to select preset frequency 3. I go back the the C&I page. Now my question is, other than SRS in MP or going back to the COM 1 menu page, how would I know what the actual frequency is? Or in this respect is it like the A-10C, where after selecting PRESET, all you can see is the just the preset number on the dash and no longer the actual frequency? Once I change to another preset, can I ever see any frequency displayed on the C&I page? For example, in the A-10C going back to MNL I can see preset 1 frequency once again on the dash. Thanks in advance, Caldera

Hey All, I have a couple of screen shots from the F-16C training series. I am wondering how one does low level clouds in valleys. Thanks in advance, Caldera

Jay, I find myself doing just as you do. I agree the TGP repeater is just about useless when used on a monitor (VR IDK) as it just blocks other stuff that I could see. With the TGP on the right wing, I usually repeat attacks from right turns. Like you, often using zoom, I throw the TGP down close to what I want attack with the HMD and then adjust it to the the target from out of cockpit. Then I lock (fine tune) the TGP onto the target from inside the cockpit. At this point, the whole process becomes a confidence issue for me. If I am fairly confident (or happily wishful) that the TGP will not fault, then I simply ensure that it is SPI and I carry on. If I am not confident, then I will mark the target and make the marked point SPI. A marked target will allow me to get the TGP back on target should it 1) fault -or- 2) go off somewhere in Nah-Nah Land. I can do this very quickly mid attack with the reset on my HOTAS. Is it just me or can Point Track Mode get really weird sometimes by suddenly jumping off, for example, a moving target? This is particularly noticeable in Narrow Mag zoomed way in. Caldera

Luc, OK fair enough. I only can test my system and I currently have no other points of reference to evaluate any thing else. For example, take this screen shot: This picture shows VRAM allocated @ 6044 and usage @ 4758. Now, considering that I have a 6 MB GPU the value of .787 or 78% is the ratio for allocated / used. I do not actually know what the format over head is for VRAM. But in case above it looks to be about 98%. 12 MB = 12288 x .98 = 12042 KB available on the GPU and 12042 x .8 = 9633 KB DCS usage potential. If I consider the GPU to operate under a soft ceiling, in the above example then the margin would be 1286 KB and the soft ceiling would be 10756 KB. All this would seem OK to me as "the system" (DCS or NVidia) should not risk over run. Say, I now have a GPU with 12 MB of VRAM and if I were to show the same picture take under the exact same parameters. Would it show VRAM allocated @ 12042 and usage @ 4758? Would it show VRAM allocated @ 12042 and usage @ 9633? 80% usage Would it show VRAM allocated @ 12042 and usage @ 10756? soft ceiling Thanks Guys for all the feed back, Caldera

Jay, I have found that this works most of the time and I use this allot, So much that it is mapped to my HOTAS. However, I notice that some times it just will not work. At those times I have to switch the TGP to standby and then back to AG. Have you noticed that? Caldera

Hey all, This... It is almost like the MAV has its own AI of some kind just to mess with the players head. Once it starts jumping off the TGP slaved target, for example a big SA-2 TR, the player (me) gets to really experience a few frustrating moments trying to get the darn thing to lock on to that target. If at all... Don't bring up TGP GYMBAL ROLL faults in the same attack please. As Jay stated, I do not not know if this behavior is realistic or not. But I do know that the FLIR issues that effect the TGP effect the MAVs seeker also. DMS up and hold is difficult for me to do while maneuvering as I seldom fly straight and level at a target that can target me back. Caldera

Well... Hmm... The only thing that I can think of is "C'mon help a brother out!". Caldera

Boss, Thanks! Yes, I pulled the bridle off of my GPU and let it run at max FPS for testing purposes and I use G-Sync (compatible) in combination with 144Hz. I really did expect the VRAM usage to go up more than it did for higher resolution and for running two screens. I expected my GPU to be choked due to not enough VRAM. It just isn't... My current plan is to get a 3080 ti when I can find one near MSRP. I do not intend to reward the scalpers. This comment really launched me like a Falcon after a Pidgeon: In my case the only thing that really changed noticeably in all of my testing, was the FPS. I have a FPS test flight set-up near Senaki on the Caucasus map. It uses the A-10C II at tree top level with the TGP on and no other activity at all. With the FPS capped at 40 in 1080 resolution my GPU runs a solid 40 FPS at around 50C. When at 1440 resolution it struggles and runs often in the low 20 FPS at 80C. These are the settings that I have "Settled on" that hit the right amount of fidelity that I use for my current best enjoyment in playing. To be very honest, DCS at 1080P and 40 FPS is not in any way terrible. In my case at 1440P, I notice that the cockpit textures / UI text seem sharper and the sky to be a remarkably better visual effect. Also, there is a significant improvement on distant aircraft textures especially external lights that are on. I have read / YouTubed that DCS, for spotting, is better at 1080P. Is there is still any truth to that? Caldera

Hector, I can do that when you are ready. Caldera

Hello again, I did some more wondering, as the instability in FPS at the low resolution bothered me. The below screen shots show some of the highs and lows that I saw. DCS @ 2560x2180 2 screens DCS @ 2560x1080 1 screen The below is a screen shot under the same circumstance as the above pictures taken at Batumi on the Caucasus map. DCS @ 2560x2180 2 screens So this is much more what I had expected and a huge difference from the above pictures. The FPS was really pretty stable and the GPU was running full throttle. There must be quite a difference in GPU performance vs resolution on different maps? In the case of Caucasus vs Persia, a weaker GPU would prefer to play on Caucasus. Caldera