drspankle

10 Fig MGRS is accurate to 1m - if it can be used to drop a Danger Close weapon it's accurate enough for anything else. Dr Spankle

Unfortunately I can't seem to set the RDR Cursor on the TM Viper TQS to be a button rather than an axis. Has anyone found a way of doing this? Alternatively, has anyone from ED acknowledged this change in behaviour since the last update? Edit: As I write this Big Newy's response landed - thanks guys I'll leave it in your capable hands ... Dr Spankle

My RDR Cursor axis controller on the Viper TQS works fine for the TGP, but for some reason the slewing on the Wpn Page for the Maverick is hyper-sensitive and very tricky to use. I saw something mentioned about somewhere but now can't find it. Is there a fix? Dr Spankle

Can you post a pic of the MFD? Dr Spankle

I've also had this, along with the TGP cursor disappearing randomly to somewhere in the sky for no reason. It appears over the tgt as it should but then any attempt to slew it jumps it into the sky. The only way out of this is to CZ, go back a steer point, come back to the next steer point and start slewing again. If you just CZ to replace the cursor over the tgt area and attempt to slew it jumps into the sky again. I only play MP so this is the only place I've seen it. Dr Spankle

Since I switched VR Headset to the Varjo Aero I get occasional freezes on the F10 map which can last for 2 mins or more. So far they have always unfrozen after a varying amount of time, but whilst frozen obviously no control inputs can be made so I often crash . Not sure if it is related to the new headset or whether that was entirely coincidental. It happens in Multiplayer and in Campaign. Cheers, Dr Spankle

This is the same behaviour I get with the TM Viper TQS. It's really annoying! Going to try this tomorrow ... Thanks for the suggestion. Dr Spankle

You need to set both autopilot switches - for example Steering Select on the left switch, and Attitude Hold on the right one. Hope that helps. Dr Spankle

Can we have the ability to use/display the DoD reporting name rather than the manufacturer's designator please - so AA-12 rather than R77, SA15 rather than Tor etc? There seems to be a bit of a mix between gameplay, the F10 map, the JTAC status etc. It would be nice to have consistency across the platform. I spent a career learning what I needed to know about the SA11 etc and don't think I ever heard it referred to as a Buk! While we're at it, some basic implementation of Rivet Joint would be nice too ... Cheers, Dr Spankle

Ultimately you're only going to get the sort of dynamic reactive behaviour from a JTAC that we'd all like if there's an actual trained human performing the role. Outside of that, we have our awesome computer game (free computer game at that) which does a pretty good job. The same goes for AWACS and ATC - the AI can only be so good and it will never replicate what a human can do in the role. Happy New Year all! Dr Spankle

Yup - although on my last exercise one of the JTACs was a Major so he may well outrank some aircrew. Even then though, the person who signs for that aircraft has ultimate authority over the weapons it carries. Dr Spankle

Point 1 wouldn't be realistic as the JTAC is responding to the Ground Commander's intent, not his own playbook. It may be that, in prosecuting this, he has more than one tgt within his AOR that he wishes hit but, if this were the case, he'd employ a Type 3 Control and let you strike the various targets as you see fit within his parameters for the safety of friendly forces etc. Point 2 - definitely. The weapon choice rests with the pilot. Point 3 - Absolutely. Dr Spankle Absolutely - and the presence of any other friendly air users, artillery activity/mortars etc too. Granted, in MP this would be difficult but in a scripted Campaign it could be done. Dr Spankle

Not correct, and my job is flying contract CAS providing NATO JTAC training and currency. The JTAC requests a weapon and asks if we concur for correct weapon-to-target matching. If we don't concur we don't drop. You own your bombs and you alone are responsible for their employment. The final decision rests with the pilot. Dr Spankle

Are you tilting the radar antenna down?

I'm fairly sure that, after you've entered the Grid and the Square, if you enter a six or an eight figure position without the zeros the avionics automatically adds the correct amount in the right place. I'll check tonight (and I'm happy to be wrong ...). Dr Spankle

I recently replaced my trusty CH Products Pro Throttle with the TM Viper TQS Mission Pack and I thought I’d share a few thoughts. There are a ton of reviews on YouTube but I’m always sceptical of anyone’s impartiality when they effectively make a living saying nice things about the free stuff they get sent. So, first off, it’s very well made. As an ex-engineer before I starting flying it’s a pleasing piece of manufacturing to get one’s hands on (apart from the Gear Handle – eugh). Secondly DCS recognises it straight away and has the buttons on the throttle already bound. As for the ergonomics and design, well I’ll pass no comment on something that’s a replica – GD knew what they were doing way back when this was designed, and I have no place to criticise (but I love it). What I can say is that I have encountered a few issues switching onto this throttle, all of which are on me by the way, and not the design. The first is that, because the CH Throttle was linear in its motion (i.e. it slid flat along its base), the axis of the 4-way hats never changed in relation to up/down etc. Because the Viper has a beautiful arc motion, the 4-ways’ direction of travel in relation to the base plate change significantly from idle to max reheat, which has made manipulating the RDR Cursor hat, for example, a little challenging. Of course, the hat still moves logically in relation to the throttle body, but that itself has rotated. It’ll come I’m sure, but it caught me out. It doesn’t help that being in VR denies you the visual cues which would subconsciously compensate. The second thing is the range of motion. This thing has so much more travel than my previous throttle that I’m at full reach at max AB. This means that a greater degree of precision is available, so it’s a plus really, but I will need to redesign my set-up as I can barely reach the switches. Lastly, I shouldn’t have bothered with the Mission Pack. I use Voice Attack and there isn’t a single thing on the switchgear I really need. I thought I’d love the Hdg Bug for the HSI as I use Hdg Select in A/P quite a bit, but the thing adjusts the bug so slowly you’re better off with the mouse. Ah well – it looks cool. So there you go. Definitely a massive improvement and I’m loving it. Lots of practice required though before I reach my hitherto lofty heights of almost competent. Dr Spankle

Hi all, Usually there's an option to quick centre the heading bug on an HSI by pressing in the Hdg Select rotary knob. As far as I can see the Viper doesn't have this (I may be wrong ...). The TM TQS throttle Mission Pack has a push button option on the Hdg Select knob which I'd like to set to do this - is there a way of making this work? Once again thank you, you wonderful fellow DCS geeks. Dr Spankle

Got it yesterday and it took around an hour to set it all up. For some reason the desktop was permanently in my right 4 o'clock high position but it eventually fixed itself. The clarity is something else when you look around the cockpit! Plus I don't have to sit in a freezing room with a fan blasting my face any more! Result.

I'm in the UK too and after about 30 minutes the front top left gets hot and then the screens go blank one aftar the other. It stays like this for 10 seconds or so before coming back, before repeating all over again every 10 seconds. HP won't even answer my emails or letters regarding it! A brief search of the forums show that plenty of other people have had the same problem and also experienced a similar lack of customer service from HP - they really are appalling. I have to have the windows open and a fan blasting at my face to prevent it from happening! If mine wasn't faulty I'd be happy with it, but it is, so I'm not. Just the faff of setting up something new now. The base stations arrived today so I'll crack on with it at the weekend. Dr Spankle

Mine arrives tomorrow - the HTC base stations arrive today. No more DCS with the windows open and a fan blasting in my face to prevent my piece of <profanity> G2 from overheating ...

Hi there, When I grab the coords from the F10 map for entry into the avionics the Eastings in the Lat/Long Decimal Minutes is missing a figure. As you can see in the top left the Eastings are E40°02.XXX but the window shows E40°2.XXX. Minor point but it might confuse people if they don't notice this. Cheers, Dr Spankle

Yup - agreed. Love this campaign but the speeds to make the waypoints or to stay in formation are too slow. Overall a minor compliant though, but we don't improve without constructive debriefs ...

Can I set it up to use the supplied mic but not the earbuds? Dr Spankle

Great work mate. As an aside, the format for abbreviating callsigns for L16 is to use the first and last letters followed by the numbers. So Hammer 21 becomes HR21. A lot of effort is put into ensuring the callsigns used within an Op conform to this to avoid duplication and confusion. So within the same ATO Hammer and Homer wouldn't both appear. Also, whilst AWACS from GK will use NATO as a callsign (if on a NATO task), this is the flight deck callsign for ATC purposes. The back end will likely be Magic xx for a NATO job. Callsigns like Ascot are used for particular UK taskings, and others like Nickel/Goose belong to individual squadrons. Cheers, Dr Spankle

Awesome mate - appreciate it. Dr Spankle