RyanR

Here's a rookie question. So many modern aircraft seem to use more streamlined ECM packages. Do F-16's typically use ECM pods as "standard" (Say, CAP, for example) nowadays when operating overseas?.... or do they use them just for specific mission types? Thanks! -Ryan

Also: Remember to align the HCMS when cold-starting the jet. I didn't catch this step for a few weeks after starting with the F-16. Super quick, and super helpful. -Ryan

Good gravy. Why do we have a changelog and mini-updates, and however many other sources of info? ED needs a single, tidy changelog/dialog to inform the community of what is done, how it affects the user, and what problems may exist, and directions that ED is taking the feature towards the update? There are so many angry posts in the F-16 forum. If ED just communicated *effectively*, it would solve 99% of the problems. You can't save all of this for some user manual that's totally BVR. If we knew now what ED already knows, everyone would become happy.... at least those of us who can appreciate how hard it is to build the avionics and simulate technology that's at least gotta be partially classified. Better comms! -Ryan

Oooohh! Gotta check that out! Thanks! Agree with all your points with DCC. I also haven't been able to get the datalink to work with it. I do like the surprises with the air assets. -Ryan

I stumbled over the DCC mod/widget/whatever campaign generator, and it's been a lot of fun. It's still pretty basic, and the missions are a bit repetitive, but it's got some redeeming qualities even at its current state of development. Lots of landing and air to air practice, and each mission is an unknown so you don't know what to expect. Since the missions are short, and you've got a lot of fuel, there's a lot of opportunity to climb on full afterburner, and/or jettison the bags and get to know a relatively unladen F-16 in ACM. I just got into DCS, and really enjoyed the Red Flag campaign (learned lots from it). Lots of the lessons learned there apply well to the DCC stuff. I'm just trying to practice a bit more before digging into the FIWOS campaign. -Ryan

I gotta chime in as a new guy to DCS. These problems have a financial reality for ED. I've been simming for 30 years, and I was real close to walking away from DCS. As it is, it's hard to consider another "serious" module. The F-16 is a flagship for DCS, as it's one of the things that ED does well that no one else really does at all. As folks have mentioned, it's really hard to tell if a change is a bug or a feature. This is pretty easy to solve: Better communication with the community. For a software developer, ED is pretty dreadful when it comes to communication with its user base. The changelog is pretty weak when it comes to explaining the affects of a change. In my first weeks of DCS, I learned more about workarounds on YouTube, than I have features from the user manual. A number of training missions don't even work. I still think the F-16 here is a fantastic effort, and I'm having a blast with it. -Ryan

I used to do that, too! They magically fixed this bug with the March(?) update. -Ryan

I'm sure there's also the initial offset from the TGP from simply putting the missiles on the jet. The ground boresight at least gets the seeker in the right ballpark to ease a proper boresight in the air. Opportunities to boresight seem to be pretty fleeting in the NTTR. -Ryan

Funny how DCS makes us all superstitious with keeping the Datalink happy. The voodoo I follow is to align the INS first to the stored heading, then GPS, DL, and MIDS. -Ryan

That problem seems to have gotten fixed. My problem wasn't a problem. Apparently there's a new problem since the 4/10 update. I haven't encountered it yet. -Ryan

FWIW, as a DCS newbie, I really enjoy(ed) the Red Flag 21-1 campaign. -Ryan

Missions made prior to the most recent datalink fix can be weird. No matter how I tried to get a flight to appear as my flight, they just wouldn't. Build a new mission (four planes, an AWACS, and four bad guys) from scratch? No problem. -Ryan

This is the greatest thing since sliced cheese. Thank you for the hard work! Endless fun. -Ryan

It seems correct-ish. When I've "locked on" to target running ECM under 40nm away, my radar sometimes auto-ranges out to 160nm.... or the lock just breaks.... or you see weird things on the radar. Weird stuff.... but it's what you'd expect based on the kind of jamming the enemy is running. -Ryan

I like using the pod to sleuth stuff out, mark it, and then set it as a steerpoint. It's nice to follow the target with the HCMS while setting up to run in with guns. -Ryan

Gah! This rings a bell as having been a problem. Can you set a mark point in NAV mode? I can't remember.... -Ryan

Reflections are basically "off" right now. Why can't they be more "on" for people who want them?.... and people who don't like them can turn them "off". I liked the reflections where they were before the last patch. They give a bit of feedback as to where you're looking. -Ryan

With guns, just like the FCR, the TGP is doing ranging for the sight to predict the impact point of your rounds. Everything is just slaved straight ahead. -Ryan

I can't reproduce the no-boresight problem with either Maverick D/H. What I do for a "ground" boresight: Start the jet/INS.... wake up the Mavericks on the SMS page. TGP on. Once everything is up: -Master arm to SIM -Enable ground jettison -Maverick to PRE -Put one MFD to TGP, the other to WPN -Point the TGP at something as far away as possible. TMS-up for a point track on it. The WPN is now SOI. -Point the Maverick seeker at the same thing. TMS up. Hit boresight on its MFD. Boresight should now highlight.... and then...... "unhighlight"(?). Boresight should be good. Do the same for the Mavericks on the other wing. -You should be boresighted!.... with the caveat that a ground boresight is only so good. As folks have mentioned, it's worth rechecking them once airborne on something 4-7nm out. -Ryan

Is in re-re-broke since the hotfix in the last 24 hours?.... The hotfix that was supposed to fix this? Why didn't I just stick with the F-86?..... With no avionics to screw up. -Ryan

You can grab the edges and resize the kneeboard..... somehow. I've done it. Either it's really easy. Or it's really hard, and I did it by accident. I don't really care too much about bodies. It might be kinda neat.... but legs and elbows get in the way of gauges, buttons, knobs. -Ryan

You can sling a bunch of IR Mavericks off no problem. TMS right with the TGP as SOI and the auto handoff. Not the best practice, but with a good boresight..... -Ryan

Oh good. I swear I was able to boresight MAV's last night after the fix. -Ryan

Good gravy..... Hot fix, please. -Ryan

Tell me the Mavericks aren't broke! -Ryan