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OIC, it has the speed units in the string after all. I haven't played in a bit so I wasn't sure if it said the units as displayed; that's all I need.

I guess I just see the world differently as a programmer...all my array indices start at 0. Maybe that explains why you wouldn't want to use 000 on a radio call, but it seems weird that the CICU would throw an input error still... What help is it to throw the err?

Hang on, if those are the same numbers from the ME, then isn't the wind speed also in meters per second? I don't know if it makes sense to convert to knots or not, but it seems like you could include the unit of measure in the string.

Cool, thanks! Why is that? Is there some avionic culture reason that 000° is taboo? Seen it all the time in Navy related sims.

When wind layers are listed in the mission briefing, like on campaigns, are they in the correct format, or do they also need to be adjusted 180 and for magnetic north? I had a campaign mission once that listed three wind layers, all at 000°. When I tried to enter e.g. 00004 into one of the slots, it would throw an input error. I found I had to use e.g. 00104 to get values entered...I didn't think of trying 36004. Anyway, I wonder if it should have been 17304 anyway...

This is what I do now, JTAC calls location, I copy that to a waypoint whether I get SADL from him or not, and set that waypoint as steer point. Dial the HSI to a bearing somewhere in the range he gives. Now like you say, I can use the CDI to inform me when I'm on (or near) that vector. I know in many expert YouTube vids the way it's done is to put eyes on target and steer into it, but I've found it helpful while learning that, when I have trouble with landmarks, or just as an extra reference when I look up on the pitch ladder on the HUD to fix my poor turn (I can see the target, or I can see the HSI - so I always have a reference). It's been helpful while I'm learning spatial relationships, and has gotten my rate of JTAC "ABORT, ABORT, ABORT!" calls down. The only time this breaks down is when JTAC wants you to kill a dozen tanks spread over 5nm. The SPI for each tank will be offset from the steerpoint by some great distance as you get further out from the position he gave. The only thing I can figure is to make mark points on the SPI (when pointed at some tank), and set that as steerpoint, but it's a fair bit more work than just fudging the CDI in your head. Mostly just curious if there's a simpler way. Tho maybe now that I type this out, I wonder if I'm misinterpreting the intent of the bearing. Im thinking it is the bearing I should be on to every target, but it could mean instead the bearing I should be on towards the general area (the point JTAC conveys), deviating left or right to face targets. They do usually give you a range of bearings after all.

While learning, I've found it helpful to set a waypoint from JTAC (manually entered in CDU) and then use HSI dialed like he says for approach vector. Anyway, I found it helpful. But the thing I'm curious about is if you can switch the HSI to point you at a vector off SPI or not? I guess you could make a mark point and such, but is there a direct way?

Not everyone can watch YouTube videos (I like to read this forum on the bus to work), so I'll try to summarize in text. On the 9-line he calls out a location in MGRS (letter, letter, 6 numbers). Later, they sometimes send you this point on J-link, so it shows up as a red triangle on the TAD map. Slew TAD cursor over it (not mouse cursor, look for slew keybindings if you don't have HOTAS), TMS up short to hook it, TMS up long to set as SPI. Now you can China Hat forward long and your TGP will point at it. I think it's good habit however to copy down the location they say, and make a waypoint there because sometimes they don't provide J-link. Get your right MFCD onto the CDU page. On the keypad in front of the HUD, hit FUNC then find the key under marked WP. Click waypoint on the CDU (it actually doesn't matter which of the options on CDU you pick). On the right one of the OSB buttons is next to an integer number, with a symbol, I think a question mark. Click it to create a new waypoint. On the lower right, click the OSB marked L/L to switch to MGRS mode. Now, on the keypad in front of the HUD, you can pick the LTR button and pick out the first two letters off the number pad - it works like cellphone SMS. Hit the JKL key once to get J, twice to get K, etc. Then the six numbers. Then apply it to the waypoint by hitting the lower left OSB - it's right next to the scratchpad you just entered. You're not done yet; on the right console under the CDU (a display showing what your MFCD was repeating), there is a knob with markings for FLT PLAN, MARK PNT (or something), and MISSION. Turn it to mission. Cycle the waypoint by your favorite means (DMS up down with HUD SOI, Steer point switch, the rocker on the dash) until the one you created comes up. It'll have the default name MSN001, and it'll be the number you clicked on to create it. This makes your new waypoint the nav's steer point. Now finally you can China Hat aft long to slew the TGP to aim at the steer point. You should see your targets. I like to make the waypoint for the 9-line while he reads it off. So I have it setup ready to take MGRS before I call in. If I fat finger it, then I get a second chance to copy it down when I copy the 9-line back to him. And you can always call to repeat tasking. This way, if they don't provide the point on J-link I'm still ready to go, and when the J-link point disappears I can fall back to my WP. Even in game mode, I'm not sure I'd call DCS a game. Good luck tho.

Man, I have been running campaign missions, calling into JTAC and getting tasked to kill tanks...waiting through them for him to run out of targets and task me on SAM so I can get a free pointer. A long wait for a train that never comes. I never thought about just flying over them.

In the "smerch hunt" mission, you had two JTACS. First was on VHF FM, second was on AM. The first was also a leatherneck in an HMMV, and the second was a desk jockey remote controlling a predator. For some reason, the leatherneck gave better 9-line than the predator...there is probably an inverse correlation between comfort and 9-line completeness... Anyway. So I think radio frequency is a red herring here. Manuals and YouTubes, sure, but if you call JTAC and they don't answer, you either have the wrong radio or just try again (I have to repeat radio calls sometimes, don't know if that's bug or Sim). If they still don't answer, and you have simple radio disabled, you're on the wrong frequency; find the radio you can tune to 131, it is probably half hidden by the throttle. Or enable simple radio controls - it will change radio frequency on demand. If he did reply, he gave you a 9-line (or said there's no tasking good job, go home). You need to call back ready for remarks, he tells you his daughters favorite azimuth, then you copy and read back the 9-line...call inbound...and so it goes. You can read the manual or just toy with the radio menu to get an id a for the back and forth.

I go back and forth between missions and tutorials a lot. To learn the CDU it was helpful to sit on the ground at the airport and fiddle with it. One thing I found was most CDU make-a-waypoint YouTube guides are wrong; they have you alter a mission waypoint and then copy it. Easy to spot with TAD up and wpt 0 visibly moves when you update it. Smerch hunt is fair for learning JTAC interactions. Fairly quick mission, and your targets are all spotted for you except the last one on the road. One thing tutorials don't tell you is good altitudes to avoid SAM, how to approach, fire, escape, and repeat. Use "Alt" autopilot, engage it on a slight banking turn. Lets you take your time with avionics without flying over the target. One advantage of learning in the sim is you can try a lot, and crash a lot of planes, with no real consequences. Change your expectations; start a mission assuming you will make a yard dart on a divebomb, and you'll be more pleased when it doesn't work out that way.

You probably only need a 5mW laser to be beam visible in the daylight in Beijing...

There is always something in the air. There's always some laser absorption and reflection, it's just too little power reflected to be visible. Lasers in the visible spectrum are beam visible at night between 50mW and 100mW depending on the frequency. 1.5W to be visible in some daylight conditions. You can get 100mW hand held laser pointers, and I have one...I use it to point out stars to my daughter, and everyone can see the beam and the star it points at. The TGP is big enough to have a 1.5W, but I doubt it...it is probably the 100mW variety. And the NVG will enhance any reflected power...it would see even invisible optical spectrum beams. I also own a 6.5kW laser. It is the laser end of a laser pantograph. I got it US government surplus; the treasury used to use it to mill steel rollers to make money with (they don't press money anymore, just ink a wheel and pass media over it real fast like). Anyway, it puts out IR but it's beam visible (when you focus the beam narrow enough). Because the dust in the air absorbs enough energy and either luminesces, burns, or gives that energy to other molecules around it which then state change to plasma. At least judging by pictures of GAU-8 I've seen, I'd guess it's about the same physical dimensions, not sure on weight. Most of the chassis is oil capacitors and a granite wall to isolate the rf exciters. There's an interesting Navy project to do undersea communications with lasers. Small power, focused to a point, causes a small speck of water to vaporize and then the sound of cavitation that results is receivable and can be used as a comm signal. Overcomes the problem of radio and the ocean being a giant farraday cage.

Feels very similar to me, how Sonalysts evolved Dangerous Waters from sub Sims. Anyone else remember that? They had to build so much of the warship and aerial ASW in modeling that making it player controllable was the logical next step...

I got a bit too close to a AAA gun, trying to TDP it, and he shot out my EGI. Taught me to look up TCN and ILS frequencies on the tarmac before takeoff...I usually get that info out of EGI divert page. Without it, I was suddenly flying g blind. So, I was in a spot. I wound up just calling ATC repeatedly for fresh vectors, then eyeballed it into the runway once I had eyes on...landed on two landing gear strut stubs and one blown tire, and ATC was like, "cleared to taxi." Those guys have a sense of humor I guess... Still, I shutdown engines, and ground crew did repairs in 180 seconds. Just levitated the aircraft, put on three fresh tires and fixed all the holes in the wings (and put on a spare elevator to replace the one that got shot off). Anyway, that was more than enough to taxi off the runway. Ground crew is the most efficient resource in the game, I think.