No track, go on Growling Sidewinder when busy (often). Watch for an E2 signal (half way Vaziani), have 4 blue in between and four red coming in, F14, F16, J11. U need ground cover when F14's are high, all red use TWS with mostly IR's now, there's the rare newbie but most are not, get yourself from BVR <20nm to low alt range ACM <10nm so there is merge, and try to do your locks. I imagine it even could be DCS coding is trying to follow high fidelity realism from the technical side of what the F18 radar might be, but that's the wrong way around when the operational brief should be 'it should lock and keep locked as seems realistic' and no F18 squad would be flying with a radar that does not lock the right targets that's right around u. Don't follow the - hypothetical - tech, target the results/specs that can be expected from a multi million USD USAF jet that needs to fight ruskies, F16, F14 and J11. In DCS mind you, where the opponents are different companies who can do whatever they want.