Help with Mirage's radar

[Ktulu2]

I know Real radars are supposed to be more complex than the FC3 ones, but I still have lots of problems for finding targets with the radar.

 

From what I've read, the radar's elevation controls are not working, but how does that work? Is the radar scanning right in front of me or is it scanning the zone it says on the center display (as they do not coincide).

 

So what I usually do is setting the width of the scan to 60° and putt PRF to HIGH (although i've also tried it with interlaced), pointing my nose at the target the best I can from the RWR. it usually never works. So I go in 3rd person view and take note of his altitude and point towards where the bogey should be, than mess with the bars if I can and rarely, when I'm lucky, I find him. But the fun's not over yet... I go straight towards him until I get a hard lock noise and start cranking, as there's no way I'm out-ranging any other plane with the S530D. When I put the target to 30° to the side of my nose, I always loose him, even though the radar's limit should be about 60°. Also, I often loose him for no reason I can think of. If I can manage to get into the range for a shot while still having radar contact, I shoot and start cranking and ALWAYS loose the target while it is still in the 120° cone that should be the radar's limit.

 

If I'm lucky enough to survive the enemy's missiles until the merge, I end up in a good position to shoot a magic2, but the missiles takes too long to lock the target (if it actually ends up getting tone) making it useless 90% of the time.

 

Also, When I go into my mappings, the hotas Magic2 button seems to be in conflict with the armament panel one, as it is in red. I've removed the mirror mapping. Sometimes I can get it to work, but shortly afterwards it doesn't work any more for no reason I can see...

 

So my question is : Is what I've described normal or am I doing something wrong? Because the radar, from what I've experienced, will only work when you get to intercept a bomber or into visual range.

[Whuping]

Losing targets on Radar is pretty normal I guess for an Open Beta - There's also targets that jump around your Radar, but get no aspect of the target which only means its a target that is jamming.

 

I just turn on the Radar - change the azimuth scanning range sometimes, but never directly in front of me unless I'm in a knife fight.

 

The Super 530D's go out 15 Miles max range. However you'll want to do a First Lock - they get no warning from that. The Second Lock is a beam lock and they'll start hearing the tone and you'll have to maintain lock for the missile to actually hit. Works 80% of the time.

 

As for the Magic missiles - switching to CAC (Close Air Combat) mode "V" key will get a lock 80% of the time. If you have your target within' your immediate field of vision - and just lock him as you see him in your HUD - he'll get a box around him and the Magics tend to lock on easier.

 

But so far the Radar is iffy - I get targets jumping around and its sometimes annoying since I have to lock and de-lock because its a jamming target. Whereas I find a real target with heading then lose him all of a sudden, but then re-pick him up on my Radar to Relock him again. It's tedious, but I'll have to manage for now.

[Ktulu2]

But you do not get problems when you are cranking?

[Whuping]

Most of the time no problems, but like right now I was in a knife fight with a Mig-21 - Couldn't lock on as easy without CAC, but with CAC on it was a bit easier - still lose lock though when cranking.

 

The Supers - I lost lock all of a sudden when I fired my second missile. So it went plop.

[Nealius]

I frequently drop contact when cranking as well, even a mild crank like 20 degrees. Missile on the way, suddenly drop contact and miss.

[winchesterdelta1]

It seems it's not possible to crank without losing the radar lock. I don't know if this is supposed to be. Or a bug of some kind.

[Whuping]

It's just a short on performance with everything imo.

 

We just gotta make the best of what we got till the Devs sand out the bugs and missing features into the module.

 

I still get some victories even with these annoying nuisances of losing lock and missiles going plop.

 

Kinda reminds me of the Mirage III and their Shafir Missiles during the Six Day War or the Nesher Aircraft during the Yom Kippur War. It all boils down to Guns Guns Guns. Lmao.

 

EDIT: If everything fails - the 30mm Cannons will not fail you lmao - unless you're a terrible shot and or run out of ammo.

[OnlyforDCS]

But you do not get problems when you are cranking?

 

Are you locking twice? (Going into STT lock) When you have a hard STT lock the radar should be able to follow the target to the gimbal limits. One other thing, when using magic, dont wait for tone, you also need to lock the target. Go to close range mode and use one of radar modes horizontal or vertical, or bore sight mode, to line up the target, press lock, then and only then can you fire.

 

Its a little counterintuitive after playing in the F15C but you will quickly get used to it, and yes there are bugs but its early days yet.

[Ktulu2]

Are you locking twice? (Going into STT lock) When you have a hard STT lock the radar should be able to follow the target to the gimbal limits. One other thing, when using magic, dont wait for tone, you also need to lock the target. Go to close range mode and use one of radar modes horizontal or vertical, or bore sight mode, to line up the target, press lock, then and only then can you fire.

 

Its a little counterintuitive after playing in the F15C but you will quickly get used to it, and yes there are bugs but its early days yet.

 

I go into STT by locking twice like it says to do in the manual. The close range mode should not be needed to obtain a hard lock/launch the S530 from what I understand.

[unknown]

One problem i'm having with loosing the radar lock is by reducing the displayed radar range of the display to low. For example, your radar display range is set to 40nm. You lock a target once(tws) at 25nm and reduce the radar display range to 20nm and you will loose the lock instantly. I assumed that the target will only not be showing up on display instead of being dropped. Bug or RL behaviour?

This not happens in STT mode(lock target twice).

[Zeus67]

One problem i'm having with loosing the radar lock is by reducing the displayed radar range of the display to low. For example, your radar display range is set to 40nm. You lock a target once(tws) at 25nm and reduce the radar display range to 20nm and you will loose the lock instantly. I assumed that the target will only not be showing up on display instead of being dropped. Bug or RL behaviour?

This not happens in STT mode(lock target twice).

 

The range selection acts as a filter. If not in STT, when you reduce it, all contacts above that range, even locked ones, will be dropped.

 

If you want to refuce range for better visualization, wait until your locked contact is past the half way mark

[unknown]

The range selection acts as a filter. If not in STT, when you reduce it, all contacts above that range, even locked ones, will be dropped.

 

If you want to refuce range for better visualization, wait until your locked contact is past the half way mark

Thank you Zeus, wasn't sure if this is working like it should or a bug, spend most of my "fighter time" in the Su 27, thats where my confusion came from.

 

...One other thing, when using magic, dont wait for tone, you also need to lock the target....

You don't need a radar lock for the Magic II. The missile is currently not "looking in the circle" showing in the HUD for a target but at the little cross "+" between the "missile circle" and your heading bar at the top of the HUD.

[Dirty Rotten Flieger]

If you have a Super 530 selected and radar on there is three buttons above the weapon selection lit up. The first one is "RD" i think. If you press it it automatically locks TWS mode onto the closest target.

I am using it all the time and it has been a huge help so you don't have to use the TDC to move over and relock the target.

[Ktulu2]

^Great tip

[Antoha]

how to identify the enemy is not an enemy?

[Bacab]

how to identify the enemy is not an enemy?

With IFF or NCTR but they are not implemented yet.

[Antoha]

Thank you! The next update will be?:music_whistling:

[Azrayen]

The close range mode should not be needed to obtain a hard lock/launch the S530 from what I understand.

Your understanding is correct. :)

 

@Antoha: why not looking at sticky topics? ;)

[jcbak]

Not a complaint but an observation (possible bug/s)........flew a mission last night with a buddy and we both had trouble locking up Mig21s. We were able to lock up with TWS, however when the second lock was applied to go STT, the lock was lost. I'm not sure that is a bug or a characteristic of the radar. I also had multiple contacts jumping all over the display from 10 to 20nm in range......we were in formation and he had no contacts at all. Also, all my RWR indicators are center screen....I'm aware that the RWR measures strength, not distance.

[Para_Bellum]

RWR is almost useless for me ATM because the symbols are basically sitting right in the center unless at very great distance.

 

The radar also suffers from a couple of problems, mainly the loss of contacts that fly below/above you since we can't control the radar antenna yet, and a bug that causes contacts not to show up despite the radar picking them up. The latter problem can be fixed by pressing the radar lock/unlock key. If you lose contacts when trying to transition from TWS to STT make sure to point the A/C towards the enemy in relation to altitude.

[Derbysieger]

That problem with no targets showing up or ghost tartgets showing up where there are none is probably related to this bug here: http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=156967

 

If you have flown a Mirage before without shutting down DCS completely make sure to reset all your radar controls when you enter a new aircraft.

[winchesterdelta1]

Not a complaint but an observation (possible bug/s)........flew a mission last night with a buddy and we both had trouble locking up Mig21s. We were able to lock up with TWS, however when the second lock was applied to go STT, the lock was lost. I'm not sure that is a bug or a characteristic of the radar. I also had multiple contacts jumping all over the display from 10 to 20nm in range......we were in formation and he had no contacts at all. Also, all my RWR indicators are center screen....I'm aware that the RWR measures strength, not distance.

 

Both of these things happen when the targets are jamming.

[Ktulu2]

Just to be sure, is there a burn through with the mirage? Or is jamming currently broken and renders the M2K's radar useless?

[Voodooflies]

It seems it's not possible to crank without losing the radar lock. I don't know if this is supposed to be. Or a bug of some kind.

 

It's a bug because the antenna position is still stuck and there's no way to move it yet.