Does strength of radar vary with angle?

[tmdgm]

I understand the radar is a cone ~60 degrees in front of the plane. However, does the strength vary within this cone? Say I fire a sparrow. Is there less of a chance to lose radar lock if I keep the plane directly in front of me, rather than say 30 degrees off nose? Or is the radar strength pretty consistent within the cone.

 

Seems like I turn to put him 20 degrees off nose, I see the box start flashing and poof, wasted sparrow.

[Brit_Radar_Dude]

There is a limit on how far physically left and right (and up and down) the radar can look due to the movable joint that connects the radar head to the aircraft nose - that is called the gimbal limit.

When you are searching for targets, the radar is scanning side to side. The width of the radar beam when it is doing this is a few degrees.

 

When the radar locks onto a single target so it can guide a missile like a Sparrow, it points the radar head constantly at the single target to illuminate it with a very narrow beam of radar energy. The Sparrow homes in onto the energy reflected from the target. It won't make a difference if the target is directly in front of the firing aircraft or 30 degrees to one side. As long as the radar is within its gimbal limits, it will be able to keep a radar lock (unless the target aircraft beams or jams).

 

A common tactic after firing a missile is to manouevre your aircraft so that the target is near the edge of the gimbal limits. The reason? After firing, you do not want to chase your missile directly toward the enemy and close the distance so you are in range of his missiles. Ideally you want to stay at arms length from the bandit to limit his chance to fire back at you.

[Ukr_Alex]

Speaking of radars and angles...why is the up and down angle so great in game?

 

I mean it never seems to catch anything if you point the radar all the way up or down, regardless of enemy altitude.

 

Usualy one or two "clicks" of the radar up or down is enough to catch a very low flying target or someone at 15 000m.

 

When would it be beneficial to point the radar all the way up or down?

 

One would think it depends on the targets distance from the radar, but then again....as much as I experimented even if the target is very very close putting big angles on the radar doesnt really aid in anything.

[tmdgm]

Thanks, that's the answer I was wondering. So flying 30 deg it is.

 

Another question, how do you know if you're too far outside the 30 deg or whether he is just beaming and chaffing?

[GGTharos]

You can tell if he's beaming you (you can see the aspect on the VSD).

 

I wouldn't turn 30 deg away - I'd turn 55 or so - ie. as far as I can. :)

[nscode]

Speaking of radars and angles...why is the up and down angle so great in game?

 

I mean it never seems to catch anything if you point the radar all the way up or down, regardless of enemy altitude.

 

Usualy one or two "clicks" of the radar up or down is enough to catch a very low flying target or someone at 15 000m.

 

When would it be beneficial to point the radar all the way up or down?

 

One would think it depends on the targets distance from the radar, but then again....as much as I experimented even if the target is very very close putting big angles on the radar doesnt really aid in anything.

 

 

You need to set the expected distance to target, so that it can know how much to move up or down.. You should see some radar operation tutorial...