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How do I use the A/A radar?


BlueAngel

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Hey guys. This is a desperate call.

 

I was in a public server trying my luck with aerial combat and got owned several times. Before you say I need to "git gud", I know that. But I fear this radar is giving me the shakes.

 

Here is the situation.

 

Airborne, Angels 10, AWACS calls for multiple bogies, BRA 12 o'clock, 40nm Angels 12.

 

I switch my radar range to 40, climb to angels 12, level and wait for pings. Nothing.

 

I decrease distance, now I got Nails on two Mig 29's 12 o'clock as expected.

I arm the AIM-120C, switch them to Auto and resume scanning waiting for a ping.

 

We are head to head, now same altitude, range is now 30nm.

Nothing.

I switch to AACQ in hopes it's just a scope glitch.

Nothing.

 

I get a radar launch warning, engage defensive, manage to evade a couple of radar missiles and then get on the tail of one of the Mig-29's. Turned on boresight immediate lock, chose to fire a Sidewinder but can't help notice how visual mode is so fast acquiring, no issues whatsoever.

 

Then I aim for the second Mig. He waved off, now at approx. 10 nm. I again, switch to standard acquisition, same altitude, within range.

 

Nothing.

 

He turns towards me and I evade an IR missile. I manage to close the turn on him, and now I am right on his tail, 6nm. I'M ON HIS TAIL! Nothing on the 10nm scope range...

 

What am I doing wrong? Are the Mig-29s stealthy nowadays? Is this radar broken or something?

 

Before you ask, yes it's on operational mode and, yes I did try to cycle ranges and apertures. :(

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.

More than any other thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine." — Plato, Phaedrus.

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Try switching the PRF - i find high to be much more effective at picking up targets than interleaved or medium.

 

Yeah, medium PRF is more effective against tangential moving targets. For "HOT" targets, with high Doppler, one would choose the high PRF. Interleaved should also work, also initiation takes a bit longer (but it should work).

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Pardon the ignorance, but how do I change the PRF?

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.

More than any other thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine." — Plato, Phaedrus.

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Help me Lord to not say something.

 

Too late.

 

Thanks for your help. It's great to learn from those that have the knowledge.

 

Anyway, for those that aren't as elightened, it's the lower left button on the radar MFD.

 

And, yes, with High it appears I can find targets easier.

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.

More than any other thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine." — Plato, Phaedrus.

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Are you appropriately adjusting your radar's vertical scan zone? And how many vertical bars do you have set?

 

If you're scanning the correct altitudes you shouldn't have any issues picking up 29s in the scenario you describe, even with the default PRF setting.

 

Yes, I was raising and lowering the vertical scan, but at some point I was levelled with the targets, so this wouldn't apply.

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.

More than any other thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine." — Plato, Phaedrus.

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Yeah you're strategy for using the radar is somewhat foreign to me... why not set the altitude you are sweeping through appropriately using the antenna elevation control and the TDC?

 

Here's how I do it: Set radar to 6B, 140 degrees (80 degrees right now due to a bug), 80 nm, 16 seconds data history. Slew the TDC down to approximately the 20-25 nm distance and adjust antenna elevation until the bottom altitude bracket number is 0. This means you'll be scanning from 0ft up at 20-25nm distance. With a 6B scan and a fighter level altitude (20-30k) you'll be scanning most of the airspace volume out in front of you, with a high chance that you should be catching even low flying contacts at around the 25nm mark.

 

Then have your wingman (if in multiplayer) adjust his/hers to a floor of 10k at 20-25nm so that they are scanning from about 10k up. This will ensure that they get all the high contacts by around 25nm and sweep through the high altitude bands (that your radar might miss a bit due to elevation settings) all the way out to 80 nm.

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Yeah you're strategy for using the radar is somewhat foreign to me... why not set the altitude you are sweeping through appropriately using the antenna elevation control and the TDC?

 

Here's how I do it: Set radar to 6B, 140 degrees (80 degrees right now due to a bug), 80 nm, 16 seconds data history. Slew the TDC down to approximately the 20-25 nm distance and adjust antenna elevation until the bottom altitude bracket number is 0. This means you'll be scanning from 0ft up at 20-25nm distance. With a 6B scan and a fighter level altitude (20-30k) you'll be scanning most of the airspace volume out in front of you, with a high chance that you should be catching even low flying contacts at around the 25nm mark.

 

Then have your wingman (if in multiplayer) adjust his/hers to a floor of 10k at 20-25nm so that they are scanning from about 10k up. This will ensure that they get all the high contacts by around 25nm and sweep through the high altitude bands (that your radar might miss a bit due to elevation settings) all the way out to 80 nm.

 

The setting in this post work a treat. Didn't know the radar could work this well. Thanks a mill.

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Yeah you're strategy for using the radar is somewhat foreign to me... why not set the altitude you are sweeping through appropriately using the antenna elevation control and the TDC?

 

Here's how I do it: Set radar to 6B, 140 degrees (80 degrees right now due to a bug), 80 nm, 16 seconds data history. Slew the TDC down to approximately the 20-25 nm distance and adjust antenna elevation until the bottom altitude bracket number is 0. This means you'll be scanning from 0ft up at 20-25nm distance. With a 6B scan and a fighter level altitude (20-30k) you'll be scanning most of the airspace volume out in front of you, with a high chance that you should be catching even low flying contacts at around the 25nm mark.

 

Then have your wingman (if in multiplayer) adjust his/hers to a floor of 10k at 20-25nm so that they are scanning from about 10k up. This will ensure that they get all the high contacts by around 25nm and sweep through the high altitude bands (that your radar might miss a bit due to elevation settings) all the way out to 80 nm.

 

 

thank you! this was very helpful. :thumbup:

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BlueAngel

everyone here has opinion, but in fact the time of battle things are getting completely different.

 

So i suggest you for the moment, not to use this aircraft for A2A Operations, because it's not ready at all. Without IFF & Track while scan you will never do the right job. It's so simple !!!

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BlueAngel

everyone here has opinion, but in fact the time of battle things are getting completely different.

 

So i suggest you for the moment, not to use this aircraft for A2A Operations, because it's not ready at all. Without IFF & Track while scan you will never do the right job. It's so simple !!!

 

It's got iron bombs, gun and rockets for air to ground.

 

So does the F-86.:music_whistling:

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It's got iron bombs, gun and rockets for air to ground.

 

So does the F-86.:music_whistling:

 

 

and a hook thingy too... wondering what that's for? ;)

MSI MAG Z790 Carbon, i9-13900k, NH-D15 cooler, 64 GB CL40 6000mhz RAM, MSI RTX4090, Yamaha 5.1 A/V Receiver, 4x 2TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe, 1x 2TB Samsung 870 EVO SSD, Win 11 Pro, TM Warthog, Virpil WarBRD, MFG Crosswinds, 43" Samsung 4K TV, 21.5 Acer VT touchscreen, TrackIR, Varjo Aero, Wheel Stand Pro Super Warthog, Phanteks Enthoo Pro2 Full Tower Case, Seasonic GX-1200 ATX3 PSU, PointCTRL, Buttkicker 2, K-51 Helicopter Collective Control

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Yeah you're strategy for using the radar is somewhat foreign to me... why not set the altitude you are sweeping through appropriately using the antenna elevation control and the TDC?

 

Here's how I do it: Set radar to 6B, 140 degrees (80 degrees right now due to a bug), 80 nm, 16 seconds data history. Slew the TDC down to approximately the 20-25 nm distance and adjust antenna elevation until the bottom altitude bracket number is 0. This means you'll be scanning from 0ft up at 20-25nm distance. With a 6B scan and a fighter level altitude (20-30k) you'll be scanning most of the airspace volume out in front of you, with a high chance that you should be catching even low flying contacts at around the 25nm mark.

 

Then have your wingman (if in multiplayer) adjust his/hers to a floor of 10k at 20-25nm so that they are scanning from about 10k up. This will ensure that they get all the high contacts by around 25nm and sweep through the high altitude bands (that your radar might miss a bit due to elevation settings) all the way out to 80 nm.

 

Awesome suggestion. Will try this asap.

"The natural function of the wing is to soar upwards and carry that which is heavy up to the place where dwells the race of gods.

More than any other thing that pertains to the body it partakes of the nature of the divine." — Plato, Phaedrus.

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Yes, I was raising and lowering the vertical scan, but at some point I was levelled with the targets, so this wouldn't apply.

 

Yes, it would matter. It always matters.

 

Also, if you're scanning 140* your B-Sweep probably froze so you're not seeing any radar updates....rock your wings or change it to 80*, then the B-Sweep won't freeze. It's a current bug.

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Does anybody know why my radar stops scanning sometimes? I did not change any settings. Now when I start to change my heading, then it starts scanning again for a while, but it makes no sense that the scan is able to stop itself without any good reason.

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Does anybody know why my radar stops scanning sometimes? I did not change any settings. Now when I start to change my heading, then it starts scanning again for a while, but it makes no sense that the scan is able to stop itself without any good reason.

 

Its a known bug. You have to rock your wings a bit or set to 80deg sweep to get it going again. Very frustrating.

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