How do I locate targets on radar?

[Aircav1980]

I will start by prefacing that I have only been playing DCS for a couple months. I have been trying to practice engagements with the Aim-120 and Aim-7 missiles. I follow the tutorials by setting up the target size and cross section size. I have the Aim-120s in visual mode but no matter how close I have my F/A-18C nothing ever shows up on the attack radar for me to lock. I have it set on the right DDI like WAGS does in his video but noting ever pops up. Even when I am in visual range the only hits I can get with the AARRAMS is in mad dog mode. I tried using Sparrows instead with the same result. I am currently using the beta DCS version if that makes a difference. Can anyone help?

[Cik]

tilt your radar antenna to face the altitude you expect the targets to be at using the tilt control - remember that your altitude "bracket" (max/min look altitude) is a function of distance from your plane to the cursor. if the target is at 20 miles and 25k ft you will have to make sure the antenna can see 25k at 20 miles to see them successfully.

 

 

probably the best thing you can do is learn how radars work, which will help you gain a fundamental understanding of why you may see or not see anything that is there in front of you.

[Fonz_408]

Increase your bar search to 2 or 4B its on the top left hand side of the DDI, or Hit right select again in BVR MODE to use RRAQ and it will auto lock for you.

Edited December 6, 2018 by Fonz_408

[Ramsay]

Aircav1980 said:

I have been trying to practice engagements with the Aim-120 and Aim-7 missiles. I follow the tutorials by setting up the target size and cross section size. I have the Aim-120s in visual mode but no matter how close I have my F/A-18C nothing ever shows up on the attack radar for me to lock.

 

IIRC, when you select AIM-120's the radar default is 2 bar/140°, which covers about 10,000 ft at 40 nm i.e. 22,000 - 32,000 ft

 

At closer ranges, the scanned altitude narrows i.e. 5,000 ft @ 20nm, 2,500 ft @ 10 nm, etc. and it becomes even easier to miss targets.

 

 

To avoid this I change to a 4 or 6 bar scan to cover a wider range of altitude, while narrowing the scan width to 80° as AWACS usually gives a good indication of azimuth.

 

 

I attach a practice mission that spawns a couple of hostiles (F-5E's with guns, L-39ZA with R60 Aphid or C-101CC with guns + IR) to practice with. AWACS is on 251 MHz.

 

There's a Tu-142 at distance to practice longer range detection. Detection range is approx. 26 NM for the L-39ZA and 118 NM for the Tu-142.

 

FA-18C Practice Dogfight, Airspawn, MOOSE.miz

Edited September 8, 2021 by Ramsay
Update mission for data link, update post format

[Aircav1980]

Thanks a ton guys!

[Hamilton]

I attach a practice mission that spawns a couple of hostiles (F-5E's with guns or L-39ZA with R60 Aphid) to practice with. AWACS is on 251 MHz

 

Thank you!

[falcon_120]

Have a look at this. It is a great tool to understand why you dont see targets sometimes.

https://tawdcs.org/radar-f15/

 

Enviado desde mi SM-G950F mediante Tapatalk

[Aircav1980]

Thanks

 

I attach a practice mission that spawns a couple of hostiles (F-5E's with guns or L-39ZA with R60 Aphid) to practice with. AWACS is on 251 MHz

 

Sweat mission thanks again man!