Problem with plm/seam/hi/low vsi?

[WelshZeCorgi]

Did something change recently? I can't seem to get the plm, high or low vsi and seam to work when I press the assigned buttons. I can hear the 'click' of the buttons being pressed but no diamond or lock happens despite the target being in the correct area. The tcs 'twiches' when the buttons is first pressed but returns to the center and nothing happens. I have tried with the target program on and off, and I have the warthog and vkb joysticks both installed. All other buttons seem to work, so I'm confused why the acm radars don't function like before.

[draconus]

Do you have gun selected?

[WelshZeCorgi]

Do you have gun selected?

No, it turns out that those keybinds didn't actually do anything. There are second versions of PAL, VS High and low. I bound those and it works now, it's weird they exist.

[mattag08]

If they are the ones I'm thinking of they are to tell Jester to use VS high/low, PAL. There is a switch for the RIO as well to use those modes. Not incredibly useful (I'm not sure when Jester would use them that you couldn't just do it yourself), but it is a thing that the RIO can manipulate.

[QuiGon]

If they are the ones I'm thinking of they are to tell Jester to use VS high/low, PAL. There is a switch for the RIO as well to use those modes. Not incredibly useful (I'm not sure when Jester would use them that you couldn't just do it yourself), but it is a thing that the RIO can manipulate.

The RIO can't use PAL (nor PLM), but he can use VSL indeed. Flying almost esclusivly as a RIO I use these modes mostly when flying with inexperienced pilots that haven't learned how to use VSL yet. When flying with a pilot who has mastered the close combat modes I don't really have any reason to use VSL myself.

There might be some odd situations where a contact appears above the HUD which the RIO spots visually and the pilot hasn't seen so far, so the RIO can lock it up quickly using VSL while telling the pilot about the contact. That hardly seems to warrant the existence of the VSL function for the RIO, so I really wonder why the the Grumman guys put it in there :dunno:

Edited September 23, 2019 by QuiGon

[TLTeo]

The target designation switch is not on the throttle, so I can see how in real life the pilot would let the RIO handle VSL modes instead.

[QuiGon]

The target designation switch is not on the throttle, so I can see how in real life the pilot would let the RIO handle VSL modes instead.

Oh, that's a good point indeed! We don't have this problem in DCS as the pilot can just bind those functions on his HOTAS. That makes me wonder though why they didn't add the VSL functions to the HOTAS in the real F-14 though.

[DD_Fenrir]

My guess is someone forgot to put his HUD in "A2A" mode and was trying to obtain locks whilst in "Cruise"...

 

Not that I gave ever done the same... several times... (ahem!)

[mattag08]

Oh, that's a good point indeed! We don't have this problem in DCS as the pilot can just bind those functions on his HOTAS. That makes me wonder though why they didn't add the VSL functions to the HOTAS in the real F-14 though.

Could be also sorts of engineering limitations with the radar/WCS/electrical wiring/etc. Maybe it was just an afterthought as well. We would have to ask the fine folks who worked at Grumman.