[CORRECT AS IS] Walleye setup sequence rather strange?

[flywaldair (Skynet dev.)]

Hi Guys,

 

I have looked at the Walleye setup sequence and it strikes me rather strange.

 

When using the Walleye with the datalink pod, I first select the WEDL twice so the TV screen show up.

 

Then I select the DL13 button to get the feed from the datalink. The picture changes to a slightly lower quality, presumably because the image is now transferred by the datalink pod.

 

What I find strange is that I see a picture (presumably already via datalink, since its lower quality), however the WEDL on station 8 is selected and the channel is 2. If I drop it in this configuration the screen will go to static, since there is a mismatch in the selected channel.

 

This does not make sense to me, why does the screen show as long as the missile is attached to the jet? the degrade in picture quality in the step before implies it has already switched to the datalink.

 

I know I can change the Walleye via WPN and the channel for the datalink via the UFC.

 

However if I select WEDL on station 8 and then switch the UFC channel for the datalink to 8 I still get static.

 

Doe someone know what all these steps do in the real jet in the background?

 

Is the current behavior still WIP?

[Frederf]

It's the "PRI STA" WPN option that messes everything up. It's the default selection and you should never use it.

 

So you pick STA 8 and look through DL13 view. It says "CH 002" or "CH 008" in the corner so you think your DL13 is tuned to that channel, right? Wrong! You can change it to channel 3 or channel 7 and it will still show video despite there being no such weapon. When WPN "PRI STA" you cannot trust the channel displayed because it's a lie.

 

I can recommend what works in DCS. Go into the WPN menu and pick the "WEDL" that matches the station selected. 2 is the top, 8 is the bottom. That will change the DL13 in both type and channel so you never have to set CH by UFC. Then so long as you deliver them one by one you will never have to change CH by UFC, the WPN>WEDL (pick the right one) is enough.

 

You may have noticed I mentioned DL13 having two parameters: weapon type and channel, and not just channel. That can become an important detail. For example if you carry a 2 WE and a SLAM, fire the WE, pick WPN>SLAM it will change over the DL13 (if PRI STA is set) to expect signal type from a SLAM. From that point onward you cannot get video from the WE in flight until you set the DL13 back to type WE. And the only way to do that is to pick WPN>WEDL. (Better hope you have a second one!) and then change the channel manually to match the one in flight. If you don't have any more of that weapon type in the WPN menu then there's no way to ever connect to that type again. Also "PRI STA" automatically changes link type by selected weapon so if you run out of weapons it will set weapon type none and it's impossible to connect to anything. Did I mention enough to avoid PRI STA yet?

 

1. Don't use PRI STA.

2. Choose the WPN> menu entry that matches your type and station to link to.

3. Don't use PRI STA.

4. Don't use PRI STA.

5. Don't trust the CH 00_ value displayed in PRI STA.

6. Don't use PRI STA.

7. Channel and weapon type must match.

8. If the word "STEP" appears on the right side of DL13 display you are in PRI STA.

9. Don't use PRI STA.

10. If you make a mistake, pick another of the same weapon out of WPN> menu and then change channel number.

11. If WPN> menu has no more of that type you are screwed.

12. Don't use PRI STA.

Edited August 25, 2020 by Frederf

[dorianR666]

thanks Frederf, this is very useful

[flywaldair (Skynet dev.)]

@frederf thanks for the detailed explanation. I sort of figured out this sequence by trial and error myself.

 

It just strikes my rather non-intuitive for something used in a high pressure environment, with grave consequences when used in the wrong way.

 

Let's see if ED updates this later on in the OB, based on new information.