Fighter-to-Fighter Datalink in MP

[The_Tau]

In MP F2F datalink doesn't seem to work correctly depending on servers. For example on Blueflag it seem to work quite well but it doesnt work at all at Cold War server. Am I missing something? Like AWACS unit for sync (or something) or some other datalink unit in Mission Editor? Or is it Jester to Jester or Jester to human RIO problem? I think in manual it says that initial address number is set by ground crew and in DCS that means that F14s must be in same flight in Mission Editor. Is it true?

 

BTW maybe option for Jester to change Address number?

[QuiGon]

I tried F/F DL two weeks ago on the Cold War server, between two fully human crewed Tomcats and it didn't seem to work either, as we couldn't even see each other on the TID :huh:

[BodyOrgan]

I think I figured out why this doesn't work on the Cold War server. I did some testing with Fenrir using the Cold War server mission, and we couldn't get F2F working until I created a group of Tomcats in the same unit. So UNIT 1 of 2 for example. That allowed us to use F2F even without the SATNAV (as it should). I haven't checked Blug Flag mission out to see if their Tomcats are part of the same group or something, but I'm going to guess they are.

[The_Tau]

I think I figured out why this doesn't work on the Cold War server. I did some testing with Fenrir using the Cold War server mission, and we couldn't get F2F working until I created a group of Tomcats in the same unit. So UNIT 1 of 2 for example. That allowed us to use F2F even without the SATNAV (as it should). I haven't checked Blug Flag mission out to see if their Tomcats are part of the same group or something, but I'm going to guess they are.

 

Yeah, I suspected this being an issue. Great Thanks for checking it out!

[QuiGon]

I think I figured out why this doesn't work on the Cold War server. I did some testing with Fenrir using the Cold War server mission, and we couldn't get F2F working until I created a group of Tomcats in the same unit. So UNIT 1 of 2 for example. That allowed us to use F2F even without the SATNAV (as it should). I haven't checked Blug Flag mission out to see if their Tomcats are part of the same group or something, but I'm going to guess they are.

 

Huh, interesting. If that's true, then this is a bug, has group membership shouldn't matter, as the Tomcat DL doesn't work with IDs, but is purely based on frequencies.

[The_Tau]

 

Huh, interesting. If that's true, then this is a bug, has group membership shouldn't matter, as the Tomcat DL doesn't work with IDs, but is purely based on frequencies.

 

I don't think its a bug, it is mentioned in manual, just I wasn't really sure if thats what it meant (same flight in Mission Editor).

http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html?highlight=datalink#link-4-in-dcs

 

To use Link 4C the data link should be set to Link 4C (AUX) and be tuned to a frequency agreed upon between participating aircraft. Up to four aircraft can participate within a flight and all four aircraft should have different adresses set. As the ground crew set the two most significant bits to be the same for a flight automatically the link can only be used within the same flight currently.

[Naquaii]

Link 4C isn't based purely on frequencies, it also uses the set IDs. As has been mentioned in this thread the group ID is set by the ground crew and currently this is done via the ME by having the F-14 that are going to be talking to each other in the same flight. We have discussed adding the capability to change this to the kneeboard but haven't decided on anything as of yet.

[QuiGon]

Link 4C isn't based purely on frequencies, it also uses the set IDs. As has been mentioned in this thread the group ID is set by the ground crew and currently this is done via the ME by having the F-14 that are going to be talking to each other in the same flight. We have discussed adding the capability to change this to the kneeboard but haven't decided on anything as of yet.

 

Damn, this ID thing has escaped me entirely untill now... :doh:

I've read up on it now in the manual and now and it makes sense how the ID is currently set in DCS (same flight). I wonder though if the two least significant bits (the ones that can be set in the cockpit) are also being set accordingly when spawning or if they are all set to 00 and need to be changed by the RIO after spawning? I need to check this out ingame... :joystick: