Jester lock datalink target

[Harlikwin]

Is there something like a command for this? Consistently I see D/L targets and jester just cannot find them, even in circumstances he should be able to IMO. Does he not prioritize finding them or?

[UWBuRn]

You should try to STT on a specific target goingh through Jester wheel: contacts are distincted between d/l and radar ones. In previous versions also commanding a lock on target in front with the shortcut hooked them up, but it's long since that doesn't work anymore.

[Harlikwin]

The issue is, that jester doesn't see the actual contact. I see it on the DL, like 20-30mi away but jester can't actually find it so I only have "half" of the solution. Given the proximity, I'd love for him to go find that guy. But he's probably dickin around trying to find tankers 300 mi away.

 

In a viper of F18 this would be a simple task that would take like 3-4 seconds...

 

[draconus]

Why? The target is either notching you, is in the doppler filter or out of the radar cone. DL target is visible to the host because of different angle, different filters and in radar coverage.

What to do? Contact AWACS to get exact target altitude or just read the number on the left of a contact, then direct the Jester to set the radar elevation accordingly, get lower than target to break the notch, get faster to get out of the doppler filter by having larger closure speed.

Obviously the target can be out of your LOS, like over the mountain, too.

[Lurker]

It would still be a nice feature to add to Jester. Something like "Lock nearest D/L target" then if the target is for some reason unavailable on scope (out of radar cone, notching or whatever) Jester could reply "No, sir" or "Unable to do that" or "Can't get a lock" or whatever.

[Ignition]

Jester does not search for targets.

[Harlikwin]

Why? The target is either notching you, is in the doppler filter or out of the radar cone. DL target is visible to the host because of different angle, different filters and in radar coverage.

What to do? Contact AWACS to get exact target altitude or just read the number on the left of a contact, then direct the Jester to set the radar elevation accordingly, get lower than target to break the notch, get faster to get out of the doppler filter by having larger closure speed.

Obviously the target can be out of your LOS, like over the mountain, too.

 

Yeah I get in some cases "why", this case the target was hot, and nearby (~30mi) not notching.

 

And rather than doing all that myself, it would be nice to have a command to say, hey buddy, that hot bandit that you don't have a track-on thats gonna kill us, maybe just maybe prioritize that guy.

 

 

[UWBuRn]

I don't get it, with STT Lock > Choose specific target i can do it...

 

 

If the radar doesn't pick the D/L track Jester will attempt to lock on it anyway, sometimes he can, sometimes he cannot. As said, once it used to lock on D/L target also with "STT lock ahead" shortcut but it was gone more or less at the same time when it stopped showing your own Phoenixes tracks on D/L - wouldn't be bad have it back, maybe with and option.

 

Another improvement would be to show IFF status in "Choose specific target" Jester wheel... discriminating friendly and foes when using the wheel is the part i found more difficult when you have to react quickly.

[mauler7235]

Is this working as intended? Because it seems like it would be better to not be connected to datalink if my system is just going to sit there, tell me there's a hostile, and not let me fire a phoenix at it.

[Naquaii]

Yes it is. The real aircraft could not autolock a datalink target and it could not fire phoenixes at it. You need to use the AWG-9 to lock up and fire phoenixes at the targets.

The link is used for situational awareness and commands.

[DefaultFace]

I think peoples complaint is not that you can't lock a DL target, but rather that there is no way to tell Jester to point the radar in the area of a DL contact so that you can then proceed to track & shoot at it.

[mauler7235]

I get that just because I get a contact that my radar might not necessarily see it, but there's instances where I manually target a contact via azimuth and range and I don't see a reason why it wouldn't be getting picked up regardless of datalink. In servers where I don't have datalink available, I never get bandits closing in to WVR without there ever once being a solution to fire my phoenix missiles. I'm seeing targets less than 100 miles creep up to me and Jester is not hooking them and refuses to stt lock enemy via shortcut button, even though I can manually select them via their azimuth and range. It just seems like datalink is overriding Jester's normal tasking.

[JayRoc]

I´d like a function to tell Jester that he should try to find targest which are present on datalink and near you aswell.

It seems like a resonable thing to ask your RIO for: "Put our radar on that datalink contact in front of us".

 

Especially on busy MP Servers that would save a lot of clicking to tell Jester what excactly he should do.

 

I´d also pay extra for a proper Jester AI that is actively prioritizing Badits and looking for them by himself.

[jdfocus1985]

2024 now, still have the same issue. I think in tws mode Jester tends to hook up targets afar, but the closer ones happen to be outside of my radar range. It is frustrating I have to switch back to F18

[draconus]

On 2/21/2024 at 12:10 PM, jdfocus1985 said:

2024 now, still have the same issue. I think in tws mode Jester tends to hook up targets afar, but the closer ones happen to be outside of my radar range.

There's no issue - it works as intended. Jester does not move the radar cone on his own - that means it's default straight ahead in azimuth and elevation. If the targets are not there you won't see them as radar contacts but can appear as DL contacts if you have DL connection. You can tell Jester to search other area of the sky (left/right, for elevation use scan at range/altitude option). To exclude farther out targets ask Jester to lower the TID range. As soon as radar get target tracks with Phoenix selected, Jester changes mode to TWS Auto so they are tracked and WCS is targeting them with priority numbers applied.

Edited April 30, 2024 by draconus

[Endline]

1 hour ago, draconus said:

There's no issue - it works as indtended. Jester does not move the radar cone on his own - that means it's default straight ahead in azimuth and elevation. If the targets are not there you won't see them as radar contacts but can appear as DL contacts if you have DL connection. You can tell Jester to search other area of the sky (left/right, for elevation use scan at range/altitude option). To exclude farther out targets ask Jester to lower the TID range. As soon as radar get target tracks with Phoenix selected, Jester changes mode to TWS Auto so they are tracked and WCS is targeting them with priority numbers applied.

It'd be much more realistic if Jester was able to at least move the azimuth and elevation on his own when DL contacts show up and the AWG-9 won't pick them up. The player shouldn't have to direct him to look at the DL's direction and elevation. It's breaking immersion, although I get that from a technical point of view, it's probably too much to ask to implement.

Maybe Jester 2 will be improved in this aspect.

[The_Tau]

8 minutes ago, Endline said:

It'd be much more realistic if Jester was able to at least move the azimuth and elevation on his own when DL contacts show up and the AWG-9 won't pick them up. The player shouldn't have to direct him to look at the DL's direction and elevation. It's breaking immersion, although I get that from a technical point of view, it's probably too much to ask to implement.

Maybe Jester 2 will be improved in this aspect.

well treat Jester as new RIO, which need babysitting. Also i strongly recommend Voice attack and tell jester what to do. It aint perfect but it makes whole experience way more enjoyable. 

 

Also there is a RIO controls mod, IC friendly, which allows your from pilot seat to get access to RIO controls and you can use MLC switch, hook stuff or switch chaff/flares on DLC button, among other things

Edited February 21, 2024 by The_Tau

[Endline]

I know that there are workarounds, that's not the point.

[Kageseigi]

11 hours ago, The_Tau said:

Also there is a RIO controls mod, IC friendly, which allows your from pilot seat to get access to RIO controls and you can use MLC switch, hook stuff or switch chaff/flares on DLC button, among other things

Speaking of which, is there any way to STT a hooked target yourself from the front seat with that mod? I couldn't seem to find one. Without that ability, it just seems to make it even more frustrating... like someone waving a sugar-cookie flavored candle in your face, but not having any actual sugar cookies to eat! Alas, such a terrible, but effective method of torture! So please tell me there are actual sugar cookies in the mod! 

[The_Tau]

6 hours ago, Kageseigi said:

Speaking of which, is there any way to STT a hooked target yourself from the front seat with that mod? I couldn't seem to find one. Without that ability, it just seems to make it even more frustrating... like someone waving a sugar-cookie flavored candle in your face, but not having any actual sugar cookies to eat! Alas, such a terrible, but effective method of torture! So please tell me there are actual sugar cookies in the mod! 

Technically yes, you can hook and press STT button, but Jester already knows this with "Lock specific track" command in Jester wheel. Its really powerful and allows locking datalink targets currently outside radar scan.

It was shown before what i mean

 

 

It would be simply better, than for hooking tracks method, as first you need them to be inside radar scan range, and then if they flies perpendicular to you, it would be very hard for AWG9 to get lock this way without using DDD. And its not because of notch. 

 

 

Edited February 22, 2024 by The_Tau

[RustBelt]

On 2/21/2024 at 9:34 AM, Endline said:

It'd be much more realistic if Jester was able to at least move the azimuth and elevation on his own when DL contacts show up and the AWG-9 won't pick them up. The player shouldn't have to direct him to look at the DL's direction and elevation. It's breaking immersion, although I get that from a technical point of view, it's probably too much to ask to implement.

Maybe Jester 2 will be improved in this aspect.

You wan’t actual immersion, get a friend and run with a real RIO. Jester is just an interface for a single pilot to operate a two crew aircraft. It‘s not an advanced general AI model meant to replace a skilled individual. 
 

If you enjoy single pilot in the hornet, that may be a better fit for you.