reported Multiple targets: JHMCS locks the wrong aircraft over and over again

[darkman222]

Here is a video of the current behavior when trying to lock an aircraft with JHMCS.

You can clearly see that the radar seems to favor the aircraft closer to the nose of the F16 instead of the one I am looking at with the JHMCS symbol. Every time you see a line pointing out of the JHMCS egg symbol indicates that a lock ocurred and where to look for the locked target.

 

I tried different ways of locking. By pressing TMS up, then putting the eye on target. Or by putting the radar symbol (egg) on the target then pressing TMS up.

It is very unpredictable which aircraft will be locked. But the tendencies are to lock the one which is closer to boresight / nose of the F16. It seems like the radar moves towards where I am looking, but if it a valid target gets in that line, before the radar reaches the desired target, it locks the closer one instead.

 

After the first 50 seconds of the video, just showing the failed attempts, you can watch the full video, which is 1:40 min. Length. Its twice as long and shows that this does not happen from time to time, it is almost 50 % of all locks that are failing.

Finally there is a short clip I took on a dogfight server, showing that this is not an issue happening because of I created an unrealistic situation with my test mission.

 

See the track file of my test mission (first video) here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/396hk679j5ughmn/lock test2.trk?dl=0

 

I doubt that the F16 radar is so unreliable in real life.

Edited March 30, 2021 by darkman222

[Florence201]

What the FCR locks up will depend what mode you have it in when selecting dogfight. 
 

vert

Bore

30x20

 

all these will mean different scan/lock priorities dependent on where the radar is looking. Be aware that the 4th mode (slew) isn’t modeled yet. So you may be looking 40R, but have the radar scanning 30x20 and therefore locking up a target is it’s scan zone, not where you are looking. 

[ice41]

2 hours ago, Florence201 said:

What the FCR locks up will depend what mode you have it in when selecting dogfight. 
 

vert

Bore

30x20

 

 

The oval on the HMD implies they are using ACM Bore with the helmet sight.

 

As far as I know, the radar transmit conditions in ACM is still incomplete/inaccurate.

I've heard that holding TMS up is suppose to have the radar follow the HMD but not transmit, and then releasing TMS up will turn on the radar to lock whatever's in the radar beam.

and entering ACM mode is suppose to place the radar in a no transmit state until a search mode is picked using the TMS.

Both of these are currently not implemented.

 

As a workaround for now, I remember doing either holding or repeatedly mashing TMS up so the radar slews to where you are looking without getting distracted on the way there. Slewing doesn't take too long, once you're reasonably certain the radar is looking at the same spot, release/stop mashing TMS up so the radar locks the target.

Edited March 30, 2021 by ice41

[darkman222]

I am using the HMD only to lock. So this report is just about ACM locking with JHMCS.

 

I know about the workaround smashing TMS up to make the radar update. But I think that issue was solved.

When that bug was still present, you could see the radar moving on the left MFD exclusively when you pressed TMS up.

 

But at the moment you can see it following the head movement continuously, when you glance at the left MFD. ( If you zoom out and move the HMD while watching the radar cursor on the left MFD)

One thing I noticed though is when you press TMS up the radar returns to "center position" for a quick moment, then slews back to where I am looking.

Thats why I tested it witout a lock just looking at the target, waiting to lock automatically, and alternatevly by pressing TMS manually when looking at the target. With the same unpredictable results.

 

If you ask about my unqualified opinion: To me it looks like the radar is misaligned with the HMD. So the radar just does not look where you'd think it would be looking at. Which also might be related to a thread I started before, having difficulties to lock single targets too.

Edited March 30, 2021 by darkman222

[BIGNEWY]

I have reported to the team for checking

 

thanks

[pchRage]

Simple SP mission.  F16 flowing North with a kc130 off the nose same direction and another kc130 flowing 45degrees towards the NW.  same alt.

Turn on HMCS, switch to DGFT mode... slew helmet to kc130 that is flying towards NW away from nose.  Now TMS up to activate radar ... locks up target in hmcs oval... TMS up again... now the kc130 off the nose is locked up even though the HMCS is still pointing at the other target.  TMS Up again.. picks correct... Up again... incorrect..  seems to keep toggling 60/40 between where the HMCS is looking vs straight off the nose...

Bug? As-Designed? Operator-Error?

Attached mission and track:

 

 

ACMHMCSTest.miz f16hmcs.trk

[Frederf]

It's possible that ACM is not correctly inhibiting lock on while the FCR LOS has not yet caught up to the HMCS LOS. Normally you press and hold TMS forward. This causes the radar to turn off and point at the HMCS LOS. When TMS forward is released the radar turns on and tries to acquire a target it should already be pointing at the HMCS LOS.

[pchRage]

Thanks for the feedback, what you are saying does describe what appears to be happening.

So.... does ED consider this ACM behavior a Bug or Correct-As-Is ?

 

[darkman222]

These are issues popping up now but they have been reported long time ago. Apparently they have not been adressed by ED (yet).

I posted about the F16 locking the wrong target. Result: Investigating:

I also tried the method @Frederfdescribed. It seems to help a little but might be just my personal feeling.

Edited November 29, 2021 by darkman222