investigating FCR/HUD Avionics Bug?

[Nuggetz]

I appear to have found a bug which is non consistent, but does appear in the attached track file. This anomaly can appear in SP and MP it can also appear and during a long session in MP and it can revert to normal behaviour during that same session.

 

The track file pertains to the Instant action NTTR 9X Mission, the error appears after the 3rd drone is shot down. It is not the only occasion this has happened. 

In short when cycling between Dogfight Overide/Nav Mode/Missile Override during an engagement and I return to Nav Mode (HUD) NO RAD appears at the top of the HUD and the  FCR MFD is locked at 10 miles and cannot be changed cycling the TMS switch in 4 directions changes the display graphics and appears to restore the RADAR but the range remains fixed at 10 miles. Changing to Missile override allows RADAR range to be changed. 

Dogfight mode appears to function normally. However, if the HUD is then set to Nav Mode the ACM Lock reticle can lock any aircraft in 10 mile range complete with the audio “LOCK” while in Nav Mode with the range fixed at 10 miles. This is not shown in this track but I can try and replicate if that would help. 
 

I have run the DCS repair and I have checked switch bindings on my HOTAS. FCR BUG.trkFCR BUG.

I wonder if this might be related to other reported RADAR detection/locking issues experienced by community members but which continue to be elusive. 

[Frederf]

ACM is an FCR mode, not a "HUD" mode. ACM can be used in any master mode which allows air-to-air radar. While the dogfight override mode is normally associated with ACM, it's not required that the radar be in ACM while in dogfight and ACM is available in other master modes.

The issue appears to happen at 16:02:07 where radar is ACM despite NAV being configured CRM. It's perfectly normal to have ACM in NAV master mode but only if the pilot selects this somehow. In the track this change seems to happen spontaneously. I take over at 16:02:05 and simply set the override switch to center and the issue doesn't happen.

16:02:06 system is in DGFT/ACM, then 16:02:07 system changes to NAV/ACM, then MO/CRM later that second, then back to NAV/ACM at 16:02:08.

Something is happening to cause NAV to be associated with FCR-ACM which doesn't appear to be initiated by the pilot. I don't know what caused the FCR not to retain its previous FCR association on master mode change but it shouldn't have. Here I'll make a version of your track and take over at 16:02:06 and simply return to NAV and what you should have seen.

FCR BUG alternate.trk

Edited May 16, 2022 by Frederf

[Nuggetz]

Thank you for your reply. I will take a look at your track file later today. 
 

I had moved the override switch to centre but the problem remained but I will take another look and double check the switch bindings. (New WINWING F16 Throttle). 
 

The odd thing is the problem is not consistent, sometimes the override switch and HUD operate normally other times differently. 
 

Regards
 

 

[Frederf]

Is your switch programmed to make deliberate inputs on all three positions or are you using the two commands for dogfight/missile which fall back to center when either is released?

[Nuggetz]

The switch is not spring loaded a deliberate selection inboard selects missile override, deliberate centre and deliberate outboard selection dogfight override. 
 

I have saved two more missions today where the anomaly appears again.  I have not checked the file size yet against the 5MB limit. 

[Frederf]

Are you using the red commands or the green ones?

A lot of the track data comes from TrackIR/VR type head movement. If you fly diagnostic flights without smooth head motion control the file size is much smaller.

[Nuggetz]

Please see attached. I use. Pimax 8KX and a WINWING F16EX Throttle and a TM F16 joystick. I think I have tried both the red and green indicated selection during the past week.

Edited May 16, 2022 by Nuggetz

[Frederf]

As suspected, try removing the button 14 bind on the third line. As long as your WINWING F16EX Throttle provides constant output of buttons 13/15 in the DGFT/MO positions of the switch, that's what you want to do in any case. It was designed that for such switches the center command would be implicit when the other commands are released. The release of the non-centered position plus another explicit center command happening at essentially the same time must be confusing the system.

 

[Nuggetz]

Thank you will give it a try and report back. 

[Nuggetz]

I have just flown 4 sorties, the first 3 of which appeared to work normally after clearing button 14. However, sortie 4 the problem surfaced again. Sortie 4 was a duplicate of sortie 3. 
 

Using the OSB of the FCR MFD I noted ACM was selected and I manually selected CRM which restored normal service and allowed the RADAR range to be adjusted. The sortie was a BVR against 2 Mig29S so I had not used DGFT mode, but did cycle through the switch modes as part of my checking while RTB. 
 

Unfortunately  I did not save the track by mistake. I can try to replicate the sortie if that would help. 
 

Update: I have since flown sortie 4 twice more and about an hour in  a MP server without being able to repeat the anomaly. I will continue to monitor and save a mission if and when I can. 

Edited May 17, 2022 by Nuggetz

[Nuggetz]

A repeat of the NTTR 9x training mission.  Note after the 3rd drone is splashed the HUD returns to NAV mode with no RADAR,  Checking the FCR MFD shows ACM mode selected, RADAR range cannot be adjusted.  Manually changing the ACM to CRM restores the RADAR and allows the RADAR range to be adjusted.  Hope this helps with your analysis. 

6FCR BUG.trk

Edited May 21, 2022 by Nuggetz