What is BCN ?

[MarcT-NL]

Since one of the last updates, things have changed on the UFC. The IFF has now 2 pages, but as I understand we don't have to concern ourselfves with those, just turn it on.

Also the D/L now has 2 pages, which have to be turned on seperately. Apparently one is for the ACLS and the other is for the Datalink. This is NOT obvious !

And now, even the BCN-button does something, and can be turned on. WHAT IS THAT ?  It is not mentioned in the manual.

[Minsky]

Radar beacon* is a part of the ACLS, and from my (quite limited) understanding it turns on and works automatically during ACL. Even if the current DCS implementation of that button is not a placeholder, we aren't supposed to fiddle with it that much during normal ops.

*This is a newer version of the unit installed on our legacy Hornet, but it should give you a general idea of what it does.

Edited May 24, 2022 by Minsky

[Minsky]

1 hour ago, MarcT-NL said:

The IFF has now 2 pages, but as I understand we don't have to concern ourselfves with those, just turn it on.

It's been there for awhile. We don't have to -- in SP, but in multiplayer it is partially functional via SRS & LotATC.

[Northstar98]

23 hours ago, MarcT-NL said:

Since one of the last updates, things have changed on the UFC. The IFF has now 2 pages, but as I understand we don't have to concern ourselfves with those, just turn it on.

Correct.

In the Hornet, one of the pages is for your transponder (XP), and the other is for your interrogator (AI).

The transponder controls what modes and with what codes/keys you reply with when interrogated and the interrogator controls what modes, codes and keys you look for when you perform interrogations.

In DCS, apart from the JF-17, IFF is magical. DCS only simulates mode 4 for NATO aircraft, but only as far as checking the coalition is on - it doesn't matter what M4 key you've selected, whether mode 4 is enabled, or in some aircraft whether the IFF system is even turned on.

23 hours ago, MarcT-NL said:

Also the D/L now has 2 pages, which have to be turned on seperately. Apparently one is for the ACLS and the other is for the Datalink. This is NOT obvious !

One is for Link 4A and the other is for Link 16.

Link 4A is the one that pops up when you first click the IFF button. Link 4A should also function as a tactical datalink (as it does with the Tomcat), but right now only its ACLS functions are present.

The clue is that the Link 16 'page' has MIDS options, which is the communications component of Link 16.

It also has the F/F (fighter to fighter) channel selector, which Link 4A doesn't support (Link 4C is the only fighter-to-fighter datalink of Link 4, but it's exclusive to the Tomcat, and only allows 4 aircraft to interconnect).

23 hours ago, MarcT-NL said:

And now, even the BCN-button does something, and can be turned on. WHAT IS THAT ?  It is not mentioned in the manual.

It's a RADAR beacon - AFAIK it effectively acts as a tracking beacon for the ACLS RADARs on the carrier (AN/SPN-46 for the Nimitz-Roosevelt-class, AN/SPN-42 for the Forrestal).

Edited May 25, 2022 by Northstar98