cannot reproduce and missing track file DataLink - Fighter2Fighter not working if no AWACS in MP mission?

[pchRage]

Multiplayer mission as Redfor on Syria circa 2018 ~0600.  No AWACS in mission, but was expecting F2F DL. 

No amount of mucking with switches showed our 4-ship to any of us at any time.

Even attempted sending a DL air contact... would give alert to wingman/element, but nothing appear on HSD for them either.

IFF Left short/Long would show brief green circle on FCR for targets..so that was working, just no persistent F2F...even cycling IFF L/R All/None and All/Fght/TGT didnt change anything

Have track, but its MP and ~60mb so probably not helpful.

Edited July 25, 2022 by pchRage

[Ignition]

Make sure unrestricted satnav is set to on.

Make sure the INS alignment is ok.

Also the RF switch set to on, and mids also on

It was working for me yesterday between F-18 F-16, also Red coalition.

[pchRage]

thanks. 

INS was good, RF and Mids all on and the 4ship had no issues with alignment, comms, yardstick, etc etc.  We were using green comms encrypted on victor... maybe that interfered?

Checked the mission and unrestricted was "not on".  but this was 2018... doesn't that value only deal with pre 1994?  and we were all at alt, in same general 40nm kill box... couldnt see each other, couldnt see when someone else locked a bandit, couldnt see when someone would stt and then DL send bandit... nada

[twistking]

what map and mission time?
there is a datalink bug when local time and ZULU missmatch by date, so midnight +/- x hours. x being the time difference zulu<->local...

Edited July 25, 2022 by twistking

[pchRage]

yes we've run into that PG nighttime DL bug...   this was ~0600 Syria 2018. 

Also, BlueFOR did have AWACS and DL was working just fine...it was only REDFOR without awacs that had the issues

yes yes missing track file.. per original post I have it, but its 60mb...

[TheBigTatanka]

Probably the unrestricted satnav option. If I recall, the red side has a later date where it's available, or it needs to be checked for western coalition jets to have datalink when on red side.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[pchRage]

thx.  will try it out and see whats what next time

[Frederf]

Realistically L16 doesn't need GPS to function. GPS is a nice time source but you can make L16 run without it.

[QuiGon]

I brought this up in anoter thread, as I ran into similar issues:

On 5/26/2022 at 9:57 PM, QuiGon said:

A while ago I made a thread about Vipers not showing up on the Hornets data link through fighter-fighter DL (no AWACS present). There was no solution presented to the issue and as this issue continued to bother me I did some testing with my buddies and I think we found what exactly causes this issue:

The issue is actually not with the Hornet, but with the Viper: As soon as the mission date is pre-1994 the F/F DL of the Viper stops working. In our testing me and my buddies all flew Vipers in a test mission without AWACS. When the mission date is set after 1994, the F/F data link on the Viper is working fine, meaning Vipers can see each other on the HSD. If the mission date is set prior to 1994 the F/F data link on the Viper does not work, meaning Vipers can not see each other on the HSD. Interestingly, the Vipers can still see Hornets on the HSD through F/F data link, but not other Vipers (similarly Hornets can see other Hornets, but not the Vipers).

This is really frustrating when flying on servers like BlueFlag Syria which has a mission date of 1990 and no AWACS, meaning Vipers will never appear on the DL, only Hornets will.

Edit: I should mention that I focused on multiplayer and the interaction between player controlled aircraft here. I have not tested it with AI.