Blame it all on 'it was in the early years of computers'?

[CBStu]

Several things are really bothering me;

Why would I want a flir to designate a target every time I release the TDC slew button when there is a simple 'depress the tdc button' function that I thought would do that? If that is all it did it would be bad enough. But when I have the AP coupled to a waypoint and the waypoint has now been turned into a target...and the dang flir has locked onto that spot...and I can't avoid this because I have to let go of right (it locks on right there) to go to down since the tdc button is just a 4 way.

Why would I want the radar to be switched from air (which I set it to) to surface just because I hit the AG button while setting up bombs. I am 100 miles from the target, I am using the time to get ahead on some tasks, and I want the radar looking for bad guys IN THE AIR.

When I am on the way back to the carrier and have AP coupled to carrier tacan, and I do the 50 mile checkin, and they give me the carrier BRC, and I want to put that BRC onto the HSI screen, why would I want the AP to suddenly decide it should couple to the BRC? 

In every case the automatic changes actually create more work rather than helping me by making things simpler.

Is there any way to turn off all this 'help' the systems are giving me?

[MARLAN_]

Quote

Why would I want the radar to be switched from air (which I set it to) to surface just because I hit the AG button while setting up bombs. I am 100 miles from the target, I am using the time to get ahead on some tasks, and I want the radar looking for bad guys IN THE AIR.

IRL they won't switch to A/G until their "ATTACK" which is typically at the IP, which is typically about 30 seconds to release for the exact reason that they should be searching for any potential threats until they make themselves vulnerable by switching to A/G. You can set up everything on deck prior to the IP and then switch over the A/G, run your checklist and employ.

As for the coupling, I recall one of our F18 pilots mentioning it shouldn't be this way, but I'd have to ask again to clarify because it's been awhile and there's often more nuance to it. If I remember right, couple has to be reselected before it takes on the new path.

I'm not understanding what you're saying about TDC.

Edited February 10, 2023 by MARLAN_

[Hulkbust44]

16 hours ago, CBStu said:

Why would I want a flir to designate a target every time I release the TDC slew button when there is a simple 'depress the tdc button' function that I thought would do that?

If you just want pointing for the FLIR, use INR. If you're in SCENE or AUTO you would be in a targeting phase refining any initial designation. If a previous sensor made the designation, no action TDC slew should slew the FLIR in SCENE without designation until TDC depress. AUTO will take designation priority. No sensor should take a designation without positive TDC. action.

[CBStu]

Marlan I am not getting your 'they don't set A/G until they attack'. I wanted to check in case my memory is fuzzy  so I looked through Chuck's guide.

By far, the majority of bomb setup procedures have A/G as step 2-5 which automatically switches radar to surface. This is easy to fix but why should I need to. Let me switch radar modes when I want to please. The coupling switching on it's own to couple w/ something different than I already selected is an annoyance. It isn't too hard to avoid, I just deselect copl, set the BRC and then click couple again. But again why should I have to.

Hulkbust I will need to do some checking and can't until Sunday but I will try SCENE and AUTO. To be honest I get the FLIR on screen in whatever mode it defaults to, mess around w/ light and contrast to get something I can use, and then try to look for whatever it is today. Often that mode won't allow slewing so I keep clicking the sensor select switch to get to a slewable mode. I usually don't care what mode, just as long as I can slew. I need to work on this more. 

 

 

[MARLAN_]

1 hour ago, CBStu said:

Marlan I am not getting your 'they don't set A/G until they attack'. I wanted to check in case my memory is fuzzy  so I looked through Chuck's guide.

By far, the majority of bomb setup procedures have A/G as step 2-5 which automatically switches radar to surface. This is easy to fix but why should I need to. Let me switch radar modes when I want to please. 

You can set up your programs, pre-plan coordinates and anything else on the ground/deck for sure, but you'd switch to A/G Master Mode at the "ATTACK" which is generally at the DP (correction from before, its at the DP (decision point) not IP (initial point), but often IP/DP are collocated) so there should be no problem with your radar switching over since you're no longer sanitizing post-ATTACK.

I think you are trying to do both A/A sanitization while also performing A/G tasks, that is not the designed flow of the F-18, you do one or the other. Even if you're executing a strike mission, you'd remain in A/A mode until your DP which is generally about 30 seconds to release.

[Phantom711]

@CBStu

Some of the problems you describe just wouldn‘t exist in real life. Bombs would have been set up on the ground already, either by a data cartridge or manually prior taxiiing. 
and even though multi-role is a thing, if your job is to bomb something while there is an enemy fighter threat, there should be some dedicated sweep/escort with you. Hence you should have some time for yourself to set up your A-G ordnance.

 

Not sure what it is with you and the TDC, but it should actually be a mini joystick, not just a 4-way hat (5 way actually if you count the „press“ as well). Maybe „Realistic TDC slew“ is not your friend if your hardware regarding the TDC is not realistic in the first place. Maybe that causes some of your issues?

Edited February 10, 2023 by Phantom711

[Tholozor]

Also, another point to consider is that MSI processing stops in A/G mode, and you might want the radar available for AGR.

[CBStu]

Marlan I understand that bomb targets can be set up on the ground prior to takeoff. But that only works for stationary targets. Maybe some of the missions for DCS are not realistic, but there seem to be quite enough such as parked planes, mobile SAM launchers, etc that one needs to use FLIR to get the exact location. Then of course there are laser guided bombs using the plane's laser or the JTACs. Phantom is saying similar about only doing A/G or A/A and a few mission creators do comment that this isn't realistic. I remember one mission where one needed to fight through some A/A attacks to get to the bomb target which the creator definitely said is not realistic.

Phantom your point about my TDC brings up a question. My joystick (VKB Gladiator NXT EVO ‘Space Combat Edition’ - Right Hand – VKB North America (vkbcontrollers.com) has three possible tdc switches/hats/mini-joysticks. I happen to be using the center one for tdc slewing which I guess is a 5 way hat. I had tried the mini stick but the press function is almost impossible to do w/o also moving it. Also it cycles a small indicator light on and off w/ each press. I have been using it for sensor select since I don't need a press function for that. I had assumed that all these worked pretty much the same electronically and are different physically mostly to give a tactile indication as to which one your thumb is on. Not the case?

[AstonMartinDBS]

12 hours ago, CBStu said:

I had tried the mini stick but the press function is almost impossible to do w/o also moving it.

Had the same problem with the mini-stick on my HOTAS Warthog Dual Throttle until I changed the input setup as follows: TDC slew is still on my analog mini-stick, but TDC depress went to a button on the (right handed) joystick, which gives optimal precision.

[CBStu]

Aston that is a good idea. I can try that. Thx.

[Fresh]

You could test increasing the dead zone for the mini-stick?

[SharpeXB]

23 hours ago, Fresh said:

You could test increasing the dead zone for the mini-stick?

I use the mini stick on the CH Throttle and yes it needs a decent dead zone and response curve to be usable. But it works fine with those adjustments.