A/G Radar returns

[brettt777]

I’m a retired avionics tech that spent most of the last four decades in both military and civilian cockpits, not to mention about a decade doing marine electronics in Alaska. So I have a pretty good grasp on how a radar works. That being said, I’m a bit confused by some differences I’m seeing in various radars in DCS in the A/G mode. I first noticed it when I purchased the F-1 Mirage not long ago and now I see the same thing in the newly released F-15E. When the aircraft is at altitude, the scan area only has a relatively narrow (depending on altitude, range and antenna elevation) band of ground returns showing on it. This obviously can be moved in or out with the antenna angle. I started looking at a couple other planes and saw that besides the F-1 and F-15E, the M-2000 Mirage and the AJS-37 Viggen all seem to work that way. But, other jets don’t have that issue. The FA-18, F-16, and JF-17 seem to show ground returns throughout the entire scan area (except for right in front of the aircraft) and altitude and range have little effect on it (obviously if it’s low enough a mountain range will block it). You can change the strength of the returns by adjusting the antenna elevation up and down, but for the most part, there’s no narrow band of returns. I was in a Hornet last night flying over the Straight of Hormuz at 36,000 feet and I had returns for most of the 160 mile range I was on. So with all that being said, the obvious question is… are they suppose to work this way that I’m seeing? Are the radars in the FA-18, F-16 and JF-17 that much better? Or is there a flaw in the way they’re modeled? The jet I worked on in the US Navy had a somewhat basic search radar with a range of around 150 miles. Unfortunately I never got to see it work airborne. I mean, the F-16 is about the same age as the F-15. But the F-16 appears to have a better A/G radar, at least in this way. So, is it suppose to be this way? Maybe the F-15E radar is this way to allow it to do the HRM…? I dunno. 
Thoughts?

Edit: Here's a few screen shots of the aircraft I have tested. 

Edited July 10, 2023 by brettt777