correct as-is MGRS Created Steerpoints Has No Hud Or JHMCS Reference Symbology

[Buzz313th]

Still working my way through learning the DCS Viper and I am currently on the Viper Single Mission called "Out On The Range".

You depart Nellis for some air to ground practice with JTAC, then after dropping mud weapons you fly west to engage a few Mig 29's.

During the JTAC portion of the mission, I hold at steerpoint 2 and contact JTAC for a nine line.  I convert steerpoint 21 into a usable steerpoint from JTAC's MGRS coordinates.  I step back one steerpoint then forward again to recycle to steerpoint 21 making it the active steerpoint.  I notice that on my HSD, I see the new steerpoint 21, on the HSD I also see a cross next to it, which represents the SPI I believe.  I switch to AG mode, select rockets and look left out of the canopy to get a visual reference from the JHMCS as to where steerpoint 21 is so I can roll in and start my attack run..  Nowhere in the helmet can I find a steerpoint line that points to steerpoint 21, a tadpole or a diamond,  I continue my left turn to roll onto where I think the steerpoint should be and I can't find it.  The only reference I can find is head down in the cockpit on the HSD a solid dot and a SPI cross, no reference or symbology to the steerpoint in the helmet at all.  As I roll out on where the steerpoint reference should be, I also notice that there is no HUD symbology for steerpoint 21 as well.   I struggle through the inconsistencies and what I expect should happen, haphazardly drop my ordinance and turn to the west to engage the 29's.  Then I notice the diamond in the HUD on steerpoint 3 to the west of me, I glance right to the DED and confirm that steerpoint 21 is selected, but the HUD is referencing SP 3?   

 

Why is the HUD and JHMCS symbology not referencing steerpoint 21 correctly?  Why when SP 21 is selected,  is the HUD and JHMCS referencing SP 3?    What is the point of going through the workflow of copying down the nine line, to input MGRS coords into the DED, convert them to a valid steerpoint and then have the wrong HUD and HMCS reference symbology at the worst possible time?  Surely the real F16C shows the pilot the JTAC MGRS converted waypoint in his visual cuing devices without having to drop his head into the cockpit to line up for an attack run?

What am I doing wrong?

[Lord Vader]

Hi @Buzz313th

As much as you make a great explanation of what's going on, we prefer to observe a track of the event so we can understand what's going on.

From your explanation, it seems you're confusing yourself with the deltas you may have added before during your engagement. Whenever you move the cursor in a weapon sub-mode, you'll adding deltas which then can only be removed by zeroing that cursor. This is just my own speculation, I would need to see exactly what you did. 

[Buzz313th]

34 minutes ago, Lord Vader said:

Hi @Buzz313th

As much as you make a great explanation of what's going on, we prefer to observe a track of the even so we can understand what's going on.

From your explanation, it seems you're confusing yourself with the deltas you may have added before during your engagement. Whenever you move the cursor in a weapon sub-mode, you'll adding deltas which then can only be removed by zeroing that cursor. This is just my own speculation, I would need to see exactly what you did. 

Sounds good.  I’ll make a track tomorrow and include it with a description.  Cheers

[Buzz313th]

2 hours ago, Lord Vader said:

Hi @Buzz313th

As much as you make a great explanation of what's going on, we prefer to observe a track of the event so we can understand what's going on.

From your explanation, it seems you're confusing yourself with the deltas you may have added before during your engagement. Whenever you move the cursor in a weapon sub-mode, you'll adding deltas which then can only be removed by zeroing that cursor. This is just my own speculation, I would need to see exactly what you did. 

It wasn't offsets or deltas, it was that Steerpoint 21 that I made from JTACS MGRS coordinates was not showing up as a diamond in the JHMCS or the HUD.  I just tried the same mission again to make a track for you and found that I needed to cycle all the way back to steerpoint 1 through 3 and then back to 21 for the diamond to show up in the HUD and HMCS.  When I had the issue of the symbology not showing up, I had only cycled from steerpoint 21 to 20 and then back to 21.  I guess you need to cycle all the way back to an active and actual steerpoint...

 

My issue is solved as it was operator error.  Feel free to delete this thread once you see my reply.

 

Cheers and Thanks

[bart]

Not to add more ingredients to the pot but.... I have been having all the same issues with the F16 as Buzz313th. I came from the Hornet and the Viper is a whole new beast!! and new systems logic to learn.

I have also been having this exact same issue, I recall seeing it in one of Wag's videos that you have to drop back one steerpoint then go back into 21 to enter it in the system and I was getting the same results as mentioned above, ie nothing was showing. So can anyone confirm that you have to cycle back to an active steerpoint that's in the current flightplan, say steerpoint 3, to get it to accept what has just been entered in steerpoint 21 and not just the previous unused steerpoint 20 which will probably have nothing in it unless you have a huge flightplan loaded?.

I would have thought the more streamlined the system is in a fast jet like the Viper, therefore the less workload on the pilot, the better it is. I can't imagine a Viper pilot out on a CAS shout with troops in trouble on the ground needing help quick, and the pilot feverishly going through multiple button presses to get the JTAC co ords into the system to get his TGP onto the bad guy's quickly, at night, and having to cope with a system that is at best clunky.

EDIT

Ok I just tried something on the AO server (no weapons). I picked a point on the F10 map and took the MRGS co ords, height etc. I entered the details into Steerpoint 21 whilst in Nav mode (also did a similar example whilst in A/G mode with same result). I created the steerpoint and got the symbology on the HUD and HMCS and the TGP slewed to the area after selecting steerpoint 20 then 21. I started heading over there and I could slew the TGP around whilst in NAV mode but lets say this was a CAS call out and there was several targets at this location. I could slew the TGP around the area and if I went CZ it would go back to the co ords entered for steerpoint 21. But if I wanted to drop a weapon on there and I go to A/G mode the TGP freezes and I can't slew it around at all in either Area, Point Track or INR. Is this because I have no weapons on board or does the logic say I have to keep swapping from A/G mode to NAV mode everytime I want to slew the TGP to a different tgt because it won't slew in A/G mode?

Hope I'm not hijacking thread here but I think all this has something in common going on here.

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by bart

[Buzz313th]

2 hours ago, bart said:

Hope I'm not hijacking thread here but I think all this has something in common going on here.

Right?

The workflow on the F16C is going to get some poor pilot killed.  It can't be this difficult in the real jet.  The current workflow just keeps throwing you curveballs.