cannot help without a track file Problems with STT lock during Aim-7 flight

[Mike_CK]

I’m hoping someone can recommend a good (updated) YouTube video or article explaining the F.A-18s radar in STT.

I’ve been flying the F/A-18, F-16, Mirage 2000 and F-14 -all of them- for over 4 years. I don’t have this issue at all with the latter 3….but with the Hornet, I can’t keep a damned STT lock AFTER firing an Aim-7 until impact.
 

as an example- today on MP PvE- I was at 10,000ft and STT locked a Mig 23 at about 12,000ft off my nose hot at about 38 miles. We were headed directly at each other and i kept the lock for the entire time. At 8.5 miles - with Vc of 1100 kts- I fired an Aim-7. One second after it left the rail, radar drops lock. I reaquire at about 6.4 miles, fire again and About 2 seconds into flight, I see he is beginning to turn into the notch as my radar drops lock (he had just started his turn). 
 

I finally reaquired him again coming out of the notch off his 4:30-5o’clock at 4 miles. I fire another AIM-7…it tracks…and about 2 seconds after launch, i drop lock!   (We were both at 7k feet over the desert.

I don’t know- still- what I am doing wrong. I don’t have this issue at all firing sparrows in the F-14, 530s in the Mirage or AMRAAMs (in STT) in the F-16. It’s only the hornet and it has been an issue since I first flew it fall 2019

any recommendations?

[Tholozor]

There's a few open reports regarding problems that sound related to this, but without a track it's hard to tell if your scenario matches these same conditions:

 

Edited March 23 by Tholozor

[Mike_CK]

Well, I was hoping that -by now anyway- radar issues were all fixed and I was doing something wrong…maybe i still am.

i would add that the lock seems to always drop within the first 2-3 seconds after launch. If it hold past the first 3 seconds, it will usually stay locked. 

EDIT: i usually switch to med PRF from the high/med interleave (or whatever it’s called) when the bad guy gets inside 20 miles. I guess it could mess things up if it switches to “high” after a launch. I’ll try and get a track (I think I’m understanding those other reports )

Edited March 23 by Mike_CK