VOR and NDB Navigation

[Kreutzberg]

Thanks, Heatblur for this great module! I have some questions about navigation with VORs and NDBs. The navigation computer and TACAN are certainly the primary way to navigate this plane (and they work quite well), but I would like to understand the alternatives! There might be bugs here, or just user error, so I would appreciate any feedback. I have done some searching but am not finding these specific issues. I also waited until today's patch to make sure they weren't just fixed, but everything is the same. 

For VORs, my understanding is that they should basically work just like TACANs. For the most part, they do, but I'm seeing some weird anomalies. For example, on the Nevada map, where we have VOR/TAC stations (which are both VORs and TACANs), dialing up different frequencies results in different bearing pointers and different radials. I'm including a track with this one, locking onto the TPH VOR/TAC with both systems showing the different results.

For NDBs, I'm struggling to get any reading at all. When I dial up the beacon's UHF frequency, I can't seem to lock onto it with the bearing pointer in ADF/TAC mode. I've tried all sorts of permutations with front and after cockpit radios both set to ADF and the correct frequency, but the bearing pointer just goes to the bottom right. My suspicion here is that I'm just doing it wrong. I don't see a procedure in the manual and would appreciate feedback.

Thank you!

VOR-TAC.trk

[=475FG= Dawger]

Non-Directional Beacons are not in the UHF band. The Automatic Direction Finding in the Phantom is UHF only, IIRC. 

[Kreutzberg]

16 hours ago, =475FG= Dawger said:

Non-Directional Beacons are not in the UHF band. The Automatic Direction Finding in the Phantom is UHF only, IIRC. 

Thanks! That does make sense--some frequencies won't even input. However, what types of signals can be navigated to? I've tried things like ATC from the F10 menu and am getting the same issues (though I may still be doing something wrong!).  

[Dominik96]

@Kreutzberg thank you for the track, that is indeed a bug (TACAN is showing the correct one), will be addressed immediately.

Re the NBS's, as mentioned above, there is no equipment in the F-4 that can read them. You can use the ADF through radio frequencies, the steering will be available when tuned to a station that is currently transmitting- e.g. tanker, ground station transmitting a looped message, etc. See below:
https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/dcs/mission_editor.html?highlight=ADF#radio-options

[Kreutzberg]

Thanks for the information! Glad to hear that the track will be helpful with the VOR/TACs.

That makes sense as well regarding ADF. I followed the manual's instructions and set up beacon. Under the right circumstances, it also points to an ATC station, but only when it's actually broadcasting!

[Kreutzberg]

@Dominik96 It looks like the VOR issue is fixed in yesterday's patch, probably the following: 

• Navigation: Fixed VOR showing true instead of magnetic bearings.

That's a really interesting, bug, actually! Thanks for addressing it!