[Resolved] Cant get back to TV weapons after AA fight or dumb bombs employment.

[normanleto]

Guys... since two hours I struggle in mission editor trying to narrow down the following problem:

 I can't get back to Mavs or Walleyes video feed (or even their amber ARM state) after dropping dumb bombs or using rockets with other selector mode. When switching the selector back to TV mode, mavs or walleyes are unreachable no matter what. I am sure I know how to use TVs, because they work as advertised at the start of the mission if no other weapons are selected before them.

Short video of the problem:

 

It even happens after an unexpected AA fight during AG mission. Seems like some selection logic for TV weapons gets broken if you select/do something specific and then try to get back to your TV weapons attack config

ofc I tried to reinitialize TV feed with jester menu, tried to turn the weapon and mode selectors around, cool off several mins to allow mavs or walleyes restore - but no joy. 

 

Is this a bug or feature?

Edited August 6, 2024 by normanleto

[Grundar]

There are a few things to try that may work for you.  Try giving the Weapons selector a turn to the B position for a short duration (a second or two)  and then revert it back to air to ground mode you want - TV for Mavericks, AGM-12 for Bullpup, ARM for shrike, Bombs for bombs etc..  This usually flicks you out of a CAGE mode from A-A but also seems to just clear settings from other modes.  It's effective post an A-A engagement and you wish to get back to A-G, I find.

Ensure you have the weapons stations you want to use selected and master arm is on. The Mavericks will initiated their 3 minute cooldown timer as well.

I also recall that you have to pull the trigger to get the maverick feed to appear on the TV feed or it will otherwise stay blank.

[normanleto]

2 hours ago, Grundar said:

There are a few things to try that may work for you.  Try giving the Weapons selector a turn to the B position for a short duration (a second or two)  and then revert it back to air to ground mode you want - TV for Mavericks, AGM-12 for Bullpup, ARM for shrike, Bombs for bombs etc..  This usually flicks you out of a CAGE mode from A-A but also seems to just clear settings from other modes.  It's effective post an A-A engagement and you wish to get back to A-G, I find.

Ensure you have the weapons stations you want to use selected and master arm is on. The Mavericks will initiated their 3 minute cooldown timer as well.

I also recall that you have to pull the trigger to get the maverick feed to appear on the TV feed or it will otherwise stay blank.

I did your suggestions  before, I also recorded a short video of how it looks from my side. Even tried to do some WSO seat tests, but nothing could bring back the walleyes to life.

Here is the video of a problem:

 

[Zabuzard]

8 minutes ago, normanleto said:

I did your suggestions  before, I also recorded a short video of how it looks from my side. Even tried to do some WSO seat tests, but nothing could bring back the walleyes to life.

Here is the video of a problem:

 

Since you have deselected the weapons, you have to wait 3 minutes for them to warm up again (this timer is hardcoded in their circuit) and then hit trigger to activate the camera again.

If that also doesnt do the trick, can you please send us a short track file showing the issue? That would be very helpful, thanks.

Edited August 6, 2024 by Zabuzard

[Grundar]

16 minutes ago, normanleto said:

I did your suggestions  before, I also recorded a short video of how it looks from my side. Even tried to do some WSO seat tests, but nothing could bring back the walleyes to life.

Here is the video of a problem:

 

 

Your work flow looks good, I think it is the super annoying warm up timer which resets each time you switch away.  It hasn't warmed up in time and won't release.

 

Edit: Sniped by Zab! *gasp* Also, track files very useful for the devs incase you have discovered a bug.

 

Edited August 6, 2024 by Grundar

[normanleto]

The timer is not the issue. I tried to get back to tv weapons after 15 minutes and there is still no way. I'll record the track tomorrow. You can always try to reproduce it before on your side.

Perhaps it is something with afghanistan map and the spawning in editor. What is interesting, the plane spawns itself with weapon selector already on TVs with such armament config.

 

[Grundar]

5 minutes ago, normanleto said:

The timer is not the issue. I tried to get back to tv weapons after 15 minutes and there is still no way. I'll record the track tomorrow. You can always try to reproduce it before on your side.

Perhaps it is something with afghanistan map and the spawning in editor. What is interesting, the plane spawns itself with weapon selector already on TVs with such armament config.

 

Yeah a track will be useful for the devs to see if there is something interfering or not triggering correctly. I've had a few issues with the Afghanistan map when flying the F-16, particularly the free flight mission which starts you in autopilot altitude hold for some reason which kept throwing me.  I haven't flown the F4 in Afghanistan so it could very well be a bug related to that. When I'm next on DCS I will give it a shot. Is this working for you on other maps - same set up but different map?

[hornblower793]

5 hours ago, normanleto said:

The timer is not the issue. I tried to get back to tv weapons after 15 minutes and there is still no way. I'll record the track tomorrow. You can always try to reproduce it before on your side.

Perhaps it is something with afghanistan map and the spawning in editor. What is interesting, the plane spawns itself with weapon selector already on TVs with such armament config.

 

As well as the track you could post the mission file here so we could try with exactly the same start conditions

[Grundar]

So I jumped in the mission editor and made a quick mission for Afghanistan and I was able to launch Walleye 1's.   The Walleye locks via contrast and I think that weather conditions/time of day will very heavily influence it's ability to even gain a lock.  I can fiddle with my DSCG screen contrast and brightness to see and lock a target, but it was much more hit and miss on the Afghanistan map than when I performed exactly the same on the Caucasus map where contrast was seemed better overall and it was much easier to achieve that initial lock.

Flew both theatres with hot starts and you are correct in that it defaults to TV mode and they are pre-armed (no warmup required unless you switch them out and then it reset to 3 minutes on my test).

I followed these procedures/information:

TV Guided Bomb use: https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/stores/air_to_ground/bombs/tv_guided_bombs.html

Walleye Specific information: https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/procedures/eo_guided_bombs.html?highlight=walleye#gbu-8-hobos-and-agm-62-walleye-12-tune-up

 

 

 

 

[normanleto]

21 hours ago, Grundar said:

So I jumped in the mission editor and made a quick mission for Afghanistan and I was able to launch Walleye 1's.   The Walleye locks via contrast and I think that weather conditions/time of day will very heavily influence it's ability to even gain a lock.  I can fiddle with my DSCG screen contrast and brightness to see and lock a target, but it was much more hit and miss on the Afghanistan map than when I performed exactly the same on the Caucasus map where contrast was seemed better overall and it was much easier to achieve that initial lock.

Flew both theatres with hot starts and you are correct in that it defaults to TV mode and they are pre-armed (no warmup required unless you switch them out and then it reset to 3 minutes on my test).

I followed these procedures/information:

TV Guided Bomb use: https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/stores/air_to_ground/bombs/tv_guided_bombs.html

Walleye Specific information: https://f4.manuals.heatblur.se/procedures/eo_guided_bombs.html?highlight=walleye#gbu-8-hobos-and-agm-62-walleye-12-tune-up

 

 

 

 

Thanks - I dont have problems using tv weapons or to lock them. Please read my initial post. I have problem getting back to a working tv mode after using any different dumb weapons beforehand during mission. So your quick test and tutorial links do not apply here, it has nothing to do with contrast lock and visibility for Walleyes or Mavs...

[Grundar]

28 minutes ago, normanleto said:

Thanks - I dont have problems using tv weapons or to lock them. Please read my initial post. I have problem getting back to a working tv mode after using any different dumb weapons beforehand during mission. So your quick test and tutorial links do not apply here, it has nothing to do with contrast lock and visibility for Walleyes or Mavs...

Sorry mate I should of been more clear in that post above in terms of what I tested, that's my bad.  The links were just the procedures I followed for the Walleyes so that I could show that i didn't do any deviation (other than put Master Arm on which isn't listed in the procedure in the manual) in their deployment.

Running the quick mission I made, I could move between modes such as switching and dropping some Mk-82's, firing some Aim-7E's and then successfully switching back to the Walleyes.  Releasing the Walleyes is noticeably more annoying than on other maps, hence why I mentioned contrast and that sort of thing as I had to do a lot of fiddling to get a useable picture to even get the lock to hold so I could then press and hold the weapons release in addition.  The problems with the switching to Walleye for me were post using the Aim-7's and switching from A-A to A-G modes, I'm not sure if I'm just missing a step or it is a bug of some kind. 

So When I had trouble releasing Walleyes during this mission I did the following:

• HUD to Standby
• DSCG Scope to Standby
• Deselect all Weapon Stations
• Delivery Mode dial to Off
• Weapons Select to B
• Master Arm off.

I would leave it set like that for 30 seconds or so, (an arbitrary time to be honest) and then set up for the Walleye as per the procedure I linked in the previous post. After that the Walleye display would appear approximately 3 minutes post being re-activated and once I dialed in my contrast and brightness I was able to successfully launch those weapons as well.

 

I will link my mission if it helps, it's just some BTR-70's and some buses hanging out approximately 6 miles ahead of your start point near Camp Bastion. I just used them for targets.  There is also a Bear circulating overhead for Aim-7 and Gun practice.

 

Walleye Test F4 Afghanistan.miz

[normanleto]

Thanks for your input. It seems that after last update things got better with "back to TV mode" problem and I dont struggle when switching different weapons and the going back to mavericks or walleyes. I would consider it as a solved with update. I also tested your file, but after yesterdays update, so I am not sure what exactly solved the problem.

[normanleto]

I am getting back after almost a year and the same OP problem persist. Cant' get TV weapons armed after switching back from other modes.

Am I the only one who has this very mission-destroying bug? I have another video recording but I can also make a track file...

[Zabuzard]

Track file would be preferable, ideally in Caucasus. Thank you  

[normanleto]

Here is the track. I am using Virpil stick and Orion throttle. Perhaps some conflict in the button causes a lack of arming? I don't know anymore. Sometimes switching the RIO square illuminated dial into WEAPONS helps, sometimes not. Of course, you have to be out of 5nm ACM radar mode by clicking twice the Jester context button.

no arm for tv weapons after other modes.trk

[Hog_driver]

I selected HOBOSs, waited ca. 3 minutes for the picture to appear, switched to Mark 82s, dropped them, selected HOBOSs again, waited another 3 minutes or so, found a target, dropped a HOBOS and destroyed 3 trucks with it

So it seems there's no bug, hopefully.

Edited April 22 by Hog_driver