Stickler Posted December 26, 2024 Posted December 26, 2024 (edited) According to the RL 34-1-1 and the 347 TFW DOW NIP #24, antenna hand control operation is not possible in Pave Spike track mode when a PPI radar display is selected. In the game, antenna hand hand control operation is possible in Pave Spike track mode despite selection of a PPI radar display. I do not claim to understand WHY a deselection of PPI is necessary since the cross track and along track cursor are moved by the respective wheels and not the antenna hand controller. Based on the above sources it is not entirely clear either whether an absolute requirement exists to select B WIDE or if any mode except PPI WIDE/NAR is possible. A possible reason why B NAR could cause conflicts is because in that mode the antenna hand controller is used to position the 45° B-sweep scan sector. Since that sector does not exist in VI, I cannot see how VI would conflict with track mode. Edited December 28, 2024 by Stickler 1
Stickler Posted December 27, 2024 Author Posted December 27, 2024 (edited) Noticed some consistent Pave Spike behaviour which is likely related to the above but the logic of which I cannot really explain based on available documentation. In the attached track (memory_mode.trk), notice me initially picking up a radar contact in PPI and WRCS ACQ, hitting FREEZE, then switching to TV mode. The pod is initially perfectly pointed at the target, as expected. While remaining in PPI, I enter track mode and move the cursor to the right for a short distance (which shouldn't be possible as established above). When subsequently entering Memory mode by switching back to RDR, the radar cursors have moved to a seemingly random location nowhere near the carrier. I then reestablish the radar track and switch back to TV; the carrier is again visible. Before entering track mode again, I switch the display to B WIDE, hoping that this would prevent the above random cursor/pod drift. However, I notice that in B WIDE, I can actually move the TV picture using the ALONG TRACK and CROSS TRACK controls, which I am not sure would realistically work in that mode since there are no cursors in B WIDE (or B NAR or VI, for that matter). Upon entering track mode and subsequently slewing the TV picture a bit to the right as before, I would expect to thereby move the to-be-memorized position only slightly. However, when switching back to PPI, it can be seen that the cursors have actually moved a substantial distance and are nowhere near the carrier, as before. --- In a branch of the above scenario (see memory_mode_2.trk), I initially establish a radar fix on the target using FREEZE and TGT INSERT. I then switch to TV mode and to B WIDE. I subsequently command track mode and move the reticle over the target. Upon hitting TGT INSERT, which I expect would trigger memory mode, the pod instead moves aggressively away from the target. Verifying its position in PPI, the cursors now seem to be centered in azimuth and on a point about 5 miles ahead of the aircraft. Note that hitting FREEZE before selecting TGT INSERT a second time or having a valid laser lock on the target does not lead to a different behaviour (no separate tracks made). The only workaround I have found to avoid these unexpected movements is to initially establish the radar fix as above, then refine the pod's viewpoint in TV mode not in track mode, but using the ALONG TRACK and CROSS TRACK wheels (which likely wouldn't have worked IRL in B WIDE, as above), and then enter track mode and hold the bomb release button depressed shortly prior to the estimated release point to create a "pseudo" TGT INSERT (compare here). --- In the track of a further branch (memory_mode_3.trk), it can be seen that while the system is in the above "pseudo" TGT INSERT mode, one can actually move the TV picture with the antenna hand controller while simultaneously moving the point the WRCS is looking at with the ALONG TRACK and CROSS TRACK wheels (reference the changing values in range and azimuth on the BDHI) while the bomb release button is held depressed. This works both in a B mode as well as in PPI. Due to a lack of pertinent documentation I cannot prove that this is incorrectly modelled but it "feels" like a bug. memory_mode.trk memory_mode_2.trk memory_mode_3.trk Edited December 30, 2024 by Stickler 1
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