TWS -> RWS

[IvanK]

Confused with TWS to RWS switching.

If I have the WCS in RAD I am in RWS with the rectangular Acq box. I select the TWS switch up to the FHS position I then see the square Acq box ... so I am now in TWS.

How do I go back directly to RWS ? placing the TWS down to the RHS position still leaves me in TWS.

 

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

It’s track-while-fly (TWF), not track-while-scan (TWS).

It’s basically just the equivalent of an L&S target, or a track file that the WCS generates based on which contact it seems most urgent (based on closure speed and angle-off, I bet).

[IvanK]

yes OK TWF v TWS (transliteration)  but the question remains how to get back to RWS  or deselect TWF ?

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

I don’t remember it being covered in Wags’ video, but I’d imagine simply flipping the switch back down again will allow you to resume manual target selection instead of letting the WCS take care of that.

12 minutes ago, IvanK said:

placing the TWS down to the RHS position still leaves me in TWS.

How did you determine that? By the target box still being around the initial radar contact, or by not being able to move the target box (TDC) around manually?

[IvanK]

After placing the switch down the Square Acq box is there indicating TWF still in force. 

Seems to me there should perhaps be a third centre position of the switch TWF OFF. 

 TWF switch Up according to the video tuts is FHS optimized for head on targets and RHS for Tail on targets.

Edited yesterday at 06:54 AM by IvanK

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Did you try the target unlock button?

In any case, I’d not treat the system as TWS/RWS, but simply as a soft auto-target feature to ease pilot workload - so you don’t have to operate the TCS (which is on the stick) and fly the aircraft manually at the same time.

[AeriaGloria]

Yeah, I always thought it was a three position switch. So no idea how to turn TWS completely off. 

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Will it auto-highlight a new contact after the first one is taken out, even with the switch in the down position? It is something to test… For now I’m still building muscle memory on actually flying the plane and some basic emergency procedures such as 1-engine operations.

I prefer to focus on aviate-navigate-communicate for the first week(s) or so after getting a new module. I’m in no rush to start blowing stuff up

[AeriaGloria]

2 minutes ago, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

Will it auto-highlight a new contact after the first one is taken out, even with the switch in the down position? It is something to test… For now I’m still building muscle memory on actually flying the plane and some basic emergency procedures such as 1-engine operations.

I prefer to focus on aviate-navigate-communicate for the first week(s) or so after getting a new module. I’m in no rush to start blowing stuff up

I mean, I will try this, but the thing is down is still TWS for ZPS/MPRF/Dogon/Pursuit mode 

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

12 minutes ago, AeriaGloria said:

I mean, I will try this, but the thing is down is still TWS for ZPS/MPRF/Dogon/Pursuit mode 

Yes I get that, but if there are either no other contacts, or all of the contacts are nose hot, what will the WCS do then? It is not meant to auto-highlight high closure-rate contacts, as you say.

[AeriaGloria]

Well TWS works off speed divided by range. Whichever target has the highest is highlighted. It should still work in ZPS

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

Ok then, what if you turn away and/or point the radar to a section of the sky where there are no targets, and then flip the radar switch to dummy and back to illuminate?

The radar and WCS were not designed to work the way US systems do. Was it ever used independently of GCI to control/sanitise a piece of sky, successfully?

[AeriaGloria]

47 minutes ago, Raven (Elysian Angel) said:

Ok then, what if you turn away and/or point the radar to a section of the sky where there are no targets, and then flip the radar switch to dummy and back to illuminate?

The radar and WCS were not designed to work the way US systems do. Was it ever used independently of GCI to control/sanitise a piece of sky, successfully?

The reason TWS mode exists is specifically for when flying without GCI or datalink, since you don’t get target speed info, TWS does it for you 

[IvanK]

Hmm.

There seems there is an interface between Radar Modes/PRF and the position of the TWF switch.

If you are head on with the radar mode switch in High PRF and the TWF switch in FHS you get TWF .

If you are head on with the radar mode switch in High PRF and the TWF switch in RHS the radar remains in Range while search.

So if you want to stay in RWS it seems the TWF switch must be in the opposite position (PRF wise) to the current Radar mode selected PRF.

Vice versa as well.

In addition something I have noticed is PRF selection changes the shape of the Acq cursor in the HUD. there are 2 thickness rectangles that change with PRF selection.

AUTO (Intl PRF) =           Thick Rectangle

HEAD ON (High PRF) = Thin Rectangle

Pursuit (Med PRF) = Square

A square ACQ box does NOT indicate TWF. For instance if you have RDR mode head on (High PRF) with TWF switch in FHS you still get the thin rectangle that snaps to the highest threat target. 

Edited 17 hours ago by IvanK

[CrazyGman]

It seems pretty straight forward to me when I use it. 

 

TWF FHS will enable the track-while-fly that tracks the computed highest threat target. Selecting TWF to the RHS turns off TWF. It's like the coop switch that has seperate functions. Coop mode on-off, and low drag and high drag bombs depending on the position, while this switch also covers 2 different functions TWF on or off when using the radar, or FHS and RHS if using the IRST sensor. TWF can work in the auto, head on, and pursuit mode. If you want to lock the target you still press and hold the lock button, or you wait till your in weapons range where it will auto lock if your in TWF. Currently I use it to reduce work load a bit, and to help lock, or to see if a contact is real or just a false contact.

Edited 16 hours ago by CrazyGman

[CrazyGman]

18 hours ago, AeriaGloria said:

Yeah, I always thought it was a three position switch. So no idea how to turn TWS completely off. 

The switch I believe is like the coop switch. It's either TWF "on or off" if using the radar. Or it's FHS or RHS if using the IRST sensor. The coop switch is labeled the same way.

Edited 16 hours ago by CrazyGman

[IvanK]

CrazyGman that is an interesting explanation Off to go try again.

[AeriaGloria]

3 hours ago, IvanK said:

Hmm.

There seems there is an interface between Radar Modes/PRF and the position of the TWF switch.

If you are head on with the radar mode switch in High PRF and the TWF switch in FHS you get TWF .

If you are head on with the radar mode switch in High PRF and the TWF switch in RHS the radar remains in Range while search.

So if you want to stay in RWS it seems the TWF switch must be in the opposite position (PRF wise) to the current Radar mode selected PRF.

Vice versa as well.

In addition something I have noticed is PRF selection changes the shape of the Acq cursor in the HUD. there are 2 thickness rectangles that change with PRF selection.

AUTO (Intl PRF) =           Thick Rectangle

HEAD ON (High PRF) = Thin Rectangle

Pursuit (Med PRF) = Square

A square ACQ box does NOT indicate TWF. For instance if you have RDR mode head on (High PRF) with TWF switch in FHS you still get the thin rectangle that snaps to the highest threat target. 

It is just unfinished and all effected by range scales 

Normally cursor is 8 degrees wide 5 km long 

With TWS is 8 degrees wide and 10 km

With scales changing from 50-150 km. You can see what happens 

[IvanK]

4 hours ago, CrazyGman said:

The switch I believe is like the coop switch. It's either TWF "on or off" if using the radar. Or it's FHS or RHS if using the IRST sensor. The coop switch is labeled the same way.

Just tested again. That is the answer. Thanks for the input CrazyGman