Newbie Help: ATC and Finding Targets

[bryguy]

Hi,

 

Newb question here:

 

1. I'm pretty sure I have the radios set-up properly, but when I send a message to ATC requesting Start-Up, no one replies. Same thing when contacting Death Star.

 

I have the Volume up, correct frequency in, knob set to Transmit Receive, I key the mic, and no one replies.

 

 

2. I'm having a hard time 'spotting' targets on the ground. By the time I've found someone, I've already flown over him.

 

Any advice on how to identify targets from a distance?

 

 

 

Cheers,

[StrongHarm]

WarriorX's radio guide is thoroughly good.

 

 

 

Spotting Targets:

1. MK1 Eyeball

2. TGP AG

3. TGP AA

4. Maverick Slave

 

General Notes - Be sure to utilize one of the best aspects of your Hawg.. the ability to fly slow. I like to get 8-10k, decrease my thrust to 70-75% to maintain between 180 and 200ks, and use my autopilot so I can focus on my MFDs or out the canopy. Remember to keep your eye on the TAD and maintain situational awareness.. always know where you are. Depending on the terrain and my separation, I'll use either a box pattern with Alt/Hdg autopilot or an slow circular orbit with alt autopilot.

 

1. MK1 Eyeball - You'd be suprised how much you can spot with your eyes. I like to zoom in and change my TrackIR to Precision Mode ( I use alt+F7, default is just F7 ). Look for dust plumes for moving targets. For non-moving targets look for an area where secondary fires are already burning from the battle. If you have stationary targets that are masked by terrain and haven't been engaged, they can be very difficult to find. In this case I just send in my wingman.. he has impeccable vision! If you do spot a target with your eye there are a number of ways that you can go about getting your TGP on it. Since I'm already viewing it with my eye, I'll usually just bring the aircraft about and use the Target Designation Cue. This is the box that's slaved to your TVV until you make HUD SPI and slew.. you can slew the TDC down to our target, then TMS ForLong to make it SPI. The other method I've used is to compare the terrain to the TAD, get a rough idea of distance with your eye (at 10k ft, objects even with your wingtip are about 10-12nm away.. use your wing as a ruler), slew the TGP diamond over to the approx area while watching the TAD. You can also hook your TAD cursor so you can get a hdg/dis to the spot. You can then create a markpoint and slave all to SPI. PLEASE someone tell me if there's a better way to do this:

*Make TAD SOI

*Change to Hook Cursor

*Change FOV to EXP1 or 2 (china forShort)

*Slew cursor around and you can see hdg/dis on lower right

*Create a markpoint then set it as SPI, slave all to SPI to view on TGP

 

 

2. TGP AG - Besides the obvious 'slew around till you hit paydirt' aspects, there are a few things I like to do:

*Hit CTRL+kpd0 then kpd6 to view only the right MFD

*Use coolie down to swap MFDs often and check your position on the TAD

*Change from BHOT to WHOT to CCD often to reveal targets by contrast

*Turn your gain all the way up (OSB 19/20?) then back 1 or 2 until the terrain isn't washed out. This will make objects jump out nicely.

*Refocus often (DMS Left Short)

*Change FOV wide/narrow often

 

3. TGP AA - I've had some success in finding objects using TGP AA mode. You'll notice that, unlike AG mode, AA RATES will automatically point out any obvious silhouette with an additional moving cross. The problem with that is it points to buildings, electric poles, etc, as well as aircraft and ground vehicles. To use this effectively you have to have a good standoff distance of 10+nm. Make sure the search area is within a 45deg cone from your nose. You can make an object SPI from this mode, and mark it, just like TGP.AG mode.

 

4. Maverick Slave - I've had little success using this method, atleast with MAV-Ds. Although the mav computer will lock on silhouettes, it's hard (since mav is WIP) to get a good visual description of what your mav is tracking unless you're very close (<5nm or <)

 

Hope these methods cut your training time. I'm looking forward to reading about other methods.

[RodBorza]

Everything what StrongHarm said plus:

1) You don't need to do everything by yourself. Under the "10. Other" radio options you have a lot of flights that are available to help you, as SEAD and CAP.

Call them if you are having trouble with enemy SAMs and aircrafts;

 

2) The JTAC is your friend. Learn how to contact him and to handle the 9 line briefing and so on. There's lots of threads and posts telling how to do this. Also, if you do a search for it on You Tube you'll find that some very nice people out there did some very nice videos on how to use JTAC. It is really easy after awhile.

 

Regarding the ATC, it is broken on this game. Gives very few information.

Regardless, I believe you are not being able to contact the ATC prior to start-up because your radios are not on. I believe you'll have to turn ground power first in order to have the radios working properly prior to ask for start-up clearence. See this nice video from our friend Dragon on You Tube:

 

Also, check if you are using the right comms options on the game settings. If you are using easy comms the way to contact is by hitting the "\" key. If you are using the realistic comms, then follow Warrior X guide.

 

Well, this sim is not an easy one to learn. Read, read, read, ask, ask, ask, (and please, search, search search for what you are looking for before you ask) and train. The learning curve is steep, long but in the end, very satisfying.

[Zenra]

StrongHarm wrote another great mini tutorial here, and RodBorza's comments are on the mark, too.

 

I think the TAD is one of the greatest systems on the A-10C, and coupled with the TGP as StrongHarm describes is a great way to log and mark the targets you find during a recon pass (or while orbiting, if you can do so safely from a distance), then extend and set up for the attack. It allows you to do just what the AFAC pilots describe doing in "A10s Over Kosovo" but with the TGP instead of gyro-stabilized binoculars and the TAD instead of paper maps.

 

All-in-all a great part of the sim, IMHO.