Need help with JTAC lasing, SPARKLE

[Oceansize]

Hi all, LTLFTP! (Long-Time Lurker, First-Time Poster) :-P

 

I've got several racks of GBU-12's on a night JTAC mission. I announce IP Inbound and all that, but now JTAC lases my target instead of popping a smoke. I know I probably have to fiddle with the LSS functions of the TGP, but basically I'm wondering: how do I find/see the JTAC lase? I can put a GBU-12 on my SPI just fine, but in the interest of following the chain of command I'd like to get cleared hot first. Pressing the "LSS" OSB on the TGP MFCD appears to do nothing special.

 

Oh, also I can't get my ground crew to stop yelling "Hey! What are you doing!" every time I pull out of a hangar. I make sure to turn the intercom rotary back to VHF along with un-depressing the hot mic and INT switches on the intercom panel before getting taxi clearance and throttling up, but they still yell at me. What am I missing?

 

Thanks in advance,

Ocean

[Oceansize]

I should mention I watched a video on YouTube of just this scenario, but the author did not ever seem to do anything special before announcing Sparkle. It was like he'd already done the mission and already knew where to point the TGP.

[AlphaOneSix]

"Sparkle" is an IR laser that you will need to view through NVG's, it is not visible through any mode of the TGP or via the LSS.

 

The "hey what are you doing" is definitely related to the ground crew, but off the top of my head it looks like your doing the right things...

[Zenra]

As A16 said SPARKLE refers to an IR pointer - it's not a laser, so LSS is of no use finding it.

 

As for the ground crew complaints, did you use ground power? If so they always say that, even if you correctly remember to ask them to disconnect ground power before taxiing.

[Oceansize]

I guess I just figured an IR pointer IS a laser since I thought that's all a laser was: infra-red light focused to a point! So no wonder why I was confused that an LSS system can't see an IR pointer. :-D

 

But no, I definitely do not have ground power connected. Unless: does it default to 'on' when doing a ramp start?

[Frederf]

If JTAC is designating the target then LSS is what you need and I think it's a long press of DMS left or right with TGP SOI but check the manual to be sure. They either give you the code or it's the default 1688. If they are pointing the target then it's a visual thing through NVGs.

 

If you want the Type 1/2 to continue then you can just say "Contact the Mark/Laser" even if you don't actually see it.

 

The ground crew will get stuck in "interacting mode" on refuel, ground power, and I think even rearm. For refuel it's a bug and there's nothing you can do. For ground power, don't use ground power for a mission start (in the next patch you will be able to start all systems as soon as APU GEN is online). For rearming I think they won't yell at you if you move once it's complete but I don't know. If you do everything right you can just ignore it.

[Oceansize]

Thx Frederf. Yeah the manual says DMS Right (long) is "LSS Toggle" but I misspoke...it is an IR pointer they're using, not a laser. So I guess I have to use NVG's but I don't know how I could have managed that in the mission where this first came up cuz it was a dusk mission and the goggles were blinding, even with the gain down.

 

As far as the ground crew issue is concerned, I'm talking about a ramp start, not a refuel or rearm, etc. Ground power is off, INT and Hot Mic are off, Intercom rotary is set to VHF. Yet they still get on me when I push off the ramp. Doesn't matter, just annoying. Also makes me jump too cuz its a loud voice I'm not expecting, and it is mad at me. :-)

[Frederf]

Well the IR pointer is a laser. The combat designator laser is a laser. The eye-safe training designator is a laser. The TGP has 3 lasers in it at three different wavelengths!

 

Are you doing an ATC request-for-engine-start? I think the ground crew are plugged into your intercom no matter what your switches are set to. The intercom system in the A-10C is darn confusing.

[Oceansize]

Sorry Frederf, Zenra above you just told me the IR pointer is NOT a laser; I'm just regurgitating what I'm told. :-)

 

Yes I am contacting ATC for engine start. I thought I had read somewhere here a few days ago that you had to "uncheck" the hot mic button and INT switch and turn the rotary back to VHF in order to "virtually" have the ground crew guys unplug from the jet, so that's what I've been doing.

What has really got me screwy is that I swear when I first started messing around with this sim, they never did that, and that was before I knew anything about the intercom panel.

 

You're correct, that intercom panel is one of most frustrating panels in the entire pit!

[Bahger]

I don't think you'll get a "Sparkle" from the JTAC if you specify LGBs, which require laser guidance and are not delivered while the pilot has LOS to the JTAC on the ground. I haven't tried it yet but I always assumed that if the JTAC is programmed in the ME to call for gun or rockets (or perhaps other unguided weapons) and it's nighttime, he will "sparkle". Would appreciate confirmation...

[Zenra]

I stand corrected as I misspoke - while the IR pointer IS a laser, it is not of a wavelength identifiable using LSS as far as I know.