Can anyone confirm/comment: JTAC is not fully functional in MP

[Bahger]

I've spent hours in my new MP-only .miz (created with all client flights/AI and saved to the DCS/missions/MP folder) trying to get JTAC to work. I have tried almost every possible combination of platform (A-10s, Predators, infantry), proximity to the target and target unit/group. Only using FM for JTAC (I want to reserve AM for package common comms) but trying different frequencies, I have never, not once, been able to get JTAC to respond on check-in. He doesn't even broadcast position or target info from Bullseye, on his assigned frequency.

 

Just to be completely sure that something hadn't gone haywire in the sim, or with my default radio settings, I went back to older SP missions I've made...JTAC still worked fine.

 

Mission making is my main contribution to this community but I am out of ideas and on the verge of giving up trying to implement JTAC in MP, which is a pity as it is a superb feature in SP that distinguishes this sim from all others.

 

Rather than make a track file I'm wondering if a dev, or tester experienced in the ME could take a quick look at the .miz. As you know, I rarely pull the emergency cord like this, but this is the most vexing and seemingly inexplicable problem I've ever had in DCS A-10 and I've been flying it and making missions since the first Beta.

 

I'm at the end of my rope with this, out of ideas. Thank you in anticipation for any guidance and/or support.

[Nate--IRL--]

AFAIK MP JTAC comms worked in 1.1.0.7 - but perhaps wait for 1.1.0.8 and check again?

 

Post up the mission and I'll take a look.

 

Nate

[TRoe13]

Yea, JTAC should be working fine in MP now.... I've used it plenty of times in MP missions I've made. I'd say go ahead n post up the mission here Bahger and lets take a look n see if we can find anything.

[Bahger]

Many thanks TRoe13. If you -- or anyone -- can get AFAC "Chevy" flight to respond to calls on any FM freq in the attached mission, I'll owe you big time.

 

Apart from the JTAC glitch, it's a well-evolved medium-scale .miz with some radio placeholders. It's a Beta but there is a full briefing and all client Hogs have loadouts. No pre-loaded flightplan, use the briefed nav points I inputted into the data base which can be accessed in cockpit via the CDU.

 

You don't even neeed to fly the .miz, really, just take a Hog up to where you should be able to talk to Chevy but stay out of the SAM envelope. Thanks again, I'm at my wit's end.

 

Note: I have attached 2 files, the latest version of the mission (it's MP only) and a "FacTest" version that starts you in the air as "Player" and might save you some time; this version has slightly different FAC tasking. You will also see that I want the FAC to push to his FAC frequency at a waypoint.

 

If you can get the FAC to respond, please post your radio transmission settings because I cannot receive anything from him on FM, nothing.

MP2_08.miz

MP2_08_FACtest.miz

[Nate--IRL--]

You must set his Frequency and Modulation in Advanced Tasks - Perform Commnad AFAIK. Not sure what Comm does any more

 

EDIT:- See attached mission - 46mhz FM for Chevy 1

 

Nate

MP2_08_FACtest.miz

Edited May 24, 2011 by Nate--IRL--

[Bahger]

Hey Nate. I did that in every case, i.e. set the frequency and modulation in the Waypoint/Advanced/Perform Command menu. For aircraft, as opposed to land-based FAC units, JTAC has always worked for me after inputting the frequency/modulation one time in the unit's Comm field. When I use land-based FACs, I always set the frequency/modulation in the Waypoint/Advanced menu. For the .miz attached in this thread, I tried both methods, to no avail.

 

I cannot test it right now so can you tell me: Did you get the JTAC in my .miz to work, and, if so, how? The upload had either 75 or 30 MHz FM set in the WP menu, but only at the WP containing the FAC orders-- the method I've always used -- not all of them.

[Nate--IRL--]

I set Advanced/Perform Command - Set frequency to 46mhz FM for Chevy 1 in the First waypoint. Ignore the Comm Field.

 

Please try a new simple mission with 1 predator & Target and 1 player and try again with the predators Freq and modulation set in Advanced/Perform Command - Set frequency at the first waypoint.

 

If you set frequency for JTAC at WP 3 for example, you can't contact him until he gets to WP3

 

Nate

[Bahger]

Yeah, I wanted not to be able to contact the AFAC until he reached WP3 because before then he should be on the package common AM freq. However, even after WP3 he was uncontactable.

 

I will make those little test missions, test them and post them here, thanks as ever, Nate.

[Nate--IRL--]

Also note.....

 

The VHF/AM transmits and receives between 116.00 and 151.975 MHz.

 

The UHF radio frequency range runs from 225.000 to 399.975 MHz.

 

The VHF/FM operates between 30.000 and 76.000 MHz.

 

Nate

[Bahger]

I had a thought (it happens occasionally): Discounting ME user error (I am very experienced in putting fully-functional JTACs into missions), the fact that the JTAC appears not to be transmitting to the player at all, even routine Bullseye reports, may be attributable to the player's (i.e. my) choice of a/c when testing the mission in a closed LAN server. I've heard before that only the host gets reliable contact with JTAC in MP. I have been testing the .miz in one of eight client a/c, not the first one I created. In a MP mission with a JTAC, should one a/c, for the host, be "Player", not client?

 

I know this is clutching at straws.

 

I'm making those test missions, starting with one "Client" Hog and a JTAC transmitting on 35 MHz FM. I will then experiment with JTACs that take off in-mission rather than start in the air, and JTACs that have orders to change frequency en route per waypoint instructions. If it works, I cannot think how I can troubleshoot the .miz in which every form of JTAC/target combo does not work.

[Damage]

Rather than make a track file I'm wondering if a dev, or tester experienced in the ME could take a quick look at the .miz. As you know, I rarely pull the emergency cord like this, but this is the most vexing and seemingly inexplicable problem I've ever had in DCS A-10 and I've been flying it and making missions since the first Beta.

 

I'm at the end of my rope with this, out of ideas. Thank you in anticipation for any guidance and/or support.

 

I'm no expert at mission building but I was able to contact Chevy AFAC on FM by making a couple minor changes. The default channel for Chevy was FM 45. I listened in on FM 45 as he reached his 1st waypoint and confirmed that I could hear him checking in with his position. When Chevy reached waypoint 2 where he was to begin AFAC (assigning targets) I added an advance waypoint action: Perform Command / Set Frequency / 44MHz FM. I bumped this up near the top of the list to occur prior to assigning groups. I was then able to communicate and get a response on channel 44. I got good UTM coordinates and followed them right to the tanks.

 

To help with my testing I also added two triggers to let me know when Chevy was passing through waypoints 1 and 2. These are at the bottom of the trigger list and can easily be removed. I also changed the position of the player aircraft and added a couple waypoints just so I could keep track of when Chevy was nearing his waypoints. This allowed me to speed up the mission time and slow it down again when I needed to check the radios.

 

I attached the missing and track file. I hope this helps.

MP2_08A_FACtest.miz

AFAC.trk

[TRoe13]

I just tried it, all i did was set the freq to 75 FM on waypoint 2. I sat on the ground after starting the mission, went upstairs n got some breakfast, came back down and started up my plane, took off. I added a little trigger to notify me when he made it to that steerpoint and when i got the message I contacted him, worked fine, sent me my data and all that good stuff.

 

~~EDIT~~ ahh looks like =Damage= beat me to it ;) but yea, the good news is it works

Edited May 25, 2011 by TRoe13

[Bahger]

Damage, many thanks. I really appreciate the assist. I might have come to the same conclusion independently, please see my other thread here. (Mods, feel free to merge threads, sorry about the doubling).