TPOD: ATRK vs. PTRK

SCS in the direction of the FLIR page will toggle point and area track, but the box will not be drawn in the middle unless the FLIR has a valid point track. No box could mean the FLIR is in point track but without a valid contrast lock.

 

Also, I believe that the FLIR on the MPCD is a WIP thing that isn't actually possible on the real jet. My understanding from another post is that the FLIR can only be assigned to the left or right DDI, and that the page should not be available on the MPCD.

Hmm I did not know that. Always thought that FLIR imagery could be displayed on the MPCD. Hope someone can give us an answer. Perhaps this is one of those lot-specific things and older lots couldn't whereas newer lots had the ability.

Just to follow up on Notso's excellent explanation with a bit of rudimentary info in case you need it: while the TGP's laser is primarily used as a target illumination laser for laser guided weapons, it also functions as a laser range finder. When attacking a target using weapons that are not laser guided, firing the laser briefly before designating the target results in a much more accurately described designation point, as the range to the designation point is then very accurately known. If you do not fire the laser, then the Hornet will use the angle the pod is currently pointing and the radar altimeter to make a guess. Measuring the distance with the laser will always be more accurate than guessing.

 

 

I know it is modeled with the A-10C. I'm unsure of it is in the Hornet yet.

Thanks, and good add. I forget that its not obvious to all that lasers are both a designation as well as a ranging device. That's why most of the time it is commonly referred to as an "LRD" or Laser Rangefinder/Designator

When you say fire laser briefly, is that 1or2 seconds?

 

 

Also can you please tell me if this is accurate, as it works perfectly without transferring to PP:

"A neat feature of the targeting pod is that you can designate

targets with it even without a laser. The laser is used for laser-

guided weapons, so the GPS-guided units only need valid

coordinates. These coordinates can be obtained by designating a

target with the targeting pod while the JDAM/JSOW is in TOO

(Target of Opportunity) Mode. The coordinates are then

memorized, and simply switching to PP (Pre-Planned) mode will

automatically transfer these coordinates to the selected"

JDAM/JSOW.

This was from Chuck's manual p.199.

As long as you are getting valid ranging from the laser at the time the coordinates or designation is commanded, it can be 1-2 sec or longer depending on the atmospherics.

As to Chuck's guide, his wording is mostly correct. He is correct that you can designate without the laser using the pod angle trigonometry as I described earlier. But its not as accurate as when using the laser during the designation. He is correct that coordinates can be gathered by the TGP without the laser but again they will not be as accurate as when the laser is fired when those coordinates are being stored and memorized. The GPS bombs will only be as accurate as the coordinates sent to them. GIGO.

As long as you are getting valid ranging from the laser at the time the coordinates or designation is commanded, it can be 1-2 sec or longer depending on the atmospherics.

 

As to Chuck's guide, his wording is mostly correct. He is correct that you can designate without the laser using the pod angle trigonometry as I described earlier. But its not as accurate as when using the laser during the designation. He is correct that coordinates can be gathered by the TGP without the laser but again they will not be as accurate as when the laser is fired when those coordinates are being stored and memorized. The GPS bombs will only be as accurate as the coordinates sent to them. GIGO.

I have tried some JSOW w/wo laser I'm not sure I'm getting the accuracy difference you mentioned.

On another note anyone ever see this happen. Upon lowering the landing gear I get a video of spinning slot machine wheels along with accompanied music in my left DDI:doh:

https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=231250&stc=1&d=1585715982

edit: I read it's a 4/1 Easter egg gag

Notso, I've spent over an hour testing the benefit of tgt lasing using a 30+storey building, aiming for the second to top floor and the JSOW flew over the roof top and impacted the ground behind the building. It's not taking the hypotenuse but rather the angle right to where the ground co-ords would be expected.

I repeated these tests over and over.

My feeling is it's not modelled.

I have tried some JSOW w/wo laser I'm not sure I'm getting the accuracy difference you mentioned.

 

On another note anyone ever see this happen. Upon lowering the landing gear I get a video of spinning slot machine wheels along with accompanied music in my left DDI:doh:

 

https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=231250&stc=1&d=1585715982

 

edit: I read it's a 4/1 Easter egg gag

Happens every time i lower the gear and mess up my CASE 1 where i need several attempt to hit jackpot to lower the gear..

It works on the ampcd fine, you need a tgt with at least a bit of contrast, as opposed to testing an area of empty water in the middle of the ocean.

Yes, in DCS right now it does, the thing is that it is not entirely realistic.

I've seen in other threads on this forum that in the real jet either the FLIR page cannot be displayed on the MPCD at all, or that if the FLIR is assigned to the MPCD that it still displays in green. I'm not sure which is correct for our Lot 20 Hornet. Either way, the grayscale FLIR on the MPCD is not realistic and will be going away eventually.

Yes, in DCS right now it does, the thing is that it is not entirely realistic.

 

I've seen in other threads on this forum that in the real jet either the FLIR page cannot be displayed on the MPCD at all, or that if the FLIR is assigned to the MPCD that it still displays in green. I'm not sure which is correct for our Lot 20 Hornet. Either way, the grayscale FLIR on the MPCD is not realistic and will be going away eventually.

There is video of a Cf18 pilot describe functions of the aircraft and claimed that he liked to use FLIR on the MPCD.

and ive seen some vidoes that show the MPCD pages don't have green text but white text kind of like the Super Hornets.

But perhaps this varies on software suite.