More radar questions

I've noticed that when I bring the radar elevation down below the horizon line all the ground reflections start showing up on the display. This makes it impossible to search and track aircraft that fly below the horizon (ie when I am flying high). How are we supposed to search without all that interferrence? Is there a way to filter out the ground reflections? Surely it can pick up the doppler effect of moving aircraft over the non-moving ground.

It's not a look-down radar. If you are good and the radar is not too cluttered up you are able to distinguish a target from clutter, but it's not easy.

It's not a very good search radar.

Surely it can pick up the doppler effect of moving aircraft over the non-moving ground.

It's not a modern radar, what is the size of the target aircraft.

You are not expected to search for targets by yourself, rather be guided towards the target by GCI/AWACS and know the targets BRAA (Bearing, range, altitude and attitude).

For a similar sized fighter (co-altitude and hot), NASA tested a prototype (APQ-153) in 1974

• At 20,000 ft AGL, detection range was approx 9.25 Nm

• At 2,500 ft AGL, detection range was approx 5 Nm

I don't know what the range is in DCS.

 

You are not expected to search for targets by yourself, rather be guided towards the target by GCI/AWACS and know the targets BRAA (Bearing, range, altitude and attitude).

 

For a similar sized fighter (co-altitude and hot), NASA tested a pro-type (APQ-153) in 1974

 

• At 20,000 ft AGL, detection range was approx 9.25 Nm

• At 2,500 ft AGL, detection range was approx 5 Nm

 

I don't know what the range is in DCS.

Thanks Ramsay, makes sense. I think I found the NASA report you're talking about too.

I've noticed that when I bring the radar elevation down below the horizon line all the ground reflections start showing up on the display. This makes it impossible to search and track aircraft that fly below the horizon (ie when I am flying high). How are we supposed to search without all that interferrence? Is there a way to filter out the ground reflections? Surely it can pick up the doppler effect of moving aircraft over the non-moving ground.

IIRC the F-5 radar is a simple Pulse radar, that is not Doppler capable and hence has no look down capability (unless over the ocean or at very high altitude).

Correct, the F-5E radar is only slightly more sophisticated than the MiG-21bis. And per that NASA report, the tracking mode is conical scan like old SAM systems.

Follow-up question to this, I did the AWACS Hunt mission that comes with the module. I flew up with my flight of F-5Es, plus some other flights in the air at the same time. As we were flying towards the mission area, one of my wingmen who was alongside me said 'CONTACT BEARING 328 FOR 80'. My read of this is that he was telling us that he picked up a contact at 328 degrees 80nm away. But how could he have done that if the F-5E radar has a max range of 40nm?

Pretty sure it wasn't our AEW&CS either as he hadn't taken off at that point.

Follow-up question to this, I did the AWACS Hunt mission that comes with the module. I flew up with my flight of F-5Es, plus some other flights in the air at the same time. As we were flying towards the mission area, one of my wingmen who was alongside me said 'CONTACT BEARING 328 FOR 80'. My read of this is that he was telling us that he picked up a contact at 328 degrees 80nm away. But how could he have done that if the F-5E radar has a max range of 40nm?

 

Pretty sure it wasn't our AEW&CS either as he hadn't taken off at that point.

AI are super human in some aspects. Quite annoying and immersion braking.

Ive even had wingman calls at 380km (was flying in the MiG-21 with AI wingman). So I just get of their frequency until I need them.

Follow-up question to this, I did the AWACS Hunt mission that comes with the module. I flew up with my flight of F-5Es, plus some other flights in the air at the same time. As we were flying towards the mission area, one of my wingmen who was alongside me said 'CONTACT BEARING 328 FOR 80'. My read of this is that he was telling us that he picked up a contact at 328 degrees 80nm away. But how could he have done that if the F-5E radar has a max range of 40nm?

 

Pretty sure it wasn't our AEW&CS either as he hadn't taken off at that point.

That's the superhuman DCS AI...

As we were flying towards the mission area, one of my wingmen who was alongside me said 'CONTACT BEARING 328 FOR 80'. My read of this is that he was telling us that he picked up a contact at 328 degrees 80nm away. But how could he have done that if the F-5E radar has a max range of 40nm?

The enemy's A-50 shows up on the F-5E RWR search 'mode'.

IRL one method would be to use triangulation to estimate range and bearing.

DCS's AI detection logic is simplified, so it 'knows' range and bearing when a contact shows up on it's RWR i.e.

It'd be more realistic if the AI just called out the RWR bearing i.e. 'CONTACT BEARING 328'

Hmm, interesting. I thought it was weird. Also might have to play around with the RWR some more, didn't realise it had a 'search' mode.

Thanks everyone.

Hmm, interesting. I thought it was weird. Also might have to play around with the RWR some more, didn't realise it had a 'search' mode.

 

Thanks everyone.

It's not supposed to have that search mode, but unfortunately it's now it's implemented in the game. It can be fixed though https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=190090