Hoggorm Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Hi, I'm usually flying helicopters or the A-10. I was thinking of learning the F-5 but have serious issues understanding the radar. First and foremost, I really struggle finding targets at all. I made a simple mission where I was trailing a Su-25. Same altitude and a few miles behind. Unfortunately, it took a long time before I was able to see the Su-25 on the radar at all. I was able to lock something up, but the + sign that should appear in the middle of the radar indicating where to steer was not present so I had not idea where to steer. After using the F10 map and basically visually seeing the Su-25 I finally got a lock on it using the radar. Now this was a target flying in the same direction as me at the same altitude. If this was not an AI, but another player in a Mig-21 for example I cannot imagine I would have seen anything at all before I was shot down myself. So how do I learn to use the radar, why is it so hard to find targets and how do I train so that I get better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmy Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 I'm sure someone will have an answer, but honestly, every YouTube video I've watched with anyone flying the F-5, they do so by skulking around low between mountains and pick people off visually. Can't recall anyone every prosecuting a radar contact in the F-5... [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] http://www.476vfightergroup.com/content.php High Quality Aviation Photography For Personal Enjoyment And Editorial Use. www.crosswindimages.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boris Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Honestly, it's pretty useless to find targets. It's not even what it's there for. It's an intercept radar that assumes you already know where to point it, having been given a BRA from AWACS or GCI. On top of that it doesn't have IFF, so even if you find something on your radar screen you won't know whether it's a friendly or an enemy. You're far better off sticking your head outside of the cockpit and looking for the enemies visually. If it makes you feel any better, the Mig-21's radar is almost as useless. It's pretty good for calculating your gunsight though. PC Specs / Hardware: MSI z370 Gaming Plus Mainboard, Intel 8700k @ 5GHz, MSI Sea Hawk 2080 Ti @ 2100MHz, 32GB 3200 MHz DDR4 RAM Displays: Philips BDM4065UC 60Hz 4K UHD Screen, Pimax 8KX Controllers / Peripherals: VPC MongoosT-50, Thrustmaster Warthog HOTAS, modded MS FFB2/CH Combatstick, MFG Crosswind Pedals, Gametrix JetSeat OS: Windows 10 Home Creator's Update Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kongamato Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 Hi, I'm usually flying helicopters or the A-10. I was thinking of learning the F-5 but have serious issues understanding the radar. First and foremost, I really struggle finding targets at all. I made a simple mission where I was trailing a Su-25. Same altitude and a few miles behind. Unfortunately, it took a long time before I was able to see the Su-25 on the radar at all. I was able to lock something up, but the + sign that should appear in the middle of the radar indicating where to steer was not present so I had not idea where to steer. After using the F10 map and basically visually seeing the Su-25 I finally got a lock on it using the radar. Now this was a target flying in the same direction as me at the same altitude. If this was not an AI, but another player in a Mig-21 for example I cannot imagine I would have seen anything at all before I was shot down myself. So how do I learn to use the radar, why is it so hard to find targets and how do I train so that I get better? It's not actually a really eficient search radar. Too short range and gets blind if looks down. Maybe you can find a B-52 at 20+ Mn, but not a fighter. The radar is used mostly in dogfight mode. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tippis Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 As others have mentioned, it's not really meant for search unless you're going after something particularly huge, like a bomber formation. Its primary use is to drive the gunsight and possibly the missile gimbals so they're pointing in the right direction as you dive into the merge. You're not exactly getting the AIM-9X, but not needing to squeeze the target into a very tiny box in front of your nose before you can uncage helps ever so slightly. Funnily enough, it can also be used as a bit of a ground warning system in bad weather — pull the range down to the lowest setting, and if you start picking up clutter as you descend through the clouds, ease up on the descent speed. ❧ ❧ Inside you are two wolves. One cannot land; the other shoots friendlies. You are a Goon. ❧ ❧ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano87 Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 All you’re doing by using the radar is alerting the enemy to your position. Switch it off and use Mark 1 eyeball. Get vectors from AWACS or Ground Radar stations. Play to the F-5s advantages, it’s small and nimble and difficult to keep track of in a visual fight. And it’s got some excellent guns :D Proud owner of: PointCTRL VR : Finger Trackers for VR -- Real Simulator : FSSB R3L Force Sensing Stick. -- Deltasim : Force Sensor WH Slew Upgrade -- Mach3Ti Ring : Real Flown Mach 3 SR-71 Titanium, made into an amazing ring. My Fathers Aviation Memoirs: 50 Years of Flying Fun - From Hunter to Spitfire and back again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kengou Posted April 18, 2019 Share Posted April 18, 2019 The radar is good for using the quick acquisition modes like MSL or GUN. Aside from that, it's a poor tool. Virpil WarBRD | Thrustmaster Hornet Grip | Foxx Mount | Thrustmaster TWCS Throttle | Logitech G Throttle Quadrant | VKB T-Rudder IV | TrackIR 5 AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB | 32GB DDR4 3200 | SSD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggorm Posted April 18, 2019 Author Share Posted April 18, 2019 Thank you all for your contribution. I can understand why I had a hard time finding targets. I'm not very good at spotting airborne targets, so flying the F-5 will be a real challenge I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrShooty Posted May 11, 2019 Share Posted May 11, 2019 I've yet to usefully lock up a target with the F-5's radar. Even when I can see it in front of me (which isn't often since I use VR and spotting is abominable). The radar seems to be even more blind than the VR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waxer Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 I'm glad I read this. I am doing the training missions and thinking to myself that the whole radar search business is taking an age even when I know where the target is. This saves me wasting more time trying to perfect something that is almost useless in most situations. Besides flying around the dirt is a blast in an F-5E. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eviscerador Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 One of the switches I have on my HOTAS while flying the F5 is changing from Standby to Oper in the radar. I usually fly visually till I get to merge, then switch to oper radar in order to use dogfight modes. Mostly to get accurate gun range for firing. Other than that... [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil_Lettuce Posted May 15, 2019 Share Posted May 15, 2019 Pretty much the same here. I’ll only flip it on once I’m on a target and then I still pop it on and off so the other guy can’t get a bearing with his RWR if we loose each other twisting about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamilton Posted May 16, 2019 Share Posted May 16, 2019 One of the switches I have on my HOTAS while flying the F5 is changing from Standby to Oper in the radar. I usually fly visually till I get to merge, then switch to oper radar in order to use dogfight modes. Mostly to get accurate gun range for firing. Other than that... Same here. _________________________________ Aorus Z390 Extreme MB | i9 9900k CPU @ 5.0 GHz | EVGA RTX 2080 Ti FTW3 Ultra | 32 GB G Skill Trident Z 3600 MHz CL14 DDR4 Ram | Corsair H150i Pro Cooler | Corsair TX 850M PS | Samsung 970 Evo Plus M.2 NVMe SSD 1TB |TMWH Hotas with VPC WarBRD Base| Corsair Gamer 570x Crystal Case | HP Reverb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiumR Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I use it to lure people into the mountains... usually over a sam site so when they go defensive from the sam I pounce them. That's about it ha ha. I got guns on an F15 this way just this morning in GS :P ASUS ROG G701VI-XS72K 17.3" - i7 7820HK - GTX 1080 8GB - 32 GB 2666mhz - 512 GB SSD - Win10 Pro 64-Bit - T̶r̶a̶c̶k̶I̶R̶5̶ - Samsung Odyssey HMD!! (Amazing!!) - X56 Rhino HOTAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S. Low Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Thanks for the info in this thread. Was looking at getting the F-5 on sale and I'm glad to know about the radar ahead of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LithiumR Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 Thanks for the info in this thread. Was looking at getting the F-5 on sale and I'm glad to know about the radar ahead of time. The F5 is fun to fly and will teach you things that will make you better in other planes (like energy management)... but to fly it pvp you must be looking for a challenge if you are up against modern jets. You can win but it is difficult (which I like :thumbup:... sometimes ha ha). The model itself is starting to show it's age though. ASUS ROG G701VI-XS72K 17.3" - i7 7820HK - GTX 1080 8GB - 32 GB 2666mhz - 512 GB SSD - Win10 Pro 64-Bit - T̶r̶a̶c̶k̶I̶R̶5̶ - Samsung Odyssey HMD!! (Amazing!!) - X56 Rhino HOTAS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dimitrischal Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 The only time I ever used the radar was when a mig was very high on top of me and was waiting to pounce me so I needed an approximate azimuth. I turned the radar on found him pitched as many degrees as the radar scan elevation was and then I switched off and engaged visually. The trick is to remain in search and don’t lock anything as this brings him in the middle right part of the screen and makes it useless. Generally though never use it as it only alerts people. I don’t use it even for ranging. My motto is if unsure get closer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r4y30n Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 One thing to point out in the OP's test... You'll never pick up a target when trailing him in the F-5 because the radar, while simple, is a pulse doppler and under those conditions it's filtering out the bogey because he's not really moving relative to you. The MiG-21 doesn't have that problem since it's a pulse radar but it has to deal with ground clutter instead. If you want the best of both worlds try the F-14, it can switch between the two modes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eviscerador Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 The trick is to remain in search and don’t lock anything as this brings him in the middle right part of the screen and makes it useless. Are you aware that once you lock something there is a dot in the Radar that shows the contact location? It is a bit weird because you switch from a top down view to a frontal view like in a Maverick cam, but it is good to use to find the bogey visually. Lock for a few seconds, locate visualy, unlock (or even turn off radar) [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nessuno0505 Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 The thing is that F-5 has not BVR capabilities: you have to find your targets visually and / or following AWACS BRAA instructions. The f-5 radar is useful only to have an aiming aid (range cues and so on) but not to find targets beyond visual range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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