TPOD Question

so i'm working on keeping track of a group of moving vehicles with the TPOD, which is proving tricky as every time i get close or turn or make a pass the TPOD view becomes masked. however even when it becomes unmasked, it stays in INR mode.

my question is, how come the TPOD stays in INR mode instead of AREA or POINT mode even when there's no obstruction for a while? what triggers it to get back to POINT mode?

attached is screenshot showing unobstructed TPOD in INR mode. thanks!

[ATTACH]204179[/ATTACH]

You have to manually initiate an area or point track following loss of track for any reason. Masking refers to the pod being in the loaded masking profile, it doesn’t matter if the LOS of the camera is physically masked.

The masking profile(s) account for stores and all parts of the airframe and allow clearance from the airframe for both the CCD and IR camera apertures and the LASER/IR Pointer.

In DCS we always have the most restrictive masking profile, regardless of what stores are physically loaded to the jet, and we can’t select alternative profiles.

You have to manually initiate an area or point track following loss of track for any reason. Masking refers to the pod being in the loaded masking profile, it doesn’t matter if the LOS of the camera is physically masked.

 

The masking profile(s) account for stores and all parts of the airframe and allow clearance from the airframe for both the CCD and IR camera apertures and the LASER/IR Pointer.

 

In DCS we always have the most restrictive masking profile, regardless of what stores are physically loaded to the jet, and we can’t select alternative profiles.

so in the case above (my screenshot), i was pressing TMS forward short to try and get to point mode but it was staying in INR mode, is that because even though the TPOD was unobstructed, the "masking profile" thought it was?

Yes. If you see the ‘M’ symbology on the TGP format then the pod thinks it’s masked.

It’s worth noting that as I mentioned above, the masking profile is accounting for the all the apertures on the pod, not just the one you’re “looking through” at that moment (the CCD might not be masked, but the LASER could be).

I find it helpful to regularly drop markpoints on the targets, especially immediately when they are masked. I’ll probably have created at least 10 markpoints on the target before I get around to destroying it. I find it much easier to reacquire them quickly by slaving to the last markpoint and then they should be just a short distance from there, in the direction they were headed. It’s so frustrating when you were just about to kill them, but then lost sight of them because you went back to INR mode, and then it takes another few minutes to find them again. I know you’ve been there :)

Any other good tips for moving targets from anyone else? I came up with that one on my own, but I’m sure many have figured it out before me.

Yes. If you see the ‘M’ symbology on the TGP format then the pod thinks it’s masked.

 

It’s worth noting that as I mentioned above, the masking profile is accounting for the all the apertures on the pod, not just the one you’re “looking through” at that moment (the CCD might not be masked, but the LASER could be).

good info, thanks

I find it helpful to regularly drop markpoints on the targets, especially immediately when they are masked. I’ll probably have created at least 10 markpoints on the target before I get around to destroying it. I find it much easier to reacquire them quickly by slaving to the last markpoint and then they should be just a short distance from there, in the direction they were headed. It’s so frustrating when you were just about to kill them, but then lost sight of them because you went back to INR mode, and then it takes another few minutes to find them again. I know you’ve been there :)

 

Any other good tips for moving targets from anyone else? I came up with that one on my own, but I’m sure many have figured it out before me.

yeah def need to work on a strategy here. i did notice that, in my scenario from my screenshot, the vehicles were going in a straight line so after i came out of my turn, the INR mode did a decent job predicting where the vehicles would be and reacquired them. but only when i was in white hot IR mode. if i was in CCD then it didn't reacquire. *shrug*

good info, thanks

 

 

 

yeah def need to work on a strategy here. i did notice that, in my scenario from my screenshot, the vehicles were going in a straight line so after i came out of my turn, the INR mode did a decent job predicting where the vehicles would be and reacquired them. but only when i was in white hot IR mode. if i was in CCD then it didn't reacquire. *shrug*

Point track no worky in CCD mode iirc.

As the chap said what is most likely here is that an aperture on the TGP was masked rather than the one you were looking through.

We can see that your TGP is on your right wing station and the target is behind you and left, so it's likely that it's obscured by the rocket pods loaded on the next station.

How to solve this? think about your flying and your angles, maybe if you were at 12,000 instead of 8,000 the slant would have the TGP unobscured?

You *could* turn left and fly level which would get the target into view quicker however it would become masked again quickly and become more awkward to deal with.

In this situation I would climb to a higher altitude if possible, between 10-12 like I said and I would go about getting into a right hand orbit around the target area.

With the right wing dipping the TGP below the aircraft there is very little in the way of obstruction and with careful flying whilst being aware of where you are and where the TGP is pointing you could maintain almost unbroken LOS on a target area indefinitely.

TPOD Question

I also notice you had GBU’s selected and 3/9 mode. You’re not going to be hitting any moving targets with that!

Edit: never mind. Didn’t realize they were 10’s and laser guided.

Point track no worky in CCD mode iirc.

 

As the chap said what is most likely here is that an aperture on the TGP was masked rather than the one you were looking through.

We can see that your TGP is on your right wing station and the target is behind you and left, so it's likely that it's obscured by the rocket pods loaded on the next station.

 

How to solve this? think about your flying and your angles, maybe if you were at 12,000 instead of 8,000 the slant would have the TGP unobscured?

 

You *could* turn left and fly level which would get the target into view quicker however it would become masked again quickly and become more awkward to deal with.

 

In this situation I would climb to a higher altitude if possible, between 10-12 like I said and I would go about getting into a right hand orbit around the target area.

 

With the right wing dipping the TGP below the aircraft there is very little in the way of obstruction and with careful flying whilst being aware of where you are and where the TGP is pointing you could maintain almost unbroken LOS on a target area indefinitely.

yes! need. more. altitudeeee :pilotfly:

I also notice you had GBU’s selected and 3/9 mode. You’re not going to be hitting any moving targets with that!

 

Edit: never mind. Didn’t realize they were 10’s and laser guided.

lasers are my best friend

Mavericks will soon be your better friend :)

In DCS we always have the most restrictive masking profile, regardless of what stores are physically loaded to the jet, and we can’t select alternative profiles.

Oh wow, I didn't know that, but it explains a lot. Thanks for the info! :thumbup:

Indeed, I also learned something new here! :thumbup: