Coordinates from JTAC

Is any calculator or mod or any other idea to take JTAC coordinates for Mirage for creating new INS waypoint for this?

Example, here You see DK568744, so how to transfer it to INS of M2KC to Lat Long Decimal format?

Any ideas?

There is a mod, I don't know if it still works:

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=172728

Ok, I'll check it. Thx.

It's good idea also and if it dosen't work I'll try to modify it for DCS 2.5.x.

The good news is that this MOD works still, perfect as You see:

The bad, I noticed few changes in this lua file in 2.5.X compared this one (like WP lasing ect), so the best way it's to update this file.

Do you have a link to where we can download it and it's already updated YoYo? Was looking for the same thing. Do u just alt tab out of the game, run the mod and put in the jtac coordinates and copy paste? Or do u have to write it down? Or is it automatic? Will it work for a ground unit In the map page? After I click on a target, how do I get the long and lat from the map page? I watched a few videos on it but it really didn't help me understand. Sounded like I have to do a bunch of math.

Thanks!!

Ok, I did update for 2.5.0, tested, looks like it works ok, JSGME ready also.

Example (both lines):

:). I'll upload it here (Id like to ask author only for permission).

btw.

Video how it works:

kBpUksPzUXM

Does this mod pass the online integrity check to access MP servers?

Does this mod pass the online integrity check to access MP servers?

I didn't check it online, the file with mod (I have permission) will be uploaded Tomorrow, You can test it.

Btw.

tested on NTTR map, it works well here too.

So I watched that vid and a few more and it seems I had much more to learn then I first thought so I went back to learning the INS alignment and how to add in waypoints. Seconds X100/60 and I think it’s a bit clearer now. I entered the new waypoints in WP1 was to the target and Jtac and WP2 was back to the airbase and that all seem to of worked although the cross for WP1 was about 2miles off. I had the map setup at night at the beginning but went back to day time so I could see what was going on. when I got to the part where i dropped the bomb I forgot to say Laser On. I’m going to need some more practice and maybe go thru all this info again. I do have a question tho and it might have something to do with why my WP didn’t show up over the targets and that is when I do the math, let’s say 34X100/60 it comes to 56.666 do I round it off to 57 or just put in 56? What I’m looking to do is fly at night so I can’t see the jtac smoke and I need the WP to be close enough to aim at so the bombs to pick up the laser. I’m not flying that far maybe for 5mins so I don’t think the INS is drifting, maybe I should set another waypoint up before the target and reset the drift before heading to the targets?

Thanks for the help, I’ve only had this module for about 2 weeks and I can’t seem to put it down. Just the thought of being able to fly at night and know how to setup waypoints on the fly will make it worth it once it all sinks in.

SI entered the new waypoints in WP1 was to the target and Jtac and WP2 was back to the airbase and that all seem to of worked although the cross for WP1 was about 2 miles off.

 

...

 

I do have a question tho and it might have something to do with why my WP didn’t show up over the targets and that is when I do the math, let’s say 34X100/60 it comes to 56.666 do I round it off to 57 or just put in 56?

I find the same, your maths can't be attributed to the size of the error. 1 minute of latitude = 1 nm = ~6000 ft, so +/- 0.01 minute = +/- 0.01 nm = +/- 60 ft.

What I’m looking to do is fly at night so I can’t see the jtac smoke and I need the WP to be close enough to aim at so the bombs to pick up the laser. I’m not flying that far maybe for 5 mins so I don’t think the INS is drifting, maybe I should set another waypoint up before the target and reset the drift before heading to the targets?

Even with INS drift disabled and air spawns I had difficulty, so much so, I stepped away from using GBU-12's in the M-2000C and limit it to low level, high speed, CCIP strikes with Mk-82 Snake Eyes.

I can hit targets using the GBU-12, but only if I already know where the target is (via a smoke mark or if I created the mission).

Even in Yo Yo's video, he

It doesn't help that DCS's GBU-12 falls strangely from the M-2000C - like a glide bomb rather than free-fall, so over shoot, all this gets worse at 450-550 KTAS and higher altitudes. Note: in the AV-8B Tactical Manual Vol 2, the Mk-82 Mod 2 Low drag table is also applicable to the GBU-12 and BDU-45 practice bomb, so it might be worth seeing if a plain Mk-82 lands near the target.

I tried Lofting GBU-12's but it didn't work as the M-2000C radar seems to range the horizon in the climb (only guessing), so it either releases late or not at all (the radar alt goes above max).

My work around GBU-12 solution is air speed below 400 KTAS, steep dive angles and low (less than 10,000 ft) releases but for the most part, I stick with Mk-82 Snake Eyes while hoping for a fix from ED or Razbam.

Note: IIRC this was in 1.5.6, so it's still worth testing in 2.5.x to see if anything has changed

I didn't check it online, the file with mod (I have permission) will be uploaded Tomorrow, You can test it.

 

Btw.

tested on NTTR map, it works well here too.

 

Have you managed to upload it?

Have you managed to upload it?

Yep. Mod is ready for download here (in orginal topic):

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3490332&postcount=21

Yep. Mod is ready for download here (in orginal topic):

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=3490332&postcount=21

Awesome, thanks!

Don’t matter how hard I try or how many times I do the math when I try to make a BAD offset IP on the move it ends up being way off where I wanted it to go. I watched another video where the guy said to just /60 off the seconds not x100/60 and that helped with making the waypoints, was close enough for the LGB to pick up the jtac laser. So now I tried the same thing but making an offset IP and it’s too far away to hit anything. Trying to drop 8 mk82 without a jtac. I have the waypoints set in the ME so when I try to make WP 3 the offset in the game it seems to work and I get the turn que but the X is off maybe 50m to the left and 100m in front. I tried to take the Long and lat from the ME and when that didn’t work I tried getting them off the map in the game and both ways the cross ended up too far away.

Any ideas?

Don’t matter how hard I try or how many times I do the math when I try to make a BAD offset IP on the move it ends up being way off where I wanted it to go. I watched another video where the guy said to just /60 off the seconds not x100/60 and that helped with making the waypoints, was close enough for the LGB to pick up the jtac laser. So now I tried the same thing but making an offset IP and it’s too far away to hit anything. Trying to drop 8 mk82 without a jtac. I have the waypoints set in the ME so when I try to make WP 3 the offset in the game it seems to work and I get the turn que but the X is off maybe 50m to the left and 100m in front. I tried to take the Long and lat from the ME and when that didn’t work I tried getting them off the map in the game and both ways the cross ended up too far away.

Any ideas?

Coordinates from INS aren't perfect here (even if You have turn off INS drift or after the INS update procedure), so for the very precise bombing is a one way JTAC or... pilot's eyes (and zoom in/out) ;). Its a bug for me I suppose.

Well that’s good news cos I was starting to think I just really suck. As long as I set the waypoints up in the ME and use the jtac I can do full night missions and get hits. I just wanted to learn as much as I could about navigating before the FA18 came out so I wasn’t completely lost. I have learnt a lot in just the last week. I should try and learn the harriers systems now but im having so much fun flying the M2k. Low lever CCIP snake eye drops sound like fun too.

I haven't looked too hard into the M2000C's INS waypoint insertion to know what the format is, but I've been trying to use this for a couple evenings in the FA-18C and it produces lat/long info that isn't directly usable for waypoint insertion.

The FA-18C currently accepts only NDD.MM.SS WDDD.MM.SS. Last night, my JTAC gave me a target at N36.39.46 W115.59.88. Apparently, this is in a "decimal minutes" format, rather than seconds.

With the exception of BOC type attacks (where you bomb coordinates without referencing a target), you always have to acquire the target itself to attack. The coordinates are to assist you in that acquisition and tenths of minutes (e.g. Ka-50) is plenty good for that purpose, less than 600'. The Mirage allows entry to the hundredth of minute, less than 60'.

I get annoyed when I see garbage coordinates written like N44.55.28. It is not OK to put whatever punctuation you like between numbers; might as well use @ and $. If you are in a hurry scribbling a note then * for ° and '' for ″ is fine of course, but writing a program that will be used over and over, please use the right characters. Much of the confusion surrounding coordinate formats is due to common sloppiness in format writing.

N44°55′28″ E038°27′15″

Now those are real coordinates. Given those and a desire to input into Mirage the seconds convert to minutes with some quick pilot head math. 28'' is basically 30'' or half a minute. It's short by 2/60ths which is 1/30th or 0.3 tenths or 3 hundredths. Well your 30'' is 50 hundredths, take away 2 is 48. The 15'' is just a quarter degree, 0.25'. You should know 0.0, 0.1, 0.2,...,0.9 minutes to seconds by heart as your sixes times table. Any subdivision more precise than 6'' increments is extra credit.

N44°55.48′ E038°27.25′

How important was it to care about 0.48' instead of the closest tenth of minute 0.50'? What is the physical spacing between represented by 0.02'? A minute of latitude is roughly a mile, 6000 feet give or take. Two percent of 6000 ft. is 120 ft. (really 121.4 ft.). Does 120 ft. matter when dropping a JDAM blind? Sure. Does it matter when finding a thirty foot long tank in a field with your eyes? Probably not.

Anyway, convenience aside the pilot should have the skill to convert any given coordinate format to any other relatively quickly and accurately. With just a pencil, paper, F10 UI, and the coordinate change key (Alt-Y) you have everything you need. I have taken MGRS and input it into a Ka-50 before.

DK568744 is a 6-digit grid, 100m precision. I want all of that for a Ka-50 attack. That's about the best my minute-tenths input is going to yield for precision anyway. It's going to be in the DK57 grid, 68% east and 44% north from the left and bottom edge respectively. As I hover the mouse around I'm looking for DK568XX744XX, mentally blocking out any digits associated with the 10m and 1m precision levels even though they show up in the middle. When I find it I alt-Y to DM.M and move the mouse the minimum amount so the display updates. The map marker pins are handy to hold your place while doing this.

As for BAD input from 9-line's #2 and #3. Realize that it's from IP to target in magnetic heading and miles. Let's take an example 081, 9 nautical. You're going to want to input a BAD that is target bearing 266, 09.0 nautical. The BAD is the IP. The BUT is the target. Line 2 gives magnetic bearing from IP to target. Mirage wants true bearing from target (BUT) to IP (BAD) so it's the reciprocal plus 5 or 6 degrees variation.

Engage BAD navigation to find the IP. Disengage BAD when departing IP toward target. You will absolutely not deliver weapons by offset bombing with any accuracy with the usual JTAC brief. IP values are for navigation purposes only, not targeting.

Frederf,

Yes, to all of that.

My post wasn't a complaint so much as a PIREP for other folks using this mod with the current early access F/A-18C. Because of the non-standard punctuation used to present lat/long, I might not have realized what was happening if the last set of numbers hadn't been ".88". The multiple decimals were definitely misleading.

Six-digit grids are definitely not good enough for BOC. (I'm guessing that updating the JTAC to provide eight- or even ten-digit grids is on ED's list of things to do.) I was "playing" with the coordinate entry to see how useful it is for cueing. At the end of the day, the mission setup was strictly Type 3, BOT.