Datalink not showing enemy contacts

[VC]

I've been having a persistent problem with the F-14 in MP for a couple of weeks now (haven't had time to test in SP). The server has good AWACS coverage but in the F-14 the datalink isn't showing obvious enemies that the AWACS definitely can see. I know it can see them because it's giving me BRAA calls to them... but they aren't on my TID. I also know AWACS can see them because if fly e.g. an F-18 the DL shows a trail of red all the way back to the enemy airbase. But in the F-14, little or nothing especially at long range.

 

Sometimes the DL HAFU appears on my TID after I scan the area and my own radar picks them up, even though logically it should have been there before. It also gets more reliable if they get close to me (like <20 miles). But I basically never have a complete picture on the TID of what the AWACS can see. Sometimes friendlies drop off too, it's like it has a range filter on or something.

 

I've made sure it's on and set to AWACS as host, it does work but as I said really inconsistent as to what it shows.

 

Does anyone have any ideas what could be causing this?

Edited August 14, 2020 by VC

[QuiGon]

When TID shows not a single enemy HAFU from DL despite there being 30 people on the enemy team on a sever they can only take off in two places and the fight is always in the same area, AWACS spamming calls so you know roughly where they are and that it can see them. And all you can see from DL are a few friendlies right next to you... something is very wrong.

I never encountered such a situation. DL seems to work reliable for me, although I can't verify if the number of DL contacts I see in a given situation is what I should see. I never encountered a situation where it seems odd, like the situation you described :dunno:

[Bearfoot]

So, this might seem very obvious, but just to check -- you have asked Jester to tune into the AWACS as host on the datalink after the start, right?

[VC]

So, this might seem very obvious, but just to check -- you have asked Jester to tune into the AWACS as host on the datalink after the start, right?

 

He's on it by default but yes I have. And I have told him to turn it off and on again, tune to something else then back to AWACS, no luck. Thing is, I do see AWACS DL contacts, but only under certain parameters.

 

I've done a complete uninstall and reinstall of the F-14 module, and a repair on DCS to be sure. Will test again.

[VC]

Didn't help :(

 

Screenshot attached is on Growling Sidewinder, Tbilisi is about 170 miles on my 12 o'clock. Nearly full server, AWACS has called out multiple bandits high altitude to my 11 and 12 o'clock. But all my TID is showing me is a bunch of friendlies next to me.

[draconus]

Screenshot attached is on Growling Sidewinder, Tbilisi is about 170 miles on my 12 o'clock. Nearly full server, AWACS has called out multiple bandits high altitude to my 11 and 12 o'clock. But all my TID is showing me is a bunch of friendlies next to me.

Clearly you hit 8 datalink contacts limit which all are on your TID.

http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#link-4-in-dcs

Fly more forward into AO and check again.

[VC]

Clearly you hit 8 datalink contacts limit which all are on your TID.

http://www.heatblur.se/F-14Manual/general.html#link-4-in-dcs

Fly more forward into AO and check again.

 

Thank you!!! Wow, this finally makes sense I missed that there was a limit. :doh: So basically on a busy server it will always only show things close to me.

 

Is there any way to affect what it's showing, e.g. filter out friendlies temporarily?

[Raubritter]

"When set to TAC the data link will then receive the 8 target tracks with the highest priority from the TDS controller"

 

If there is an bandits and TDS has found him, should friendly targets have the highest priority?

Edited August 17, 2020 by Hummel

[VC]

I assume it's a simplified process at the moment based on range and closure rate, not IFF. I do want to see friendlies sometimes, especially ones fighting enemies, but I don't think we can expect a huge upgrade to the complexity of this. With a real human AWACS operator you'd be able to discuss what you want to see in different situations. Especially with the Tomcat, I want to see threats 100 miles away so I can plan my engage. Of course I also want to know if someone just crept up below me, but not the friendlies chilling around the airbase I just happen to be above crowding out more important things.

[near_blind]

https://forums.eagle.ru/showpost.php?p=4254039&postcount=4

 

Datalinks in DCS have a range limit. The F-14's should be something like 250NM, but players have reported it being less at times. This is something that's apparently a WIP on the backend

 

 

As for why you can't see datalink contacts in the F-14 at range, but you can in the F/A-18 and F-16, it's probably a foible of how the two systems work. Link 4A is a host-client system, the provider is the only host, and provides information to all clients on that frequency. As for the contact limit, hostile contacts have a greater display priority, and the system should automatically drop friendly contacts for hostiles as they appear if the limit is reached.

 

Link 16 is a peer to peer system, each aircraft on the system rebroadcasts everything it sees, as well as all information it is receiving. In this way information can daisy chain over vast distances from the original provider as long as there are aircraft at intervals to propagate it.

[VC]

Ah OK, if it's a known issue then that's fine I can wait for a fix. The way I have it seems way worse than the other reports, but it is usable as long as I bear in mind to treat it with suspicion and follow actual calls as well as DL HAFUs.

[IronMike]

DL is managed on ED side, as in what it sends, but we do drop friendly contacts in favor of hostile contacts.