correct as is Litening TPOD, Waypoint Slave mode not working as expected

[MacaoP20]

Hi all,

 

Have been getting inconsistent behaviour from the Litening TPOD on the F18 which makes it kind of useless for Target Spotting. I can get the TPOD to correctly point at a designated waypoint (first time after mission start) but after that it seems I cannot get it to target other waypoints or even the same waypoint.

I'm aware of other reports about this in the forums. Problem is none of the "remedies" seem to work for me (getting the SOI out of the TPOD, getting the SOI on the HUD).

 

Can you please confirm this is not expected behaviour or if I'm doing something wrong?

 

Version: 2.7.5.10869 (Open Beta)

Here is a track file (bigger then 5MB):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5cu8d9ljfdd4z73/badtpodwayslave.trk?dl=0

Thank you in advance,

Good flights to all

[Frederf]

I don't see an issue. The FLIR is tracking all waypoints designated as target as expected. What might be confusing is the waypoints are not on the ground surface so the image through the FLIR view does not show a fixation on the ground.

[BIGNEWY]

It seems to be working as intended for me when I test. WPDSG for each waypoint and the TPOD moves to those targets.

[MacaoP20]

Hi all,

 

Thank you for your quick answers. 

I still have the problem. Please see the video below (maybe its easier). After further testing it seems to work correctly until is centered on a waypoint and I start to slew the TPOD with the TDC and then choose AT or PT mode. After that I never seem to get it back (in the video I could get it back once by using VVSL mode and then undesignate, but not again).

 

TPOD Test Video

 

I also attach the mission I used to test it out.

 

Thank you again,

Macao

DebugTPOD.miz

[AMVI_Hawk]

Hi, maybe it is better to not circle around the target because you are stressing the TPOD to search and maintain his look on a point while you are continuing to change your offset related to it.

It is better to slave first the TPOD on WYP while you are going to it and after that circle around it, if necessary, not the opposite.

My two cents

[Frederf]

Can't test the .miz. Don't have Syria. Could you replicate the issue on a theater included with DCS?

[MacaoP20]

23 hours ago, AMVI_Hawk said:

Hi, maybe it is better to not circle around the target because you are stressing the TPOD to search and maintain his look on a point while you are continuing to change your offset related to it.

It is better to slave first the TPOD on WYP while you are going to it and after that circle around it, if necessary, not the opposite.

My two cents

Hi Amvi,

 

I understand your point of view but (my bad for not knowing) is there any kind of damage model/degradation related to misuse modelled into the TPOD in DCS that I'm not aware of?

 

Thank you

 

 

[BarTzi]

On 8/27/2021 at 2:59 PM, BIGNEWY said:

It seems to be working as intended for me when I test. WPDSG for each waypoint and the TPOD moves to those targets.

It looks like that at first, but it actually isn't the case. Swap his LITENING with ATFLIR, and you will notice the target waypoints (flags) drifting in space, even tnough he placed them on the ground. That's easy to spot if you WPDSG on WP2 in his sequence. 

The problem he has, is that his waypoints aren't fixed in place. It looks like a bug in the mission itself.

Edited August 30, 2021 by BarTzi

[Svend_Dellepude]

EDIT

Edited August 30, 2021 by Svend_Dellepude

[MacaoP20]

On 8/29/2021 at 4:26 PM, Frederf said:

Can't test the .miz. Don't have Syria. Could you replicate the issue on a theater included with DCS?

Here you go (video + plus mission file in the Caucusus region).

Honestly I seem to "break it" real easy on my side.

Just a bit of background -> I discovered this while trying to get around mission 9 of the Raven One campaign (Venom). It makes it real hard because you cannot get the TPOD on targets designated by the ground forces and even if you can the Markpoints or manual waypoints you input to center the TPOD are useless.

 

Video in Caucusus

 

Thank you all

DebugTPOD_Cau.miz

[Frederf]

I see something off starting about 04:04 where you designate WP 2 as target but the FLIR doesn't slave to TGT.

 

I have no idea how to replicate this. I have found possibly a related issue though. If you AUTO bomb mode and SS forward to HUD and then designate that followed by incrementing waypoint it will still say "TGT" boxed but will lose the distance readout on the HUD.

 

Can you give exact reproduction actions? When I try to replicate it I can't get into your state.

 

[Svend_Dellepude]

Try to to cycle the castle towards TPOD until back in INR again.

[MacaoP20]

44 minutes ago, Frederf said:

I see something off starting about 04:04 where you designate WP 2 as target but the FLIR doesn't slave to TGT.

 

I have no idea how to replicate this. I have found possibly a related issue though. If you AUTO bomb mode and SS forward to HUD and then designate that followed by incrementing waypoint it will still say "TGT" boxed but will lose the distance readout on the HUD.

 

Can you give exact reproduction actions? When I try to replicate it I can't get into your state.

 

 

 

I found it to be quite easy to "break it" with the following actions (and repeatable behaviour):

 

Load Mission
ATC On
BALT Autopilot Mode On
Select FLIR page on RIGHT DDI
Select Waypoint 1 on the HSI (AMPCD)
WPDSG on AMPCD
SOI to Right DDI
Slew with TDC (mainly up to leave the tree area) and press TDC Depress several times while focusing on the trees
SOI to AMPCD
Undesignate TGT
Select Waypoint 2 on the HSI (AMPCD)
WPDSG on AMPCD -> Cant focus anymore

 

Steps to Replicate (Video)

 

 

[Frederf]

Did it both as stated and filtered down to what I think should matter and I don't get your behavior. The first different I get is that when slewing FLIR away from WP 1 my TGT distance doesn't follow my slewing (because I haven't TDC depressed to command FLIR LOS as TGT). However yours does. Oh you're occasionally designating target so I'll do that too. Do you have the special option "Realistic TDC Slew" checked or unchecked? Hmm I tried it unchecked and still got the same issue.

 

I'll do a track using the above written procedure.

 

I'm not seeing any HUD TGT diamond in your track. I don't know if that's because it's off the bottom or missing. Can you make a track of the same thing as your last video?

 

 

 

 

F18 WP FLIR Test 1.trk

[MacaoP20]

16 hours ago, Frederf said:

Did it both as stated and filtered down to what I think should matter and I don't get your behavior. The first different I get is that when slewing FLIR away from WP 1 my TGT distance doesn't follow my slewing (because I haven't TDC depressed to command FLIR LOS as TGT). However yours does. Oh you're occasionally designating target so I'll do that too. Do you have the special option "Realistic TDC Slew" checked or unchecked? Hmm I tried it unchecked and still got the same issue.

 

I'll do a track using the above written procedure.

 

I'm not seeing any HUD TGT diamond in your track. I don't know if that's because it's off the bottom or missing. Can you make a track of the same thing as your last video?

 

 

 

 

F18 WP FLIR Test 1.trk 171.26 kB · 1 download

Hi Frederf,

 

By looking at your track file I think I pinpointed the problem on my side. Seems like my Thrusmaster Warthog Throttle Slew Sensor does not work well with DCS. As soon as I touch it seems to be constantly sending inputs (at least on the Y axis) regardless if increase/or not the Deadzone. I looked for this because in your track file I see you have the diamond as in my case I was unable to get it after I touched the slew sensor. Not sure why it works like this, but it seems to be the problem. I removed the axis mapping and used the keyboard for the TDC and it seems I does not happen.

So I guess I will have to mark this sensor as useless on my throttle and find other ways of working with the TDC.

 

Thank you for all your help

 

 

[Frederf]

Cool. You should be able to use your axes, just put some fat deadzone in the axis tuning options.