Locking a Target in AA Mode.
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I have purchased a couple of those books from Lulu! Very impressive! Now in a simple AA engagement, I can scroll my target cursor Up DOWN LEFT, RIGHT… once over the selected target on the radar screen, I cannot lock it up. I have searched the Key command in the Training manual 4.34, I’m currently using 4.34, and I have searched all the options over in the “Controller” set up within the game, I just cannot determine what is the command to program so I can lock up a target. I wonder if it’s a cockpit issue and maybe I’m not doing something to complete the phase to launch a missile… I have Master Arm activated, I choose AA Mode within the UFC, I can slew my cursor around but cannot seem to lock one on! Can someone please help me with my ignorance. I have even tried to search for the situation within these forum discussions, but find myself reading problems you guys discuss and I am lost in that as well.
Can someone please help me with this?
Thanks.
man this 4.34 is very impressive. The graphics are much sharper and now I have a great interest in learning much of this sim …
Thanks and sorry for a weak question.
Marc -
TMS Up
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The TMS switch on the stick is what you are looking for. Press up for lock and down to unlock. There are other functions you need to know about as well, so keep digging in those books and study up on the Radar and Target Management System (TMS).
HTH.
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I guess one thing that was in my way, was TMS up? TMS Down?.. I’m looking all through this stuff for a Target Lock or TMS Lock, Unlock, I’m reading in BMS1F-16CM-1, going over HOTAS on Pages 55, 56 and 57 regarding Stick Configuration. That TMS , 4 way switch under the red pickle button?, then my question comes to mind, 1. If I have to slew it LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN, but then locking is Up and unlock is DOWN?.. that makes me wonder how or if I can command two commands to , for instance the UP position. I may need to move the radar cursor up then lock is also up? It will do both? I will try to figure it out. Or is there something else on the stick or throttle we slew the radar cursor and we then lock with the TMS button?
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I guess one thing that was in my way, was TMS up? TMS Down?.. I’m looking all through this stuff for a Target Lock or TMS Lock, Unlock, I’m reading in BMS1F-16CM-1, going over HOTAS on Pages 55, 56 and 57 regarding Stick Configuration. That TMS , 4 way switch under the red pickle button?, then my question comes to mind, 1. If I have to slew it LEFT, RIGHT, UP and DOWN, but then locking is Up and unlock is DOWN?.. that makes me wonder how or if I can command two commands to , for instance the UP position. I may need to move the radar cursor up then lock is also up? It will do both? I will try to figure it out. Or is there something else on the stick or throttle we slew the radar cursor and we then lock with the TMS button?
The obvious question is which HOTAS do you have? The slewing is done from a microstick on the throttle, and not buttons, so if you have the Cougar you can map functions to the HOTAS to perfectly match the real thing. Not so easy with other devices, but you can get close.
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I have the Warthog sir. I always used that large thumb hat on my throttle to slew the cursor. Then unlock and or lock the target with the switch under the pickle button. I used to lock the target up by pushing down on the HAT on the throttle I slew the cursor with, but now it is a bit more proper using the TMS switch on the stick to lock or unlock. I don’t know much about that target software people talk of. I just program my functions in , the ones I can understand or figure out. I need to get it together. The more one can understand this sim the more fun it is I suppose. I like the 4.34 version so far by way of graphics along with some other features such as IFF?
I really enjoy that Hornet in DCS. I’m 56 years old. Retired. I hope DCS comes out with that F16 Block 52 they mention. I’ve had Falcon 4.0 ever since it came out. We used to follow that three ring binder along for training back in the day. the BMS 4.34, to me is what it should have always been. It’s a very impressive package with a lot to offer all in it’s own class.
I’m looking for a lay out in PDF but I think it’s all hear in that BMS1F-16CM-1 as far as HOTAS. Pages 56 and 57 seem to describe holding the TMS switch on the stick for 2 seconds or 5 seconds and how it will switch to other functions of some sort…… I’m a bit lost. :dhorse: -
I have the Warthog sir. ….
The very best thing to do … the best practice … is to map the Warthog stick identical to the real-life stick in the F-16. This is a highly functional layout and in all honesty it’s unlikely you or I or some other group of random internet people are going to come up with something that is significantly more functional than what decades of Lockheed-Martin engineers and USAF pilots have developed.
It’s true, there are some caveats, mainly that we’re flying a computer on a desktop simulator and we have to make a variety of allowances for that. However, imho, the main stick control mapping does not need to be one of them. Further, for the purpose of the sim, you can add additional commands via the shift functionality which should greatly alleviate concerns or needs about ‘other’ commands you may want on the HOTAS.
To map your Warthog stick, you are on the right track by following the -1 manual, from the diagram(s) around page 56/57.
See my Warthog stick map, attached. I have made a couple of minor, personal, adjustments. Most notably, swapping the paddle and pinky functions for my own ease of use.
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Ok thanks. I am looking at the stick set up. I will program this stuff here and see if I can understand the inputs. It appears that they are as laid out in the controller set up within the sim? So I can follow this along and simply apply the inputs so they will be there as I attempt to learn their functions? Thanks a bunch.
Do you have one too for the throttle? :bowd:
Thanks again. Mucho Grass“I think at my level here, I’m really trying to figure out what is what and what to do with it…… Many always talk about realism, I say”…be careful what you wish for.:rofl:
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Radar learning is hard because there is a lot and if you try to absorb it all at once your brain leaks out your ears. My recommendation is to follow the path of learning “inside out” (close before far) and air before ground.
Start with ACM and guns, turn on invulnerability and infinite ammo and jump into instant action. Press the AA master mode button (avoid DGFT and MRM until later) and select “GUN” from SMS and “ACM” from FCR. Turn off the JHMCS too. ACM is a very “what you see is what you get” mode. You point the airplane at the target you see out the window and it locks the first thing it sees. The only controls you need to operate it are the 4-way target management switch (TMS) and potentially the slew controller if you want to try the practically useless ACM slew submode. The old Falcon 4.0 or AF paper manual lessons about ACM radar are helpful. You learn that bore scans a tiny zone ahead, 30x20 a large zone, 10x60 a mohawk that’s good for turn fighting, and slew is silly. There’s also a standby mode that doesn’t radiate (30x20 standby).
Since you’re interested in radar you can skip the next AIM-9, AIM-7, and AIM-120 weapons which would be normally part of the “inside out” approach. So as cool as ACM is and it’s good to know it for when the bandit gets inside 10nm and you can see him out the window you’re going to want to expand on that knowledge with combined radar modes (CRM). CRM is just the set of air-to-air radar modes of similar “top down” display where bottom of display is near and top is far.
With the most common CRM, range while search (RWS) the primary controls are slew to move cursor and TMS up/down to select and deselect contacts. That’s really all you need to know to begin learning RWS.
Having access to the four directions of the TMS switch and the slew control (and mouse clicks) you can explore most of ACM and CRM functionality. For convenience the display management swtich (DMS) left and right directions are useful to cycle through the MFD formats so you don’t have to click the buttons on the MFD bezels if you want to change but it’s optional. When that’s complete the pinky button and antenna elevation control complete the controls needed to get the maximum out of CRM modes since it’s used to expand the display and to tilt the radar to search higher and lower.
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…. Do you have one too for the throttle? :bowd:
Thanks again. Mucho Grass …No, afraid I don’t. I didn’t get a Warthog throttle until after I switched over to the DCS Hornet and haven’t update my BMS keyfile for the new throttle.
If you’re basically familiar with Excel you can get a default Warthog setup (stick and throttle) from the Excel Keyfile editor included in the docs section. Personally, I highly recommend this tool for making and/or customizing keyfiles.