Sholtz,
You need to punch in Bullseye on your DED using your ICP. Here are the steps:
OK here we go, Hope I don't miss anything, and If anybody has any other questions just go ahead and post em.
The bullseye is basically a little reference point on the map. All friendly flights know where it is located, and any radio call of position is referenced to it.
Luckily for us, the f-16 already does all the calculations about bearing and distance from the bullseye on two separate locations. It displays your current range\bearing to bullseye and the position of the radar cursor. These are displayed in the HSD, the FCR, and the HUD. To see this you have to set up bullseye mode in your ICP.
On the ICP
1. Press "LIST" Button
2. "0" for MISC
3. "8" for BULL
4. "0" to highlight Bullseye ( activates bullseye mode )
5. Press the 4-way switch under the numbers on the ICP to "RTN"
Now if you look at you FCR in the bottom left corner will be 2 sets of numbers. The top pair of numbers are the location of the radar cursor. The numbers below it are YOUR range and bearing. Your range is the one that is displayed inside the circle. You cant miss it. This stuff is also displayed on the HSD.
Your position from bullseye is also displayed on you HUD in the bottom left under the speed tape for quick reference. The first set of numbers is your bearing from Bullseye and the second set of digits is your range from Bullseye.So in the example below, this pilots position from Bullseye is Bearing 216 for 46 miles.
When a mission starts, I like to set up bullseye on the ground before taxi. Then expand the HSD and locate the bullseye. This will give you an Idea of your relative position and the relation between bullseye and your target.
Most of the time if you are flight that is in formation you radars are pointed in the same relative area ahead of you so most calls are very easy to understand quickly. If somebody calls out "Contacts, 076 for 123 angels 20" (076 bearing for 123 miles 20 thousand feet) Just look at the readout for your FCR cursor and slew it to that position. At first this may seem a little difficult but trust me it just take a little practice and it becomes second nature. This goes exactly the same for finding ground targets on the FCR. If the lead gives a call, simply slew your radar cursor over until it coordinates match that position and you can locate the target.
If you are not heading the same direction from each other it becomes a little bit more tricky. I just get myself familiarized with bullseye locations of some important areas on ingress so I know if a call is relevant from sentry. Like TRGT, Homeplate, FLOT some others depending on what were doing.
IF #%&*$# hits the fan, and you dont have time to call awacs, or its not giving you the vectors you want,
1. Note location of bullseye
2. Note your position from bullseye
3. IF they are relatively close to each other, then you know the bandit is a threat. SO if you are 079 for 120 and you hear 050 for 150 they are in your area.
4. IF you know what direction you are heading and your direction from bullseye you can use the information to put your nose in the general area of the targets. I use the HSD to estimate the approx ( I just say that things close to 360 is north 090 east 180 south and 270 west ) location of the bandits and just to put my nose at their general area. With the HSD expanded even far away calls can be quickly found this way. I then use the method above and locate it with radar cursors.
In mutliplayer we use this information more to just get your weapons pointing at the target. Most of time you already know its relative position, and you just have to fine tune your search with the bullseye location and find the target. This is most helpful when taking about which target or which SAM site your talking about.
Like I said before, this isn't exactly the easiest thing to do the first time. But with a little practice it will become second nature.