LSO Ball Call

[GOONIE]

Does anyone know which freq you actually use to talk to the LSO in the real hornet, and which button that corresponds to on the throttle HOTAS (comm button; four way thumb hat switch)? The reason I ask is I wanted to use real setup for the ball call (manual) when using the vLSO, but was not sure which is the correct direction (e.g. push up for VHF, or forward, etc) I should be using to simulate the ball call on my Warthog HOTAS as would be done in the real jet.

Thanks,
CAPT

[SpazSinbad]

The Legacy Hornet NATOPS PDF may be of help:

http://info.publicintelligence.net/F18-ABCD-000.pdf (17Mbs)

The NATOPS is text searchable, where 'radio' or another word suitable may bring an answer for you quickly.

[MikeB54]

I'll be seeing Chris this week.  I'll try to remember to ask him.

Logically, though, I can't see them doing a frequency change at that stage of flight.  They are pretty busy by then.  From some of the videos that have been posted recently it seems like the transition from local control to the LSO is pretty seamless.

Mike

[GOONIE]

Thanks Mike,
There is a four way Hat switch on the throttle, which is like a push-to-talk button, instead it has four different positions for four different freq. If you get a chance can you ask him which one of the four they use when communicating with the LSO("calling the ball") and what direction that corresponds to on the Hat switch e.g. Push up with thumb for comm 1 on VHF 1, or push down with thumb for comm 2, hopefully it is easy to answer.
Thanks much,
CAPT

[Victory103]

While waiting on Mike's response, while flying around in Starboard Delta we only monitored 2 freqs, "Paddles" was on his own and the Air Boss would interject when needed. Someone would sometimes check in and you could hear a "on the ball" call if someone was indeed IC, otherwise minimal comms during the day and of course all fighter jocks talk very quick on the radios.

[MikeB54]

Thanks Mike,
There is a four way Hat switch on the throttle, which is like a push-to-talk button, instead it has four different positions for four different freq. If you get a chance can you ask him which one of the four they use when communicating with the LSO("calling the ball") and what direction that corresponds to on the Hat switch e.g. Push up with thumb for comm 1 on VHF 1, or push down with thumb for comm 2, hopefully it is easy to answer.
Thanks much,
CAPT

UP (Comm 1) for talking to the LSO.

Mike

[GOONIE]

UP (Comm 1) for talking to the LSO.

Mike

Perfect! Thanks Mike. Always striving for realism 

-CAPT