Ralfi's Alley - LotATC GCI on GAW

GCI or Ground Control Interceptor is like an AWACS. A player can use it to instruct pilots about potential threats and coordinate strikes if necessary. I am using a program called LotATC which can be found on google and downloaded for free. A license is not needed on servers like GAW or PAWG because the server has a license that you can use. You simply log in with the same credentials you would for singing into SRS and joining the server with their password.
I like LotATC because it gives you a lot more options than the standard F10 menu map. Makes things easier as well once you get a grasp over how it functions. I highly recommend it for people who want to try doing some GCI for their team. The best part is that I'm not even running the game, it's a completely stand alone program. Obviously I'm using SRS on top of this to talk to everybody.
GAME: DCS

[@wmouse]

We should record Ralfi's voice lines from this video and turn him into a Jester-like AWACS.

[@julianviefers6703]

agreed

[@BlueSky-fur]

on it if hes fine with it

[@BarkerVancity]

such a good idea. also would love it if every time i fire a missle it goes, WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeee....." like in a cpl of his vids.

[@Sunesen]

Oh so that was you, thought you sounded familiar. Cruiser here. Both me and Black Hawk is a little new to trying to cope with a chaotic theater like this so we were getting a little swamped with all the information coming through. Appreciate the fine job you did as GCI though. Keep it up. ^^

[@Rasmorak]

Looking for a mentor? Happy to fly with newbies and impart all my real world and sim knowledge. I know DCS can be overwhelming.

[@tomaszskowronski1406]

You guys from UO?

[@Sunesen]

@@tomaszskowronski1406 Yup.

[@Nathan-fl6is]

Jester is this offer still available?

[@Kenneth-qs3jr]

@@Rasmorak is this offer still available?

[@PatrickRatman]

i never thought watching an AWACS screen with dots representing aircraft and the comms around their confrontations would be so compelling. I feel like im learning a lot about AWACS comms just from watching this!

[@n0ttch3if25]

Despite no visual combat, I love just imagining it. Really enjoyed listening to the comms between you and other players.

[@WithTwoFlakes]

I remember LotATC from back in the original Lockon days in the mid 2000's. Good to see that it is still going updated to DCS. Those French community guys (C6 etc) did a lot of great stuff back then - LotATC, LoBrief, LOMAN, etc etc Top blokes....

[@dilligaf0220]

Prolly not appreciated but this is the best ASMR I've had in a month.

[@jooproukens800]

you should search on KZbin for carrier communications, there are a few videos that are hours long

[@MBkufel]

I see an 38 minutes long Ralfi's video "O tak"

[@BlueDevel]

Thanks for your GCI service.

[@1MileOut]

Nice work dude! That shit looked stressful AF but you sounded like a fighter pilot the whole time. Clear and concise comms makes all the difference.

[@CrooklynPilot]

This was really enjoyable. You did a great job as GCI. Looking forward to the next GCI video

[@MrJc005]

hey man overall really good job, good fills, good SA, just a couple minor suggestions from a old controller. 1. braa calls - more uniform its group label name, braa xyz, altitude, declaration, track direction, any fillins. always try and be as uniform as possible on the fight freq it gets your guys used to your tempo and ensures you provide winning comm. 2. Good job directive targeting but make sure you throw in callsign target group braa xyz, so everyone knows who you are directive targeting. 3. picture calls are huge especially in the beginning you threw out a 4 group wall that was a money call but failed to fully label it such as 4 group wall xy wide, north group, north middle group ect. at 24:07 you had a perfect 3 group vic weighted north with follow on groups. recognizing those pictures is huge as a controller and those are what the pilots are gonna rely on. 4. Stacked comm is big with that large gaggle of 5 contacts throw in the stacked comm with altitudes because the high guy is the biggest threat. just a couple minor suggestions but seriously not bad and enjoyed the vid, good shit man.

[@ralfidude]

Unfortunately a lot of these guys just cannot handle a lot of these calls. Giving a bunch of group calls and things of that nature just goes in one ear and comes out the other. I try to keep things consistent but relaxed and this allows these players of varying experiences to be more relaxed with responses and understanding of what's being said to them. So as far as giving radio procedures for DCS players, this is good enough for DCS, but I understand it would barely pass mustard in the real world. I do appreciate the input though, no doubt.

[@bpdlr]

@@ralfidude "pass muster" FTFY

[@SGTcz90cz]

Gotta say Ralfi's right. I was flying as Razgriz 1 that evening, and at one time you can hear him give me a support A/A task. I first learned about the task watching the video. It's mildly embarassing.

[@ralfidude]

I know, but I say pass mustard because it ticks people like you off ;) hehe

[@MrJc005]

ralfidude totally valid. If you ever want a controller hit me up I’ll give y’all some love.

[@LiveLNXgaming]

Love these videos. This is honestly my favorite role.

[@ridetheapex]

This is my first view of what magic does. Holy cow, this is almost as interesting as flying! ....... Almost. Lol Love your content!

[@Tareezo]

That was outstanding! More of this, please.

[@scottmad7940]

Ralfi, I always appreciate your content. But this has me inspired to learn the ways of GCI/AWACS and train up to being a helpful controller. Thanks for the videos as always.

[@LiveLNXgaming]

razgriz (who you call out at 32:35) is a reference to Ace combat 5. Love seeing those call signs in DCS

[@xMyInnerFredx]

And of course Razgriz takes out the hostiles easy.

[@SonofOrion42]

Sorcerer as well, in reference to the enemy ace squadron from AC Zero.

[@williamhall2386]

For further justification, I love these. I will just listen to these on my long drives to work to try and make a mental picture from just listening then watch again later to check

[@alexmelia8873]

This is awesome. At the start of the video there were a bunch of hostiles over Novo. Thanks to you, they have all been pushed back almost 100 miles

[@Mistermixmaster]

Seeing this makes me want to get back on with all of y'all at Hardcore again. Sadly, due to life circumstances I can't right now. =/ Nice vid tho, got my heart racing again!

[@einweiesblattpapier2676]

The dcs youtuber with the best voice. My asmr. Getting me to sleep. I luv it.

[@dcskater602]

For one. This is great. Two, LOKI is a beast

[@S1lverspike]

Why is this so fascinating to listen to

[@bruchpilotentv9599]

I have baught LotATC long before and it took a long time to get stable enough.......now its MUUUUUCH better then the F10 GCI!!!! Thumbs up!

[@goldy2742]

Great video, It's nice to see the map view once in a while. Kind of getting the whole picture

[@Kimchi_Studios]

WOW! awesome little app and anyone with a potato can run it. Would be fun on a laptop on a public wifi.

[@ralfidude]

Some people actually do that from work.

[@balintszij7126]

My gamer PC died about two years ago. Since then no DCS. Now you made me dig up my lotatc key. Gotta put that irl atc training to use! :)

[@TheSkipjack95]

Being GCI while waiting at the airport would yield some fun company too.

[@julianviefers6703]

imagine sitting next to an active fighter pilot while doing that and hes like "What the fuck?" 😂

[@silenthunteruk]

@@julianviefers6703 Depends on the pilot. GCI controlled intercepts were much more a Soviet bloc thing historically; they could guide the fighters right to their target for an ambush.

[@silenthunteruk]

Now this is something I'd like to do in a game - I'm not very good at the actual flying, but I could probably give GCI a good go.

[@danielhaddock3603]

Same here, im trash at the game so this is a cool thing

[@michaelwestmoreland2530]

God it must be fun to finally understand the protocol enough to set up as GCI and hear that first aircraft call YOU, offering on-station CAP or CAS. "Well that doesn't fucking help ANYBODY." I would pay good money for a recording of AWACS people with their off-coms comments spliced in.

[@novavin1140]

Nice to see Ace Combat reference in dcs, rather than both fans fighting each other :D

[@ianwright3195]

Can we get a montage of all your combat deaths? I’d love to see that even the master makes mistakes sometimes :)

[@ralfidude]

I already include a lot of my fuck ups in some videos.

[@viperkeeper]

I like these RD.

[@casperveneman1151]

so satisfying listening to his voice

[@ndrsiege]

I appreciated the remarks against the NORDOs, haha. GAW very much needs constant comms.

[@vicentegodoy5493]

Totally new to DCS, so glad now i know wtf the AI is telling me in the su-33 campaigns

[@justamigo]

Im not even in Poland and i got a Polish ad for Volvo XC60 SUV.

[@xmlthegreat]

Really Nice for a relaxing listen.

[@seafox8748]

Wish we could have F10 map with this view. Nowdays all 3 maps sucks for different reasons (shit visibility, performance issues,...). Always wondered if there is some mod that would add additional layer for F10 map but never found any.

[@vnyggi621]

You aren't supposed to have this info, thats what the awacs giant radar can see

[@seafox8748]

​@@vnyggi621 You talking about completely different thing. I say how could F10 map look like (design) and you speak about what information should be shown on some particular server (server-related data). Btw on Hoggit server, exactly those data you can see in the video are available on web page and you can have it in real time opened when you fly to check it out. Basically you don't need any GCI for Hoggit server if you have two screens. Only thing you don't have there is tool to measure heading and range. But you can guess it quite easily with some practice.

[@vnyggi621]

@@seafox8748 ok fair enough, I completely misunderstood you. I'm no modder but implementing a different looking map and icons sounds like replacing image files, if thats what your after Personally I never had any issues with the F10 map, but this one here looks cooler :D About Hoggit: a human GCI makes it a lot more immersive so I wouldn't want to 'cheat' with that online map

[@seafox8748]

@@vnyggi621 Human GCI is cool when you speak English well enough. That it not case for everyone though, so it is good that the map exists.

[@Gargoyle11]

Really cool to see something different!

[@EvoSwatch]

Rip the SEAD trio.

[@Saguanay]

"You can fire off those HARMS and uuuhhh.......kill as much as possible " lol

[@ManuelDornbusch]

This is awesome. I would totally play that role

[@ryz_vik]

this is why i want to become mr.gci

[@brutus_ch]

Awesome. I think i need too fly there today. And get my self a GCI login for the server.

[@julianviefers6703]

so that would be the solution to my shitty pc problem and now i can play as gci without having to start up dcs 💞

[@atadbitnefarious1387]

What would really seal the deal is if you used a radio filter for your voice recording when talking to aircraft. Spent a lot of time with a PRC152 tuned into a FIRES freq and just listening to A10s, Apaches, and F16s put bombs on people. Also in the back of a Blackhawk flying orbits around an op and listening to it all go down. Really relaxing stuff, listening to people's voices over the crackle of the radio as they talk through the intracatcies of murdering people lol.

[@flighttherapybullisticfpv133]

Ah, Mr. "Bignose" you made this video for me hahaha its one of those names thats not that funny until you hear it over an over again in a dead serious manner lol

[@RogueSpecterGamingOfficial]

Yo why is this so interesting??

[@IrishCarBomb77]

Cracks me up how many people pronounce SEAD wrong lol

[@vincentvoncarnap]

How do you pronounce it? I speak it like (plant) seed

[@Iwoodlikethat]

This is dope

[@Headbreaker]

Great Video, thx really like it the only thing I kinda bothers my strange mind,... Is there a reason why you call the reds bandit and not hostile?

[@DJCatmom]

6:12 F

[@FalcoGer]

wars are won on the ground. it doesn't matter how much air power you have.

[@Wehraboo-fi9vm]

bruh

[@Wehraboo-fi9vm]

Air power changes everything

[@omen1784]

this guy is awesome

[@Boekoe12]

So cool i am just to shy to talk

[@ralfidude]

Time to get un-shy. MP is much more fun with teamwork.

[@gicknordon_]

I got off for the night not even 10 minutes before you jumped on. big regret. Hope to see you GCI again soon!

[@ralfidude]

next time bud, next time.

[@EvoSwatch]

10:17 reminds me of Patlabor

[@julienrooknizan5711]

My god.

[@Flarin]

How hard is Gelendzhick lol. Glenzendick Brzęczyszczykiewicz :D

[@Karl_Baeron]

If i remember correctly, that's the running joke for barely pronouncable polish names, or is it?

[@MongooseTacticool]

Good video :) I have a feeling I'd be better at this than flying in DCS lol

[@Jaroneko]

Get to it, then! There's always room for capable GCI/ATC.

[@MongooseTacticool]

@@Jaroneko I'll give it a go. :) I did basic GCI for work experience when I was 15 at GEC Marconi. That was 20 years a go though lol

[@Jaroneko]

@@MongooseTacticool Like riding a bike, right? ;)

[@MongooseTacticool]

@@Jaroneko if there are multiple bikes trying to fight each other lol

[@AntoineThisdale]

13:38 LOL Love it

[@bigcat514]

Awesome! would love to fly on an active server like this!

[@ralfidude]

Then hop on to Georgia At War

[@bansheelgend]

So how do I do this? Like, what software do I need? I'm really interested in DCS and i cant really do it with a kb/mouse combo. No funds for a Hotas so far, so i'd love to get into this instead.

[@CsabaKissColorado]

Glendenzick, Glezendick ...

[@Wikkus]

Wow, that's very cool 😎

[@CakePrincessCelestia]

Glensen Dick must be some important person here :)

[@alphaprawns]

This is cool, but... also kind of puts me off trying to play on multiplayer servers. I just don't know all the shorthand so I'd have no idea what I'm being directed to do

[@ralfidude]

So watch the video and learn! We all went through this at some point. It's pretty easy to figure it out. Google BRAA and BULLS and bam, that's like 90% of this video. Remember that you are playing a STUDY SIM, so it's in your best interest to do some self study here and there. It's a lot of fun once you get it, I promise!

[@nickwithers2244]

There're a lot of servers, some really aren't very serious :-)

[@BirdRunHD]

GAW is pretty good.

[@jimhinkle7245]

Too cool!

[@Relics_tv]

OMG A 3AM Ralphy vid

[@Void304]

"Impossible".

[@galactor123]

I suppose this is as good of a place to ask as any considering I use videos like this to kind of learn lingo but also basic shit as I prep to hop eventually into public MP for DCS. I get telling distance to target and the like, but what is the best way to keep track of that? I realize it is probably different by plane, I normally fly the Mirage, is there an easy way I just don't know about to track Nautical miles traveled or is it more a general idea/feel sort of thing?

[@ralfidude]

when you're given the miles, you should probably set your radar up to what GCI has just warned you about. 40nm at 15K feet? Well... set up your radar to 40nm and your radar elevation to include 15K. That's basically it.

[@galactor123]

@@ralfidude Didn't expect to get a response from the man himself, but yeah that makes a lot of sense. I totally had a brain fart and forgot that radar expressly has ranges on it for exactly this sort of information, hah. Thanks!

[@Recon879]

Awesome video! Ralfi, do you think you'll do any harrier sorties?

[@ralfidude]

Ehhh, I'm not a Harrier fan

[@Recon879]

@@ralfidude fair enough, figured I'd ask. Keep up the great content man!

[@sumbat1538]

what settings do you have to LotATC to be able to always see their altitude? I have to keep pressing their icon to see their altitude

[@Fox3-Luck]

Man I want to fly with you guys!

[@VJS161Fire]

Thanks for doing GCI but you should read the AFTTP 3-1.1 for correct calls and brevity words

[@ralfidude]

Hey thanks for the comment but you should realize this is a game simulator and nobody playing this knows nor follows any of that shit.

[@VJS161Fire]

@@ralfidude maybe public and in your squadron, if you are in one. On hardcore sim-level squadrons, they do this and aspects like this are the differences between playing or simulating some things and simulating the whole fighter aspects. No offense at all, like your vids. And a last point: no real controller says "bulls" ;)

[@ralfidude]

@@VJS161Fire This is a public server, nobody there would understand half of any of that. And nobody minds any of the language there as long as we can all understand each other, that's the base line.

[@kalashnikovdevil]

Could you do a 0 to Hero class for GCI Ralfi? I'd like to jump in on that so I can engage while saving up to buy a HOTAS and stuff, but I really don't want to be screwing up the server.

[@86abaile]

The monotone is real.

[@ralfidude]

Tried to keep it as emotionless as I could for clarity. It does help a lot.

[@rorypullman]

I love flying in this sim but I could do this for days and days. Can this be run on all public servers or does the admin have to set it up?

[@Rasmorak]

Have they added any updates to make it more ATC friendly yet? I havent used LotATC since Maddog split up back in like 2015. I wouldn't mind spending an evening controlling GND/DEP/ARR.

[@DArt503]

It is coming in few weeks ;)

[@Ibikyo1]

I assume this won't work on the BlugFlag servers? I love to do GCI from time to time, but the F10 map really is gruesome

[@PolTen72]

Man, that seems to be stressful and exhausting

[@ralfidude]

Nah, it's a lot of fun!

[@Jackice]

I want to know more about this, since I can't play DCS, all my rig is back home, and I'm overseas..

[@Golden5er]

Hi Ralfi, can you share the JSON drawing file you load when you start the program?

[@dougnixon6464]

13:34 LOL

[@latavish]

...Why am I getting such a kick out of this!?

[@MiraPacku]

is it hard to get into GCI work? it always looked super interesting to me but also kind of scary is there a place somewhere to practise this in a more calm environment?

[@Sacapuces35]

I think the hoggit server still does training sessions ? you might want to check on their discord/reddit

[@jonasseger]

I'm not part of the flightsim community per say. But I imagine that if you appear on a discord and are willing to learn, they would probably love to have the role filled more often. Even if it takes you a while to get good at it. Some information is better than no information.

[@dudizin]

Bro, how can i start operating as a gci on that system ? Any test is required?

[@puppers2607]

Why does ralfi sound so sad :(

[@btfoaccounting2902]

Friendly Suggestion: when you give headings, round to the nearest five degrees. For example, don't say heading zero eight six, do say heading zero eight five.

[@ralfidude]

Not always a good idea, especially when they are close to each other. That could make a guy miss the target completely if they are turning and moving fast. At longer ranges that isn't a problem.

[@marlan__]

@@ralfidude But if they're close, then their precise location has probably changed before you even finish transmitting.

[@Hairysteed]

16:21 "Glenns 'n dick" :D It's "Ge-lend-zikk"

[@sirnacly]

*Life as a GCI in a nutshell:* 9:09

[@arko3709]

Does LotATC use Magnetic heading as opposed to True heading that the F10 map uses?

[@ralfidude]

You know, I'm not sure but I"m just going to say sure. The deviation is so small that nobody notices anyways.

[@arko3709]

ralfidude it does, I downloaded it and checked. There’s a button at the top of the screen that gives you the option to change from true to mag, I neglected to notice it when I watched your video ig. Persian Gulf has a variation of -12 degrees and it makes me worry someone might die if my call was just that much off, irrational fear :P

[@dalemercer2447]

Ralfi I would love to join in on something like this as a pilot what server is this

[@Schmokey]

You ever heard of groups?

[@brucehearn2621]

Dang. Do you write anything to help keep track of all the players?

[@rufnek476]

Are we gonna get any more gci videos?

[@victim109]

actually sad that LotAtc is a lot more functional than some other control platforms

[@Tiger313NL]

Wonder where/how you learn all the terminology.

[@ralfidude]

From other's videos like this. Read documents on the subject. Ask questions on forums. Get to know people on discord who do this stuff for a living. And then read some more documents on the subject. There is a lot of reading involved.

[@Tiger313NL]

@@ralfidude Thank you for your swift reply, wasn't quite expecting that. I can do reading and watching videos. Might give GCI a try. Tried flying, a couple of holes in the ground later I figured it may not be my thing, especially where the holes were made during taxiing lol

[@bpdlr]

You could start by Googling "Brevity codes"

[@Tiger313NL]

@@bpdlr Interesting indeed! :)

[@Jaroneko]

You could start here for a quick reference wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Military_Monitoring_Glossary

[@delayed_control]

I don't think it's a good idea to send someone with Sidearms to suppress an S-300...

[@ralfidude]

Which is why I didn't send him in alone but with 2 other planes armed with HARMs

[@Daimo83]

Good job vectoring people around but it seems like nobody is organised enough to accomplish anything.

[@mrwhiteua6492]

Why Glezendik? It is Gelendzhik. I assume that because of dik, correct me if I wrong) Thank you for video, it is very educational for me)

[@ralfidude]

Because I'm a degenerate

[@ravagetalon]

I would love to get my hands on your LotATC profile for label colors and whatnot.

[@ralfidude]

I was just messing around in the options for that. Customize yours by playing with them too!