Surface hydrophone fix?

[Sailor Steve]

Well, if Dick O'Kane says he did it then he did it. It sounds like the same thing that happened early on with the magnetic torpedo pistols: Enterprising captains took it upon themselves to ignore the book and experiment with pretty much everything. Of course a gamer has 20/20 hindsight and can say "See? He did it!"

Whatever the case may be as far as general usage, I'm betting that once again it works a whole lot better in the game than it did in real life. Still, I imagine that listening for a submerged sub would work the same way it did for a surface ship.

[TorpX]

I assume that it worked because they were not running the diesels. (Don't know about the sea conditions either.) I remember it because of the way he mentioned there being anxiety about remaining motionless on the surface. I gathered the crew was a little skeptical about this.

It's too bad sound wasn't modeled better in the game.

[EricW]

Originally Posted by Mescator

Isn't JP sonar the one mounted on the Bow though? That would be above water when surfaced.

Correct me if im wrong, but i thought WCA was, as the others have said, operation due to it's under keel location.

You're right, WCA heads are on the bottom, and retractable for when moving at speed on the surface (or laying on the bottom)......you can't hear anything through them (just water noise) if you're got any appreciable speed on (the game DOESN'T seem to model that). The JP is on top-mounted and useless on the surface so it would be secured until the boat submerges again. The manual seems to use the term 'hydrophone' for each (they ARE both underwater microphones, I guess).

[Zaitochisan]

In Thunder Below by Admiral Eugene B. Fluckney Of the USS Barb, he describes using one set for monitoring his own torpedoes, and those of other wolf pack members, because despite having the mark 18 (had depth issues too) as well as the 'fixed' mk14s there was still regular occurances of rogue fish, sometimes because of a poor exit from the tubes those with a lateral jolt most worrying but broaching too.
Obviously he could only observe the exit while on the surface.

Some point he did mention each by designation:
Quote: "QB sonar get on those torpedoes!"

I do notice that he was able to get far closer on the surface during surface attacks, regularly target ASW shipping successfully because he could get close enough both surfaced or submerged, dive fast if necessary and out fox IJN sensors far more reliably than I can in the game both pre and post attack.
For example:
He fired 6 fish 10 sec intervals on the pride of the tanker fleet 'Azusa Maru' 1800yds and Carrier CVE 'Unyo' 20321t 2100yds on the surface with an escort frigate "Bone in her teeth" at 700 yards (!!!) then continued firing while diving.

Interestingly he also mentions other sensors for plotting rough depth charge distance and location.

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Reference: The Fleet Type Submarine Online
Submarine Sonar Operator's Manual,
https://maritime.org/doc/fleetsub/sonar/chap1.htm

Submarine Sonar Operator's Manual, Navpers 16167, is one of a series of submarine training manuals that was completed just after WW II. The series describes the peak of WW II US submarine technology.

Example:
JK/QC is the Navy term for one type of supersonic gear. The JK half of the combination projector is for listening only; the QC half can also be used for sending out sounds into the water.

QB designates the other type. As indicated by the letter Q, the QB projector can send as well as receive sounds.

Sonic gear is useful for picking up targets at great distances because sonic sounds travel farther. Also, on the JP gear sounds appear more natural and are more easily recognized. Therefore, you can identify not only the machinery noises of enemy ships, but also any telltale noises your own submarine is making.

Supersonic gear is useful for picking up the important supersonic noises that sonic cannot get. Supersonic gear is especially superior for catching the bursts of supersonic sound used by enemy escort vessels in searching for our submarines. (In addition, QB and QC gear can be used to send out sounds into the water to determine the range of an enemy ship.)

The WCA Installation

The WCA Installation on a submarine includes all the sonar gear that handles supersonic sounds. Much of this equipment is grouped in the conning tower, where it is known as the "WCA Stack." To locate all the various units, let us subdivide WCA into its two main parts:

QB Gear has its receiver-amplifier and remote-control unit in the conning tower. The projector is mounted on the starboard shaft and extends just below the keel under the forward torpedo room. The electric training mechanism for turning the projector is in the forward torpedo room.

JK/QC Gear also has its receiver-amplifier and remote-control unit in the conning tower, and its training mechanism in the forward torpedo room. The double-faced projector extends just below the keel on the port side, opposite the QB projector. A range indicator, used with either QB or QC, is also part of the WCA stack in the conning tower.

NOTE: The WCA Installation also includes NM gear (in the control room), which is used for determining the depth of the water beneath the keel.

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There is loads more naturally !!! I am sure this manual has been mentioned elsewhere on the forums before.

[Aktungbby]

Zaitochisan! after an eight year silent run! The thread is a five year old necro so it's a total resurrection all 'round!