When can you report a convoy?

[dcb]

Hi everybody

I have a question, maybe some fellow Kaleun can help me. Under what conditions can you report a convoy by radio? That kind of "Large convoy heading SSE, medium speed" or similar report.
I am asking this because last night I was shadowing a large convoy, I was clearly seeing the merchants and the tail escort, while the watch crew reported seeing the escort but not the merchies. I ordered the radioman to "send contact report", he said okay, but no report was written into the message log (M key). Yet I remember that in the past I was able to send convoy reports and I even received something like a "Good job" answer.
Now I am playing GWX with a few graphic and keyboard tweaks - nothing that would alter the core files of the mod.
Thanks in advance for the answers.

[melnibonian]

If you send contact reports they don't apear in the report menu in the Radio Screen. The only ones that apear are the patrol reports and the messages from BdU. Actually sending contact reports is good, as you can get help from other U-Boats or the Luftwaffe. I was chacing once a Norwigean Cargo ship outside Narvik and I sent a contact report. About 10 minutes later 4 Ju-87 stoped by to give me a hand in sending it to the bottom of the sea

[danlisa]

IIRC a successful convoy report must contain all the ships visually identified & in sight when the report is made.

If this is true then it's going to be a lot harder to send successful reports in GWX unless in early war, due to the visual capabilities of the escorts.

[Jimbuna]

IIRC a successful convoy report must contain all the ships visually identified & in sight when the report is made.

If this is true then it's going to be a lot harder to send successful reports in GWX unless in early war, due to the visual capabilities of the escorts.

My understanding is that ALL the merchants have to be within visual range :yep:
But either way if you can see them then I'm sure as Dan has pointed out it's highly likely the escorts will have spotted you :yep:

[mookiemookie]

A couple things...

Outgoing contact reports DO appear in your radio logs. They appear in a second section at the bottom, under the incoming messages. Click them and in the data you sent BdU you can even see what numerical course the convoy you just reported is on. Sweet!

I've reported many convoys where I haven't seen all the ships. I thought you had to go to the nav screen and zoom out a couple layers. If the convoy appears as the convoy symbol (the large square) then you can report it in. That's always been my rule of thumb anyways.

I could be wrong on this, but I think some of it has to do with the efficiency of your radio operator as well. I.e. more efficent operators actually send the reports out.

[dcb]

Outgoing contact reports DO appear in your radio logs. They appear in a second section at the bottom, under the incoming messages. Click them and in the data you sent BdU you can even see what numerical course the convoy you just reported is on.

This is also what I can recall from some time long ago, when I actually saw such a report in the "sent items" part of the radiolog. So, what I understand is that you must see at least some of the merchants, in order to successfully send a convoy report and see it written in the log.
There is still the second part of the problem. If you can see them they should certainly see you as well. This only makes me think I will send very few convoy reports in my career.
Just to do a little experiment, I will suicidarily surface in the middle of the convoy, see the ships and send the report, to find out if the report really gets written in the radiolog. Thanks everybody for your answers.

[Brag]

Yeah, I had this happen yesterday: I was shadowing a convoy (trying to get into attack position. Lookouts would call: "Shiff gesichted" and convoy symbol would appear on the chart (no individual ships).

:help:

[GT182]

Try sending the contact report with deck awash. You might be less likely to be seen by the escorts, especially at night. But as Danlisa says, it'll be much harder later on in the war. Especially after Dec 8th of '41 I'd think.

[AVGWarhawk]

I tell no one so I can have all the sinkings:D. I usually report after I have exhausted all my torps. Hey, I greedy....what about it?????

[azn_132]

Try sending the contact report with deck awash. You might be less likely to be seen by the escorts, especially at night. But as Danlisa says, it'll be much harder later on in the war. Especially after Dec 8th of '41 I'd think.

After the US enter the war?

[melnibonian]

The situation with escorts becomes difficult after January-February 1942 when they're equipt with radar. Due to this fact if you get really close to the convoy while on the surface there is a higher chance they know where you are.

[johan_d]

And no one yet mentioned the fact that they also HEAR your report.. be carefulle outthere! :yep: