Radar Stations and other problems

[ens_ej]

I have been playing this game since 2008 and have all official patches. I have not used any mod and am now in Feb of 1945. I am a former Navy ET with a Radar endorsement and Navigation experience with a MoBoard. I have identified some errors i would like to dicuss to see if there are any others who have noticed or solved these problems.

1st Radars

The PPI Scope is the A Scope and the A Scope is the PPI.
in other words the buttons are backwards.

I am not familiar enough with the original radar units to determine if they had focus and brightness controls, but the cursor is too bright which makes it hard to identify the number of targets until the video fades. I also don't understand why there is a logarithmic scale on the A scope because there is no log offset to the travel of Radar waves the A scope is just an O scope where time is distance.

This is not to say I have not used the radar in both modes for calculating bearing range and then on to true course and speed.

2nd Sonar.

I have noticed that unless I offset sonar data by a certain amount of degrees, there is a greater chance to miss a target. i.e. the Sonar tracks the back of the boat not the middle of the boat. My own compensation has allowed for success in sinking boats blind, but I only do this when I cannot use the optics. In addition, I find that when I enter data from the sonar and then ask the TDC to calculate the speed it says not enough Data. to my understanding, the normal mode should be Sonar and if the computer has range and bearing data along with own ship course and speed it should calculate just the same but with minor offsets for Sonar times. I have resorted to using a combination of sonar and optics which leads to major errors in calculations. Is there a patch that repairs this or does every one have to calculate speed manually and enter it manually?

I currently have over 200,000 tons of sunk shipping as Lt Cmdr EJ Marquart my great uncle who served as the skipper of the B2 boat Cuttle Fish. In addition I have lost many overwritten files and have already implemented some of the ideas found here to minimize.

3rd Deck Guns.

I final got the 5" Gun with AA Shells, but lost the AP shells. Also this gun will no use AI to attack incoming Zeros and there is no way to set an altitude for an air burst. So I find that even though I have the AA they are useless to me if there is no way to set the altitude

Thanks for your input on these matters

JLA/ens_ej

[magic452]

If you're getting the "not enough data" thing you need to take one more position fix, you need at least two fixes for the TDC to compute speed.

I never bother with this as I have never been able to get a accurate speed, I use the three minute rule.

It's in this post.
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2128709&postcount=11

Second time today I put that one up. :D

Good luck and you already have had good hunting. :salute::salute:

Should consider some mods as they improve the game substantially. :yeah:

Magic

[CapnScurvy]

Welcome ens_ej to SubSim!!

And..... Thank you for your service!!

You've pointed out a few problem issues that have "gotten under the radar" with the stock game. :har:

There's a lot more. Like the awards/medals system, or manual targeting,......the list is endless. The game was too early for release, and the patches were too soon to be dropped only after the fifth version. It's too bad the Dev's spent most of their time getting ready to release the "German U-Boat in the Pacific" side of SH4 rather than fix the countless problems they had trying to make an American Fleet Boat game from the original SHIII.

The fact that the radar stations have their names back wards is only the "tip" of their problems. For the most part, the station's are just eye candy. They don't accurately give you range......the A-Scope has a range line, but it falls short of giving anything accurate. Nor does it give you the bearing (the Relative Bearing dial is placed on the wall above the A-Scope, but you can't read it!). The PPI screen gives you a bearing, somewhat, yet there's no way of attaining a range to target. The German PPI radar station has a digital readout for range when a target is found on radar....but its always giving the readout in meters, even when the measuring system is Imperial. Bottom line, their pretty much useless!! Not to mention they won't provide a target "pick up" over half the time, even when the target is in visual range of the sub!!

The "active" Sonar Station will provide accurate range to target, providing you "send" the found range to the TDC\Position Keeper using the toggle switches on the left side of the panel. Don't bother using the "notepad" in the upper left corner to "send" the bearing to target.....it's simply a leftover from SHIII that doesn't work in SH4. Another "gem" from UbiSoft!

You should try modding your game to fix some of the problems you've mentioned. I recommend using as few of mods as possible....to not have conflicts. If your using version 1.5 try Optical Targeting Correction (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=181172). It puts a working radar into the game (with correct naming), and fixes lots of other issues. Use this (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=3139) version for a stock SH4 v1.5 game.

You should also add the "OTC Gato Sonar Bearing Fix" found HERE (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/downloads.php?do=file&id=4098).

======

One issue I didn't bring up with the stock "passive" Sonar (Hydrophone), is the fact that you'll not hear a target at any distance if the target is traveling at below half its rated maximum speed. I've been working on this issue for a while now, trying to determine if its ship "Type" related or not. So far, I can "hear" the target with passive Sonar whenever its traveling above half its maximum speed, yet hear nothing when its speed drops below half....no matter what the type of ship it is. Just another problem almost seven years after the game's release that needs to be fixed. :/\\!!

[merc4ulfate]

http://www.survivalebooks.com/free%20manuals/1945%20US%20Navy%20WWII%20-%20Radar%20Operators%20Manual%20%20%20408p.pdf

If you want to study the original equipment then read the above manual. It is from 1945 and covers A and PPI.

You are being entrusted
with vital military secret when
you learn about radar.:ping: It is
imperative that you keep what
you learn about the operation,
performance and functions of
all radar a secret. Stop and
consider what radar does for
you in guarding your hip and in
protecting your life and the
lives of your shipmates. This
miracle weapon is largely on
our side. That is where it will
remain if security functions
properly. KEEP WHAT YOU
LEARN TO YOURSELF!

:timeout:^^^^^^^:timeout:

I love that part in the manual.

The A and PPI are not modeled 100% accurately. The blips are round instead of elongated but what they have done is give you a frame of reference in your attacks and range to target. On the real set you can tell smaller targets from larger ones by the size of the blips. The scope on the boat does this but you have to look exceptionally close because the size difference is not as great as on the real scope.

Your sonar is offset because your sonar man continues to allows it to turn so your losing time between bearings plus movement of your own boat and target. As stated above you need to send information yourself and the more the better.

I would suggest digging around a finding some mods to add to your game. Many mods will help with realism. While no mod or group of mods will give you a 100% realistic aspect to the game they do enhance the program and far exceed the stock game in playability and realism.

================================================== =====

Generic Mod Enabler - v2.6.0.157

1_TriggerMaru_Overhaul_2-5
1_TMO_25_small_patch
RSRDC_TMO_V502
RSRDC_V5xx_Patch1
Traveller Mod v2.6 TMO
#1 Real Environment mod install
Traveller Mod 2.6 Patch 1 - ISE v3 Patch
#4 Warships retextured
Traveller Mod 2.6 No Midway Transfer
Traveller Mod 2.6 No DC Camera Shake
Traveller Mod 2.6 Larger Search Patterns
Traveller Mod 2.6 Harder Enemy AI Escorts
Traveller Mod 2.6 Automatic Ship ID
Traveller Alternate Main Loading Screens
Convoy Routes TMO+RSRD
tambor198's TMO+RSRDC missions pack

================================================== ======