Hate to say it, but the RADAR isn't very accurate either. I've found a pretty consistent error of around +/- 2-3 degrees no matter how close I get to the target. Still working on getting accurate readings that match what the radarman tells me. He's alot closer.

When I get to the correct firing position, I can access the attack map to be sure my torpedoes are running to where I want them. If not, I can change the TORPEDO GYRO angle until the track line goes where I want it. Works best on stationary targets, of course.

I've been using the white indicator for the relative bearing. There is also a green indicator that has different numbers (bearing?). What is that one for?

Might be an idea worth thinking about. I hope you're considering changing the color of one of them though. Two 'white' arrows might be confusing.

Speaking of dials: The dials on the TDC that show my course (the one with white and blue triangles) never seem to settle down - they both keep whirling around. Shouldn't the white triangle indicate a steady course for my boat (unless I'm turning)? I think the blue one is for SONAR bearings. So far, I've only been practicing on the surface, so my sonarman won't get a bearing, and I expect that one to go round and round. Next step is to try a submerged attack to see what that one does.

Many of the functions are able to be entered via the ATTACK DATA TOOL on the TBT/Periscope screens. Seems alot handier, albeit a little less accurate, than having to switch between the TBT and the TDC screens. Color me lazy. :D

This MOD really kicks butt, and is not as daunting to learn as it seems at first glance. YOU ROCK! :yeah:


God Bless Electric Boat

You can cheat big time and use the PPI scope to disciminate against targets. The PPI scope you have is far too good and is quite cheaty on groups of targets.

Or, you can track the nearest target to you, which may actually swap target depending on your and their orientation and the columns and the escorts on the flanks, but you will get a good indication of the course and speed by just tracking the nearest target (the target may occasionally overlap and you will swicth targets)

Or, track the biggest pip. I need to make a change to make the pips smaller in campaign mode, which will make it easier to see the difference in pip heights. Unfortunately there is a peculiar bug (I know!) in the radar, where in single mission mode, the radar pips are tiny, compared to in the capiagn, where they are much taller. To make the radar training missions usable, I had to make the pip height bigger in the single player missions, which means that the 'top out' in the campaign at longer ranges so you can't as easily see which is the bigger pip. Incredibly tis bug is further compounded by the fact that the radar pips get smaller the closer a target gets, instead of larger, as they should as the radar signal gets stonger.

Failing any of the above one can stay at the radar screen and constantly track a single target. As long as you concentrate on that single target it's fairly easy to track an individual among many. Leave the radar station though and all bets are off, so stay there for a few reading and then plot them to get a good idea. The targets will get easier to track as range decreases, as they will spread out. At long range they will all show up together, as the radar will pick up any target within a seven degree spread, which at long range is pretty much all of them. At lower ranges they should spread out more than that and give you an easier time. Get coarse, then get fine estimates. Coarse estimate to get into a goo position, fine to kill them.

The radar is accurate to at least half a degree on bearing, so if you are getting a two to there degree error, then I'm afraid that's operator error :-). Sweep over the target and then step back. As soon as the target pip appears again, that is the bearing. It's slower than using optical bearings and much more dis-orientating, but it's about as accurate. You can hit targets in the driving rain and heavy fog without ever seeing them (take that automatic targetting).

White is your own measurements and green is for the TDC's generated bearing, so if the TDC's PK says the target should be at a relative bearing of 173, then the green numbers will say 173. The green numbers on the radar unit likewise are the PK's generated range. It's so you can easily compare the figure you are measuring and the figure the TDC has currently, so you can easily detect errors in bearing rate or range rate.

The triangles you are talking about are actually blue and red. Blue is for sonar, yes and will point at wherever the sonar man is listening, so you can conduct submerged attacks and use the blue triangle as a contsant indicator of what the sonarman is reporting. You can easily see if the sonar bearing is lagged or advanced. The red triangle is for the radar and will stop whizzing if you turn the radar off between readings and will also allow you to visually check your radar bearing observation against the generated bearing. None of that will be of any use to you if you aren't using manual targetting and they'll just be spinny shirry things. Think of it as a pseudo-voice feedback as you as the TDC man want to constantly hear where the sonarman is tracking and it's a big pain to keep switching to the sonar and listening for yourself. Likewise, you don't want to switch to the TDC to see what the generated range is, remember that long number, then switch back to the radar and compare it... it also acts as a guide to where you should be looking on the scope to pick up the target you are tracking.

True Bearing = Relative Bearing + Own Course;

If (True Bearing > 360)
True Bearing = True Bearing - 360;


So, add the relative bearing of the contact to your course, and if it's greater than 360, subtract 360. Result is the true bearing of the contact.

I understood the balance of your post, which leaves me wondering if going after course when there is a convoy or task force isn't somewhat of a crap shoot. I guess I will find out.

As for the above quote, how do you use the PPI scope to get course and and range on a task force/convoy. This is one cheat I could live with.

You can use it to pick out a single target and track it from the group (track via the 'A' Scope).

razark/nisgeis
 

razark - if I have to get my own course by tapping the = button on my keyboard (didn't think I knew that one, did you?:D), then I am jumping around more than I prefer. I would rather read a digital read out.

Nisgeis - I am trying to follow a contact on the PPI scope. But it is very difficult, especially if it is not clear what the heading of the target task force/convoy is. You delightful mod has me chasing contacts that I cannot see, and with four contacts on the A screen, all at different ranges, I do not know if they are coming or going. (I need a new ream of legal pads, as I have plotted to the point where I have exhausted my supply.)

Wait, you don't know what direction you're heading?!? :D

I read own course off the bottom dials on the TDC. It's there, so I use it. I'd prefer the digital read out, though.

One of these days, someone at work is going to ask why I'm printing out so much stuff at lunchtime. Of course, then I'll explain about my plotting logs, and go into a long-winded speech about WWII fleet boats, the advantage of radar, etc., and they'll leave me alone.

another question
 

I never caught the task force in the Battle of the Philipine Sea. I finally gave up. I will replay the mission and try for a better position. Practice - I counted 35 bearing and range plot before I gave up on the task force. I could not track the same target with regularity, plus it appears the task force was moving away from me faster than I could could catch them.

Here is a question. When a target is at bearing "Y" (say 10 degrees), I plot the bearing with the protractor tool. According to Channing, you drag the tool to a point behind the sub to account for the distance the sub has traveled between the time of the reading of the bearing and when it was sent to the TDC, and at that point you create the protractor's angle. The angle should intercept the compass ring at 10 degrees.

If you examine the protractor angle, it will not be 10 degrees at the point where the angle is created. It will be a smaller or larger angle at the point were the angle is created usually (say, for e.g., 8 degrees or 12 degrees.) However from the center of the boat, the angle will be 10 degrees. In either case, the protractor angle will intercept the compass ring at 10 degrees. Is the difference in degrees attributable to the fact the sub in on the move, and the protractor angle is plotted from the location where the sub was supposed to be when the range and bearing are sent to the TDC? If so, the angles created can vary significantly based upon the subs speed and the time it takes plot the angle after the reading of the bearing. A bad angle will lead to a bad plot. A bad plot will lead to --- (you can figure out the rest of the scenario.)

I would like a digital reading of true bearing. If your offering...
I couldn't read the radar train indicator from the fixed viewpoint when I first installed this mod. That's why I deleted the camera.DAT file, so I could move the camera in 3d, right in and view from directly in front of the dial.
I had a chance to try this mod last night. Was great ! I really like it. After a while of playing with everything going fine, the inner true bearing circle stopped revolving and stuck in line with relative bearing. Both zeros pointing straight up Even if I tried turning the sub the dial was frozen. I have installed:
TMO 1.9
RSRD_TMO
PE4
Max Optics 4 TMO
3D TDC and Radar Range Unit v1.02.

Maybe my deleting the camera.DAT file caused the bug
Are you still making a TMO compatible version or should I just install TMO2 and then 3d TDC?

Thanks

Hmmm, perhaps glasses? Oh sorry, I just had to say that. I've got glasses, and I'll have to agree that the compass is a little blurry. It doesn't get any bigger when you zoom in either.

I installed TMO and RSRDC then 3D TDC. I made no deletions and have noticed no incompatability or other problems (other than my poor marksmanship)

Just a thought: Perhaps t'woud be better if Ducimus adapted 3D TDC to TMO and incorperated the two. I've seen the suggestion on the TMO forum.

rodger dodger
 

I do not seem to have the ability to zoom close to the tool on the ceiling. I deleted the camera.dat file on the mod to see if that would help, but nothing happened.:hmmm:

I have tried tracking a TF real time in the Battle of the Philipine Sea. I got closer this time, but could not get its course. This mod is a bear to apply when there are a lot of ships on the radar screen.:hmmm:

We could use a couple of video tutorials -- one for the basics and one for convoys, etc.:

That's a good idea. Must remember it. White and Brown arrows to match the reskin of the dials.

Yes that is the reason for the difference. What I do is , if you are moving at over Ahead Slow, I use the angle indicator number that appears at the intersection of the angle on the protractor to figure out my angle.

JCC