Hitman, the game calculates the range for either metric or imperial "behind the scenes" sort-to-speak. That's the only way the same dial is used for the Attack Data tool (even though a separate dial could be used for the tool).

I've played with the idea of creating a larger dial that would give you a more complete height variance, with accurate found range. But, it's this "behind the scenes accurate range calculation" that's a problem for me. Frankly, I'm at a loss for understanding the Logarithmic value of the dial, and how it compares to the inner range dial. As you may have seen, the outer ring for setting the "height" (either meters or feet) actually "moves" the range dial to it's calculated figure. This movement is apparently the logarmithic value being figured in for the stock dial. But, I just don't know how to readjust this logarithmic value for a larger height range. If I did, my plan was to create a Recognition Manual that lists several points of reference with their height values, and the player simply picks which point to use for a stadimeter read.

As you pointed out, you can still estimate a height (as long as it's within the 15-130 meter/feet range). Really an estimate is about all the stadimeter will give you at longer ranges. Closer than 1200 yards, and a mod like SCAF will give good results; add MaxOptics (which magnifies the view) and accurate range can be doubled. But, with the "stock" values you need to be really close to get anything accurate using the stadimeter. With some ships that's impossible since the stock height values are way off.

In my little utopia game world, I'd have the radar give correct range to target and send it to the TDC for calculation. The problem is, of all the stinking screens we can mod, the Sonar and Radar stations are the ones that are hard coded. Unless, someone knows more than me (and I'm ducking my head when I say this) you can't find these two areas to mod in the usual areas. I'd love to add a toggle switch to the radar station to send the data to the TDC, but the file for this doesn't exist.