SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - How often do you use the hydrophone?

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- - How often do you use the hydrophone? (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=177441)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matador.es (Post 1542970)

Very nice!

About gargamel his remark on the snorkel; how is the hydrophone while running diesels submerged/ while using the snorkel?

There is no allowance ingame for a reduction in it's effectiveness.

I think it works normally, I have not noticed any difference in it's function.

And I've modified my tactics since my last post, I run on battery all day, and snorkel at night. But thats mid 1944.

at least in 1944 I have a snorkel! Watch crews are almost redundant now.

with myself, when I played the game regularly a year ago, I got into the habit of running along the surface and diving every six hours for a check, or progressing so far along the map and then doing a listen -

On a slightly different take, I would sometimes spend one entire night below the surface (usually once every 3 days) running at low speed/silent running with ALL crew in quarters except essential crews...this I felt simulated a rest period where we would ALL be sleeping..I wld jump on the hydrophones for a listen at this stage..

It often helped to refresh some energy points too.

Sometimes when my my spidey senses are tingling(computer lag :shifty:) or if I'm at a intercept point and I'm looking for my target, I'll dip down and take a listen. Other than that, I rarely do it.

:)

Personally, while enroute to my patrol grid I run on the surface unless it's poor visibility / bad weather in which case I'll dive down to 40m every 3 hours do an immediate manual hydrophone check, then let the sub carry on submerged at silent running for another 3 hours and perform another manual check before resurfacing. The times I've had not a peep out of my sonarman and then found the sound of screws during a manual check makes me want to slap him upside the head which is why a manual check is advised. You also get contact reports while on the surface which can be lucrative, especially if it's a convoy and you get to go home early.

Once I reach my patrol grid I try to stay submerged during daylight hours and run on the surface at night. I really don't want to be chased out of my patrol zone by the Royal Navy / Airforce because I was spotted up top during the day. I'm currently in an IXB in mid 1940 but as time goes on, I'll need to spend more time under as the air threat increases and radar becomes a factor.