A lotta years ago, I got a 1st class FCC Radio/Telephone commercial license (back in the days when you could still get one of those) and took the exam using a sliderule...gotta laugh, the FCC engineer winked and said, "You should do allright on the test, son, you've got all the answers in the palm of you hand." :) Passed all the elements that day...he was right.

All the best,

You know, I was thinking about getting one myself almost 20 years ago, but I couldn't for the life of me figure out why I should. I stuck with just the ham radio license. I figure that if I started doing radio stuff for work, it would cease to be fun anymore.

It's still fun.

Last week was Submarines on the Air, but due to family obligations I wasn't able to work any of them. I've already got QSL cards from the USS Torsk, USS Silversides, USS Batfish, USS Growler, U-505, USS Ling, USS Requin, USS Cod, USS Cobia, USS Becuna, and USS Clamagore.

Bump for the benefit of newbies.

Father attempted to teach me slideruler use
 

Ye Gad's I can remember my Dad's attempt at teachin me ta use a slideruler. I did not listen, like the young fool I was. :damn:
Ya for me it was like hittin a breakwall. Heck I would think when would I use this junk. My dear ole Dad was not so dumb after all.

Math my worst subject, well I guess if I want the tonage, I need to relearn and learn the sliderule.

Don't feel bad: Slide rules were already on the way out when I was learning math. I remember fooling around with one when I was young, but never learned how to use it.

Now that I own a couple, I realize that they have to be about the coolest implements ever devised, outside of the flintlock, of course.

Circular Slide Rule Question
 

Puster Bill,
I see Ya made the Circular Slide Rule. I downloaded it and I have a question about its make:

1. Is the curser sheet One Circular curser with two straight cursers or five; two straight cursers,with three sperate scales; C, B, and K?

Note: Office Max and Office Depot can laser print transparent sheets for trans parent cursers. I recommend, WilsonJones, presentation Style, clear binding cover-gloss finish, 8 1/2 by 11 in. Letter size. Dedending on location each transparency will cost Ya about a buck each.

Range determination accuracy?
 

Skippers,
I know we are looking for exact range but is it realistic? I made a copy of Submarine Torpedo Manual, Dated May 1950. Thank you geosub1978, for posting the link to this manual.

From Page 31 of Manual, section 5-7
(h) The following points should be kept in mind in height determinations:
(1) Masthead heights may be purposely altered by enemy to cause inaccuracies in periscope range.
(2) Tops of the mast may be camouflaged in such manner as to be invisible under average visibility conditions at any except short range.
(3) Funnel height is normally sufficient to insure thats smoke which is blown in direction of the bridge by a tail wind will pass well over the bridge.
(4) Coal burners require taller funnels to insure adequate draft.
(5) Funnels of modern vessels having forced draft do not require as tall a funnel as older vessels without forced draft.
(6) Diesel propelled ships require no draft. Funnels are normally short, are not required, and generally have such dimenstions as to provide a good appearance on the ship.
Regardless of the methods employed by individual Approach Officer, skill in estimating masthead heights, and the ability of to obtain accurate ranges can be acquired and maintained onlyby constant practice. Even when radar ranges are available during an approach the Approach Officer should also obtain telemeter ranges as a means of improving and maintaining his skill.

From reading this I find that those sub skippers in WWII had a problem with range determination also. It was only with the advent of good radar and the telemeter that accurate ranges could be determined in 1950. So fine tuning things that accuracy for this simulation realy making it 100% reallistic.

Being 37, I don't qualify as a "whiz-kid" but I know how to program tools that emulate whiz-wheels. What did you have in mind?

What exactly is a bearing rate computer?

Howdy Arron.

Check this out: See Geosub1978's post above :

http://www.globalsecurity.org/milita...14308_ch10.pdf

The whole chapter is about Bearing Rate Slide Rule (BRSR) see page 25 of the document.

It's basically a more modern version of the "Submarine Attack Course Finder/Is-Was" sliderule. (Do a search for thread).

These sliderules have a hole in the center through which a cord was passed and looped and the user wore around his neck, i.e., control room/ target acquisition.

btw: waiting patiently for your Moboard...best of luck.

Don

Ahhh... I see... so it's used in TMA to assist with speed and heading. :hmm:

Interesting, I'll have to read up a bit to figure out how it works. Or do you have like a 5 second example of what you're s'posed to do with it?

The time bearing curve was also an interesting plot... I'm gonna have to printout that doc and read it all the way thru. Thanks.

I found the thread I was looking for...

See Post #60 by Hitman

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...=106923&page=3

Thats what a "Submarine Attack Course Finder" (back side of the "IS-WAS") looks like. The Bearing Rate Computer, I believe, is a refinded version. Both were used extensively during WWII and into the Cold War years.

The cursor sheet is one circular cursor that includes the C, B, and K scales, and the two separate 'free' cursors.

Thanks for reply
 

If that is the case the one I made is correct. Just need to practice using it.

I also got this one from www.griffenfly.com
a virtual one for the computer.

sticky this thread please
 

Puster Bill,

Please get this thread posted to "Guides and Trainings: TDC, Radar, Sonar and More.... " This is a definate help for skippers of realism.

Done.