Wrong Range Reading?
 

Well basically whenever i use the stadimeter and update range to the TDC, it inputs a range of around 9000 meters regardless of what the range should realistically be, i am up to date with patch 1.4 at this point however this problem was occuring prior to installing 1.4

Im guessing it's most likely human error on my part not a bug in the game as i haven't seen any posts related to this problem

Are you inputting the target's mast height into the TDC?

Oh right yes forgot to mention that i do enter the mast height from the rec manual, however it still gives me that same 9000 or so meters. Tried getting the range with these steps which i assumed were correct

1 Identifying target
2. Entering mast height
3. Pull stadimeter down and get range.
4. Then i send mast height and bearing to the TDC - but still it always reads around 9000

Could someone please tell me How does the positon keeper come into all this, could it be that im setting it at the wrong point, perhaps this is the problem?

One further question for the stadimeter in sh4 - Is the scope horizontal line meant to be at the waterline of the target when taking the range like in sh3 or is it different in sh4? maybe this is what i am doing wrong so as to get a range of 9000 each time.

Figured it out
 

Figured out what im doing wrong, i was actually setting the stadimeter on the horizon instead of the mast top!

thanks

This is getting confusing
 

He was talking about the U-Boat stadimeter all along. Not everyone would know that because we've combined U-Boats and Fleet Boats in the same forum. The same problem came up when we were taling about sensors. Methinks either we have to begin making clear whether our posts are U-Boat or Fleet Boat or divide the forum.

I think dividing the forum would be cleaner, but would hurt the community. So I recommend a similar [U-Boat] [US] bracket device on the OP title as we use in the mods forum.

no actually...
 

Im talking about the sh4 stadimeter not the uboat one

I thought all you had to do is ID the ship, pull stadimeter down to align the ghost ships water line with the top of the mast of the real target left click and you've got the range (also have to enter it into the TDC).

Do you have to manually enter a mast height somewhere?

No, choosing the ship in the manual enters the mast height.

Orangewhale, to be clear I'm going to walk through the various steps. Please excuse me if most of this is known to you, but to be thorough I'm going to list it anyway.

You are playing the American side. You have "Locked" your view on target with the "L" key (you don't have to lock the view, but you do need to have the target centered in the scope to send the ID to the Position Keeper). You have accurately identified the target ship and by left clicking the checkmark square in the Recognition Manual (RM) top right of the page, the name of the ship is shown in the Position Keeper (PK). As you did this the "Attack Data Tool" (ADT) on the top right of the periscope screen, moves the outer dial to the mast height that is shown for the target you selected (the inner dial will show the stadimeters range distance when you make it). You left ckick the Stadimeter button on the ADT and a second image of the target ship is brought down from the top of the screen with the mouse. You place the waterline of the second target ship image (not the water horizon line, not the horizontal scope line) onto the very top of the mast. Be carefull here, the slightest error in actual pixel lines will throw off an accurate range finding. You left click the mouse when your satisfied the lineup is correct. The second image will disapear. Then you left click the red ADT top button to send the reading to the PK. The PK will read the stadimeter range finding.

Be aware that the further away you are from the target, the less accurate the range finding will be. Anything over 3000 yards should be avoided with the use of the stadimeter. Use the sonar instead, as long as there are no escorts around. To check your accuracy, use the sonar to receive and send to the PK its findings. If the distance is less than 3000 yards the two should be close in range, if you did your stadimeter correctly.

By the way, to accurately get and send a sonar reading, do it yourself. The crew is only as good as their qualifications allow. If you have a young crew the readings they give will be off. To use the sonar, take the bearing of the target ship (the figure that scrolls along the top of the scope) and input it onto the right hand dial of the sonar screen by using the mouse pointer and left clicking. The white marker will circle to the bearing point and stop. Left click the left toggle switch under the left dial and the ping to target will be sent. When a return ping is heard click the right hand toggle switch to send the data to the PK. When you return to the periscope screen the sonar range data will be in the PK, replacing the stadimeter finding. Going between the two devices you will see the reading should be fairly close in range, especially if the target ship is less than 2000 yards distance. If not, then it may be time to move up to a mod called Ship Centered, Accuracy Fix (shameless plug).

The operative phrase being "in the manual" ... choosing the ship via an "ID Target" button only displays the ship's ID in the TDC window. You need to click on the checked box in the manual to input mast height.