How do I manually input the range to target into the TDC?
 

I can use the stedimeter, great when you can see and ID your target.

If you can't? because of weather conditions etc.

I can get the range, from surface radar or by pinging with sonar (and sonar lets me send the range directly to the TDC so I guess this primarily applies to RADAR), but I can't figure out how to input that information. Otherwise I'd have been able to calculate a firing solution on this one merchant at a range of 15.1 nm. I estimated speed at 11kts and AOB was 4*. Thats everything you need to have a firing solution. I just couldn't figure out how to input the range.

You can't which is unfortunate.

Plus you can't input range above 9800 yards so at 15.1 nm, you couldn't set the PK up anyways.

Check this one out:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...ight=dials.cfg

Doing the above modification allows you to manually rotate the stadimeter range wheel, making it possible to input any range you can get with the stadimeter. It works wonderfully :up:

If that works
 

You should get it included in the official 1.5 mod list.

This might not be the answer you are looking for, but you cannot set manual range properly. In the stadimeter part of the TDC, you can drag the "mast height" plastic triangle clockwise to artificially drag the range out to about 1200 yards (I think). Also, once you've dragged the "mast height" plastic triangle, you can then use the stadimeter to "measure" mast height of an imaginary ship to see if you might be able to jiggle a fake reading into it :).

If there are no warships about, you could use sonar to ping for range and send to TDC. But that's only accurate at 4000 yards or less.

Not true, see the link I posted.