What is a good method to plot a ships course using the hydrophone?
 

For example I am submerged when I pick up a contact via audio and I can't see it, what is a good way to plot the course? In SH4 I ping it with sonar every few minutes and draw a line that is the ships course and intercept. "ship, closing at long range at 10 degrees is a bit vague.

Sorry...the gramophone ? :o

This is more of a "by the way" than a complete answer, but you can ping it in SH3 once the technology arrives (1942 IIRC). :yep:

Yep, most u-boats for most of the war didn't have active sonar. They couldn't ping and get a precise range and bearing. They had to get close enough to see the target, and then get the information visually.

Gamaphone = music

Hydrophone = listening equipment for a sub.

(just joaking ok)

If you're playing with map updates on the ships position will be at the end of the sound contact line. So you can simply plot it's course and location from that.

Otherwise... well, enjoy this:

Plotting a contact-course only using hydrophones!

That'll get you a good plot using only the hydrophones and a spectacular amount of drawing and trig. :p

To use the gramaphone to locate a ship, you need to get Bernard standing up on deck with the ships record collection. He then frisbees the records out into the sea. You have to listen for the sound of of your favourite LP hitting the side of a ship. The angle Bernard was facing is the ships bearing and the length of time between Bernard flinging the LP into the briney and the clunk of LP against steel gives you an idea of the ships range.

BTW to be really effective, you need a considerable collection of records.

Something suitable is available here:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=128841

Thats some throw Bernards got:yep:

Dont mean to take this OT but being fairly new to this game/forum who is Bernard and what is the deal with all the jokes about "him"?

Anyone else I should know about?


On topic, with map contacts on (which is the way i play) I make a mark at the end of the contact line, wait a few minutes (or use TC) and make another mark, do this again with enough space between the marks to be able to draw a decent line (long enough to stretch out) across all of them. This gives you a rough idea of its course for an intercept point to get a visual.

check out dowlys Humerious SH3 screen shot thread. thats where bernard started.
Bernard simply is the one guy you dont want on your boat. he is the downfall of the entire german U boat waffe.;)

Anytime anything at all goes wrong, it was Bernard's fault. :yep:

Yeah Ive seen that thread :lol: , was just curious how it started.

I edited my post to say hydrophone. Whoops.

Hydrophone
 

Hi Piggy, one small system I use often when trying to intercept a ship from a hydrophone bearing is to initially head your boat along the line (you must be submerged) and observe whether the line appears to move over time to the left or right. If say the line is moving to the left then alter course to bring it a bit further to the left,( you will soon become good at this) When the hydrophone line does not move at all relative to your boat over time then you are on a "collision course", the only factor then is to make sure you are closing on the target and not being left behind your sound man should tell you this.
Cheers