SD Radar Bug
 

AhHArrr,
I've got a bug or a glitch happening with the SD Radar. When I'm on the surface I get the normal warning of incoming aircraft and most of the time there within 5 miles so I'll dive after tracking their course on the map. I sometimes slow to 2/3, (I mention this because changing speeds might be related somehow). Anyway,
so far so good. After a time, I come up to periscope depth and raise the SD antenna...nothing. So I go to 'Radar Depth'...nothing. I surface and bang... there's the planes. This doesn't happen all the time, but it happens a lot. I'm used to coming up to periscope depth, raising the antenna and getting the hit on the SD.
As far as the mods go, I've gone through the process and pretty much canceled out any particular mod causing this to happen. I am using 1.5, Real Environment #1, GFO plus the Real Env patch. Those two are the biggest mods I have installed. The rest are fluff that have always worked in any combination. So, do you think GFO still might have a problem with RealEnvironment even with the GFO W' Real Environment patch? Feedback is completly welcome with the exeption of remarks on the Skippers sanity.
Thanks:salute:
D40

I believe early war SD radar only works on the surface. The function to raise the antenna while submerged is only functional later in the war when you have SJ radar installed.

Yes, I might not have been clear. I don't expect to have the function submerged, however, at periscope depth, I have a mod with a keyboard command enabling me to raise the SD radar like the periscope. The radar is located on the periscope mast just behind both periscopes. When you raise the SD radar (if you're at periscope depth) it allows you to keep track of the planes without surfacing. As long as they don't spot the radar wake. My problem which started around the time I upgraded to 1.5 is; When I raise the SD Radar, nothing happens. My Radar Operator says nothing. Then I try radar depth, still nothing. Then I surface and that's when I resume contact with the planes.
This problem is intermitant as sometimes I raise the antenna and it resumes right away,...so I'm rather bugged by it. If I reload the save, that might fix it one time, or like I mentioned, simply changing speeds underwater might cause it. So it's kinda' weird. I was wondering if anyone has had this happen. ect...
Thanks Bill:salute:

Post the mod name plus all your other mods and the mod order and maybe someone else has some experience with this particular problem. I have used a few radar mods in the past but they all can have different problems so I cannot comment in general.

Coming up too soon
 

I've never had this problem myself but I never go anywhere near the surface for at least an hour of game time and have yet to have an aircraft hang around that long if it hasn't spotted me. I play with map contacts off (i.e. aircraft don't show up on the map).

If I understand what you're talking about, it's because the plane is in visual range. The game basically uses one sensor at a time, but one issue is planes do not give you a icon within visual range like a ship will. Sure you've noticed you can't lock or ID a plane.

Simply, a plane comes into visual range, you lose the radar contact icon.
If your scope is up, usually you'll get a plane sighted message and basic range, short or long, etc..

Also, depending on the size and height of the plane, radar will differ when it picks the plane up.
Bigger planes will pick up at a much further range than smaller.

If you're not getting radar contacts with radar exposed out of visual range, I would say something in your mod setup is bugged.

I'm having a similar problem. When I first start out on a patrol, when I get a plane contact, I first check the weather to see how high the waves are; then I raise my SD antenna and dive to a depth where I know it'll be above the waves. Once the plane passes me again on its return leg, I surface. But after awhile, when I try this trick, I lose the contact after diving, even though the antenna is above the waves, as before. Sometimes raising my depth a little more will reestablish contact, but I still lose it again way too soon.

On this last patrol today, the problem kept coming and going. Sometimes it worked fine, sometimes it didn't. :hmmm:

Yup, I believe it's like Armistead says. If you come to radar depth and within seconds a plane is on top of you, it's because the plane was within visual contact, which seems to prevail over radar contact. I've also noticed that during rough seas, it helps to come up a little more toward the surface, from radar depth I mean (like a foot or two). This helps to compensate for the seas swelling above your radar mast.

That's why I always check the weather before diving. If the wind is high, then the waves will be too, so I don't dive as deep. But it still doesn't work right, like in the beginning of the patrol. And I dive well before visual contact can be made, so it shouldn't be that. Plus if it was, it would do it all the time. This problem only occurs, for me at least, well into a patrol.

If I understand you guys, you're saying planes aren't showing up on radar, so how do you know they're even there except visually?

If you're saying you're riding on the surface for hours and have radar and it doesn't pick up planes, then something sounds bugged. If you're at scope depth, has to be your radar mast not out enough or planes entered your visual zone before your radar engaged.

Planes do often do search patterns and will remain in the visual zone for long periods of time, certainly if they know you're around.

I've play TMO/RSRD for some years now and have never had this issue. Even in 15mph winds my radar extended always picks up planes at scope depth. Certainly I have times I dive deeper to evade a planes bomb, come back up hours later and extend radar and get nothing and a plane bombs me. I now always come up with scope extended also so I get a plane spotted message if it's in the visual zone. Course may get bombed by a plane before you get up to scope depth. TMO's MAD planes bomb like heck late war.

You know, Dang!... I forgot about this. I've also forgotten if I've used the periscope when this "problem" occurs as I don't like to have more than one mast above when there's planes about. I did notice one time, that I had both the periscope and the SD mast raised at the same time and the map icon changed from a grey square to the red triangle and I could see the plane from the OB Scope but I didn't make the connection.
I'm sure this is probably the issue. Now that I understand this I can work around it and it has nothing to do with any mods which is a relief.
Thanks Skipper, you are the Man! What a relief...:salute:
PS: One more thing; I guess this also means I've got to be really careful about surfacing just because the SD contact has dissappeared. I'll be raising the scope from now on!!

Ok, here is a tip. Try staying under during daylight and move about at 1/3 speed. When your SD fails to warn against aircrafts popping out under 5 miles, I'd call this salt-water effect. However, when you do get a single contact, dive and I quote Rich O'kane's book, Clear the bridge!; " The duty chief will assure himself that all trash sacks are well secured and weighted, as we want no telltales in this area at dawn. Our low silhouette gives us the advantage, but only if all lookuots do their best. A patrol or ship can come from any direction. Keep me completely informed. Call me at any time. If in doubt, dive!"

So, if there is any doubt, have the checkbox for default action marked at Periscope or Crash dive. Normally an hour or so from getting under should get the bad guy away for a small price of battery charge. It's the difference between staying at sea and finishing up or lying to permanently.

Regards,
CS2k9

Oops, sorry Fred, I thought I was responding to Dogfish40s question.;) In your particular case, I've had something similar happen but it's usually when the plane is at a certain angle behind (and relative to) my boat. The next time it happens to you, try changing your bearing, almost as if clearing your sonar baffles, and see if there's any improvement.

If you had read my post at least a little more carefully, you would see the problem is that the radar sometimes doesn't track planes after diving, with the antenna extended, and well above wave height. It's not a case of it doesn't work at all, just sometimes. And we're trying to figure out why.

I've had it happen at different angles, I think, but I'll try that next time. Probably tomorrow. I've been playing just about everyday since starting this career. :D