Hi Pishky - this is quite a big topic to cover in one post.
Dont jump in at the deep end - start in Quick Missions with some 'Easy' scenarios with fewer platforms
and as you gain confidence progress to denser contact environments.
At first you dont know what you are looking for so its hard to be selective. As newcommers we tend
not to be able 'to see the wood for the trees' - later you will distinguish what is relevant for example
possub and 'at risk' neutrals.
However some practical guidelines (SW) for dealing with high contact environments. In short order:
1. Assign trackers to SA. BB contacts and make a note of the brg/ref/trackers.
2. Find matching TA BB contacts , assign trackers and merge them in TMA to form masters. (Truth)
3. Check out the contacts in NB for classification and mark Nav.
Note any that are uncertain and monitor.
4. Now concentrate on the remaining TA contacts - first slide the mouse pointer over BB contacts and in the SW
where you get a WAA range that is the' real ' contact.(ie not ghost)
So, way to go, already you have probably halved the workload which at first seemed overwhelming !
5. The next task is to eliminate ghosts and justify the 'real' contacts is done by turning (the amount depends
on Stock or LwAmi) But before we do this we need to note the baffled (hidden) areas which currently exist
at the prow (TA) and stern (SA) and calculate our turn. You must check the revealed baffle areas post turn.
Much diving involves compromise decisions - trade-offs of what gain v what loss - so with the turn calculation.
6. The second thing pre-turn is to search with both arrays in NB for faint traces. You have set up your monitor
with the jpg from Tacman - yes ?
You must pre-set the frequencies appropriate to each arrays search.
If no BB contact matches then assign a tracker in the NB central window. Evaluate - needs investigation -
determine own course. (Allowing for baffles)
7. Finaly pre-turn ( my head is hurting
) do a pointer slide in BB slowly to see if you get any SNR indications
worth investigating. A blip to 1 is enough. And make a note of any NB contacts which had no BB equivalent
and BBs with no NB (We see that more now)
Now ( heck its meal time) you can carry out your planned turn. As you turn either watch the BB and the contacts
which move are the ghosts and/or watch NB and the ghosts traces break up verticaly. For this
latter proceedure see the description in TimmyG00s excellent Tacman.
Now,( as my wife continues to holler), after turning you will have sorted out the majority of those pesky lines.
But you cant have a whisky yet, oh no, remember there may be....
8. More 'lines' are exposed by clearing the baffled areas - so you better start all over on this new batch.
Later you will take short cuts to accelerate this process by eliminating 'non-relevant' tasks.
You will get further clues from Daemon, from sound, from bearing tracking etc. But for starters it is
important to systemise the process to learn what is important.
For more see Tacman or my SVAK (Manual sonar visual aid kit) at Bills SubGuru. ts a big topic and I have only
scratched the surface but mastering manual sonar is an essential prerequisite for moving on to the Art of TMA.
NB I have knocked this out online and off the top - others I'm sure can and will add/revise, criticise ( even nitpick
)
Hope this helps - for starters anyway.............mealtime !!!