Radar in GWX - how to?

Subject · 06-20-07, 06:24 AM

Before departing Salamis April 1942 I discovered radar was available, so of course we got one. I now know how to turn it on/off, perform single/cont. sweep and switch between short/long range, but can't figure out how to rotate it? Have tried clicking everywhere on radar and wheel, but no luck?
Secondly: can it become "unfunctionel"? Was patrolling, got an itch, went to check radar - nothing. Did a dive to PD and there it was! Sonar contact 15km's away... but why didn't radar pick up on that? What is radar range? Using 8 km version if that makes any difference? Surfaced again, turned on radar, but still no radar contact?

Did a forumsearch and read the manual, but not feeling wiser

rS

danlisa · 06-20-07, 06:32 AM

I think you might be confusing the Radar Warning Reciever (RWR) with the actual Radar.

There is no rotational wheel for the RWR, it continually sweeps.

If you are using the latest GWX then you can (IIRC) press Shift+R to raise and lower the Radar. When it is raised it will rotate.

The Axis radar technology was always playing catch up with the allies, so it is possible that the allies have improved the technology and therefore you're radar detector will no longer work.

As for the ranges, I don't have those to hand but I bet they're in the GWX manual.

06-20-07, 06:41 AM

The very first radar set had transmiters and receivers mounted around the conning tower in a semi-circle. It had a very narrow arc where it would pickup targets as well as a very short range. If it picked it up, you probably could see it. So, radar was porbably most useful in fog.

The standard procedure was most likely to turn the boat in a wide arc to port and then to starboard to cover a larger area. Keep in mind that the allies had the ability to pickup radar transmissions at this time so you probably don't want to have it on for very long.

Later radar sets and antenna covered the complete 360 degrees. Again, the height of the antenna, weather, waves, etc. limited the usefulness of u-boat radar. Additionally, as the war progressed, u-boats lost the ability to run surfaced, thus radar was useless, plus it would have easily been detected.

Subject · 06-20-07, 02:49 PM

Now found it in the manual

and there I see it's range is only ~8 km? Can that really be true? (knowing it is - otherwise wouldn't be in the manual), but seriously? Kind of worthless, isn't it? Don't really want to be that near anyone surfaced. And it did not warn against the Ansons!

Btw. it's the FuMO30 radar we have. Thinking of un-doing the choice. No range beyond what we can see? Turn it on and tell everyone, where you are? Think it was a waste of our hard-earned renowns...

:hmm: or maybe we'll keep it for it's cool look... Some kind of kitsch? Bling?

danlisa · 06-20-07, 03:09 PM

Do you think the radar has a use when it's foggy?

Hate to have a DD bearing down on you and the last thing you see is it's bow colliding with you.:rotfl:

irish1958 · 06-20-07, 09:05 PM

Dan is right: FOG FOG FOG! Otherwise it was useless for the U-Boat, but not for the destroyers and search planes.

Paajtor · 06-21-07, 02:49 AM

Fog + calm sea + decks-awash + radar =

Subject · 06-21-07, 02:54 PM

Okay, got it now.

Turn radar on, select focus-mode. Hold mousebutton down where arrow highlights. Left side turns radar anti-clockwise, right side clockwise. Now I can actually pinpoint the signal. And see the range...
Only problem left, I can't tilt the view enough to read the bearing. Counting markers instead.

Funny thing is, I can't find this info anywhere. Is it that obviously to everyone and I'm the last person to figure it out??

Anyway thanks for your input.

For only the second time in more than 6 months in the Med, we ran into heavy fog and storm last night. Radar did indeed prove itself useful.
Gonna keep the bling

rS

Paajtor · 06-21-07, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subject

Only problem left, I can't tilt the view enough to read the bearing. Counting markers instead.

Yeah, that's frustrating, I know.

Try to tilt your view more downwards...then you can have a blink on the bearing-readings, but loose part of your view on the display.

Wilko · 06-22-07, 05:57 AM

Yeah, the only time I turn it on is for Fog, otherwise I keep it off as I am not going to be advertising my presence to all and sundry

06-20-07, 06:24 AM	#1
Subject Sparky Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 158 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Radar in GWX - how to? Before departing Salamis April 1942 I discovered radar was available, so of course we got one. I now know how to turn it on/off, perform single/cont. sweep and switch between short/long range, but can't figure out how to rotate it? Have tried clicking everywhere on radar and wheel, but no luck? Secondly: can it become "unfunctionel"? Was patrolling, got an itch, went to check radar - nothing. Did a dive to PD and there it was! Sonar contact 15km's away... but why didn't radar pick up on that? What is radar range? Using 8 km version if that makes any difference? Surfaced again, turned on radar, but still no radar contact? Did a forumsearch and read the manual, but not feeling wiser rS __________________

06-20-07, 06:32 AM	#2
danlisa Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 5,499 Downloads: 45 Uploads: 1	I think you might be confusing the Radar Warning Reciever (RWR) with the actual Radar. There is no rotational wheel for the RWR, it continually sweeps. If you are using the latest GWX then you can (IIRC) press Shift+R to raise and lower the Radar. When it is raised it will rotate. The Axis radar technology was always playing catch up with the allies, so it is possible that the allies have improved the technology and therefore you're radar detector will no longer work. As for the ranges, I don't have those to hand but I bet they're in the GWX manual. __________________

06-20-07, 02:49 PM	#4
Subject Sparky Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 158 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Now found it in the manual and there I see it's range is only ~8 km? Can that really be true? (knowing it is - otherwise wouldn't be in the manual), but seriously? Kind of worthless, isn't it? Don't really want to be that near anyone surfaced. And it did *not* warn against the Ansons! Btw. it's the FuMO30 radar we have. Thinking of un-doing the choice. No range beyond what we can see? Turn it on and tell everyone, where you are? Think it was a waste of our hard-earned renowns... :hmm: or maybe we'll keep it for it's cool look... Some kind of kitsch? Bling? __________________

06-20-07, 03:09 PM	#5
danlisa Navy Seal Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Cornwall, UK Posts: 5,499 Downloads: 45 Uploads: 1	Do you think the radar has a use when it's foggy? Hate to have a DD bearing down on you and the last thing you see is it's bow colliding with you.:rotfl: __________________

06-20-07, 09:05 PM	#6
irish1958 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 3,250 Downloads: 320 Uploads: 11	Dan is right: FOG FOG FOG! Otherwise it was useless for the U-Boat, but not for the destroyers and search planes. __________________ Irish1958

06-20-07, 06:41 AM	#3
von Zelda Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	The very first radar set had transmiters and receivers mounted around the conning tower in a semi-circle. It had a very narrow arc where it would pickup targets as well as a very short range. If it picked it up, you probably could see it. So, radar was porbably most useful in fog. The standard procedure was most likely to turn the boat in a wide arc to port and then to starboard to cover a larger area. Keep in mind that the allies had the ability to pickup radar transmissions at this time so you probably don't want to have it on for very long. Later radar sets and antenna covered the complete 360 degrees. Again, the height of the antenna, weather, waves, etc. limited the usefulness of u-boat radar. Additionally, as the war progressed, u-boats lost the ability to run surfaced, thus radar was useless, plus it would have easily been detected.

06-21-07, 02:49 AM	#7
Paajtor The Old Man Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Dutch mountains Posts: 1,551 Downloads: 64 Uploads: 1	Fog + calm sea + decks-awash + radar = __________________

06-21-07, 02:54 PM	#8
Subject Sparky Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 158 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Okay, got it now. Turn radar on, select focus-mode. Hold mousebutton down where arrow highlights. Left side turns radar anti-clockwise, right side clockwise. Now I can actually pinpoint the signal. And see the range... Only problem left, I can't tilt the view enough to read the bearing. Counting markers instead. Funny thing is, I can't find this info anywhere. Is it that obviously to everyone and I'm the last person to figure it out?? Anyway thanks for your input. For only the second time in more than 6 months in the Med, we ran into heavy fog and storm last night. Radar did indeed prove itself useful. Gonna keep the bling rS __________________

06-22-07, 05:57 AM	#10
Wilko Officer Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Aussie Posts: 249 Downloads: 30 Uploads: 0	Yeah, the only time I turn it on is for Fog, otherwise I keep it off as I am not going to be advertising my presence to all and sundry __________________ You take it easy... and have a nice day