Real Navigation with SH3

[don1reed]

Don't know if this has been tried with SH3 with any success, but Real Navigation with SH4 does work and I've got it to work with SH3 also> See Here: Beginning with Post #124 http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...=116170&page=7

cheers,

[Gairith]

Was a do it yourself mod out there http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...eal+Navigation
I used the sextant for a short time to try it out. Never went anywhere with it.

Nevermind, see you were already there awhile back.

[don1reed]

Same here, Gairith. This uses a "Python" script and "Stellarium", (both freeware) standalone pgms. While SH4 or SH3 is still running, I do a save, go to the script to input data of date/time UTC & Wx conditions then go to stellarium to get data from heavenly bodies, return to the game and at my leisure perform sight reductions and plot my position real time.

It works as in RL and performs like real navigation. Of course, if it's cloudy or foul wx I act accordingly.

cheers,

[dertien]

Hello Don,

Could you elaborate a little bit more on how you handle realnav in SH3 , what tools you use etc...

I have been looking all over the forums here, and all the information I found got me there halfway, or not at all.

Could you point us SH3 players to a link, tutorial, how to use this in SH3 ?

[don1reed]

Hey, dertien

The point man on this is, 6SJ7GT, but he hangs out on the SH4 Mods forum and doesn't play SH3, or have it....However....I do

He's created a script using "Python" which interacts with both "Stellarium" and "SH4". I've changed the script to suit my computer's filing structure ( c:\documents and settings\...etc.) so that I now got it to work with both SH4 & SH3.

I say again: Python and Stellarium are FREEWARE.

Here's what it does:

1) While your sim of choice is running (SH3 or 4) do a save of the game but continue to run it.

2) Slip out of the sim leaving it running and run the Python script and input the Date/Time (UTC) and Wind speed & boat speed--exit Python.

3) Enter "Stellarium". Python will have automatically set up Stellarium to where it displays what the real world would look like at the geo coords and date/time that you are experiencing in the game.

4) The clock continues to run in Stellarium; however, you can simulate taking sextant sights (sun/moon/planets/stars) (click on body) as it gives Hs and Az of the heavenly bodies, by pausing Stellarium after each sight.

5) 6SJ7GT has also provided ephemeral data for the war years which will allow you to do a sight reduction for your acquired data.

6) Plot your course on a real paper plotting sheet or plot it on the F5 screen.

This procedure is not meant for the casual player as it is real navigation and is as time consuming as the real thing because it is the real thing.

Beginners should try this if they keep the waypoint tool and the sub/uboat icon on. The more experience and confidence you get with it, one can stop using the icon & waypoint tools.

In order to make it work from the get go I begin my patrols with waypoints to the mouth of the harbor to give Python a point of reference. It goes into the SH3/SH4 file in Documents and looks at the locations of the saved game and converts them into Lat/Long for it's use.

Best place to start is here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...=116170&page=7

Begin with Post 124

I hope this helped.

all the best,

[don1reed]

There's been a lot of effort into making a realnav mod for SH3 with somewhat disappointing results. The combination of pgms SH3, Python & Stellarium is the most realistic to date. For one thing it will give the neophyte navigator a lesson of what it takes to move vessels around on the surface of the earth.(and below)

It will definitely take the player to a higher state of immersion. From taking sights to sight reduction, with or without weather's influence, a whole new game.

[dertien]

Thank you Don1,

This looks like a thorough tutorial, have saved all pages, and will get studying immediately.

greetings

Dertien