Cool idea for the Radar Screen on the FFG

[SeaQueen]

In real life, radar only gives you relative bearing and range. The rest is deduced on a maneuvering board. On an FFG, I believe the calculations are actually done by drawing in grease pencil on the radar screen. It would make the radar station a lot more exciting if you could do that manually.

[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Originally Posted by SeaQueen

In real life, radar only gives you relative bearing and range. The rest is deduced on a maneuvering board. On an FFG, I believe the calculations are actually done by drawing in grease pencil on the radar screen. It would make the radar station a lot more exciting if you could do that manually.

1) Modern radar can do the North-up thing automatically by integrating with the gyrocompass or INS. Only very cheap "entry-level" civilian radars with about 1kW peak power, perhaps 6NM range and huge beamwidths due to adequate scanner size don't have that functionality these days.
2) You don't really see the SPS-49 or any other radar screen anyway. You are seeing various Tactical Coordinator and Weapons Coordinator screens - that is, you are seeing processed video.
3) If you really want to play with raw radar, try the subs - but even those have automatic North-up. Instead of using the "Mark" button, try the grease pencil thing with the screen and see how you do.