What's this hole in the conning tower for?

Sirrvs · 05-10-21, 10:04 PM

I recently upgraded to VIIB and I noticed this big hole in the side of the conning tower. Anyone know what it's for? Is it a cupholder for my large soda?

bstanko6 · 05-10-21, 10:10 PM

I believe for the biscay cross radar detector? I believe.

les green01 · 05-10-21, 11:00 PM

radar detector i would say but the biscay cross was made out of wood and had to be rotated by hand but we are talking about a sub game from ubi but you found my beer cache so have to find another hiding spot

Aktungbby · 05-11-21, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bstanko6

I believe for the biscay cross radar detector? I believe.

Nope!

Quote:

This rudimentary antenna, known as the Biscay Cross consisted of two pieces of wood tied together into a cross, with wires wrapped around where it had to be carried through the hatch every time the boat surfaced or dived. It was installed into a bracket on the conning tower and periodically the position had to be rotated by hand. The operator would constantly tune in across the frequency band and the device generated an audible warning which was broadcasted on the boat’s loudspeakers when signals were detected in the coverage band. Metox however could not differentiate between radar and non-radar signals, neither could it provide the bearing of the source of transmission.

.

the later wanze and naxos radar detection circular mesh antennas on retractable watertight rotating poles, controlled by the radio room, look to fit that port conning tower aperture, which on later uboats, was/ became a large narrow rectangle to accommodate a large rectagular retractable radar screen. Neither of the radar detectors gave ample warning in any case. I'm still trying to find decent pic and any literature on the topic...sucks too! Here's the only one aboard U-952 port con tower>

The 'Bali' FuMb 5 carried aboard U-505 was
omnidirectional and fixed to the portside con>

as opposed to the standard U-boat radio direction finder(ring) retracted in it's customary starboard aperture

And this shot of a captured Uboat and several advanced radar detectors (with radio direction raised & Naxos to the left) is a reflection of the German continual dissatisfaction with radar detection which basically was poor against 10 centimeter equipped B-24 Liberator!

Sirrvs · 05-11-21, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

Here's the only one aboard U-952 port con tower>

The radar detector? Ah, that could be it, because it's June 1940 in my campaign and I don't have the radar detector yet.

Funny, I did a search for VIIB conning towers and found that same picture which seemed to be in the location in question, but wasn't sure what the device was.

Aktungbby · 05-11-21, 12:25 PM

The Naxos and various FuMb devices just was a part of the overall struggle that supposedly 'tech advanced' Germany simply lost! The last pic in my post #4 only highlights Winston Churchills quip: "Germany lost the Wizard War" (Atlantic war segment is at 8:22-11:55) and actually uses that pic!!! great minds think alike!

Sirrvs · 05-12-21, 08:15 AM

I thought it was weird to have a hole for the Naxos since it's not even available yet in June 1940, but I found another clue as to what this is when I dove to periscope depth and looked at it:

Appears to be some kind of radio antenna that extends when you dive and retracts when you surface.

Aktungbby · 05-12-21, 12:07 PM

ALL I see is:

on both of your posts

Sirrvs · 05-12-21, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

ALL I see is:

on both of your posts

Thanks so much for letting me know! I had no idea my image hosting wasn't working for anyone except me (because I was logged in). Anyway, I've set up an Imgur account and edited the screenshots above so they should be visible now.

Aktungbby · 05-12-21, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirrvs

I thought it was weird to have a hole for the Naxos since it's not even available yet in June 1940, but I found another clue as to what this is when I dove to periscope depth and looked at it:

Appears to be some kind of radio antenna that extends when you dive and retracts when you surface.

BETTER! now show it with the antenna raised?? My old eyes cannot see anything! Meanwhile traveling back in time I found this required reading!

http://www.silenthunter.cz/tgw/Manual_V3.0_Final.pdf Sections A5--A15... all in one site location!

And you're right about the naxos, I mislabelled the U-952 antenna: it also is the 'Bali"...

Sirrvs · 05-12-21, 07:03 PM

Haha, sorry, I know it's hard to see due to the murky water and the image compression. I've circled it here, but it basically looks like a thin straight antenna like you'd see on a car in the 80s/90s:

As I'm finding out, pictures of these German antennas and detectors are rare!

propbeanie · 05-12-21, 08:49 PM

Top-secret hush-hush, we'd-have-to-kill-you kind of stuff most likely wiped-out by the sensors - er censors

(sorry, won't happen again, until the next time) back then. Look at most of the US sub pics from then, and they "erased" the radars usually from the pics. Finding info on Japanese subs is even more difficult.

Aktungbby · 05-13-21, 10:37 AM

I seem to recall that a Uboat could still transmit radio messages while at periscope depth, using Nauen and later Goliath transmission systems; I wonder if that's not a just an antenna for one of those two systems??

But, at least I now do know we need a new mod to mount the radar detection receiver on a raised schnorkel head!!

Aktungbby · 05-13-21, 07:44 PM

ALL this has triggered my interest especially since Bubblehead cannot do a Real life periscope depth radio transmission in SH IV. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...04&postcount=1 and is looking for a file to extend the radio antenna length.... But what a really cool mod would be for later in the German career modes is this imho:

The schnorkel with the radar detector attached!

Sirrvs · 05-14-21, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aktungbby

ALL this has triggered my interest especially since Bubblehead cannot do a Real life periscope depth radio transmission in SH IV. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...04&postcount=1 and is looking for a file to extend the radio antenna length.... But what a really cool mod would be for later in the German career modes is this imho: The schnorkel with the radar detector attached!

That would be a cool upgrade. Aha, there we go! The antenna circled in green is what seems to pop out of the hole when submerged, although it's in a different location on the conning tower:

I think you're right. Probably an improved radio antenna for communicating when submerged.

05-10-21, 10:04 PM	#1
Sirrvs Loader Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 81 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	What's this hole in the conning tower for? I recently upgraded to VIIB and I noticed this big hole in the side of the conning tower. Anyone know what it's for? Is it a cupholder for my large soda? Last edited by Sirrvs; 05-12-21 at 12:39 PM.

05-10-21, 10:10 PM	#2
bstanko6 Admiral Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Murwik Naval Academy Posts: 2,130 Downloads: 390 Uploads: 13	I believe for the biscay cross radar detector? I believe. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] BSTANKO6'S SH5 NAVAL ACADEMY http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPbe...W2NArCA/videos DISCORD https://discord.gg/6tFeTSUmVc

05-10-21, 11:00 PM	#3
les green01 Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Freeman Missouri Posts: 1,784 Downloads: 1405 Uploads: 0	radar detector i would say but the biscay cross was made out of wood and had to be rotated by hand but we are talking about a sub game from ubi but you found my beer cache so have to find another hiding spot __________________ I'll tell you what bravery really is. Bravery is just determination to do a job that you know has to be done. Audie Murphy

05-11-21, 12:25 PM	#6
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,986 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	the better wizard won the war The Naxos and various FuMb devices just was a part of the overall struggle that supposedly 'tech advanced' Germany simply lost! The last pic in my post #4 only highlights Winston Churchills quip: "Germany lost the Wizard War" (Atlantic war segment is at 8:22-11:55) and actually uses that pic!!! great minds think alike! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

05-12-21, 08:15 AM	#7
Sirrvs Loader Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 81 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	I thought it was weird to have a hole for the Naxos since it's not even available yet in June 1940, but I found another clue as to what this is when I dove to periscope depth and looked at it: Appears to be some kind of radio antenna that extends when you dive and retracts when you surface. Last edited by Sirrvs; 05-12-21 at 12:39 PM.

05-12-21, 12:07 PM	#8
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,986 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	ALL I see is: on both of your posts __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!!

05-12-21, 07:03 PM	#11
Sirrvs Loader Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Montreal, Canada Posts: 81 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Haha, sorry, I know it's hard to see due to the murky water and the image compression. I've circled it here, but it basically looks like a thin straight antenna like you'd see on a car in the 80s/90s: As I'm finding out, pictures of these German antennas and detectors are rare!

05-12-21, 08:49 PM	#12
propbeanie CTD - it's not just a job Join Date: May 2016 Location: One hour from Music City USA! Posts: 10,098 Downloads: 451 Uploads: 2	Top-secret hush-hush, we'd-have-to-kill-you kind of stuff most likely wiped-out by the sensors - er censors (sorry, won't happen again, until the next time) back then. Look at most of the US sub pics from then, and they "erased" the radars usually from the pics. Finding info on Japanese subs is even more difficult. __________________ "...and bollocks to the naysayers" - Jimbuna

05-13-21, 10:37 AM	#13
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,986 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	I seem to recall that a Uboat could still transmit radio messages while at periscope depth, using Nauen and later Goliath transmission systems; I wonder if that's not a just an antenna for one of those two systems?? But, at least I now do know we need a new mod to mount the radar detection receiver on a raised schnorkel head!! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!! Last edited by Aktungbby; 05-13-21 at 10:50 AM.

05-13-21, 07:44 PM	#14
Aktungbby Gefallen Engel U-666 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: On a tilted, overheated, overpopulated spinning mudball on Collision course with Andromeda Galaxy Posts: 29,986 Downloads: 24 Uploads: 0	ALL this has triggered my interest especially since Bubblehead cannot do a Real life periscope depth radio transmission in SH IV. https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/sho...04&postcount=1 and is looking for a file to extend the radio antenna length.... But what a really cool mod would be for later in the German career modes is this imho: The schnorkel with the radar detector attached! __________________ "Only two things are infinite; The Universe and human squirrelyness?!! Last edited by Aktungbby; 05-13-21 at 07:55 PM.