New to SH/sub sims - radar question

bcarter3 · 02-19-08, 10:45 PM

I've been playing the career mode and I seem to be doing really well (granted its on easy mode right now). I have been running with SD (air) radar and sonar installed, but surface radar was just made available to me and I installed it on my boat. Now, having searched the forums I can't find the answer to this question (I did look honest) ...

If you surface, having gone to periscope depth first and checked that nothing is around, and then you activate your surface radar who or what could detect me and at what range. I realize radar is an active and not passive device so there is a risk in using it - I just dont know how big that risk is. If the radar picks something up, should I shut it down immeadiately? Or is there a set distance that I'm safe? (I realize you wouldnt steam headlong into a task force with it blipping and doing it's thing).

Basically just want to know when to use it and what to watch out for.

Kapitan_Phillips · 02-19-08, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcarter3

I've been playing the career mode and I seem to be doing really well (granted its on easy mode right now). I have been running with SD (air) radar and sonar installed, but surface radar was just made available to me and I installed it on my boat. Now, having searched the forums I can't find the answer to this question (I did look honest) ...

If you surface, having gone to periscope depth first and checked that nothing is around, and then you activate your surface radar who or what could detect me and at what range. I realize radar is an active and not passive device so there is a risk in using it - I just dont know how big that risk is. If the radar picks something up, should I shut it down immeadiately? Or is there a set distance that I'm safe? (I realize you wouldnt steam headlong into a task force with it blipping and doing it's thing).

Basically just want to know when to use it and what to watch out for.

The way I think of it, I think of "If I can see them, they can see me". Your air radar for example, picks up the radar signals of patrolling aircraft. So the more time you spend beaming someone with your radar, the more likely they are to go "Hey, wait a minute.."

My advice, is to get what you can from your radar, then disengage it and go deep. That way, the likelihood that aircraft will be able to find you is minimised

Rockin Robbins · 02-20-08, 06:29 AM

Your radar is your advantage, which you do no give up lightly. The most they could know is that there is somebody they don't like around here somewhere, but you know exactly where they are. Who is better off?

Now if you turn off your radar, the advantage is exactly even. Through most of the war there is no Japanese radar detection whatever. I'm in late September 1944 and still have not seen evidence of ships or planes homing in on my radar. I use it 100% of the time.

Real life example, CDR "Hobo Joe" Enright of the Archerfish when stalking the Shinano, left his radar on in spite of the near certainty of detection. In fact, the radar was central to the bad decisions made by the Japanese captain, resulting in the final jig toward the Archerfish which resulted in six hits by the American torpedoes.

This is war. Your mission is to attack, not dive deep and put your head in the sand. Stay on the surface whenever possible, with radar on to extend your search area to the maximum number of square miles. If the enemy detects you and comes to you they have spared you the effort of going to them.

If you must dive stay at periscope depth as long as possible. Retain the initiative. Attack. Kill. Live.

bcarter3 · 02-20-08, 07:48 AM

That's great thank you. I guess playing around with it and observing what the enemy does with it on would be the best course of action. I do feel a little less aprehensive on using it now though

Even though its war I prefer not to attract attention to my little boat. Seeing 4 destroyers charging at me with pings going off left right and center isnt my idea of a good party

seafarer · 02-20-08, 07:59 AM

SD Radar did not pick up aircraft radar signals. It was a long wavelength emitting radar that, like any radar, detected it's own signal being reflected off an aircraft. The only way the aircraft could know you were scanning it with SD radar was if the aircraft was equipped with a radar detection set.

The same thing for SJ radar - a ship would have to have a radar detection device onboard to know it was being scanned. While it became known after the war that a lot of IJN ships had radar detection systems (at least starting in 1942 onward), only a very few Japanese aircraft ever did, and most of those were 1944 or later.

Rockin Robbins · 02-20-08, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcarter3

Seeing 4 destroyers charging at me with pings going off left right and center isnt my idea of a good party

But such is the price of victory. Bring 'em on!

Welcome to SUBSIM and the Pacific war.

ReallyDedPoet · 02-20-08, 10:01 AM

Welcome to SUBSIM

bcarter3
If you have not had a chance aleady, a nice thread regarding the Pacific Theatre:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=128185
Some nice info in there

RDP

02-19-08, 10:45 PM	#1
bcarter3 Watch Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 20 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	New to SH/sub sims - radar question I've been playing the career mode and I seem to be doing really well (granted its on easy mode right now). I have been running with SD (air) radar and sonar installed, but surface radar was just made available to me and I installed it on my boat. Now, having searched the forums I can't find the answer to this question (I did look honest) ... If you surface, having gone to periscope depth first and checked that nothing is around, and then you activate your surface radar who or what could detect me and at what range. I realize radar is an active and not passive device so there is a risk in using it - I just dont know how big that risk is. If the radar picks something up, should I shut it down immeadiately? Or is there a set distance that I'm safe? (I realize you wouldnt steam headlong into a task force with it blipping and doing it's thing). Basically just want to know when to use it and what to watch out for.

02-20-08, 06:29 AM	#3
Rockin Robbins Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: DeLand, FL Posts: 8,900 Downloads: 135 Uploads: 52	I say the opposite Your radar is your advantage, which you do no give up lightly. The most they could know is that there is somebody they don't like around here somewhere, but you know exactly where they are. Who is better off? Now if you turn off your radar, the advantage is exactly even. Through most of the war there is no Japanese radar detection whatever. I'm in late September 1944 and still have not seen evidence of ships or planes homing in on my radar. I use it 100% of the time. Real life example, CDR "Hobo Joe" Enright of the Archerfish when stalking the Shinano, left his radar on in spite of the near certainty of detection. In fact, the radar was central to the bad decisions made by the Japanese captain, resulting in the final jig toward the Archerfish which resulted in six hits by the American torpedoes. This is war. Your mission is to attack, not dive deep and put your head in the sand. Stay on the surface whenever possible, with radar on to extend your search area to the maximum number of square miles. If the enemy detects you and comes to you they have spared you the effort of going to them. If you must dive stay at periscope depth as long as possible. Retain the initiative. Attack. Kill. Live. __________________ Sub Skipper's Bag of Tricks, Slightly Subnuclear Mk 14 & Cutie, Slightly Subnuclear Deck Gun, EZPlot 2.0, TMOPlot, TMOKeys, SH4CMS

02-20-08, 07:59 AM	#5
seafarer Commodore Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 622 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	SD Radar did not pick up aircraft radar signals. It was a long wavelength emitting radar that, like any radar, detected it's own signal being reflected off an aircraft. The only way the aircraft could know you were scanning it with SD radar was if the aircraft was equipped with a radar detection set. The same thing for SJ radar - a ship would have to have a radar detection device onboard to know it was being scanned. While it became known after the war that a lot of IJN ships had radar detection systems (at least starting in 1942 onward), only a very few Japanese aircraft ever did, and most of those were 1944 or later. __________________ My Father's ship, HMCS Waskesiu (K330), sank U257 on 02/24/1944 running SHIII-1.4 with GWX2.1 and SHIV-1.5 with TMO/RSRDC/PE3.3 under MS Vista Home Premium 32-bit SP1 ACER AMD Athlon 64x2 4800+, 4GB DDR2 RAM, 400GB SATA HD Antec TruePower Trio 650watt PSU BFG GeForce 8800GT/OC 512MB VRAM, Samsung 216BW widescreen (1680x1050) LCD

02-20-08, 10:01 AM	#7
ReallyDedPoet Canadian Wolf Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Canada. The one and only, East Coast Posts: 10,885 Downloads: 946 Uploads: 5	Welcome to SUBSIM bcarter3 If you have not had a chance aleady, a nice thread regarding the Pacific Theatre: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=128185 Some nice info in there RDP __________________ Back in the Day

02-20-08, 07:48 AM	#4
bcarter3 Watch Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 20 Downloads: 23 Uploads: 0	That's great thank you. I guess playing around with it and observing what the enemy does with it on would be the best course of action. I do feel a little less aprehensive on using it now though Even though its war I prefer not to attract attention to my little boat. Seeing 4 destroyers charging at me with pings going off left right and center isnt my idea of a good party