SD Radar Bug

[fred8615]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Yup, I believe it's like Armistead says. If you come to radar depth and within seconds a plane is on top of you, it's because the plane was within visual contact, which seems to prevail over radar contact. I've also noticed that during rough seas, it helps to come up a little more toward the surface, from radar depth I mean (like a foot or two). This helps to compensate for the seas swelling above your radar mast.

That's why I always check the weather before diving. If the wind is high, then the waves will be too, so I don't dive as deep. But it still doesn't work right, like in the beginning of the patrol. And I dive well before visual contact can be made, so it shouldn't be that. Plus if it was, it would do it all the time. This problem only occurs, for me at least, well into a patrol.

[Armistead]

If I understand you guys, you're saying planes aren't showing up on radar, so how do you know they're even there except visually?

If you're saying you're riding on the surface for hours and have radar and it doesn't pick up planes, then something sounds bugged. If you're at scope depth, has to be your radar mast not out enough or planes entered your visual zone before your radar engaged.

Planes do often do search patterns and will remain in the visual zone for long periods of time, certainly if they know you're around.

I've play TMO/RSRD for some years now and have never had this issue. Even in 15mph winds my radar extended always picks up planes at scope depth. Certainly I have times I dive deeper to evade a planes bomb, come back up hours later and extend radar and get nothing and a plane bombs me. I now always come up with scope extended also so I get a plane spotted message if it's in the visual zone. Course may get bombed by a plane before you get up to scope depth. TMO's MAD planes bomb like heck late war.

[fred8615]

Originally Posted by Armistead

If I understand you guys, you're saying planes aren't showing up on radar, so how do you know they're even there except visually?

If you had read my post at least a little more carefully, you would see the problem is that the radar sometimes doesn't track planes after diving, with the antenna extended, and well above wave height. It's not a case of it doesn't work at all, just sometimes. And we're trying to figure out why.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by fred8615

If you had read my post at least a little more carefully, you would see the problem is that the radar sometimes doesn't track planes after diving, with the antenna extended, and well above wave height. It's not a case of it doesn't work at all, just sometimes. And we're trying to figure out why.

Fred my friend, I read your post, but was replying more to the other fellow.
I stated my suggestions, but said if radar isn't picking up otherwise, has to be some type of bug if your mast is above water as you say. I've never had that issue unless my radar got damaged without me paying attention.

I guess you guys lost me when you said your not seeing planes on radar, so I wonder what makes you think they're there, except a visual contact in which case they won't show up on radar. I assume you've been dived for many hours with mast up and you get a visual before radar?

Some of the smaller planes flying at lower heights often won't pop up on radar until the last few seconds of visual, OTT, wish I could help.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by fred8615

That's why I always check the weather before diving. If the wind is high, then the waves will be too, so I don't dive as deep. But it still doesn't work right, like in the beginning of the patrol. And I dive well before visual contact can be made, so it shouldn't be that. Plus if it was, it would do it all the time. This problem only occurs, for me at least, well into a patrol.

Oops, sorry Fred, I thought I was responding to Dogfish40s question. In your particular case, I've had something similar happen but it's usually when the plane is at a certain angle behind (and relative to) my boat. The next time it happens to you, try changing your bearing, almost as if clearing your sonar baffles, and see if there's any improvement.

[fred8615]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Oops, sorry Fred, I thought I was responding to Dogfish40s question. In your particular case, I've had something similar happen but it's usually when the plane is at a certain angle behind (and relative to) my boat. The next time it happens to you, try changing your bearing, almost as if clearing your sonar baffles, and see if there's any improvement.

I've had it happen at different angles, I think, but I'll try that next time. Probably tomorrow. I've been playing just about everyday since starting this career.

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by fred8615

I've been playing just about everyday since starting this career.

Yeah, me too. I've lost a lot of sleep over this sim.

Originally Posted by Armistead

Some of the smaller planes flying at lower heights often won't pop up on radar until the last few seconds of visual, OTT, wish I could help.

Yup, I can vouch for that. The bigger planes seem to be easier to pick up on radar. At least, they're detected at greater distances than the smaller ones.

[fred8615]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

Yup, I can vouch for that. The bigger planes seem to be easier to pick up on radar. At least, they're detected at greater distances than the smaller ones.

Which is actually the way radar works in real life, so the devs did get that right.

[Dogfish40]

Originally Posted by fred8615

I've had it happen at different angles, I think, but I'll try that next time. Probably tomorrow. I've been playing just about everyday since starting this career.

Since I''ve been hammering ships on the east side of Luzon, south of Convoy College and of course the IJN just got their new airbase on Luzon I've been triangled between at least three airbases so I've had to dive quite a bit. This is weird but I tried it again last night and lo and behold, the plane(s) didn't disappear (scope down, SD mast up). So now I'm trying to get the glitch to reoccur. If I raised the scope, I could understand the planes disappearing, but now I can't get the problem to come back. I'm working on it. I also put back the GFO mod with the Real Enviorment patch and that is working great.
We'll see what gives...
Thanks all so far
D40

[fred8615]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

In your particular case, I've had something similar happen but it's usually when the plane is at a certain angle behind (and relative to) my boat. The next time it happens to you, try changing your bearing, almost as if clearing your sonar baffles, and see if there's any improvement.

Out on patrol today; got a plane contact; extended the SD antenna; dived to a depth where the antenna would still be above water; lost the contact after a little bit; hit hard starboard turn to change the angle like you suggested.


IT WORKED!!!

Not only did it work, I didn't have any more trouble with it from then on!

[Dogfish40]

Originally Posted by fred8615

Out on patrol today; got a plane contact; extended the SD antenna; dived to a depth where the antenna would still be above water; lost the contact after a little bit; hit hard starboard turn to change the angle like you suggested.


IT WORKED!!!

Not only did it work, I didn't have any more trouble with it from then on!

This is great! So all you did was change course a bit and the contact appears on SD. I'll tell you how mine works out when the glitch appears again.
It takes some of the tension off to know if the planes are still in the area.
Good Hunting, and thanks to all for the help.
D40