Some newbie questions

hito · 01-07-09, 02:35 PM

I'm curious about how my sonarman can distinguish a merchant sound contact from a warship one.

Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

meduza · 01-07-09, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hito

I'm curious about how my sonarman can distinguish a merchant sound contact from a warship one.

Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

A warships has a very different sound than a merchant ship. It's hard to explain, just listen on your hydrophones and you'll hear the difference.

Hitman · 01-07-09, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

It's possible in real life, and also in the game. If you go to the Hydrophone station and circle the needle around the dial, you will notice the big difference between destroyers (fast wish-wish-wish) and merchants (slow and bass sound thump-thump-thump). There are many reasons in real life for that difference, the mains being: Destroyers have boilers for a turbine engine (Constant movement) and the merchants piston engines (Hence the more noticeable push of every piston with a turn of the axis) and also the size of the screws (Larger for merchants, moving slow, and small for DDs, moving faster).

hito · 01-07-09, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

Quote:

Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

It's possible in real life, and also in the game. If you go to the Hydrophone station and circle the needle around the dial, you will notice the big difference between destroyers (fast wish-wish-wish) and merchants (slow and bass sound thump-thump-thump). There are many reasons in real life for that difference, the mains being: Destroyers have boilers for a turbine engine (Constant movement) and the merchants piston engines (Hence the more noticeable push of every piston with a turn of the axis) and also the size of the screws (Larger for merchants, moving slow, and small for DDs, moving faster).

That's very interesting!

I've read in one of the tutorials that you could estimate the ship's speed only by hearing and timing the blade's cycles. How is that possible?

mookiemookie · 01-07-09, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hito

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hitman

Quote:

Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

It's possible in real life, and also in the game. If you go to the Hydrophone station and circle the needle around the dial, you will notice the big difference between destroyers (fast wish-wish-wish) and merchants (slow and bass sound thump-thump-thump). There are many reasons in real life for that difference, the mains being: Destroyers have boilers for a turbine engine (Constant movement) and the merchants piston engines (Hence the more noticeable push of every piston with a turn of the axis) and also the size of the screws (Larger for merchants, moving slow, and small for DDs, moving faster).

That's very interesting!

I've read in one of the tutorials that you could estimate the ship's speed only by hearing and timing the blade's cycles. How is that possible?

If you could count the number of revolutions per minute, you could estimate the ship's speed. As the propeller blades move through the water, they make that "swish" sound. Add up the number of swishes you hear in one minute, and divide by the number of blades on the propeller, and you have your RPMs. Once you know the RPM's, you consult your handy dandy RPM to knots chart and there you go.

EDIT: That's how it was done in real life. if you'd like to try this in SH3, the tutorial is here: http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=107303

TarJak · 01-07-09, 09:28 PM

You only need to count the number of revs for 10 secs then multiply by 6 to tell the RPM.

Start the stopwatch as you start to count. If it is too fast to count then it's really moving and you don't have much hope of catching it.

hito · 01-08-09, 04:36 PM

Thanks again, everyone.

Another question, do I have to hide from neutral ships too? I mean, will they alert the enemy?

TarJak · 01-08-09, 07:06 PM

I've not seen any direct evidence that neutrals report your position and that DD's or aircraft come hunting you if they spot you. but that could be becasue there were no enemy vessels or planes about.

it could be tested in a scripted mission where there is a DD outside sensor range with a neutral close by your sub. Watching the DD to see if they start hunting you when the neutral spots you would confirm whether this happens or not.

01-07-09, 02:35 PM	#1
hito Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 13 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I'm curious about how my sonarman can distinguish a merchant sound contact from a warship one. Is it possible in real life, or is it just because of my difficulty settings?

01-07-09, 09:28 PM	#6
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	You only need to count the number of revs for 10 secs then multiply by 6 to tell the RPM. Start the stopwatch as you start to count. If it is too fast to count then it's really moving and you don't have much hope of catching it.

01-08-09, 04:36 PM	#7
hito Swabbie Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 13 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks again, everyone. Another question, do I have to hide from neutral ships too? I mean, will they alert the enemy?

01-08-09, 07:06 PM	#8
TarJak Fleet Admiral Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 17,052 Downloads: 150 Uploads: 8	I've not seen any direct evidence that neutrals report your position and that DD's or aircraft come hunting you if they spot you. but that could be becasue there were no enemy vessels or planes about. it could be tested in a scripted mission where there is a DD outside sensor range with a neutral close by your sub. Watching the DD to see if they start hunting you when the neutral spots you would confirm whether this happens or not.