can DDs...

[Sag75]

Hi, yes I know, but I mean.. can they detect me by using hydrophones even if I'm surfaced?

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Sag75

Hi, yes I know, but I mean.. can they detect me by using hydrophones even if I'm surfaced?

No. That's what radar is for.

[Sag75]

Thanks for answers, but my question is pretty technical, so in other words.. is there an upper water limit on which if you stay above it the DD hydrophone doesn't pick up you?

This may have important consequences, for example when you go up and down in stormy weather, a DD may detect you by its hydrophones!

According to the Uboat Commanders Handbook, YES, they can hear you.
I would, however, assume, that they'd have to be DIW (Dead In the Water).
That would be rather foolish of them.

So, I'll refine my answer to:
It is possible, but highly unlikely.

[Sag75]

Thanks, probably it was unspoken, ..but I meant in SH3, not in real life!

[GoldenRivet]

i believe that there is a depth where the watch crew automatically goes below deck.

this is something like 8 meters depth.

every time you pass 8m the watch crew disappears - you will notice this in game if you have free cam enabled.

this is the point at which the game engine considers the u-boat to be "submerged"

i believe this is also the point at which DD hydrophones can begin to hear you underwater.

DD Hydrophones cannot hear you while surfaced above this 8 meter demarcation.

if memory serves me correctly, 300 meters depth is the maximum sensor range for hydrophones and it is also the maximum depth for depth charges.

theoretically, if your boat can survive at 301m depth or deeper, you can run ahead flank all day and never be detected.

[bertockamus]

I must say that I am somewhat surprised that they cannot hear you when you are on the surface. Although I do not know the location of the hydrophones on a DD, unlike your uboat, the DD's hydrophones are always underwater listening so why would then not be able to hear you?

You can hear surface traffic when you are just submerged (8m, but hydrophone shallower) and I suppose their hydrophones are about 2-3m down. The deeper you go, the better you can hear (notwithstanding the thermalcline, is that modeled in SH3?) because you can get away from the surface noise.

Of course weather, speed etc would play a part, but a stationary DD in calm seas I would think, could hear quite far away with their hydrophones and certainly pick up surface traffic.

I really don't know much about the technology at the time, this is just how I always thought of it. Am I missing something? Or am I wrong and the only way a DD can "see" you on the surface is visually or radar?

[Kaleu_Mihoo]

Originally Posted by Sag75

Thanks for answers, but my question is pretty technical, so in other words.. is there an upper water limit on which if you stay above it the DD hydrophone doesn't pick up you?

This may have important consequences, for example when you go up and down in stormy weather, a DD may detect you by its hydrophones!

Yes, there is a limit (in sensors.dat I think), min and max depth for all of the sensors separately.