Radar, Sonar explained

[Dragonhammer]

Although you can see the hydrophone's sticking out your hull,there is no function to lower them not in the manual and not on the quick reference card,but then again the home and end keys are also not on the reference card and the manual, so big kuddo's to Neal for finding that out.
As of now hydrophone only works when diving deeper than 17m.

[Sailor Steve]

Thanks for the explanations, Mister Herr Commander Onkel, Sir. Nice screenshots, too.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by jeff lackey

Whew! Again, a big shout-out thanks to Neal (I'll try to get you and subsim.com a shout-out in the magazine article) - would have never been able to get this without the home/end key pointer.

Shout outs, woot! Glad to help, Jeff.

I really appreciate and admire the extra lengths these Romanian devs go to in order to reproduce historical accuracy. Of course, they only have so many people and a limited amount of time to work on things like this, but contrast the sonar and targeting method in SH4 with that of Battlestations: Midway, for example; no sonar modeled, no TDC, no sub interiors, no range determination, just point and shoot. SH4 gives the player a lot of interesting things to do. That certainly helps the gameplay. And SH4 allows the casual player the option of turning off manual targeting so he can play a relaxed game of click and sink.

Dragonhammer:
It would have saved alot of confusion and anger if they stated a minimum operating depth in the manual.

Yes, you’re right. The manual comes up short in this department. But, on the other hand, that adds value to Subsim as a resource. Thanks for confirming the sonar depth.

Neal
Subsim

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Dragonhammer

Although you can see the hydrophone's sticking out your hull,there is no function to lower them not in the manual and not on the quick reference card,but then again the home and end keys are also not on the reference card and the manual, so big kuddo's to Neal for finding that out.
As of now hydrophone only works when diving deeper than 17m.

The thanks goes to Dan Dimitrescu, Project lead of dev team, for that info.

[Ragtag]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

The thanks goes to Dan Dimitrescu, Project lead of dev team, for that info.

Hi
Could you please explain step by step on how to estimate target speed with the watch on 100% realism. I tried the manual step and starting/stopping watch but speed never shows more than 0. And i do this after setting range and AOB.

Thanks

[Dragonhammer]

Sadly the estemated targets speed option does not function.
You can use the 3 minutes 15 second rule to calculate the speed,if you have automatic map updates on this is easy.
go to nav map and make a mark on the targets postion then wait 3.15 minutes and then make another mark on the targets postion.
Then use the ruler to measure the distance between the two marks and then you have the targets speed,for example you measure 0.9 wich is equal to 9 knots
A less accurate method is to guess the targets speed this is done from experience.
Merchants often travel at 6 knots,a carrier at 9 knots,a cruiser at 16 knots.
This method by no means 100% correct because speed can and will vary but its good to use when you don't have 3 minutes and want to do a quicky.

[Payoff]

Originally Posted by Krupp

@ Dragonhammer:

Reading your post, I understood, that it's not possible to use sound watch when your sub is surfaced. Even with those types that actually had underwater soundheads that could be lowered? (Port and starboard sides. ) One wartime manual says that "soundheads should not be left lowered above 10 knots."

You really have to submerge to get any sound information?

I'm glad you wrote that, as I remember reading as well, U.S. subs could track sonar targets on surface at limited speeds. Cant remember where though.

[Ragtag]

Originally Posted by Dragonhammer

Sadly the estemated targets speed option does not function.
You can use the 3 minutes 15 second rule to calculate the speed,if you have automatic map updates on this is easy.
go to nav map and make a mark on the targets postion then wait 3.15 minutes and then make another mark on the targets postion.
Then use the ruler to measure the distance between the two marks and then you have the targets speed,for example you measure 0.9 wich is equal to 9 knots
A less accurate method is to guess the targets speed this is done from experience.
Merchants often travel at 6 knots,a carrier at 9 knots,a cruiser at 16 knots.
This method by no means 100% correct because speed can and will vary but its good to use when you don't have 3 minutes and want to do a quicky.

Thank you for your help I guess this will have to do untill they fix it.

[unpurspy]

Hy all,
I c't find how to use the sonar in SH4, i tried to click on every part of it in the game but no luck i c't move it or interact exept for the button to "ping" and show distance to targets.The AI crew still can use it but i would like to do it myself when needed cause it's an important feature to avoid destroyers or find targets when immerged.It must be a simple thing to find but it's really annoying me for now.Oh by the way can we still find targets speed by the sound of it like in SH3?
thx

[Cakewalk]

Heh, many people are confused about this, you can't move it by using the 3D controls, no matter what.

The Home and End keys rotate it 'round.

[unpurspy]

Thx alot.
I wish they printed this little things in the manual

[kampf]

Originally Posted by unpurspy

Thx alot.
I wish they printed this little things in the manual

Not only is this not printed in the manual, if you look at the keyboard card that came with the game it shows the HOME and END keys to be greyed out in other words non functioning in the game.

Kampf

You also have to be just under periscope level for it get a hit.
about 60 to 65 feet works for me.

[Rykaird]

Originally Posted by boatfull

You also have to be just under periscope level for it get a hit.
about 60 to 65 feet works for me.

Yes, with scope down at periscope depth you're blind as well as deaf.

[Onkel Neal]

Newbie bump