merchants - sonar?

[Sniper297]

Well, if you want to get persnickity, it would be passive sonar, and you're correct that the game doesn't model sonar very well. I was an Aviation ASW Tech 40 years ago, lots of schooling and experience with the AN/AQS-13/A dip sonar in the Sikorsky SH3 Sea King - hunted for Red October before anyone ever heard of Tom Clancy.



Retracting the transducer, which consists of a hydrophone (barrel shape at the top) and projector (skinnier cylinder hanging from the bottom of the hydrophone, the part that pings). Can be used in active or passive mode, either way the hydrophone is the part that receives the sound waves or echo. The whole system was just called "sonar", including the "dry end" which was the electronics and sensor station inside the helicopter.



Every sonar system has a hydrophone, passive only systems don't have a projector, but either way if you're making enough noise a good operator can get a bearing and make a good guess for the approximate range.

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Sniper297

Well, if you want to get persnickety, it would be passive sonar, and you're correct that the game doesn't model sonar very well. I was an Aviation ASW Tech 40 years ago, lots of schooling and experience with the AN/AQS-13/A dip sonar in the Sikorsky SH3 Sea King - hunted for Red October before anyone ever heard of Tom Clancy.

yes, you did. and some of us are very happy with the job that you and your mates did.

[Red Devil]

we called it ASDIC in WW2, then sonar crept across the big pond

[KaleunMarco]

Originally Posted by Red Devil

we called it ASDIC in WW2, then sonar crept across the big pond

yes. ASDIC was the Brit name, a Bells Labs guy simultaneously was developing SONAR, but they were twin brothers with different mothers.
as you know, hydrophones, or passive sonar, have been around since DaVinci. we never had any use for it until submersibles came along.

i always get a kick out of navy movies that include submarines and as soon as the film shows the sub we start hearing sonar pings. that's probably because if the screenwriter told the story the way it happened, the movie would get very boring watching the hydrophone operator sit there and basically, just listen. intently. there would be no activity, no sound, just a guy with a headset, trying to hear the enemy ships.
there was less activity than watching your kids play with their personal electronic devices. (not your kids specifically, anyone's kids)

let the pinging begin!!!