Need some advice for manual plotting

Slick Wilhelm · 05-05-08, 11:46 AM

Howdy folks,

I'm doing better with manual targetting, but there's one thing that I'm still having difficulties with....namely, plotting manually on the NAV MAP to measure speed. I'm using the three minute chronometer method.

Btw, I've tried the Dick O'Kane method, but I've decided I'd rather not use it on a regular basis.

The problem seems to be that it takes me too long to make the actual plot on the map, so with the target still moving, by the time I actually get the plot on the map, the numbers are inaccurate, making my speed calculations too high.

I'm using SH 1.4, with TMO, RSRD, PE2. USS-Sturgeon, early war career, 100% realism....

Here's my typical procedure, so maybe you can tell me if there's a better way:

1. ID target using periscope or TBD.

2. If the seas are choppy, I tend to dive and use sonar instead of the stadimeter to determine range. Trying to use the stadimeter in choppy seas is an exercise in frustration with all the bobbing, especially using the TBD.

3. Manually locate the target using the sonar station, then ping the target 3x using the active sonar, sending the data to the TDC(ala Werner Sobe). Then I enable constant reporting from the sonar operator.

4. Switch to the NAV map and attempt to use the ruler with the tool helper enabled to plot the bearing & range I got from sonar to make the first mark. But by the time I do all the zooming in & out to and moving the NAV map around to keep my sub in the spot I need it, the actual mark I've made has already lost some accuracy. The actual moving of the map around is the most frustrating thing for me. I wish I could "pin" the location of my sub in a particular location on the map, and it would actually stay there, no matter if I zoomed in or out.

Anyways, as soon as I get the first mark plotted, I start the chronometer. When it gets to about 2 mins 45 sec, I go to the sonar station and repeat step 3 again, and then whip back to the NAV map and try to plot the position before the chronometer gets to 3 mins. As you can imagine, more times than not, I end up not getting the plot on the map until the target has travelled another 400 yards or so.

I've tried pausing the game while in the NAV map, but I always seem to want or need to do something in there that can't be done with the game paused.

I could just estimate the speed based on whether the sonarman report it at slow, medium or fast, but I want to be more accurate than that.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

05-05-08, 11:46 AM	#1
Slick Wilhelm Mate Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 60 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Need some advice for manual plotting Howdy folks, I'm doing better with manual targetting, but there's one thing that I'm still having difficulties with....namely, plotting manually on the NAV MAP to measure speed. I'm using the three minute chronometer method. Btw, I've tried the Dick O'Kane method, but I've decided I'd rather not use it on a regular basis. The problem seems to be that it takes me too long to make the actual plot on the map, so with the target still moving, by the time I actually get the plot on the map, the numbers are inaccurate, making my speed calculations too high. I'm using SH 1.4, with TMO, RSRD, PE2. USS-Sturgeon, early war career, 100% realism.... Here's my typical procedure, so maybe you can tell me if there's a better way: 1. ID target using periscope or TBD. 2. If the seas are choppy, I tend to dive and use sonar instead of the stadimeter to determine range. Trying to use the stadimeter in choppy seas is an exercise in frustration with all the bobbing, especially using the TBD. 3. Manually locate the target using the sonar station, then ping the target 3x using the active sonar, sending the data to the TDC(ala Werner Sobe). Then I enable constant reporting from the sonar operator. 4. Switch to the NAV map and attempt to use the ruler with the tool helper enabled to plot the bearing & range I got from sonar to make the first mark. But by the time I do all the zooming in & out to and moving the NAV map around to keep my sub in the spot I need it, the actual mark I've made has already lost some accuracy. The actual moving of the map around is the most frustrating thing for me. I wish I could "pin" the location of my sub in a particular location on the map, and it would actually stay there, no matter if I zoomed in or out. Anyways, as soon as I get the first mark plotted, I start the chronometer. When it gets to about 2 mins 45 sec, I go to the sonar station and repeat step 3 again, and then whip back to the NAV map and try to plot the position before the chronometer gets to 3 mins. As you can imagine, more times than not, I end up not getting the plot on the map until the target has travelled another 400 yards or so. I've tried pausing the game while in the NAV map, but I always seem to want or need to do something in there that can't be done with the game paused. I could just estimate the speed based on whether the sonarman report it at slow, medium or fast, but I want to be more accurate than that. Any suggestions are appreciated. __________________ "Nein! I did not have sex with that fraulein"