[WIP] Hydrophone Tracker/Quick Plotter

[gutted]

[EDIT] If you want to test it out, read post #17 on page 2... then find the link in post #20.
Next version will have a friendlier UI and allow for you to do it while moving.


Nearing the completing of the latest tool slated for Solution Solver 2.0. I'm working on it as a standalone app, but the guts are contained in a custom control. Once it's done.. i can easily just drop it into Solution Solver 2.0's new tabbed interface.

Anyway, it's still a WIP... but it's cool as hell, provided you can feed it accurately. But then again, this is just a BVR estiamtion tool when you lack active sonar, and should never use it for TDC inputs. I tested it against Moboard's TMA plot, and i get the exact same results for ALOT less work.




Just follow along with the pictures to see how it works. (Timing interval is the minutes you used between readings)


Note: some controls are disabled until you complete the step before.....






Note: Be sure to draw the predicted bearing on your in-game map before you move. You need it for triangulation.



Once you plot your triangulation line on the in-game map (the green one above).. you can see what range he is on the predicted bearing where your two lines intersect. You need that range to calculate his speed. Enter it and the dashed red esitamtion line will turn solid and move to the correct location.... the speed will then show, because now we now the distance he's been travelling between the sighting lines every 15 minutes.

Note: The green line is a photoshop.. it's not part of the program. You should be drawing that one on your in-game map.



Currently you have to be stopped when grabbing the first three readings.. once i get this finished and figure out how to even calculate it while moving, i''ll give it a whack. Still cleaning up some of the code and need to add a special case for when some of your 1st and last sighting lines are on oppostie sides of the 350/000 bearing line.

[gutted]

I've also expanded upon the crude position keeper "debug display" i left active in the 1st beta Solution solver 2.0.

It's now a full fledged feature and has it's own display, with auto zooming to keep both ships in view and a decent distance apart.

[urfisch]

integrate apps ingame would be the greatest thing done so far!!! i think of a an enigma machine...and small ingame games, like chess, cards, etc. for getting the time passed...

[difool2]

TMA for a WWII sim-wow.

[kylania]

This looks amazing! I'd just started getting into this hydrophone hunting too. Unfortunately my first attempt was near a harbor so the in harbor patrols kept screwing me up.

[gutted]

Originally Posted by difool2

TMA for a WWII sim-wow.

If you are hinting that this is unrealistic, then you sir are wrong.

It's done with alittle vector math, which you can do by hand by drawing with the in-game tools.

If you dont know how... then view this guide posted a long time ago:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...light=tracking

The program uses roughly the same technique, but spares you from having to draw it out yourself. Think of it as telling your intercept officer the bearings and him plotting it for you.

[Pisces]

Looks great. Another hydro-tracking tool.

If you also allow for an option to set the sub's course while at the first listening position you could make a true-bearing plot instead of the relative plot now. Then you could also require the player to mark the old first listening location and the new listening location on the game map, have them just measure the (average) distance and course inbetween and feed that to your Solver. Then you'll have the full situation in a true bearing plot automatically. I preffer to do everything on the game map, but I guess alot of other users would find it tricky to compare this relative bearing plot against what they need to plot on the map (the little green line). But what you have sure makes things easier for them allready.

[jmr]

If you're interested, I scanned the pages from the bearings only TMA chapter from a copy of Naval Operations Analysis. It's focused on Ekelund ranging and Spiess TMA, the latter of which made my head explode.

link

[kylania]

Wow, Jmr, that's some fantastic stuff. Orbitally over my head, but still fantastic.

[gutted]

Originally Posted by jmr

If you're interested, I scanned the pages from the bearings only TMA chapter from a copy of Naval Operations Analysis. It's focused on Ekelund ranging and Spiess TMA, the latter of which made my head explode.

link

Cool, will check it out later tonight when i have the time.

[kylania]

Ok, I totally need this now. Just tried my first map contacts off and found a single merchant. Took me an hour to figure out where he was, and I had to do the map drawing 3 times! heh 3rd time was the charm, but then it was foggy and I couldn't double check his speed before he was past me, so shot from the gut at 2500m out! One exploded early but the second one grazed his bow (guess the speed wrong...)

So please, if you need a beta tester, I'll help

[gutted]

It's just about ready, hopefully have it finished tonight (if not then tomorrow). Just have one more issue to sort out.

Anyway, I'll release it as a standalone for testing. Then when Solution Solver 2.0 is finished, it will be included as one of it's tool pages.

[gutted]

Finally solved my problem. Good grief.. that one had my mind going in an infinite loop. Was actually starting to get a headache from it.

Putting the finishing touches on it now. wont be long.

[kylania]

\o/

[gutted]

It's done. But it's too late for me to try it out in-game. I'm getting tired.

So....Kylania check your .pm box. Give it a workout and if it's performing ok i'll upload it to subsim for download tomorrow.