[Snakeeyes]

Gentlemen,

I know that in times of war most likely I would use the floating wire antenna on my boat.

Question... does the floating wire ALWAYS work in retrieving information in the game? I know that the data flow is slower for the floating wire but has anyone noticed any communiques only being able to be received through the extended antenna and never the floating wire? Just askin'.

[Bill Nichols]

You must be relatively slow and shallow to use the floating wire, but otherwise it always works for me (until I break it, that is!)

[Konovalov]

Yeah, you have to treat the floationg wire with TLC and kid gloves.

[XabbaRus]

Sometimes it is better just to come to PD and raise the radio antenna.

At least you can scoot quickly if trouble comes.

[Scion]

You can also use the wire under ice without needing to punch holes in it :know:

[Snakeeyes]

So... all messages always get through on the wire as you are moving at 5 knots? ALWAYS?

Also... what is the deepest I can submerge and still use the antenna?

[XabbaRus]

About 100 feet.

[TLAM Strike]

If your hovering at all stop the FW has extra reach you can be at at least 130 feet and probaly a lot more.

[MaHuJa]

If the mission was designed with some trigger for raising the radio mast, that might be required. I can't say for sure if a mission can be made like that right now though.

Other than that, 5 knots is a high speed for the wire. 3 knots is better. To make contact at 5 knots, you have to be just below periscope depth where you could stick up the antenna instead.


The thing that makes me wonder, is why the heck we can't use the floating wire from ~500ft (approx the length of the wire itself) if we are at 0 knots?

[TLAM Strike]

[XabbaRus]

You don't need to put in a goal.

If you tag message as radio broadcast you have to come to pd and raise mast or FW in order to receive it.

[TLAM Strike]

You can make it so its only the radio mast that will recive the message. But you may have trouble with additional messages like that.

[Bill Nichols]

[laglos]

To help understand the floating wire antenna, first remember that the tail end of the wire needs to be at or near the surface to receive messages, and watch it with the 3D view.

Use a scenario where the sea state is 1 and your depth is 70 feet, and your speed is 4 knots. Stream the FW while watching the 3D view. You'll see it snake out, floating topside. Once it's out, note that some of it can be (barely) seen on the surface. Now, speed up. Watch as it straightens out, with less of it available on the surface. Slow back down and go deeper. Different situation, same result...less available on the surface.

I assume that it doesn't actually have to be on the surface to receive, otherwise it wouldn't work under ice. How deep/fast you can be is an exercise left to the reader; I do know that I've received messages at 110 feet @ 4knots...that speed/depth does leave some of the wire floating.

BTW, greetings to all here. I've been an unregistered lurker here forever; I just registered recently in anticipation of the release of Dangerous Waters. It's interesting...I feel I know just about everyone here, but you don't know me....the same feeling I get while lurking around in a 688. (:
Anyway, I mostly played 688(I) since it came out. One benefit of having a poor memory is that old missions seem new again if you just give 'em a few months. *grin* Anyway, I finally loaded SC about a month ago (despite having purchased it when it came out) and have been playing that.
Haven't done the SCX thing, not sure if I care much for the idea.

[Molon Labe]

I'm not sure I could live without SCX. I mean, less Godlike torpedoes, improved CM effectiveness, more important acoustic environment, more realistic loadouts, MUCH better AI......what's not to like?