Upon taking over the watch
1. Report. As soon as you take over, report: "JK (or JP or QB) operator relieved. Smith has the watch."
2. Check settings. Take nothing for granted. Check every setting on the gear. If you are operating JP, be sure to magnetize the hydrophone.
3. Start the search. Unless you receive specific orders to search a particular area, go through the routine search plan for the gear you are working on.
If the submarine surfaces
When the submarine is preparing to surface, you will have to search carefully all the way around to make sure everything is clear. After surfacing, you may be ordered to secure your gear.
BE ALERT!
Standing a routine sonar watch is a most difficult job. Most of the time
nothing happens. You search and search, but hear nothing except sounds
from your own ship or possibly from fish. You get weary. The temptation is
to go through the motions and let your mind wander off to other things. But you must keep your mind on the job. You must be alert. You are the ears of the ship. Your skipper and your shipmates depend on you to do the listening for all of them when you are on sonar watch.
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