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So what do I need to do in order to scan for better sites
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Hakaimono
Native Freshfood
Minmatar Republic
#1 - 2012-07-18 05:54:19 UTC
Just started with exploration and I've been insta-popping frigs and cruisers at high-sec anoms, so that's getting boring quick.

I'm looking to start hitting lowsec sites, but I wanna know what's essential as far as exploration skills trained and at what level(Astrometrics, Pinpointing, Rangefinding, etc.) Also types of probes needed. I can get LP from Sisters easily, so I could use that resource.

Btw, getting a True Sansha Radio S(though worthless) has me hungry for more challenging sites. First faction drop.
Detiere
Adapt LLC
#2 - 2012-07-18 07:16:35 UTC
My scanning alt has:

  • Astrometrics to 4, plus the various Astrometric secondary skills to 3
  • Covert Ops to 4
  • Two probe strength rigs
  • Standard probe launcher with Sisters core scanner probes
  • No implants


With the above, I'm yet to come across a signature that I can't scan down. If you're scanning in a ship that doesn't have a bonus, you will presumably need higher skills and/or implants, faction gear etc to compensate. I can't recall how the various percentages play out off the top of my head.

Hope that helps.
Emperor Salazar
Remote Soviet Industries
Insidious Empire
#3 - 2012-07-18 12:19:38 UTC
Detiere wrote:
My scanning alt has:

  • Astrometrics to 4, plus the various Astrometric secondary skills to 3
  • Covert Ops to 4
  • Two probe strength rigs
  • Standard probe launcher with Sisters core scanner probes
  • No implants


With the above, I'm yet to come across a signature that I can't scan down. If you're scanning in a ship that doesn't have a bonus, you will presumably need higher skills and/or implants, faction gear etc to compensate. I can't recall how the various percentages play out off the top of my head.

Hope that helps.


I disagree with some of this.

  • Astrometrics 4, absolutely.
  • Rangefinding to 4 is your next priority.
  • Two gravity capacitor rigs...maybe...the problem is they use a ton of calibration.
  • Sisters probe launcher + sisters core scanner probes
  • 6% hardwiring implant (search AR-806)

    • With this setup, you don't need to fly a cov ops, as the above poster implies. You should be able to probe in a combat ship and thus not need to use an alt or swap ships. The rangefinding skill provides 10% strength per level, the sisters launcher another flat 10% and the implant 6%.
    Taurich Vorsel
    #4 - 2012-07-18 12:47:01 UTC
    Those outlined above have described the minimum recommended probing setup,
    I would advise going for the highest scan strength possible, as this will mean you scan sites down faster (ie more isk/h)
    So yeh minimum astrometrics skills to lvl 4, covops 4, sisters probes/launchers, 10% hardwirings, then as budget allows get your virtue set followed by covops 5. Rangefinding 5 for the truly dedicated.

    Basically you want to identify site type and name at 8/4 AU scan

    Copine Callmeknau disappeared one day now we are left with Taurich Vorsel AKA BIZARRO COPE!
    Sir John Halsey
    #5 - 2012-07-18 14:46:00 UTC  |  Edited by: Sir John Halsey
    I'm doing it with Astro 5, the other astro skills at 4, +2% implant, sister launcher and sister probes, no scanning rigs.
    I plan to get Rangefinding to lvl5 plus implants, etc as i want to see what sig it is before 2AU.

    Now, Astro V gives access to DSP probes so, you don't have to scan all signatures.
    Just check the DSP Probe tutorial and you will see what sigs you can ignore.

    If you plan doing radar/mag sites, you will also need a high(er) hacking/archaeology skills.
    Preferably lvl5 and use T2 mods.You don't want to fail too many times in a row and have guests in your site.

    If you scan fast, you don't really need a cov ops cloak on t3 or dedicated cov ops ship for scanning.
    Flying from bookmark to bookmark it is what you have to do. This will allow you to do the sites using one ship only and in case of none drone boats, have better DPS.

    For all in one exploration ship, you can use a t3 or a drone boat.
    Most of the people i saw around are using Tengu/Loki, Ishtar, Gilla, Pilgrim.
    Zhilia Mann
    Tide Way Out Productions
    #6 - 2012-07-18 14:56:19 UTC  |  Edited by: Zhilia Mann
    Emperor Salazar wrote:
  • Astrometrics 4, absolutely.
  • Rangefinding to 4 is your next priority.
  • Two gravity capacitor rigs...maybe...the problem is they use a ton of calibration.
  • Sisters probe launcher + sisters core scanner probes
  • 6% hardwiring implant (search AR-806)

    • With this setup, you don't need to fly a cov ops, as the above poster implies. You should be able to probe in a combat ship and thus not need to use an alt or swap ships. The rangefinding skill provides 10% strength per level, the sisters launcher another flat 10% and the implant 6%.


    This will pin anything on the 10/10 band, though it takes precision in my experience. I'd aim for that as a "minimum" sort of setup if you want to hit everything.

    Edit: This:


    Taurich Vorsel wrote:
    Those outlined above have described the minimum recommended probing setup,
    I would advise going for the highest scan strength possible, as this will mean you scan sites down faster (ie more isk/h)
    So yeh minimum astrometrics skills to lvl 4, covops 4, sisters probes/launchers, 10% hardwirings, then as budget allows get your virtue set followed by covops 5. Rangefinding 5 for the truly dedicated.

    Basically you want to identify site type and name at 8/4 AU scan


    is insane overkill. Also not even entirely possible; you're never going to get type/name at 4 AU for a 10/10 band sig.
    Emperor Salazar
    Remote Soviet Industries
    Insidious Empire
    #7 - 2012-07-18 16:08:39 UTC
    Virtue set is extreme overkill. I'd rather invest in the ones that make your sig smaller or your sensor strength higher, making you harder to hit and probe down or just harder to probe down/jam.
    Hakaimono
    Native Freshfood
    Minmatar Republic
    #8 - 2012-07-19 01:28:21 UTC
    I only fly Minmatar ships, so until I get my scanning skills up, should I use a Cheetah fitted with a Sisters Launcher for scanning and checking systems before sending in my combat ship?
    Emperor Salazar
    Remote Soviet Industries
    Insidious Empire
    #9 - 2012-07-19 11:48:00 UTC
    Hakaimono wrote:
    I only fly Minmatar ships, so until I get my scanning skills up, should I use a Cheetah fitted with a Sisters Launcher for scanning and checking systems before sending in my combat ship?


    Sure if you don't mind the sites being run while you swap ships.
    Pinstar Colton
    Sweet Asteroid Acres
    #10 - 2012-07-19 12:49:25 UTC
    Emperor Salazar wrote:
    Hakaimono wrote:
    I only fly Minmatar ships, so until I get my scanning skills up, should I use a Cheetah fitted with a Sisters Launcher for scanning and checking systems before sending in my combat ship?


    Sure if you don't mind the sites being run while you swap ships.


    I can see that as a problem in busy high-sec systems, but is the same true for sleepy back-water low sec systems?

    In the cat-and-mouse game that is low sec, there is no shame in learning to be a better mouse.

    Emperor Salazar
    Remote Soviet Industries
    Insidious Empire
    #11 - 2012-07-19 13:22:57 UTC
    Not so much of course, but I still don't think its an efficient idea. With plexing, in order to cover enough ground to find lots of sites, you need to be constantly moving. What happens when you find a site 20 jumps from your combat ship?
    Gianath
    Gallentian Legitimate Businessmen
    #12 - 2012-07-19 15:37:31 UTC
    Swapping ships works well if you can bring all of your ships with you. As stated before, the time it takes you to run back a few systems and hit your station, somebody else may already be clearing what you scanned. I will usually play 3 chars while going on one of my exploration roams in backwater areas. My main flies an assault frig and hits the combat sites, while my alt flies a covert ops and scans everything down. My Industrial flies an Orca filled with a T3 cruiser and a Noctis for me to swap into if I find a rated site.

    It requires a lot of micromanaging, so I can only stand to do it for a few hours at a time, but it works pretty well when I've mapped out areas of low traffic where lots of anomalies are likely to be stacked up due to neglect.