Getting Past Station Scans : Advice Needed

[Johnny Cyclops]

Twice I've taken missions for covert consignment deliveries that will be lost if my ship is scanned. (Actually, I've taken a lot more, but usually outpost-to-outpost where scans don't take place).

The two I'm mentioning were taken while docked in a Starport, the latest just now. I took a mission from the controlling faction who told me "don't get scanned". I turn off all equipment not needed, to reduce energy signal. I launch. While still inside the station I line up fully with the exit slot. I use a heat sink and wait til it jetisons then activate silent running, and finally hit the throttle up to 95 (fast enough to not hang around, but not so fast I get caught speeding).

And yet both times now I got scanned straight away by the station police before I was barely out of the exit slot. I was flying a straight line, not touching thrusters. Surely my signal should be near zero? I'm flying an Asp Scout.

Am I just unlucky on a small sample size?

Any tips? Does running frosty and silent work? Does turning most of my systems off help? Should I just drift out very slowly at say 20/30 (or whatever doesn't get me shot for loitering in the exit), or I boost out at max speed and hope I don't clip another ship and get fined for speeding? Should I wait for other ships to be coming in & out and expect the cops might scan them instead of me?

It really annoys me that the faction giving me the mission and saying "now you be careful and don't get scanned" then don't bother to tell their own cops... "hey, don't bother scanning the beat up Asp Scout from bay 35", and I'm scanned without getting more than 2km from the station, and have to abandon the failed mission.

 

[[DOOK] Droogie]

Use a fast ship. Anything that can do 350 or more is fine. The Asp Explorer is ideal for this kind of thing. Always approach the station from the planet side in super cruise. You'll come out facing the mail slot. Once I come into real space, I immediately boost, and continue doing so until I can request docking at 7.5km. After that, I'll usually boost one more time on my way to the slot, but I never boost when I'm less than 5km away. After my last boost, I drop my engines to 2 pips and throttle down to 50% and just glide in. Never fails for me unless I seriously goof and accidentally turn or something.

This how I do it after hundreds of Robigo runs. Never been scanned at a station. I actually prefer stations to outposts, because you can be scanned on the pad at outposts.

 

[Warmaster Will]

On the way out get out the station as fast as is safe,raise gear inside and boost,boost,boost until you clear the no fire zone..then boost toward your waypoint,charge drive while boosting
they can start the scan as you are leaving the slot but if you boost 9/10 you get enough distance before it finishes

oh and when landing enter hanger if you do not you can be scanned while your ship is docked

 

[Clicker]

... I turn off all equipment not needed, to reduce energy signal. I launch. While still inside the station I line up fully with the exit slot. I use a heat sink and wait til it jetisons then activate silent running, and finally hit the throttle up to 95 (fast enough to not hang around, but not so fast I get caught speeding).

I do it slightly differently when exiting the station.
I line up the slot.
Throttle up to 95%
Flight assist off
Throttle to 0
Silent running

Then just drift on out until I'm not mass locked, turn flight assist on and silent running off and high wake away.

I only jettison the heat sink if things get too hot.

Cheers
Clicker

Update: I have now been trying to simply boost out of the slot at 4 pips to engines and full throttle in my Asp Explorer...this does seem to work. I only got scanned once yesterday, but the scan never finished...I was too fast for the Viper I guess.

 

[Faded Glory]

On the way out get out the station as fast as is safe,raise gear inside and boost,boost,boost until you clear the no fire zone..then boost toward your waypoint,charge drive while boosting
they can start the scan as you are leaving the slot but if you boost 9/10 you get enough distance before it finishes

oh and when landing enter hanger if you do not you can be scanned while your ship is docked

Yes, this is how I do it, silent running and boosting until I'm well away from the station. Has worked leaving the station 100% of the time in either a Cobra Mk III or a Python.

Interestingly, I just got scanned inside the hanger at an outpost by an NPC, which I did not think would / could happen. As it happens, I had already offloaded my illicit cargo, so not an issue, but definitely the first time that has happened to me. I was actually in the process of leaving the hanger when it happened, but still definitely inside.

 

[thirstyfish]

My usual method (in an asp explorer):

Into a station:

1. approach from planet side
2. drop out of SC
3. turn off all unnecessary modules(everything but sensors and thrusters, life support too, even a D rated life support gives you 7:30 of air)
4. close to 7.5 km, request docking
5. boost, go silent
6. put only 2 pips to engines about 1 km from slot. also consider setting the throttle to zero when you are a little bit away from the toast rack, an Asp with A rated thrusters can get moving.
7. once in slot, lower landing gear and reverse thrust.
8. once through slot, disengage silent running and land normally.

Out of a station:

1. turn non critical modules off (leave life support on this time).
2. line up with slot
3. 4 pips to engines
4. go silent
5. full thrust and boost (or as fast as you are comfortable)
6. once 3.5-4 km away, disengage silent running and turn modules back on
7. be on your way.

Hasn't failed yet. If you gauge your speed wrong you might tap the back of the docking bay, but not fast enough to destroy your ship. If you have a heat sink launcher, feel free to use it. I don't have one, but I never go above 80% heat with this method.

 

[Johnny Cyclops]

Ok, I'm sensing trying to creep out with a low signal isn't the way to do it. It does seem a little counter-intuitive to effectively fire-up the afterburners before even leaving the 'car park', let alone being out on the open road. Presumably the cops don't mind ships roaring past, at twice the speed limit, lit up like a Christmas tree with engine booster glow. Might as well be honking the horn too ;-)

I'll give this method a go, maybe a few trial runs before attempting with a mission.

 

[MickyG1982]

Engines to full (all pips) then boost Boost BOOST, until you aren't mass locked any more.

 

[d8veh]

You all make it much too complicated. Going into the station: When you drop out at about 8km, use the down-thruster to line up the ship straight in front of the slot. Use the throttle to position about 6km out. Then, a single boost , put you gear down at 4.5km, full reverse throttle at about 2km and you should stop before the end of the station. If you leave the reverse throttle too late, you'll hit the end of the station, which is no problem if you put 4 pips to shields. No silent running, no heatsink, no shutting down systems - just a single boost is all you need. That's in a ship with a boost speed of about 380 to 350. In a slow ship, it might be different.

Coming out is even easier: Just line up with the slot and boost about three times and you're clear, but just keep a watch on your radar in case a stray Fed is travelling rather than patrolling, which happens occasionally. If you see a stray Fed, just steer away from him while boosting.

 

[Cmdr Zach]

I've noticed if a scan starts as I'm rushing into a station and I beat it through the slot, after I've docked and launched it stealthily continues after I leave the slot without any warning and I get a fine.

 

[MottiKhan]

I've noticed if a scan starts as I'm rushing into a station and I beat it through the slot, after I've docked and launched it stealthily continues after I leave the slot without any warning and I get a fine.

You need to reset the instance when that happens. Just log out to the main menu after you dock and log back in.

 

[Broon]

I use the K.I.S.S. system (Keep It Stupid Simple).

Launch.
Meander towards the slot at just under the speed limit to avoid any fines generated by fussy NPC pilots inside the station.
Once I can see that the slot isn't going to be filled with a T-9 sized ship, 100% throttle and boost.
Straight out the slot, no turns.
Boost.
Boost.
Maybe boost again for fun!
Align with travel vector.
"Frameshift Drive Charging"
Move on with life.

 

[Macy]

I just request docking from 7.5km then fly at full speed, 450ms in my cobra, as i enter the slot i hit the zero throttle key, and the landing gear key. I usually stop just short of the wall at the rear of the station. Then land normally. Or if you get a docking computer, it will take over the landing when you hit zero throttle.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Leaving the station. Just go full speed in a straight line. Easy

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

Going out, don't be in a hurry.
Stop before you exit the station and watch the patrol pattern. As the station rotates things constantly change so be careful but if you watch their pattern, and you have plenty of time to do this, then you should be cool.
Wait for the gap to present itself.
You can test this even if you aren't smuggling.
They also get distracted which shows them deploying hardpoints and chasing another player / npc...sometimes they even pew pew.
Another good time to make an exit.

Getting back in is easy as stated above, again it's about putting yourself in the best position to make it work. You can even make over zealous cops fly over you if you speed manage which can let you breeze right in. This does depend where they are and how they are coming at you though.
It's not a refined art.
I wouldn't request docking too early, it seems to draw that bit much more attention. 3-4 kms'.

 

[bamber]

So few mentioning that the best way t avoid a scan is not be in front of the police - always with and watch the patrol pattern which is a big loop and get yourself out BEHIND the feds

Boost in a straight line away from the station and if your system you need to get to is behind you enter super cruise (so you don't have to turn and bleed off speed and also yu will be turning towards the feds) once in super cruise enter hyperspace and away


Coming in try and come in from 7 km IN LINE with the entrance way - the feds circle the station there for if you run towards the station but not the entrance you will run into a patrol - run as much as possible at right angles to the plane of the patrol

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

So few mentioning that the best way t avoid a scan is not be in front of the police - always with and watch the patrol pattern which is a big loop and get yourself out BEHIND the feds

Boost in a straight line away from the station and if your system you need to get to is behind you enter super cruise (so you don't have to turn and bleed off speed and also yu will be turning towards the feds) once in super cruise enter hyperspace and away


Coming in try and come in from 7 km IN LINE with the entrance way - the feds circle the station there for if you run towards the station but not the entrance you will run into a patrol - run as much as possible at right angles to the plane of the patrol

That's like half way round the galaxy for a shortcut and totally boring.
-.-
The point about moving after they pass is not, at least regarding getting out.

 

[Wasp0]

Twice I've taken missions for covert consignment deliveries that will be lost if my ship is scanned. (Actually, I've taken a lot more, but usually outpost-to-outpost where scans don't take place).

The two I'm mentioning were taken while docked in a Starport, the latest just now. I took a mission from the controlling faction who told me "don't get scanned". I turn off all equipment not needed, to reduce energy signal. I launch. While still inside the station I line up fully with the exit slot. I use a heat sink and wait til it jetisons then activate silent running, and finally hit the throttle up to 95 (fast enough to not hang around, but not so fast I get caught speeding).

And yet both times now I got scanned straight away by the station police before I was barely out of the exit slot. I was flying a straight line, not touching thrusters. Surely my single should be near zero? I'm flying and Asp Scout.

Am I just unlucky on a small sample size?

Any tips? Does running frosty and silent work? Does turning most of my systems off help? Should I just drift out very slowly at say 20/30 (or whatever doesn't get me shot for loitering in the exit), or I boost out at max speed and hope I don't clip another ship and get fined for speeding? Should I wait for other ships to be coming in & out and expect the cops might scan them instead of me?

It really annoys me that the faction giving me the mission and saying "now you be careful and don't get scanned" then don't bother to tell their own cops... "hey, don't bother scanning the beat up Asp Scout from bay 35", and I'm scanned without getting more than 2km from the station, and have to abandon the failed mission.

Your Smuggling/Illicit Missions and you are worried aboyt a speeding Ticket

Get out as fast as you can Speed is your weapon. Silent running works if they don't eyeball you, but whilst waiting in the station look at the patrolling ships and wait for a Gap.

Keep it Simple, turning off modules may well work for some peoples, but what a palarva

 

[Johnny Cyclops]

Going out, don't be in a hurry.
Stop before you exit the station and watch the patrol pattern. As the station rotates things constantly change so be careful but if you watch their pattern, and you have plenty of time to do this, then you should be cool.
Wait for the gap to present itself.
You can test this even if you aren't smuggling.

Getting back in is easy as stated above, again it's about putting yourself in the best position to make it work. You can even make over zealous cops fly over you if you speed manage which can let you breeze right in. This does depend where they are and how they are coming at you though.
It's not a refined art.
I wouldn't request docking too early, it seems to draw that bit much more attention. 3-4 kms'.

I'd always assumed it with the station structure itself that was scanning, from fixed points on the superstructure... like a security camera pointed at the entry/exit slot but only sampling or triggering if it detected a ship of sufficient size/velocity/heat to be picked up.

From the above comment, and the one following, it seems these CMDRs think it's the roving security patrol ships that initiate the scan. I'd not thought of it like that before, but would explain why on entry to a Starport, any partial scan doesn't complete once inside. Another post mentioned the interrupted scan then 'completing' on exit. That feels buggy to me (any views?) as an incomplete inbound scan shouldn't then relate to the exit (lacks 'game logic' to me). Having to logout to desktop and log back in might be a clumsy workaround, but it breaks immersion.

My usual approach inbound to Starports sometimes triggers the scan but there's never enough time for it to complete before I'm inside (although that doesn't help with the "no scan mission" where I think the mission is forfeit if a scan is started, and doesn't depend on whether the scan completes or not). I'll make some notes and see if that's what's causing the scan on exit (i.e. the second half of the incomplete inbound scan). I don't mind being scanned, as 90% of the time I'm clean or not running missions that need secrecy. But on occasion I do want to avoid scans entirely.

For those exiting Starports at full throttle and boost-boost-boost, does that avoid the scan entirely, or just puts you out of range before scanning completes?

 

[Wasp0]

I'd always assumed it with the station structure itself that was scanning, from fixed points on the superstructure... like a security camera pointed at the entry/exit slot but only sampling or triggering if it detected a ship of sufficient size/velocity/heat to be picked up.

From the above comment, and the one following, it seems these CMDRs think it's the roving security patrol ships that initiate the scan. I'd not thought of it like that before, but would explain why on entry to a Starport, any partial scan doesn't complete once inside. Another post mentioned the interrupted scan then 'completing' on exit. That feels buggy to me (any views?) as an incomplete inbound scan shouldn't then relate to the exit (lacks 'game logic' to me). Having to logout to desktop and log back in might be a clumsy workaround, but it breaks immersion.

My usual approach inbound to Starports sometimes triggers the scan but there's never enough time for it to complete before I'm inside (although that doesn't help with the "no scan mission" where I think the mission is forfeit if a scan is started, and doesn't depend on whether the scan completes or not). I'll make some notes and see if that's what's causing the scan on exit (i.e. the second half of the incomplete inbound scan). I don't mind being scanned, as 90% of the time I'm clean or not running missions that need secrecy. But on occasion I do want to avoid scans entirely.

For those exiting Starports at full throttle and boost-boost-boost, does that avoid the scan entirely, or just puts you out of range before scanning completes?

The Station could not give a cuss, it's the Patrolling Ships that initiates the scans.

 

[[DOOK] Droogie]

Exiting is super easy. Line up with the slot, full throttle, and boost. Don't stop boosting until you're out of mass lock range. Don't worry about liking up with the next system until then, unless it's easy to point your nose at it when you exit.