Base Signature Strength
Every "Type" of Cosmic Signature has a Base Signature Strength which determines how strongly probes will interact with it. Base Signature Strengths come in a limited set of "bands."
These bands are:
- 1/5 (20.0%)
- 1/10 (10.0%)
- 1/15 (6.67%)
- 1/20 (5.0%)
- 1/25 (4.0%)
- 1/40 (2.5%)
- 1/60 (1.67%)
- 1/80 (1.25%)
Each of the different types of Cosmic Signatures will always have the same base signal strength. This means that a pilot may scan a large group of signatures by setting scanner probes to maximum range and then by comparing the resulting "bands" against known signatures that pilot may discern what each result may be with out having to scan every signature to 100%.
Contents
Example
For example, the following scan of the Hasiari system (in high sec) contains 5 unknown signatures.
Scan Signature Signals in the Hasiari System
For this scan, a single Deep Space Scan Probe with 9.8 Base Sensor Strength was used: set to its maximum range of 256 AU and placed near the middle of the system. The strength of a scan signal will decrease with distance. Because most systems tend to be less than 60 AUs wide, a probe set to a 256 AU range will commonly have very little variation in signal strength due to distance, allowing signatures to line up clearly into their respective bands.
At this probe's 9.8 sensor strength, a result of .37% is in the 1/5 band, the .19% result is in the 1/10 band, the .12% results are in the 1/15 bands, and the .09% result is in the 1/20 band.
At this point we can break down the possible results for each of the signatures. First we must note that the scan is in high sec, so we can discount a large number of possibilities based on sec status. Further, we note that we are in Amarr Sovereign space, meaning certain types of ores, like omber, are impossible. Also, we are in the Derelik region, meaning any local pirate signatures will belong to the Sansha Faction (see Pirate Faction Occupancy Chart). The 1/5 result could be a drone or a pirate hideout or a small hidden asteroid belt (1/5s never occur in w-space). The 1/10 result could be a number of different things but is most likely to be a K162 wormhole (generic exit), which is the most common 1/10 signature. In high sec, a 1/15 signature could only be an R943 wormhole to class 2 space, and, finally, the 1/20 result could, again be a number of things.
Specifically, the possibilities are as folllows:
- The 1/5 Signature could be:
- Unknown (DED Complex, Unrated Complex, Wormhole)
- Haunted Yard
- Sansha Hideout of the faction hideouts, it must be Sansha because it is in Derelik
- Unknown (DED Complex, Unrated Complex, Wormhole)
- 1/10
- Radar
- Magnetometric
- Unknown (DED Complex, Unrated Complex, Wormhole)
- Desolate Site
- Sansha Lookout
- Rogue Drone Asteroid Infestation
- Sansha's Command Relay Outpost
- K162_(Wormhole) to anywhere but class 4 (class 4 systems have no outgoing wormholes to k-space... this is the most likely 1/10 signature)
- Z971_(Wormhole) to class 1
- A641_(Wormhole) to high sec
- 1/15
- Unknown (DED Complex, Unrated Complex, Wormhole)
- R943_(Wormhole) to class 2 (there are no other possibilities in high sec)
- Unknown (DED Complex, Unrated Complex, Wormhole)
- 1/20
After a thorough scan of the system, we can see the following results.
The 1/5 result is a Sansha Hideout. File:Scan Band Matching 3.png
The 1/10 result is a K162 wormhole. File:Scan Band Matching 4.png
The 1/15 results are both R943s as expected. File:Scan Band Matching 2.png File:Scan Band Matching 5.png
And finally, the 1/20 result is an X702 wormhole. File:Scan Band Matching 1.png
Clearly, we were able to significantly narrow down the possibilities with the first scan, and, as each signature is raised above 25% signal strength, we can further narrow each Signature's possibilities when its group type (unk, mag, radar,... ect) becomes visible.
Signal Drop-off
Base Sensor Strengths tend to vary with the scanner's skill, and different sensor strengths will give slightly different results, with stronger probes giving stronger results. There is a formula for figuring out what strength results will have, but pilots' experience with their own probes is usually sufficient. For this technique, core scan probes could also be used, but when using core probes the maximum scan distance is 32 AUs, so it should be kept in mind that the observed signal strength will diminish significantly with distance. Thus, signatures on the edge of a scan may appear to belong to a different band. This can be dealt with by taking multiple scans centered at the various groups of planets in a system and using the strongest results for each signature.
Uses
The real power of this technique comes when a pilot is looking for a specific signature who's strength he knows. He may simply scan the whole system once, and ignore any results which do not fit into the band of the signature for which he is looking.
In w-space (a.k.a. Anoikis), this is a particularly powerful technique because signatures fit into a very rigid signature strength scheme:
- All "Perimeter" Ladar and Grav Sites are 1/10
- All "Frontier" Ladar and Grav Sites are 1/20
- All "Core" Ladar and Grav Sites are 1/40
- All w-space Radar and Magnetometric sites are 1/40
Wormholes
For each class of w-space, there is a limited set of wandering wormholes which may appear in it, and every system has only one static wormhole (class 2 systems have 2 statics). Once the Base Signature Strengths of each of these wormholes is known for the given class of w-space a pilot is in, pilots may easily narrow down which signature is their local static or another type of local wormhole. A full listing of nearly all wormhole signature strengths is available under the List of All W-Space Systems.
Wormhole Signature Strength List
The following resource lists the bands in which each type of wormhole appears. Pilots who know the possible wormholes which may appear in the system they are currently scouting, can speed their search for exits. Remember, only certain static wormholes will be possible, depending on what constellation the wormhole system lies within, thus, the other statics may be discounted (see List of All W-Space Systems):
Signature Signature Strength List
Following is a completely listing of all cosmic signatures sorted by Base Signature Strength. The listing groups these signatures into "bands" as follows:
- High-sec Signature Strength List
- Low-sec Signature Strength List
- Null-sec Signature Strength List
- W-Space Signature Strength List
Incomplete Data
The following signatures' locations are unknown at this time, if you should happen to find one, please post to the talk page. Similarly, if you should happen to find something where it doesn't belong or find something that belongs somewhere that it isn't, please post to the talk page.
Wormholes:
U319 ? to c6
S047 ? to high
B520 ? to high
N290 ? to low
C391 ? to low
C248 ? to null
K329 ? to null
Ladar:
Bandit Nebula
Helix Nebula somewhere in Derelik (high sec, low sec, or both?)
Spacious Nebula
Pirate Faction Occupancy
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