What exactly do I use the narrow band scanner for?

[SignalCorps]

I use the large scanner and it gives me a nice readout on the planet, and shows me good hotspots. Do I need to further scan in orbit with the narrow band, or is it more like I fly over and area, find the hotspot within the hotspot and try and land there, or is it more like I aim to land in a hotspot, and use the narrow band on the way down to refine my landing?

Edited May 24, 2015 by SignalCorps

[rhadamant]

You could try to use the narrow band on your way down, but I've found that surface scanning is a lot more reliable. In short, no, you don't need to use the narrow band.

[Warzouz]

Surface scanner gives the biome average, IIRC.

[Streetwind]

The M700 clamshell scanner gives you an overview over the whole planet, but it's inaccurate.

The narrowband scanner and surface scanner are used to update that inaccurate information with more accurate results, but only in those areas that they are used in.

Basically: use the global survey to find an area that looks to have a high concentration. Scan that area in detail with a narrowband scanner from orbit and/or a surface scanner on the surface to find out in detail where the best spot is.

[n0xiety]

After finding the hotspots from orbit i sent the jeep to find the best spot possible using surface scanner and narrowband scanner on minmus. After that sent my mobile fuel bus to the best spot and marked it with a flag and started the operation. Now its time for the fuel tanker to carry the fuel to orbit. The lack of markers in game made it harder for me to find the best spots on narrowband scanner tho mechjeb helped with its rover waypoint marker by entering the coordinates shown on the narrowband scanner.

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[Perry Apsis]

Noxiety, that bus launcher is ghastly, huge, asymmetrical, improbable, and glorious. One of the best designs I've seen in ages. Utterly captures the spirit of KSP. Jeb or Valentina would give their left norphlax to pilot it.