Thought of this last nite when Didy shut down to avoid detection and I was trying to decide if I should do the same. Does setting the radar range to less than maximum decrease the ability of others to "see" you on their radar? Is ECM also effected by the radar range setting?

No, adjusting the radar range only adjusts the area shown on the radar display. It doesn't have any effect on the range of the broadcasted signal.

Rats

Well, I was shutting down because I didn't have ECM, (which you did) and I was the slowest person on our team, and since that map doesn't provide a lot of cover for LBX-laden billboards, I decided to shut down and let the Daishis come to me (even running passive, they'd still pick me up at 500 m, and if they had any sense at all they'd circle the hill and I'd have to charge across the open to get to them.) In your case, though, you were in a fast Dragon with ECM and had more range than me (I think- I was 450 max), so you didn't need to worry about trying to hide as much.

You ALWAYS try to hide. Speed and ECM just make it easier. Midrange gunning and running is my preferred tactic in sucha situation. Kind of like hill-humping, but after you hump a hill ou run for dear life -- you aren't going to able to drop somebody before they reach you in the midrange.