Best antenna for Gas Giant Probe.

[Nicias]

I'm building a probe to get data from the Atmospheres of gas giants like Jool, (and the others in OPM)

They will have limited time to send data back. 

A communitron 16(s) sends data back at 3.33 mits/s. An 88-88 or HG-55 send it back 7 times faster. However, they get destroyed by aero forces. Is it possible to use them on a falling probe somehow? Inside a service bay or something?

 

 

[Spricigo]

1 hour ago, Nicias said:

 Is it possible to use them on a falling probe somehow? Inside a service bay or something?
 

Why do you ask if you know the answer?

Personally I prefer fairings. Also don't forget the electricity cost.

[GluttonyReaper]

Another option would be to use relay antennas, although the extra weight penalty is pretty significant. Maybe you could orbit a relay just above the atmostphere, and use a 16-S to transmit data out?

(Also, antennae or antennas?)

[qzgy]

22 minutes ago, GluttonyReaper said:

Another option would be to use relay antennas, although the extra weight penalty is pretty significant. Maybe you could orbit a relay just above the atmostphere, and use a 16-S to transmit data out?

(Also, antennae or antennas?)

IMO, this would probably be the best solution: Bring along a relay sattelite and have your antenna link via that. Fairings and an 88-88 would also work, and you might be able to make a nice looking thing too.

[Spricigo]

23 minutes ago, GluttonyReaper said:

Another option would be to use relay antennas, although the extra weight penalty is pretty significant. Maybe you could orbit a relay just above the atmostphere, and use a 16-S to transmit data out?

(Also, antennae or antennas?)

Both.  Just keep in mind excessive use of Latin can make make you looks pendant. 

 

[Nicias]

Thanks for all of your replies.

I can't seem to get an 88-88 or HG-55 to be able to transmit while shielded.

I was already planning on having a relay in orbit. This is just for the link up to that.

I would like to be able to transmit faster than an 16S while not getting torn up by aero forces. Is that impossible?

[FancyMouse]

emmm - bring a parachute? Or you already have it and it's still not enough time (I'm not familiar with OPM planet characteristics)?

[Spricigo]

3 hours ago, Nicias said:

Thanks for all of your replies.

I can't seem to get an 88-88 or HG-55 to be able to transmit while shielded.

I was already planning on having a relay in orbit. This is just for the link up to that.

I would like to be able to transmit faster than an 16S while not getting torn up by aero forces. Is that impossible?

You can't transmit or the antenna is retracted and you can't deploy?  If the later just deploy before launching. 

[Weywot8]

If the antenna is located behind a big part that shields it from aero forces, it'll last longer. The most extreme version of how that can probably work is this. If you use this mod for fairings, you can make fairings that can detach one piece at a time, leaving an open hole to transmit out of while protecting the antenna.

Alternatively, lots of dV (8000-10,000dV) and chutes for a 'controlled' descent through Jool's atmo. 

 

[Snark]

On 7/7/2017 at 3:55 PM, Nicias said:

I would like to be able to transmit faster than an 16S while not getting torn up by aero forces. Is that impossible?

The RA-15 and RA-100 transmit pretty fast, and do fine against aero forces.  A bit of extra weight, but they work great.

Another possibility is to put multiple Communotron-16S on the craft.  It won't make it transmit any single science result faster... but it means you don't have to wait until transmitting one result before you start transmitting another.  They can transmit simultaneously, and if one antenna is already busy when you go to do another transmission, the game is smart enough to use one of the idle antennas to do it.  Given how long it takes to fall through a gas giant's atmosphere (especially with parachutes), you've got plenty of time.

[Nicias]

11 hours ago, Snark said:

The RA-15 and RA-100 transmit pretty fast, and do fine against aero forces.  A bit of extra weight, but they work great.

Another possibility is to put multiple Communotron-16S on the craft.  It won't make it transmit any singe science result faster... but it means you don't have to wait until transmitting one result before you start transmitting another.  They can transmit simultaneously, and if one antenna is already busy when you go to do another transmission, the game is smart enough to use one of the idle antennas to do it.  Given how long it takes to fall through a gas giant's atmosphere (especially with parachutes), you've got plenty of time.

The RA-15 is way too big. I think I'll use the multiple 16S's I didn't know it would take turns. I suppose you have to transmit from the science dialog not from the antennas then. Six of them work out to one 88-88 in aggregate. (speed not range of course). I have a JX-2 in orbit of the target, so range is not an issue

[Snark]

1 hour ago, Nicias said:

I suppose you have to transmit from the science dialog not from the antennas then.

Yes, this.  Sorry, didn't think to mention it-- I never, ever, under any circumstances, ever transmit from the antennas (due to the risk of absent-mindedly transmitting something irreplaceable that I didn't want to), and always use the science dialog.  It's easy to forget that not everyone plays the same way. 

Parallel transmitting can be really handy; it's a pity the stock game doesn't give you any good way to visualize it.  If you're interested, there's always the IndicatorLights mod, which, among other things, adds LED indicators to all the stock antennas.  When they're transmitting, the LED lights up and flickers erratically, like an old-time modem, with the flicker speed proportional to the transmission rate.  Aside from looking kinda cool , it also lets you see which antenna is transmitting, when, and how fast.

There's a bunch of other stuff in the mod, too (indicators on practically everything-- batteries, science instruments, fuel cells, etc.), but it's factored nicely into separate .cfg files so it's easy to just delete any indicators you don't want.  For example, if you'd like indicators on antennas but nothing else, that's easy to do.

[Nicias]

4 hours ago, Snark said:

Yes, this.  Sorry, didn't think to mention it-- I never, ever, under any circumstances, ever transmit from the antennas (due to the risk of absent-mindedly transmitting something irreplaceable that I didn't want to), and always use the science dialog.  It's easy to forget that not everyone plays the same way. 

Parallel transmitting can be really handy; it's a pity the stock game doesn't give you any good way to visualize it.  If you're interested, there's always the IndicatorLights mod, which, among other things, adds LED indicators to all the stock antennas.  When they're transmitting, the LED lights up and flickers erratically, like an old-time modem, with the flicker speed proportional to the transmission rate.  Aside from looking kinda cool , it also lets you see which antenna is transmitting, when, and how fast.

There's a bunch of other stuff in the mod, too (indicators on practically everything-- batteries, science instruments, fuel cells, etc.), but it's factored nicely into separate .cfg files so it's easy to just delete any indicators you don't want.  For example, if you'd like indicators on antennas but nothing else, that's easy to do.

I love that mod. It totally added like 25% to my enjoyment of the game! Thanks for making it!

[mattssheep4]

On 7/7/2017 at 6:26 PM, Spricigo said:

Both.  Just keep in mind excessive use of Latin can make make you looks pendant. 

 

No such thing as an excessive use of Latin. (I have a minor in Classics  )

[Spricigo]

8 hours ago, mattssheep4 said:

No such thing as an excessive use of Latin. (I have a minor in Classics  )

Non sequitur. 

See, excessive use of Latin and now you think I'm a pendant. 

 

[mattssheep4]

9 hours ago, Spricigo said:

Non sequitur. 

See, excessive use of Latin and now you think I'm a pendant. 

 

No, you're not a necklace. You may, however, be a pedant.  Of course, the word pedant comes from the Latin paedagogus, which means something along the lines of tutor. Feel free to call me a pedant.

Edit: sorry for taking over the thread.

Edited July 9, 2017 by mattssheep4