Question about the Communotron 16 vs 16-S

[StevieC]

Is there a reason why the Communotron 16 is combinable but the 16-S is not combinable? Is the 16-S supposed to be combinable like the 16?

[steuben]

In-verse personal head canon:
The kerbelinksy effects caused by the refined belrekium (belrekinium) used in the 16-s to allow the streamlined shape self-interferes in a linear (I think linear... it might be inversely) fashion. So two antennas will interfere to half their power, so net change from one antenna to two is zero. Three will interfere to cut the power by a third, etc.

Out-verse reason:
Game play balance. Somewhere in the depths of the forum there is a very long, very indepth, very ... heated discussion about the implemented comms system during the tail end of that development cycle.

[swjr-swis]

For the same reason they made the least aerodynamic model for the one of the pair (16/16-S) that is meant to be used inside the atmosphere, and default it to attaching perpendicular to prevalent airflow.

Just about everything about that antenna is wrong inconvenient challenging for being the only stock atmospheric one we get.

But on the bright side: it allows us to boast a 100% balanced game, and we get the added realism and immersion of circumventing the issue by using one (or more!) of any of the other non-atmospheric antennae while shielded inside a bay or fairing. So it's all good.

 

[Geschosskopf]

23 hours ago, StevieC said:

Is there a reason why the Communotron 16 is combinable but the 16-S is not combinable? Is the 16-S supposed to be combinable like the 16?

The 16-S is intended to do the same thing as an essentially identical part in the RemoteTech mod:  If you use RT, or have the stock comms options set to be as RT-like as possible, then unpiloted rockets require a way to talk to KSC during the atmospheric phase of the launch, when they're doing the gravity turn.  So, the purpose of the 16-S is to be stuck on the sides of the lifter stack, so unpiloted rockets requiring communications for control can do their gravity turns and circularize before getting over KSC's horizon.  IOW, the 16-S is only intended to talk from LKO to KSC.  Hence, no need to combine it.

This is all a separate issue from us not having any other stock antennae that can survive high atmospheric speeds.  

Edited November 4, 2017 by Geschosskopf

[Starchaser]

On 11/3/2017 at 8:17 PM, swjr-swis said:

For the same reason they made the least aerodynamic model for the one of the pair (16/16-S) that is meant to be used inside the atmosphere, and default it to attaching perpendicular to prevalent airflow.

Um. Can't you just hit W or A or something when placing it and make it lie flat?

[MinimalMinmus]

On 04/11/2017 at 1:17 AM, swjr-swis said:

For the same reason they made the least aerodynamic model for the one of the pair (16/16-S) that is meant to be used inside the atmosphere, and default it to attaching perpendicular to prevalent airflow.

Well, nothing prevents you to use the RA-2/15/100, as they are not fragile. Of course they are heavier, but, hey, that's the price to pay! Not like the 88-88, that I once broke because I was roving too fast on Eve...