(Drop Support )[1.6.1] Antenna Helper : Math your Antenna Range and Signal Strength [v1.0.6] (29 Jan 2019)

[Kardea]

Hey, all... I'm hoping one of you folks might be able to help me with a critical issue that may or may center around this mod. Either there's a bug somewhere or I'm a complete imbecil, so here goes:

• I'm playing a career mode game and am in the early stages. I've just upgraded my Tracking Station to Level 2, and thus with it comes the 50G DSN base range.
• I launched a probe into high Kerbin orbit. This probe is the "Sienno" probe core from the Blue Dog Bureau mod. This core has a base antenna power of 62.5K
• As such, my maximum range from the CommNet to my probe should be the square root of 50,000,000,000 x 62,500, in meters, which is 55,901,699m, which should allow me to easily go to the Mun with massive range to spare. However, when I launched the probe, I completely lose connectivity to the CommNet at around 12,000,000m (and thus lose all control of my probe). For the record, I have remembered to extend the antenna on my probe.
• So, seeing as something appeared to be up, I went ahead and Cheated a second probe into a far higher orbit. This probe has a 505K antenna, yet, as you can see in the attached screenshot, I *should* be at 46% signal strength from where I am in orbit, and yet the little stock CommNet indicator is showing only a 10% signal strength. If I go much further out, I'll lose probe control, even though I should be able to nearly double my distance from where I am in the screenshot.

Is there a bug occurring here or am I doing something utterly wrong?

EDIT: I should add that Antenna Helper is calculating the max ranges correctly... a 505k antenna should have a max range of 158,902,485m (with a level 2 Tracking Station) and that's exactly what the mod shows... it's just definitely not what's actually happening...

Edited July 20, 2018 by Kardea

[4x4cheesecake]

@Kardea Best guess I have is a 'DSN Modifier' < 1 in your difficulty settings, I don't know if the mod respect this. Can be a bug in the BDB part though, but I actually don't know.

[JH4C]

@Kardea just to head off the most obvious problem I can think of which isn't answered clearly by your screenshot: is the probe still facing the same side of the planet as the KSC? I could be wrong, but the icon on the right of the signal strength looks to me to be suggesting that it's over the horizon...

[JoE Smash]

On 7/20/2018 at 2:39 AM, Kardea said:

Hey, all... I'm hoping one of you folks might be able to help me with a critical issue that may or may center around this mod. Either there's a bug somewhere or I'm a complete imbecil, so here goes:

• I'm playing a career mode game and am in the early stages. I've just upgraded my Tracking Station to Level 2, and thus with it comes the 50G DSN base range.
• I launched a probe into high Kerbin orbit. This probe is the "Sienno" probe core from the Blue Dog Bureau mod. This core has a base antenna power of 62.5K
• As such, my maximum range from the CommNet to my probe should be the square root of 50,000,000,000 x 62,500, in meters, which is 55,901,699m, which should allow me to easily go to the Mun with massive range to spare. However, when I launched the probe, I completely lose connectivity to the CommNet at around 12,000,000m (and thus lose all control of my probe). For the record, I have remembered to extend the antenna on my probe.
• So, seeing as something appeared to be up, I went ahead and Cheated a second probe into a far higher orbit. This probe has a 505K antenna, yet, as you can see in the attached screenshot, I *should* be at 46% signal strength from where I am in orbit, and yet the little stock CommNet indicator is showing only a 10% signal strength. If I go much further out, I'll lose probe control, even though I should be able to nearly double my distance from where I am in the screenshot.

Is there a bug occurring here or am I doing something utterly wrong?

EDIT: I should add that Antenna Helper is calculating the max ranges correctly... a 505k antenna should have a max range of 158,902,485m (with a level 2 Tracking Station) and that's exactly what the mod shows... it's just definitely not what's actually happening...

I dug around in the cfg files of his mod until I found the damn thing (It would be nice if the guy maybe named his part files a little closer to what the actual part names are in game), and according to the part file that probe seems to have TWO? built in antennas one with a power of 5000.....and another with 62.5K...but that one says it's not combine-able. Unless I'm reading it wrong. I'm not a modder or anything....so I don't necessarily know how the stuff written in a cfg functions exactly....

Maybe it's defaulting to the 5K internal antenna and it should be deleted.....or change antennacombinable to = True instead of False and maybe that would "fix" the part.....

I bolded the antenna bits for you.

Spoiler

PART
{
//Thanks to Frizzank for his Explorer cfg files, on which these are based.
    name = bluedog_Explorer1
    module = Part
    author = CobaltWolf
MODEL
{
    model = Bluedog_DB/Parts/Explorer/bluedog_Explorer1
}

    rescaleFactor = 1.0
    scale = 1.0
    node_stack_bottom = 0.0, -0.1978774, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0.0, 0
    node_attach = 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0, -1.0, 0
    TechRequired = start
    entryCost = 0
    cost = 1000 // includes an experiment
    category = Pods
    subcategory = 0
    title = HLR-E1 "Sienno" Probe Core
    manufacturer = Bluedog Design Bureau
    description = This 0.125m probe core integrates an omni antenna and a geiger counter for measuring radation.
    attachRules = 1,1,1,1,1
    mass = 0.01258
    dragModelType = default
    maximum_drag = 0.1
    minimum_drag = 0.09
    angularDrag = 0.4
    crashTolerance = 8
    breakingForce = 8
    breakingTorque = 8
    maxTemp = 1200
    bulkheadProfiles = size0, srf
    explosionPotential = 0.25
    vesselType = Probe
    CrewCapacity = 0
    bulkheadProfiles = size00, srf

    tags = explorer first in space nerds tiny probe core useless control

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleCommand
        minimumCrew = 0
        
        RESOURCE
        {
            name = ElectricCharge
            rate = 0.005
        }
        hasHibernation = True
    }

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleSAS
    }

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleReactionWheel
        
        PitchTorque = 0.02
        YawTorque = 0.02
        RollTorque = 0.02
        
        RESOURCE
        {
            name = ElectricCharge
            rate = 0.001
        }
    }

    RESOURCE
    {
        name = ElectricCharge
        amount = 30
        maxAmount = 30
    }

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleAnimateGeneric
        animationName = extendAntenna
        isOneShot = false
        startEventGUIName = Extend Antenna
        endEventGUIName = Retract Antenna
        actionGUIName = Toggle Antenna
    }
    
//    MODULE
//    {
//        name = ModuleKerbNetAccess
//        MinimumFoV = 25
//        MaximumFoV = 45
//        AnomalyDetection = 0
//        DISPLAY_MODES
//        {
//            Mode = Terrain
//        }
//    }

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDataTransmitter
        antennaType = DIRECT
        packetInterval = 0.6
        packetSize = 2
        packetResourceCost = 1.5
        requiredResource = ElectricCharge
        DeployFxModules = 3
        antennaPower = 62500
        antennaCombinable = False
    }
    
    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleDataTransmitter
        antennaType = INTERNAL
        packetInterval = 1.0
        packetSize = 2
        packetResourceCost = 12.0
        requiredResource = ElectricCharge
        antennaPower = 5000
        optimumRange = 2500
        packetFloor = .1
        packetCeiling = 5
    }

    MODULE
    {
        name = ModuleScienceExperiment
        experimentID = bd_GeigerCounter
        experimentActionName = Activate Geiger Counter
        resetActionName = Delete Data
        useStaging = False
        useActionGroups = True
        hideUIwhenUnavailable = True
        xmitDataScalar = 0.4
        dataIsCollectable = True
        collectActionName = Take Data
        interactionRange = 1.2
        rerunnable = True
        usageReqMaskInternal = 1
        usageReqMaskExternal = 8
    }

//    MODULE
//    {
//        name = ModuleScienceExperiment
//        experimentID = temperatureScan
//        experimentActionName = Log Temperature
//        resetActionName = Delete Data
//        useStaging = False
//        useActionGroups = True
//        hideUIwhenUnavailable = False
//        xmitDataScalar = 0.5
//        dataIsCollectable = True
//        collectActionName = Take Data
//        interactionRange = 1.2
//        rerunnable = True
//        usageReqMaskInternal = 1
//        usageReqMaskExternal = 8
//    }
//    
//    MODULE
//    {
//        name = ModuleEnviroSensor
//        sensorType = TEMP
//    }

}

 

Edited July 23, 2018 by JoE Smash
Hid part cfg in spoiler

[JH4C]

@JoE Smash, the secret-hiding code you're after is the spoiler tag- you just click the spoiler button (eyeball) in the edit box and it is created for you to populate.

Spoiler

You can't read this accidentally. 

You might also want to use the code (less than/greater than symbol) tag, to retain any formatting from the source file that would otherwise be stripped by the forum. (Extra blank space, etc.)

That said, if this is an issue with the part configuration of a different mod, then the discussion regarding fixing it should really be directed to that mod's page. I've not used the mod in question; does this part perhaps have a deployable antenna? That would most readily explain the need/use of two different non-combinable definitions.

[JoE Smash]

10 hours ago, JH4C said:

@JoE Smash, the secret-hiding code you're after is the spoiler tag- you just click the spoiler button (eyeball) in the edit box and it is created for you to populate.

  Reveal hidden contents

You can't read this accidentally. 

You might also want to use the code (less than/greater than symbol) tag, to retain any formatting from the source file that would otherwise be stripped by the forum. (Extra blank space, etc.)

That said, if this is an issue with the part configuration of a different mod, then the discussion regarding fixing it should really be directed to that mod's page. I've not used the mod in question; does this part perhaps have a deployable antenna? That would most readily explain the need/use of two different non-combinable definitions.

Well, the problem going on isn't my problem in the first place, it's the guy above me who is having the issue. I was just trying to be helpful because I used Bluedog mod before and had the zip in my CKAN folder already.....so I unzipped it and dug around until I found the stupid probe for him. I'm not currently using it because it adds things I don't really need or want. It's a pretty cool mod with lots of interesting stuff, it's really big though and uses a lot of memory. I think it added too much science or something. I'm already using probes plus....which already adds a riduculous amount of science parts and probes. With both mods I'd have like 50 probe cores and 50 science experiments....which is a little excessive.

That being said I ALREADY had posed in the Bluedog forum thread about this ALSO, for this guy as well....if you go look in that thread you'll see I posted about this yesterday for him.

The 62K antenna in question IS deployable, but the OP claimed it IS deployed. I already got a response over in the Bluedog thread which was, "Yes there are two antennas, but when you deploy the 62K one it overrides the 5K internal one which is used for take off before the 62K one can be deployed."

While that answer is all fine and good, that doesn't seem to be the case. It seems like he's only getting the range of the 5K, so either he's wrong and didn't deploy it, or the part is bugged and not working as intended. If it IS deployed, it being bugged may very well be the case. 

This mod may actually help find bugs like this with particular parts simply because it helps you finally visualize what each antenna is doing. When you can't see what each antenna is doing it is much easier to miss that they are not working as intended because their range is invisible....so you just hope and assume antennas are doing what they are supposed to be doing. 

So at this point I am not sure what can be done other than the OP pressing the issue over at the Bluedog forum. I'm really not sure why the OP posted about it here in the first place. This mod just allows you to visualize what antennas ARE doing, it doesn't augment what particular antennas do in the game already. He already confirmed that the mod is displaying the EXPECTED range correctly and the math works out. If the true range in game he is getting is much less, then there is a problem with the part, which should be brought up with the part designer. I agree with your statement to that effect....

 

[scottadges]

Wow, I can't believe I haven't found this mod before now!

I'm in progress on expanding my relay network and was hoping to do it a little more "intelligently" than just spamming the biggest antennas out as far as the eye could see... So then I was staring at the KSP Wiki page and the math for antenna power and signal strength was melting my brain.

A few google searches for a way around mathematics... and I found this mod. Who needs maths anyway?!?

I'm literally shutting down KSP right now so I can go ahead and install this mod. Be back later with thoughts or questions!

Edited August 25, 2018 by scottadges

[JoE Smash]

I tried to spread the word after I discovered the same thing on the same search for the same reason...

[scottadges]

On 3/9/2018 at 1:55 PM, Li0n said:

It should be compatible with every mods, except RemoteTech and Kerbalism.

D'oh! I just read all the way down noticed it says not compatible with Kerbalism...

@Li0n Could you comment on what exactly isn't compatible? Is it like, a hard conflict (won't work at all)? or like some things might not calculate, but everything else works?

Kerbalism is my go-to LS mod. I'm not sure I could play without it at this point... Hmm, I'll report back if I encounter any issues.

[scottadges]

A little update from me: So far I'm not seeing massive gameplay issues with Antenna Helper and Kerbalism together.

I'm seeing a few errors in my latest log, but I'm not sure if these are "bad"?

[EXC 13:39:25.629] KeyNotFoundException: The given key was not present in the dictionary.
	System.Collections.Generic.Dictionary`2[Vessel,AntennaHelper.LinkPath].get_Item (.Vessel key)
	AntennaHelper.AHFlight.SetActiveConnect ()
	AntennaHelper.AHFlight+<StartSecond>d__0.MoveNext ()
	UnityEngine.SetupCoroutine.InvokeMoveNext (IEnumerator enumerator, IntPtr returnValueAddress)

[ERR 13:40:01.878] Exception handling event onVesselDestroy in class AHFlight:System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
  at AntennaHelper.AHFlight.VesselDestroy (.Vessel v) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 
  at EventData`1[Vessel].Fire (.Vessel data) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0 

[EXC 13:40:01.879] NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
	AntennaHelper.AHFlight.VesselDestroy (.Vessel v)
	EventData`1[Vessel].Fire (.Vessel data)
	UnityEngine.Debug:LogException(Exception)
	EventData`1:Fire(Vessel)
	Vessel:OnDestroy()

Any insight into what these exceptions mean?

[Wyzard]

11 minutes ago, scottadges said:

I'm seeing a few errors in my latest log, but I'm not sure if these are "bad"?
 

I get those too, and they're mentioned in a few posts on the previous page.  Other than logspam, they don't seem to actually hurt anything.

[scottadges]

19 minutes ago, Wyzard said:

I get those too, and they're mentioned in a few posts on the previous page.  Other than logspam, they don't seem to actually hurt anything.

Ok, thanks (sorry, I didn't read back that far) good to know nothing's to worry there.

[Apaseall]

Hi, here is a log:https://www.dropbox.com/s/5sdzcbltobydaoj/saves for LoadingScreenManager.1.output_log.rar?dl=0

Yes it is an odd name but I do have the below in it.

I see some of this, and wondered if you could give it a little attention please:

Spoiler

 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Texture resolution is not valid for compression: 'C:\KSP\KSP 1.4.5.2243 Live\GameData\AntennaHelper\Textures\icon_dish_on.png' - consider changing the image's width and height to enable compression
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Load(Texture): AntennaHelper/Textures/icon_dish_on_small
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Load(Texture): AntennaHelper/Textures/icon_off
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Texture resolution is not valid for compression: 'C:\KSP\KSP 1.4.5.2243 Live\GameData\AntennaHelper\Textures\icon_off.png' - consider changing the image's width and height to enable compression
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Load(Texture): AntennaHelper/Textures/icon_sat_on
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Texture resolution is not valid for compression: 'C:\KSP\KSP 1.4.5.2243 Live\GameData\AntennaHelper\Textures\icon_sat_on.png' - consider changing the image's width and height to enable compression
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Load(Texture): AntennaHelper/Textures/signal_per_distance
 
(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Texture resolution is not valid for compression: 'C:\KSP\KSP 1.4.5.2243 Live\GameData\AntennaHelper\Textures\signal_per_distance.png' - consider changing the image's width and height to enable compression
 

I do realize that is most likely to be harmless, but it is still clutter in the log file that might be relatively easy to deal with.

[4x4cheesecake]

24 minutes ago, Apaseall said:

I do realize that is most likely to be harmless, but it is still clutter in the log file that might be relatively easy to deal with.

This one is indeed harmless.

If you want to see something really bad cluttering your log, you should look at the end. There are a lot (335) ArithmetricExceptions caused by Atmospheric Autopilot and even more (2397) 'Infinity or NaN floating point numbers' caused by MK2Expansion.

[Apaseall]

5 minutes ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

This one is indeed harmless.

If you want to see something really bad cluttering your log, you should look at the end. There are a lot (335) ArithmetricExceptions caused by Atmospheric Autopilot and even more (2397) 'Infinity or NaN floating point numbers' caused by MK2Expansion.

Yup I am working my way downwards. This is as we know trivial stuff, but it does not need to be there and it is always there which means that we all have to see it everytime we trawl through a log. I seem to be asking lots of people today, they are on their own little things, but like being bitten to death by a million ants, rather annoying. lol.

[4x4cheesecake]

3 minutes ago, Apaseall said:

Yup I am working my way downwards. This is as we know trivial stuff, but it does not need to be there and it is always there which means that we all have to see it everytime we trawl through a log. I seem to be asking lots of people today, they are on their own little things, but like being bitten to death by a million ants, rather annoying. lol.

Yeah, I've noticed all the posts of you, I just thought I may point you in a more promising direction since I think you try to find out why your game crashes.
Btw.: The 'Texture resolution is not valid for compression' entry will also be created for stock textures from the MH expansion, so I think it is more like an info and not an error/warning.

[Apaseall]

1 minute ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Yeah, I've noticed all the posts of you, I just thought I may point you in a more promising direction since I think you try to find out why your game crashes.
Btw.: The 'Texture resolution is not valid for compression' entry will also be created for stock textures from the MH expansion, so I think it is more like an info and not an error/warning.

Yup, I also think they are not an error or a warning, I just would like to tidy up the log a bit. As for the crash well that is something different. I have been having weird problems with prop engines of all things. So I took them all of my tiny plane. That seemed fine. Then last night I added an engine, which crashed KSP. Today I took the engine off and erm the was good plane now crashes KSP. As for the pile of errors at the end, usually when one thing goes, something else breaks too. So the culprit is not always the last one seem screaming its head off. lol.

[Wyzard]

Speaking of log clutter, I recently submitted a pull request with fixes for several code bugs that cause NullReferenceExceptions in various situations.

[Li0n]

It's been a long time since I came here and I've missed a few update. Still no big rewrite (soon^tm) but :

Antenna Helper v1.0.5 on GitHub and SpaceDock and CKAN

Quote

**General**
* recompile for KSP 1.5.1

**Flight & MapView**
* various bug fix and a lot less log spam. All credit goes to @Wyzard

**DEPENDENCY**
*MUST be installed*
Toolbar Controller version 0.1.6.18 or higher
ClickThroughBlocker version 0.1.6.9 or higher
*MUST be installed*
**DEPENDENCY**

A very big thank you to @Wyzard for taking the time to go through my code and fix a bunch of bug happening in various situation

More update are still planned, no ETA

[dlrk]

Does 1.0.5 work in 1.4.5 or just 1.5/1.5.1?

[Li0n]

14 hours ago, dlrk said:

Does 1.0.5 work in 1.4.5 or just 1.5/1.5.1?

I tested only on KSP 1.5.1

Give it a try, if it doesn't work the only thing needed should be to recompile for 1.4.5

[Cuna]

@Li0n amazing mod first of all.

now... im amazed that nobody has ever made a SOI mod.

would it be hard to make one you figure?

kind of like antenna helper looking but just SOI spheres in map mode.

should be quite simple no? no calculations or anything fancy.

 

cheers!

 

[Nightmare]

Seems not to run wie 1.61

[Li0n]

Antenna Helper v1.0.6 on GitHub and SpaceDock and CKAN

Quote

**General**
* recompile for KSP 1.6.1

**DEPENDENCY**
*MUST be installed*
Toolbar Controller version 0.1.6.20 or higher
ClickThroughBlocker version 0.1.6.10 or higher

 

On 1/15/2019 at 11:04 PM, Nightmare said:

Seems not to run wie 1.61

Please try this new version.

 

On 1/15/2019 at 10:23 PM, Cuna said:

@Li0n amazing mod first of all.

now... im amazed that nobody has ever made a SOI mod.

would it be hard to make one you figure?

kind of like antenna helper looking but just SOI spheres in map mode.

should be quite simple no? no calculations or anything fancy.

 

cheers!

 

Thanks.

Shouldn't be hard to do, the rendering code can be the same I use to display the circles. I'm not much on KSP right now so I'll probably won't do it. If you're interested, or anyone else, on doing such a mod feel free to re-use any code from AntennaHelper. The rendering code for the circles are here : https://github.com/Li0n-0/Antenna-Helper/blob/master/Source/AntennaHelper/AHMapMarker.cs

[dxeh]

just a quick question. does this work with Remote Tech?