Probe control and antennae range

[conao]

Hi!

So, the newbie here lost control of a probe that was sent beyond the moon on a rescue mission without a proper antenna. Wondering if there was a way to regain control of the probe, I read in the Wiki that another vessel can work as a control source.

"Vessels without a Pilot require a link to a control source for full control (valid control sources are a vessel with an operational Probe Control Point, or more commonly the Deep Space Network on Kerbin)."

So, I understood that another probe sent near enough the lost one, with a proper antenna this time, would help to regain control over the one that lost communication. By near enough I mean within the vessel-to-vessel range, calculated according to the power of both antennae (the 5k built-in into the first probe and the 2G Communotron DTS-M1 that I sent on the second probe). My calculation, following the Wiki instructions, resulted in a vessel-to-vessel range of around 3162 km. The two probes are not more than 2000 km apart now, but I didn't regain control over the first one.

Did I understand or calculate anything wrong? Would a relay antenna work? Is the first probe lost forever?

Thanks,

Marconi

[4x4cheesecake]

Looks like the wiki lacks some informations about this specific topic. You need two things for a probe control point:

1) A probecore which is capable to be a remote control point (AFAIK, the RC-0015 and RC-L01 Remote Guidance Unit are the only probecores which support this)

2) A pilot

You can find out if a probecore can be a probe control point in the editor. Just right click the core and scroll trough the 'properties' on the right site of the window. Somewhere needs to be 'Probe Control Point'. This window will also tell you, that you will need at least 1 pilot and if the control point can handle single- or multihop connections (singlehop = direkt link, multihop = additional relays can be used).

edit: Oh, forgot to anser your questions

1) You calculation is correct
2) A relay might help, depends on the trajectory of you probe.
3)Depends on you You can still try to use a proper probe control point or a relay to save your probe. Also, you always have to option to turn of CommNet in your difficulty settings, save the probe and turn it on again.
 

Edited July 8, 2018 by 4x4cheesecake

[linuxgurugamer]

So if the Wiki is missing information, why don't you update the Wiki?

[4x4cheesecake]

9 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

So if the Wiki is missing information, why don't you update the Wiki?

Sure, can you help me? I'm going to prepare an article about Probe Control Points and you can do the proofreading? I'm feeling myself not confident enough in my english skills to post something on my own in a wiki

[linuxgurugamer]

5 minutes ago, 4x4cheesecake said:

Sure, can you help me? I'm going to prepare an article about Probe Control Points and you can do the proofreading? I'm feeling myself not confident enough in my english skills to post something on my own in a wiki

Sure.  Although why not update the wiki, and I'll review it there.  Saves a step 

[4x4cheesecake]

39 minutes ago, linuxgurugamer said:

Sure.  Although why not update the wiki, and I'll review it there.  Saves a step 

Alright, I'll PM you as soon as the article is finished

Back to topic: I just found out that the MK1-3 Command Pod, MK2 Lander Can and the MEM (MH expansion) can also be used as a Probe Control Point but they require 2 pilots

edit: @conao I missed an important detail I didn't know about until now: The probe control points needs a relay antenna to connect to another vessel, direct link antennas don't work!

Edited July 8, 2018 by 4x4cheesecake

[bewing]

2 hours ago, conao said:

Wondering if there was a way to regain control of the probe

If you are playing at regular difficulty, then you probably still have partial control of it. Is the commnet probe icon yellow? If so, it's still controllable enough to use for most purposes.

Many ways to regain control, actually.

Easiest to increase the level of your tracking station -- with increased level, it gets increased range. Second is to go into the Difficulty Settings and turn off "Enable Comm Network". Third is to send out a relay sat, close enough to get a signal from your probe. Fourth is to go attach a new antenna or even more stuff to your probe with a klaw. To get remote pilot control to your probe, it's already necessary to have a relay antenna within range of it -- which will automatically get you into method #3.

 

Edited July 8, 2018 by bewing

[conao]

Many thanks for your answers, guys! I learned many things now. First, I thought that any probe core in the Command Pods category would work as a control point, which I now know not to be the case. Had also forgotten that by docking two vessels you kind of combine their equipment, so a vessel with a claw and an antenna would help (have just done a couple dockings so far, but actually, with claws). Good to know that a relay would work. Alternatively, I probably have the money to increase the Tracking Station another level.

The one I already knew was the possibility to disable Comm Network, but that I don’t want to do. Let’s take the challenge to rescue the rescuer!  :-)

Thanks,

Marconi