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How to get power to communotron antenna


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I have a battery pack, and the pod has electricity.

 

The thing is how do i get the power to the antennas?  When i put the battery pack on it says that power is going to nothing and when i place the antenna it says there is no power source.

 

Any help would be great as i am very new to this game.  I have had to have "bail out" already too.  I just need ways to get science and i am at a dead end.

I have done the goo cans, science jr and temperature everywhere (in orbit included).  Ihave taken crew reports in orbit and eva reports in orbit and now i cant gain anymore science.

 

Sorry its 2 questions realy.

1- How to get power to antenna and 2- Any way to get more science.

 

Thanks.

 

 

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Hello, and welcome to the forums!  :)

Moving to Gameplay Questions.

1 hour ago, nuffsed81 said:

The thing is how do i get the power to the antennas?  When i put the battery pack on it says that power is going to nothing and when i place the antenna it says there is no power source.

Can you be a little more specific?

  • Are you playing on PC or console?
  • Are you running any mods?  (I'm guessing not, just wanted to check)

When you say this,

1 hour ago, nuffsed81 said:

it says there is no power source

...what says, exactly?  Can you describe the situation?  As in, something like, "I'm in the editor and then I <do thing> and then <thing happens>".  Or is this something that happens to you while you're flying your ship?

i.e. what situation are you in, what are you doing, and then what happens, exactly?

1 hour ago, nuffsed81 said:

I just need ways to get science and i am at a dead end.

1 hour ago, nuffsed81 said:

I have done the goo cans, science jr and temperature everywhere (in orbit included).  Ihave taken crew reports in orbit and eva reports in orbit and now i cant gain anymore science.

Sounds like you've got a good start.  :)

So, the next thing you probably need to do is to visit the Mun or Minmus (but if you're brand new to KSP, I'd suggest Mun to start with, it's a bigger target).  Something that's important to know:  Science from Kerbin is worth a LOT fewer points than science from anywhere else.  (By "from" Kerbin, I'm including space around it, too.)

They set it up that way because you start on Kerbin, so it's by far the easiest destination.  ;)  Other places are harder, so they're worth more points.  The Mun and Minmus are worth a lot more points than Kerbin, and other planets in the solar system are worth even more than that.

So, some "getting more science" tips:

  • Prioritize science instruments when you're spending your science points.  When you're looking at the tech tree in R&D, and deciding "which tech node am I going to get next", go for the one that gives you more science instruments.  Because that gives you more experiments that you can do.
  • Go to the Mun, and then Minmus.  You'll get tons of science from this.
  • Remember that EVA reports in orbit are biome-specific.  Maybe you already know this and have already done that, but just in case you didn't know.  ;)  For example, if your kerbal's orbiting over the equator, you can get "EVA report in space over Kerbin's Water", and "EVA report in space over Kerbin's Deserts", etc.

About going to the Mun:  Just to start with, even if you don't land on it, you can get quite a lot of science just by doing a flyby, so that's worth doing.

Can you post a screenshot of what your current tech tree looks like in R&D?  (Instructions in spoiler.)

Spoiler

Here's how to post a screenshot:

  1. Take a screenshot in-game.  (On a PC, you do this by pressing F1.)
  2. Find the saved image in your Screenshots folder in your KSP installation.
  3. Upload it to some third-party image sharing site such as imgur.com.
  4. After it's uploaded, right-click on the image on its webpage and choose "Copy Image Location"
  5. Paste that URL into your forum post here, and it will get automagically converted into an in-line image.

Also.  Eventually you'll need to upgrade the R&D building to the next level.  This costs a bunch of money, so you'll need to do contracts and such to save up.  When you eventually upgrade R&D, this gets you two things:

  • Your kerbonauts will gain the ability to take surface samples, which is a new science experiment that's worth a ton of science points (especially from places other than Kerbin).
  • It raises the "ceiling" in R&D so that you can start unlocking higher-tech nodes, which (among other things) unlocks better science instruments that are worth more points.
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If you are just short of some science points use the runway. Its another biome - so do all experiments there again - best including surface sample if possible.

If you have the DLC Making History you can also use the 2 other launchpads and runways for even more free science.

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2 hours ago, Snark said:
  • Prioritize science instruments when you're spending your science points.  When you're looking at the tech tree in R&D, and deciding "which tech node am I going to get next", go for the one that gives you more science instruments.  Because that gives you more experiments that you can do.
  • Go to the Mun, and then Minmus.  You'll get tons of science from this.
  • Remember that EVA reports in orbit are biome-specific.  Maybe you already know this and have already done that, but just in case you didn't know.  ;)  For example, if your kerbal's orbiting over the equator, you can get "EVA report in space over Kerbin's Water", and "EVA report in space over Kerbin's Deserts", etc.

 

What Snark says is helpful, these are what your next targets boils down to, an overview of what to do next. Visiting the moons are very exciting steps once you know how to get into orbit, and science gains increases dramatically in these locations! Check out tutorials on YouTube, I'd go for a Mun flyby tutorial first. Be sure to design a larger rocket that can get there, though!

I wouldn't worry about antenna at this point in the game, they are only needed for missions without a kerbal (unmanned), which I wouldn't recommend at this point, for many reasons.

Antenna sends the science back to Kerbin, however, this takes a HUGE amount of electricity, and doesn't get the full science value :(. Since you recover your vehicles (or just the kerbal...), this means that you get the full science value, much better than using antenna.

In short, you've got the most satisfying moments of KSP ahead of you, so just get out there!

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You might accidentally pressed the icon next to the electricity content when right clicking the battery in the editor by mistake perhaps. When you do you cancel the battery from draining energy, it might be an oversight

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Thank you to everyone that has answered.  I have decided to start from the beginning.  That bailout killed my rep and i think i can get to where i am now by the end of the day.  

 

This seems like a very quick responding helpful group and i will be around more often,  however i am low on RAM and its very slow running the browser and game at the same time.  Sorry, this is the reason i have not sent a screen shot but in future i will.

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

 

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To add to Draalo's post: not only the runway is a different biome. All the buildings of the KSC have their own biome. SPH, VAB, tracking centre, kerbonaut complex etc. You can do all experiments near every building of the KSC.

I usually do a 'KSC science mission' as soon as I've got the first airplane part node. The one with the fixed landing gears (=wheels!). After such a mission, happily driving around the KSC, and after spending the spoils (sciencepoints) to new technodes I can usually go for a first (small) Duna mission...

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