Remote Tech Downlinks needed?

[ToukieToucan]

Are downlinks essential if you can uplink everything?

 

Sat 1 > Sat 2, Mun, Minmus, Act

Sat 2 > Sat 3, Mun, Minmus, Act

Sat 3 > Sat 1. Mun, Minmus, Act

 

Also, this would cover all of the Kerbin system using a DTS M1, right?

[LN400]

You would need a full two-way link at least in the previous versions of RT. However, there is a setting dialogue box available on KSC when you look at the entire base, that is not inside any building that allows various new settings. I am not entirely sure since I haven't played around with it much but have a look at the settings to see if anything sounds applicable.

One thing to notice about the antennas is that they come in 2 classes: Omnidirectional and directional. Generally, dishes are directional so they need a target and can only cover what's inside a narrow cone while omnidirectional antennas don't need to be pointed at any particular target. The onmi directional antennas have shorter range than the directional ones of comparable size.

To cover the entire Kerbin + the 2 moons, I have landed on a system of 4 omnidirectional satelites around Kerbin using the 2.5Mm range omnidirectional (since it's available pretty early on in career mode which I play). These are the hub network for Kerbin relaying everything else back to KSC.

In addition, I use 2 satelites with one 2.5Mm omni and 2 dishes that will reach the moons. This way, there will always be at least one dish that can contact Mun and Minmus.

Around the moons I use 3 satelites of the same type as the 2 mentioned just above. Only battery capacity has been adjusted for longer orbital periods and possible eclipses.

[DaMachinator]

Of note is that dishes can connect to omnidirectionals if they are in range.

My preferred approach is double satellite dish relays for inter-body communications and omni constellations for body coverage.

For a Kerbin-Mun connection:

2 sats in Kerbin orbit with 2 DTS Mk.1 dishes each and a Communotron 32 (unlocked fairly early in my game)

2 sats in Mun orbit with the same equipment

Set up as follows:

• KerbinA
  • Dish 1: Target MunA
  • Dish 2: Target MunB
• KerbinB
  • Dish 1: Target MunA
  • Dish 2: Target MunB
• MunA
  • Dish 1: Target KerbinA
  • Dish 2: Target KerbinB
• MunB
  • Dish 1: Target KerbinA
  • Dish 2: Target KerbinB

This configuration means that at least one satellite has connection to Kerbin at all times.

If the dish angle of the dishes used is sufficient, the two sats for each body each require only one dish, pointed at the planet instead of the actual commsats. Note that the orbit of the dish commsats must both lay within the signal cone of the other.

Edited August 11, 2016 by DaMachinator

[ToukieToucan]

43 minutes ago, LN400 said:

You would need a full two-way link at least in the previous versions of RT. However, there is a setting dialogue box available on KSC when you look at the entire base, that is not inside any building that allows various new settings. I am not entirely sure since I haven't played around with it much but have a look at the settings to see if anything sounds applicable.

One thing to notice about the antennas is that they come in 2 classes: Omnidirectional and directional. Generally, dishes are directional so they need a target and can only cover what's inside a narrow cone while omnidirectional antennas don't need to be pointed at any particular target. The onmi directional antennas have shorter range than the directional ones of comparable size.

To cover the entire Kerbin + the 2 moons, I have landed on a system of 4 omnidirectional satelites around Kerbin using the 2.5Mm range omnidirectional (since it's available pretty early on in career mode which I play). These are the hub network for Kerbin relaying everything else back to KSC.

In addition, I use 2 satelites with one 2.5Mm omni and 2 dishes that will reach the moons. This way, there will always be at least one dish that can contact Mun and Minmus.

Around the moons I use 3 satelites of the same type as the 2 mentioned just above. Only battery capacity has been adjusted for longer orbital periods and possible eclipses.

Ah clever, the sats directed at the mun and minmus wouldn't need to be in a chain because of omnis, thanks!

[Hupf]

2 hours ago, LN400 said:

that allows various new settings. I am not entirely sure since I haven't played around with it much but have a look at the settings to see if anything sounds applicable.

Have a look at http://remotetechnologiesgroup.github.io/RemoteTech/guide/settings/#alternative-rules, especially the "Root" range model. With this you can establish Dish-to-Omni connections over medium ranges. Especially this allows for one-way links in many cases.