Deploy Antenna When Safe

[Moesly_Armlis]

Deploy Antenna When Safe

In settings and under advanced difficulty has two options: Require Signal For Control,  Plasma Blackout.

These options increase the difficulty when using probes. 

The game mechanic for allowing parachutes to deploy when safe could be used to deploy antenna.

 

[pxi]

Good idea.

[pandaman]

Yep. Nice idea, it's not a biggie and I don't see it making huge difference to me, but I think it's a worthwhile addition.

[Blasty McBlastblast]

if only there was some kind of basic flight computer which could have simple commands preset to activate after a delay even without a command signal... if only... 

*coughs*  *looks in the direction of RemoteTech*

[Kerbonaut257]

I'm thinking "deploy when above 70km" would be a better way to put it. It's perfeclty safe to deploy the antenna on the landing pad, but it's about to get very unsafe

[eddiew]

Agree with @Kerbonaut257... "when safe" might mean "won't break off" but that may still be in-atmosphere and it might throw your ascent off due to asymmetric drag.

[Tyko]

If you're open to mods, @Snark released a cool little mod that lets you put antenna's to "sleep" - i.e. retract - for a set period of time to automatically extend when the timer ends. the use-case would be to sleep the antenna during launch or reentry with it reopening when it's safe.

[Moesly_Armlis]

20 hours ago, tjt said:

If you're open to mods, @Snark released a cool little mod that lets you put antenna's to "sleep" - i.e. retract - for a set period of time to automatically extend when the timer ends. the use-case would be to sleep the antenna during launch or reentry with it reopening when it's safe.

When I was using the Signal For Control and Plasma Blackout settings it was before re-entry that I wanted to extend the antenna on my probe (Having RT experience I would have programmed the flight computer to extend antenna well after the chute deployment) and results in temperature flying above X biome also with other science when landed. 

This is only an issue for probes that are passing through an atmosphere but something should be integrated into stock.  The Antenna Sleep function is right on the money and is probably done in that manner in real life (can you imagine there is a special sensor that can check if conditions are safe to extend the antenna in any circumstance).

[swjr-swis]

I like the idea of antennae being vulnerable and there being circumstances that would destroy the delicate construction if deployed. Three things I do not like about the way it currently works though:

1. The only antenna that is supposed to be resilient enough to open in atmospheric flight, the 16-S, is also the single one that has been arbitrarily deemed unworthy of stacking. Which means that there is not a single combination of antenna we can put on our atmospheric craft that are capable of long(er) distance communication while in flight, 500k is it. And remember, Kerbin isn't the only body that permits flying in its atmosphere.
2. The current mechanic does not account for circumstances that would perfectly allow some antennae to open and function without getting destroyed. If I place a regular Communotron 16 on the aft side of a nook of my plane, pointing straight backwards, where it is always aerodynamically shielded from both air pressure or heat, it should be able to deploy and function without damage despite the plane being in flight. In fact, while the warning that the antennae may break is appreciated, it should still be my choice to deploy it if deemed necessary, even at the risk of it breaking.
3. The whole mechanic is not optional.

[Moesly_Armlis]

Those are some excellent points.  The cannot deploy antenna mechanic should have an override.

Back When I used the mods RT and PF I remember placing the communotron 16 inside the fairing.

Edited October 22, 2016 by MoeslyArmlis

[Tyko]

3 hours ago, MoeslyArmlis said:

This is only an issue for probes that are passing through an atmosphere but something should be integrated into stock.  The Antenna Sleep function is right on the money and is probably done in that manner in real life (can you imagine there is a special sensor that can check if conditions are safe to extend the antenna in any circumstance).

hmm..good idea. Integration into stock might take a while, but an automated version of @Snark's mod might be able to detect when an antenna would break and retract it. It's kind of like how the new Parachute Open When Safe mechanic works. Not sure if it's code-able that way.