Antenna attributes in KSP 1.2

[Fwiffo]

The ModuleDataTransmitter from the built-in INTERNAL antennas of at least some command modules and probe cores have optimumRange, packetFloor and packetCeiling fields.  Are they still used / relevant (do they affect the data rate based on distance from KSC / relay)?

I noticed the DIRECT antennas (e.g. DTS-M1) don't have these fields.

I'm trying to consolidate ModuleDataTransmitter modules from 4 parts (in a manner representing their combined effect):

• 2x Mk1 Lander Can
• Small Probe Core
• DTS-M1.

Is this correct:

//                    Left / right   Probe    DTS-M1:     Combined:
//                    lander cans:   Small:
// packetInterval         1.0          1.0       0.35       0.35
// packetSize             2            2         2          3.4
// packetResourceCost    12           12        12         12
// antennaPower        5000         5000     2000000000   2000010000
// optimumRange        2500         2500                   removed
// packetFloor            0.1          0.1                 removed
// packetCeiling          5            5                   removed

 

[TiktaalikDreaming]

On 10/25/2016 at 3:05 PM, Fwiffo said:

The ModuleDataTransmitter from the built-in INTERNAL antennas of at least some command modules and probe cores have optimumRange, packetFloor and packetCeiling fields.  Are they still used / relevant (do they affect the data rate based on distance from KSC / relay)?

I noticed the DIRECT antennas (e.g. DTS-M1) don't have these fields.

I'm trying to consolidate ModuleDataTransmitter modules from 4 parts (in a manner representing their combined effect):

• 2x Mk1 Lander Can
• Small Probe Core
• DTS-M1.

Is this correct:

//                    Left / right   Probe    DTS-M1:     Combined:
//                    lander cans:   Small:
// packetInterval         1.0          1.0       0.35       0.35
// packetSize             2            2         2          3.4
// packetResourceCost    12           12        12         12
// antennaPower        5000         5000     2000000000   2000010000
// optimumRange        2500         2500                   removed
// packetFloor            0.1          0.1                 removed
// packetCeiling          5            5                   removed

 

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?

I'm trying to add some antenna to pods, and they only partly/sometimes work, and I'm lost as to what I'm missing. 

[Fwiffo]

6 hours ago, TiktaalikDreaming said:

Did you ever get to the bottom of this?

I'm trying to add some antenna to pods, and they only partly/sometimes work, and I'm lost as to what I'm missing. 

No, nobody replied.  I just merged them as sensibly as I could and kept on rolling.  I think the "combined" one worked ok.

I know this is a basic suggestion but... Maybe your antennas stop working because they get out of range of KSP or a relay satellite?  I haven't ventured into it much but there's some tooling in game ("KerbNet" - see button in map view) that you can use to see if your antennas have a path back to KSP.  Also make sure you aren't running out of electrical power on board.

[TiktaalikDreaming]

7 hours ago, Fwiffo said:

No, nobody replied.  I just merged them as sensibly as I could and kept on rolling.  I think the "combined" one worked ok.

I know this is a basic suggestion but... Maybe your antennas stop working because they get out of range of KSP or a relay satellite?  I haven't ventured into it much but there's some tooling in game ("KerbNet" - see button in map view) that you can use to see if your antennas have a path back to KSP.  Also make sure you aren't running out of electrical power on board.

Yeah, it's on the launch pad that I've been testing.  Plenty electrical juice, and pretty good line of sight to the space centre, 'cos I'm still in it.  But I recently tested using just the Mk1-2Pod, and it's internal antenna can't function there either.

[Fwiffo]

1 hour ago, TiktaalikDreaming said:

Yeah, it's on the launch pad that I've been testing.  Plenty electrical juice, and pretty good line of sight to the space centre, 'cos I'm still in it.  But I recently tested using just the Mk1-2Pod, and it's internal antenna can't function there either.

Ahk.  If that happens in unmodded, then it's a Squad issue.

If it doesn't happen with other parts, you could try copying the antenna attributes from one of those.  Out of curiosity, does the behavior change if you alter it from INTERNAL to DIRECT?

For what it's worth, I think:

antennaType: INTERNAL for things like probe core, DIRECT for normal antennas (typically with animations which open when transmitting), RELAY presumably for those that receive a signal and bounce it to the rest of the network.

packetInterval: Time between sent data packets.  Increase to send data faster and use more power.

packetSize: How much data sent in each packet.  Increase to send data faster.

packetResourceCost: How much power it takes to send each packet.  Increase to use more power.

antennaPower: Range of the antenna.  Increase to transmit further.

optimumRange, packetFloor, packetCeiling: Not entirely sure, although I could make some inferences based on their names.  I'm guessing Squad's original plan was give each antenna an optimum range and reduce its performance characteristics as you diverge from the sweet spot (i.e. get closer or farther away).  I'm unclear if that got implemented (possibly only for non "DIRECT" antennas?), and didn't notice much difference briefly playing with these numbers myself.

Edited December 1, 2016 by Fwiffo

[TiktaalikDreaming]

6 hours ago, Fwiffo said:

Ahk.  If that happens in unmodded, then it's a Squad issue.

If it doesn't happen with other parts, you could try copying the antenna attributes from one of those.  Out of curiosity, does the behavior change if you alter it from INTERNAL to DIRECT?

For what it's worth, I think:

antennaType: INTERNAL for things like probe core, DIRECT for normal antennas (typically with animations which open when transmitting), RELAY presumably for those that receive a signal and bounce it to the rest of the network.

packetInterval: Time between sent data packets.  Increase to send data faster and use more power.

packetSize: How much data sent in each packet.  Increase to send data faster.

packetResourceCost: How much power it takes to send each packet.  Increase to use more power.

antennaPower: Range of the antenna.  Increase to transmit further.

optimumRange, packetFloor, packetCeiling: Not entirely sure, although I could make some inferences based on their names.  I'm guessing Squad's original plan was give each antenna an optimum range and reduce its performance characteristics as you diverge from the sweet spot (i.e. get closer or farther away).  I'm unclear if that got implemented (possibly only for non "DIRECT" antennas?), and didn't notice much difference briefly playing with these numbers myself.

I switched to DIRECT (I was emulating the "INTERNAL" that is on the Mk1-2Pod, but that doesn't seem capable of transmitting anything) and got rid of all the unknown values, optimumRange, packetFloor, and packetCeiling and now it seems to be behaving.  I suspect that the INTERNAL type is a control/contact only circuit or something.  It was showing as in range and 100% signal the whole time, but never allowed crew report transmissions.

[Fwiffo]

@TiktaalikDreaming Interesting... I'm not sure if I've ever actually confirmed whether INTERNAL antennas transmit science.  This bug report might be interesting to you, not sure if it's related.

Edited December 2, 2016 by Fwiffo