[0.20] RemoteTech: Relay Network – V 0.5.0.1

[Ralathon]

Couple questions:

1. What does targeting something actually do?

2. Is it normal that I have two "Open Dish" toggle buttons when I right click items like the stock communotron dish and long antennae? Also when the dish is open, I get two target toggle buttons too.

This is with RT1.

Targeting is for dishes. It basically means that it will try to receive a signal from the target. If you have a self adjusting dish it'll automatically point in the direction of your target, if it is a static dish you have to point it in the right direction. When you set a target from an unloaded vehicle (for example, your relay network in orbit around Kerbin while you're messing around near Minmus) it'll automatically assume the unloaded dishes are pointed in the correct direction.

So to sum it up with an example: Lets say you're planning on orbiting Minmus. It is too far for omnidirectional antennas to have contact, so you have to activate the dishes. You target your craft with one of your relay satellites and you target that relay sat with the dish on your current craft. You then make sure the dish actually points in the direction of Kerbin (and thus the relay sat). If you do all the above you should make a link between the 2.

Do note that you can't actually do half of the things in the above example without already having contact, (kinda hard to tell the probe to open its dish when it is out of contact...) So it is pretty important that you set all this up properly. Also, if you are trying to contact something in another SoI you don't have to target the craft specifically. If you orbit minmus you can have your relay system target Minmus and your Minmus orbiter target Kerbin and it'll work just fine. (saves a lot of headache remembering what links to what)

If you have 2 buttons it's most likely that you have 2 copies of ModuleManager in your gamedata file. delete one of the 2, you only need 1 among all your addons. Culprits are most likely either Ioncross Crew Support or FAR, so check those folders first.

[Kimberly]

The Poles rotate, there can never be a such thing as a geosync Polar Orbit

Polar orbits can be geosynchronous. The satellite will follow the same track across the ground every orbit, returning to the place it started every full orbit. This is simply a more extreme version of the analemma all inclined geosynchronous orbits make across the sky.

[DoubleOSeven1]

Polar orbits can be geosynchronous. The satellite will follow the same track across the ground every orbit, returning to the place it started every full orbit. This is simply a more extreme version of the analemma all inclined geosynchronous orbits make across the sky.

But it will not stay in the same place therefore you need more than one sat to make it continuos

[Kimberly]

But it will not stay in the same place therefore you need more than one sat to make it continuos

True, but what you're thinking of is a geostationary orbit. Geostationary orbits have zero inclination, so they always stay at exactly the same spot in the sky.

[Astronut25]

In RemoteTech 1, I had a GPS constellation with a 50Mm and 8x 8Mm antennae, and there was never any connection issues in the Kerbin SoI. Since updating to RemoteTech 2, I have not been able to get satellites to make a relay, they either connect directly to mission control or to a satellite that has direct contact, never to another satellite to make a chain of connections to mission control. This results in a very poor connection dependability. The ranges in this situation never exceed 1.5 Mm, well within range of the antennae.

[Tommygun]

In RemoteTech 1, I had a GPS constellation with a 50Mm and 8x 8Mm antennae, and there was never any connection issues in the Kerbin SoI. Since updating to RemoteTech 2, I have not been able to get satellites to make a relay, they either connect directly to mission control or to a satellite that has direct contact, never to another satellite to make a chain of connections to mission control. This results in a very poor connection dependability. The ranges in this situation never exceed 1.5 Mm, well within range of the antennae.

Several people have mentioned that they can't get more than two satellites to relay, I've seen this in my network too.

One thing that helps is to orbit your satellites really high up.

I put six satellites up at 2.87 million KM meters, three on the equator and three more in a polar orbit.

I almost never need more that two satellites to connect, even to other planets, but it would be nice if the could.

Every once in a while I lose contact with a planet for a few seconds.

Edit: xZise right I meant meters not Km.

Edited August 13, 2013 by Tommygun

[DrPastah]

I can still control my ship with mechjeb 2.0.9 even when I have no connection with remotetech.

Any help?

[krashkart]

Put all the satellites you're going to release on the same vehicle. Then you have two options: give each satellite propulsion individually, or use only the main vehicle and give it extra fuel.

If you take the first approach, but your vehicle in an orbit with an orbital period that is a fraction of the orbit you want. Your apoapsis should be at geosynchronous altitude. For example, a geosynchronous orbit has an orbital period of 6 hours. If you get into an orbit of 2/3rds that (4 hours), you'll move 1/3rds of a geosynchronous orbit ahead every full orbit you make. Release one satellite at your apoapsis and have it burn prograde until its in a geosynchronous orbit. Wait for the transport vehicle to make a full orbit, then have it release another satellite, and have that satellite burn until it reaches geosynchronous orbit. It should be precisely 1/3rds of an orbit away from the previous satellite. Do the same thing for the last satellite. Use Kerbal Engineer to be able to see your orbital period; you can fine-tune it to a margin of error of about 0.4 seconds.

The second approach is similar to the first. But first you go to into an a geosynchronous altitude and release satellite number #1. Then your transport vehicle goes into the 2/3rds orbit, makes a full orbit, and burns to get back into a geosynchronous orbit, where it releases the second satellite. Repeat for the third satellite. This means you don't have to add any propulsion to the individual satellites, but you'll have to bring more fuel.

Thank you for your help, Kimberly. Much appreciated.

[xZise]

[…]I put six satellites up at 2.87 million KM[…]

As this 21 % of Kerbin's SMA. I guess you meant either 2.87 million meters (= Mm) or 2.87 thousand km.

Fabian

[Sma]

The Poles rotate, there can never be a such thing as a geosync Polar Orbit

That's why I hay geosync in quotes. In that I meant a polar orbit at the same altitude required for geosync.

Put all the satellites you're going to release on the same vehicle. Then you have two options: give each satellite propulsion individually, or use only the main vehicle and give it extra fuel.

Unfortunately I tried this between yesterday and today(though, with Kethane and ISA MapSat...only need one of those at a time really), and ran into the part count lag wall. Of course that's just my laptop, it starts lagging around 200parts, though this was around 145 give or take, and was really slow. Thought it was partly due to my hard drive being full, but cleared some space and have the same problem. Even removed some mods to see if that was the cause but no luck. I'll try again though once RT2 comes out, maybe I'll be able to make a smaller "probe" for my comm network than what my kethane/isa probe is.

Edited August 12, 2013 by Sma

[Kethevin]

Targeting is for dishes. It basically means that it will try to receive a signal from the target. If you have a self adjusting dish it'll automatically point in the direction of your target, if it is a static dish you have to point it in the right direction. When you set a target from an unloaded vehicle (for example, your relay network in orbit around Kerbin while you're messing around near Minmus) it'll automatically assume the unloaded dishes are pointed in the correct direction.

So to sum it up with an example: Lets say you're planning on orbiting Minmus. It is too far for omnidirectional antennas to have contact, so you have to activate the dishes. You target your craft with one of your relay satellites and you target that relay sat with the dish on your current craft. You then make sure the dish actually points in the direction of Kerbin (and thus the relay sat). If you do all the above you should make a link between the 2.

Do note that you can't actually do half of the things in the above example without already having contact, (kinda hard to tell the probe to open its dish when it is out of contact...) So it is pretty important that you set all this up properly. Also, if you are trying to contact something in another SoI you don't have to target the craft specifically. If you orbit minmus you can have your relay system target Minmus and your Minmus orbiter target Kerbin and it'll work just fine. (saves a lot of headache remembering what links to what)

If you have 2 buttons it's most likely that you have 2 copies of ModuleManager in your gamedata file. delete one of the 2, you only need 1 among all your addons. Culprits are most likely either Ioncross Crew Support or FAR, so check those folders first.

Is the need to make the dish's point to their target new? It isn't something I've ever had to do before.

[Tommygun]

Is the need to make the dish's point to their target new? It isn't something I've ever had to do before.

It's not new, pointing a dish at something basically doubles its range.

So a dish with a 50M Km range when pointed at something would then act as if it has a range of 100M Km to that target.

[TBryson2]

On the intro page you have the latest version. Would it be too difficult to also put the date next to the version? That way it would be easy to know if "we" already have the latest.

And a really nice MOD by the way!

Thanks

TB

[Kethevin]

It's not new, pointing a dish at something basically doubles its range.

So a dish with a 50M Km range when pointed at something would then act as if it has a range of 100M Km to that target.

I understand that part, but the post made it sound like you have to physically point the dish's at your target (those without their own animations) after selecting your target.

The part that said: "If you have a self adjusting dish it'll automatically point in the direction of your target, if it is a static dish you have to point it in the right direction."

I just wasn't sure if something changed or if I've done something wrong since the beginning.

[Dappa]

Unfortunately I tried this between yesterday and today(though, with Kethane and ISA MapSat...only need one of those at a time really), and ran into the part count lag wall. Of course that's just my laptop, it starts lagging around 200parts, though this was around 145 give or take, and was really slow. Thought it was partly due to my hard drive being full, but cleared some space and have the same problem. Even removed some mods to see if that was the cause but no luck. I'll try again though once RT2 comes out, maybe I'll be able to make a smaller "probe" for my comm network than what my kethane/isa probe is.

Then do it like I do it: a small launch vehicle with the one satellite at the time.

You can even do it unmanned with a steep ascent trajectory. Just delay your gravity turn for a few km, aim you apoapsis at 100km, and start circularizing the orbit as you approach 70km altitude. You can easily do all this before you lose contact, just make sure you have enough thrust for the latter part. When you come around to KSC again, raise the apoapsis to GEO altitude, you know how to do the rest. The satellite will end up downrange of KSC, making the launch of the second satellite a little easier. It also gives coverage to place a second satellite east of the first one. Third satellite will be easy, and establishes full coverage around Kerbin.

[DrPastah]

Anyone know what versions of mechjeb and remotetech that are compatible? I can still control my ship with mechjeb after losing connection.

[DrPastah]

What does SURF and SRF mean in RT2. Also how do I use the commandline text box? http://i.imgur.com/f1hPFky.jpg

[GavinZac]

Sorry for the v1 question, but is there a hotkey to open the Comms Status window? Mine has disappeared and so I can't change the target of the dish. Doing it via the right click menu on the dish doesn't work.

[Cilph]

Next person to ask for support for RemoteTech 2 which isn't out will have me ask a mod to close this thread. Do not try or use RT2 if you have no programming or testing experience. Fin.

Currently busy unpacking boxes but I'll get back to work soon...

[Aegrim]

I have a feeling remote tech is giving my fps problems, if I just delete the plugin to test it shouldn't break my save should it?

[chrischambers]

I don't know if this is a bug in the MOD or just a conflit, but when I try and do anything with MechJeb and with the Remote TEch on the same craft, I have discover that the for some reason, some of the automatic jobs, like auto plotting or course changes don't work.

I have tested with and without each MOD and so far my testing is pointing to a conflit between the two cos when I remove the Remote Tech, MECHJECB works, and does the things it should do,

[DoubleOSeven1]

I have a feeling remote tech is giving my fps problems, if I just delete the plugin to test it shouldn't break my save should it?

i don't think as you don't have any sats with RT parts already on it, but back up your save just in case!

[DoubleOSeven1]

I don't know if this is a bug in the MOD or just a conflit, but when I try and do anything with MechJeb and with the Remote TEch on the same craft, I have discover that the for some reason, some of the automatic jobs, like auto plotting or course changes don't work.

I have tested with and without each MOD and so far my testing is pointing to a conflit between the two cos when I remove the Remote Tech, MECHJECB works, and does the things it should do,

Read posts before you post otherwise your going to cause the thread to get closed....

[DrPastah]

This is for RemoteTech 1

I keep losing connection to a probe that has a transfer orbit to Minmus. The minmus probe has 1 dish that goes 900 GM which is pointed at Kerbin. All my 3 geosynchronoused satellites are pointed at that minmus probe which have 50 Mm dishes. I keep losing connection with the minmus probe after 13 Mm. Any help?

Edited August 13, 2013 by DrPastah

[DoubleOSeven1]

This is for RemoteTech 1

I keep losing connection to a probe that has a transfer orbit to Minmus. The minmus probe has 1 dish that goes 900 GM which is pointed at Kerbin. All my 3 geosynchronoused satellites are pointed at that minmus probe which have 50 Mm dishes. I keep losing connection with the minmus probe after 12 Mm or when the satellite that I have connection to ends up going behind Kerbin. Any help?

When you are under Kerbin's SOI you can't just point the dish at the planet. To point it at just the planet you would have to be out in Sol's SOI or another planets. You would have to point the dish from Geo out to the probe and the probe at Geo...