Communications Array

[The Man Myth and Legend]

I just launched my first satellite in my communication network. Did I do it right? I have a near equatorial orbit circularized near 450000m.

[Superfluous J]

Without knowing what you need, sure that sounds fine. Though for full coverage you'll need at least 2 more, 120 degrees before and after that one in the same orbit.

Note: if you have ground stations turned on in the settings, you don't need a communications array at all.

[James Kerman]

It really depends on what your end goal is and the settings for the com network when you start the game.  If you intend to put up 3 around Kerbin to get constant coverage it is not required if you did not change "enable multiple ground stations", I play with single ground station and coms blackout so for me the first sat always goes into Keo orbit.  Ninja'd.

[The Man Myth and Legend]

7 minutes ago, James Kerman said:

It really depends on what your end goal is and the settings for the com network when you start the game.  If you intend to put up 3 around Kerbin to get constant coverage it is not required if you did not change "enable multiple ground stations", I play with single ground station and coms blackout so for me the first sat always goes into Keo orbit.  Ninja'd.

Well I was planning on having a few probes exploring the solar system. I changed the ground station settings though.

[James Kerman]

So you will have to be careful with your timing.  I usually put up a Keo in early career with lower powered antennae.  After that I put up polar scansat birds at the mun (I sometimes land a basic relay on the mun facing kerbin) and minmus.  This should give you pretty good Kerbin coverage.  Next I get a Sentinel between Eve/Kerbin with the highest power antennae available - This gives good coverage when the body you want to go to is blocked by Kerbol.  After that any first manned mission to any planet or moon deploys a relay sat.  I build all my vessels to have the ability to operate unmanned and I usually leave automated refuelling and rescue rigs at the low gravity moons around the system.  You still get blackouts from time to time - checking the map is important before planning burns but once you're used to it it's fairly easy to see when you will have signal or not.