Is Antenna Strength on the same Satellite Additive?

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

If I have two RA-100 antennas on the same satellite does that make it 200G? It doesn't seem like it should but I've seen other peoples' satellites with multiple antennas. Why am I interested? Because I've turned off extra ground stations.

Edited April 24, 2018 by CrashyMcCrashFace

[commanderHR]

If the antenna says (Combinable) next to its information, that means it's rating can be combined with other antennas. As long as your antennas are working and are deployed (if possible), then they should combine. 

[ARS]

Yes, they do, but it's not 100% like 100+100=200, there's a factor that must be considered to find the exact value on ship with multiple antennas. Here's something that might help you:

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet

Some people attach multiple antennas since some antennas cannot function as relay (transmit to other antenna) and only useful as direct transmission due to the range limitation, so if your probe is in another planet, and there's kerbal doing science stuff on the surface, you put a weak antenna on probes and surface lab to transfer science between them, a strong antenna to directly transfer it to kerbin, and relay antenna to relay it to another probes just in case kerbin is out of range or for bouncing signal if KSC is unreachable

[GoSlash27]

1 hour ago, CrashyMcCrashFace said:

If I have two RA-100 antennas on the same satellite does that make it 200G? It doesn't seem like it should but I've seen other peoples' satellites with multiple antennas. Why am I interested? Because I've turned off extra ground stations.

CrashyMcCrashFace,

 No, they're not linearly additive like that*. 2 RA-100 antennas would behave as a single 168G antenna. [(100G+100G)/100G]^.75 .
To find the actual range, you must multiply the power ratings at each end of the link, and then take the square root. So this 168G combo would have a range of sqrt(168G*100G)= 129.6 Gm when talking to a 100G antenna, or sqrt(168G*500k)= 289.8Mm when talking with a 500k antenna.

*Exception: The Communitron 16 is linearly additive.

Best,
-Slashy

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by GoSlash27

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

commanderHR, ARS, GoSlash27, Thanks! I saw that section of the wiki but assumed it only applied to different satellites so didn't actually ready it.

Edited April 24, 2018 by CrashyMcCrashFace

[OhioBob]

This article from the KSP Wiki pretty much explains it all...

https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet

 

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

Forgetting multiple antennas on the same sat for now, here's my math. My early career Kerbin sat network is 2G, and I'm planning a 15G network around Duna. SQRT(2e+9 * 15e+9) =~ 5.5e+9m. Max distance between Kerbin (Ap) and Duna (Ap) =~ 35e+9m. So 2G + 15G isn't good enough in the furthest case. Also 15G -> 15G is not enough. I need to upgrade Kerbin sat network to 100G at least for 100% coverage. Even deeper space will require multiple relays on the same sat.

And I'm am not trying to turn this into a joke or the time people spent answering my questions but I made this while thinking about this topic. I've always liked this kind of art and got a little carried away and then decided to try to put it in orbit. I feel like I might not want to post this but here it is:

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by CrashyMcCrashFace

[bewing]

If you don't have the science to buy the 100G relays, then you need to put a string of several 15G relays between Kerbin and Duna -- for when they are on opposite sides of the Sun. Maybe a couple near the Sun, and one on the opposite side of the Sun from Kerbin. But yeah, a 2G relay network around Kerbin doesn't do much except give you continuous reception for the KSC tracking station.

 

Edited April 25, 2018 by bewing

[CrashyMcCrashFace]

11 hours ago, bewing said:

If you don't have the science to buy the 100G relays, then you need to put a string of several 15G relays between Kerbin and Duna -- for when they are on opposite sides of the Sun. Maybe a couple near the Sun, and one on the opposite side of the Sun from Kerbin. But yeah, a 2G relay network around Kerbin doesn't do much except give you continuous reception for the KSC tracking station.

 

Actually I do have the science for 100G but I'm trying to make it more fun and challenging. Your Solar orbit just stepped up the challenge. I think a cluster of sats with a single 15G each around Kerbin, a cluster of 15G around Duna and a cluster of 2x15G (25G strength) around the Sun will work. I need to do the math to figure out the correct altitudes. Even dropping to a cluster of 2 around the Sun might work as long as they're not 180 apart blocking each other.

Or just 3x15G sats around Kerbin and 15G around Duna. I did the math on this one and it comes up a tiny bit short and making it marginally acceptable. But then I'm still blocked by Solar eclipse so I guess it's ok.

Or just put up the 100G sats and call it a day. But that's not as fun.