Commnet question

[ble210]

I'm having issues with the Commnet (I probably just don't understand it).  I have a relay satellite in orbit of Duna, with direct antennas and relay antennas (it is connected to Kerbin, so range isn't an issue with the relay satellite).  I have a detachable lander attached to the satellite with three Communicatron 16s.  I figured that, while that won't connect directly to Kerbin, it should be able to utilize the relay satellite .  Problem is, when I decouple it from the relay satellite , it doesn't have any connection.  It shows as having a green line to the relay satellite , but it reads as having no connection to Commnet.  I have a probe core and plenty of electric charge on the lander (same with the relay satellite).

Do you need a relay antenna on both crafts?  Are direct antennas totally useless outside Kerbin's SOI?

[The Aziz]

Comment is tricky, and there's math involved so I'm dropping the link https://wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/CommNet

There's something about square root of the power of both vessels. What Tracking Station level do you have and which relay antenna did you use?

[KerikBalm]

You can't rely on a short range relay antenna and a long range direct antenna for your relay probe (I know, it seems like you should be able to). So if your only relay antenna is... say an HG-5, then you won't be able to relay from Duna to Kerbin (you could relay from an HG 5, to anther relay antenna, such as an RA-15/100, and then get a connection to kerbin. So you could have 1 RA-100 in the duna system to relay back to kerbin, and then multiple smaller HG-5s to relay all around Duna so you have a connection anywhere on the surface).

Your relay sat could have a communotron 88-88, and be connected to kerbin, while being unable to relay anything to kerbin with its HG-5 antenna

[ble210]

3 hours ago, KerikBalm said:

You can't rely on a short range relay antenna and a long range direct antenna for your relay probe (I know, it seems like you should be able to). So if your only relay antenna is... say an HG-5, then you won't be able to relay from Duna to Kerbin (you could relay from an HG 5, to anther relay antenna, such as an RA-15/100, and then get a connection to kerbin. So you could have 1 RA-100 in the duna system to relay back to kerbin, and then multiple smaller HG-5s to relay all around Duna so you have a connection anywhere on the surface).

Your relay sat could have a communotron 88-88, and be connected to kerbin, while being unable to relay anything to kerbin with its HG-5 antenna

I think this is likely my issue; I'll run some tests and try and figure it out.  Thank you for the help!