Communotron 16 overpowered?

[AnatolyVasserman]

It is the most ugly-looking thing of all comms devices, and it has the best bandwidth, best data/energy ratio as well. What is the problem? Why would I use any of the heavier and bulkier high-gain antennas while communotron is the best? It is somewhat wrong, usually bigger antenna = better.

Also would be great to see antenna directions to actually matter (e.g. one needs line of sight to Kerbin to use radio to send science), of course then relaying should be possible via other crafts. That would promote putting satellites into orbit as well!

[Eric S]

Actually, it's throughput isn't the best, the other two antennas are faster, they just have a throughput stat that is inversely proportional to the actual throughput. I did some tests from the launchpad to confirm this, the small dish is 20% faster, the larger dish is 40% faster, if I remember correctly (I did this back when 0.22 was first released).

[Superfluous J]

The big problem is, unless you're in imminent danger of collision the time to make the transmission doesn't matter that much. You can take 5 readings in quick succession and then transmit them at your leisure.

But the bigger ones look cooler

[Kasuha]

Transmission times mattered to me only in 0.22 when I was spamming atmospheric science data during descent on Eve.

I think the transfer times should differ more significantly, something like 100:10:1. And it would still not break anything.

[Superfluous J]

Transmission times mattered to me only in 0.22 when I was spamming atmospheric science data during descent on Eve.

I think the transfer times should differ more significantly, something like 100:10:1. And it would still not break anything.

Agreed. It'd be worth the bigger dish and more power to not have to sit there waiting for the percentage counter to go up.

I'm still a little miffed that they went back on their "nothing that will take time just for the sake of taking time" thing. First communications, then the lab.