When do relay satellites kick in?

[SilentHash]

I've just started playing 1.2, loving it so far! However, I was wondering, in what circumstances does your vessel bounce its signal off a relay satellite?

In the screen shot below, you can see my vessel in Muner SoI, and the signal is weak (I have a better antenna on the vessel, was testing the weak one) but I have a relay satellite closer, why does the signal not bounce? Does that only happen when you have no signal reach to Kerbin, or only with stronger antennae?

Thanks!

edit: You can also see in the top right I have the CommNet view set to one hop, so should show any relay bounces!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=780126583

[Aerdna]

Have you checked if the two antennas are in range to communicate with each other?

In the manual that you can see in game (the white book with the blue rocket on it), there is label that reports all ranges of the varius antennas and ground stations.

[SilentHash]

Originally posted by Aerdna:

Have you checked if the two antennas are in range to communicate with each other?

In the manual that you can see in game (the white book with the blue rocket on it), there is label that reports all ranges of the varius antennas and ground stations.

I didn't check that no, but surely if the vessel near the Mun is communicating with Kerbin (weakly), and the relay satellite in frame between Kerbin and the Mun has a much more powerful antenna, they would be able to communicate with each other?

[Aerdna]

What antenna are you using on the relay? And what on the Probe around the Mun?

[SilentHash]

I'm using two HG-5 High Gain Antennae (class 3) on my relay and the Communotron 15 (class 2) on my lander. I see in the manual it says the distance for the stock antenna (in command modules and probe cores, class 0) is 5km, and 50km for class 1 and 158km for class 3.

So is it correct to assume that means although a class 2 antenna (Communotron 15) can communicate with Kerbin at 100% strength, it cannot communicate with another antenna more than 50km away?

And that my 'relay' probe can only relay the signal 158km as it is a class 3 antenna?

[SilentHash]

And also, sorry for the questions I see you can combine antennae? Is the table in the manual saying that if I combine two HG-5's (class 3), my relay range is now 100Mm?

[Yaldabaoth]

Yes, that's how combine works. And so far, signal will always use the best path available. Your satellite may just not be powerful enough to be better than Kerbin ground stations. Once you get the really big satellite dishes, the signal will always bounce off that.

[Aerdna]

Originally posted by SilentHash:

And also, sorry for the questions :KOh: I see you can combine antennae? Is the table in the manual saying that if I combine two HG-5's (class 3), my relay range is now 100Mm?

No If you use two identical antennas your range will improve of 50%, so 75Mm. If you want to double the range you need 4 antennas.

[SilentHash]

Ok cool, thanks for the help guys! Will keep at it, now I've got a better understanding of CommNet!

[Mightylink]

You build relays satellites at the target not the source, they don't do anything orbiting kerbin.

There only good for getting a signal to the far side of the moon or putting relays in orbit of another planet like Duna and then using small antennas on the surface. They don't boost the signal if the relay is too far away from your craft, you need a larger antenna on the craft itself for that.

[SilentHash]

Originally posted by Mightylink:

You build relays satellites at the target not the source, they don't do anything orbiting kerbin.

There only good for getting a signal to the far side of the moon or putting relays in orbit of another planet like Duna and then using small antennas on the surface. They don't boost the signal if the relay is too far away from your craft, you need a larger antenna on the craft itself for that.

Ok I see now That actually clears up exactly what I was looking for, wasn't sure how strong Kerbin's initially DSN strength was. So I would have one or two mid range relay satillites in Jool orbit, relaying the signal to low range (+- 100Mm) stength probes in the Jool system?

Would the signal originating from Kerbin be strong enough that you wouldn't need to hop from say Duna and then on to Eeloo? Or would you need to bounce to Duna or Jool first to get the signal to Eeloo?

[NecessaryWeevil]

How do I view my network? I don't have the buttons to the right of the clock that are in the OP's screenshot.

[Aerdna]

Originally posted by NecessaryWeevil:

How do I view my network? I don't have the buttons to the right of the clock that are in the OP's screenshot.

Did you have the new version? If yes, in your game you have the option active?

[Aerdna]

Originally posted by SilentHash:

Originally posted by Mightylink:

You build relays satellites at the target not the source, they don't do anything orbiting kerbin.

There only good for getting a signal to the far side of the moon or putting relays in orbit of another planet like Duna and then using small antennas on the surface. They don't boost the signal if the relay is too far away from your craft, you need a larger antenna on the craft itself for that.

Ok I see now :KOh: That actually clears up exactly what I was looking for, wasn't sure how strong Kerbin's initially DSN strength was. So I would have one or two mid range relay satillites in Jool orbit, relaying the signal to low range (+- 100Mm) stength probes in the Jool system?

Would the signal originating from Kerbin be strong enough that you wouldn't need to hop from say Duna and then on to Eeloo? Or would you need to bounce to Duna or Jool first to get the signal to Eeloo?

The signale strenght from kerbin depends obviously from the level of the tracking station, the level 3 is better.
You want your best relay on your target planet so that it can communicate with the KSC, other planets may be in other position that can't allow communication.

If you think that your relay may haven't enough signal, put more relay antennas on you craft.

[NecessaryWeevil]

Thanks, found the answer. Didn't know about having to enable the option. Squad might want to make that necessity a little more clear.

[AlexMBrennan]

And so far, signal will always use the best path available

This is very obviously untrue. If an antenna can connect to the KSC (e.g. 1% signal strength), then it will not switch to using a relay (even if it could boost signal to 99%) until something blocks the direct signal path and forces the sat to switch.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=780855597
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=780855847