What Is The Helium Transmit Scale?
The transmit scale was introduced to the Helium Network as a way to reward helium hotspots located in unoccupied areas. The Network increased its total coverage because of the transmit scale. The transmit scale is usually between 0.00 and 1.00, and you can check your current transmit scale on the Helium App.All hotspots are assigned a specific amount of HNT tokens for being in the network and transferring data for the network. These rewards are given when your hotspot beacons or witnesses. The reward scale is calculated based on the density of hotspots in a particular location.
For instance, if your hotspot activity for a particular period gets assigned a reward of 0.5 HNT by the network. This reward would then be scaled to accommodate your transmit efficiency. If the transmit scale in your location was 0.70, the total reward received for that period would be 0.5 multiplied by 0.70, 0.35 HNT.
The transmit scale is a multiplier that regulates the rewards with the number of hotspots you witness within a particular period. The rewards are also affected by the scaling when your hotspot challenges.
How to Check your Transmit Scale
You can easily check your transmit scale on the Helium Explorer. Once you load the explorer and the map is displayed, you can click the filter on the screen's lower right-hand corner.
Then you click the transmit scales after clicking the filter button. You would notice that the map changes from hotspot location and spreads worldwide to a graphical representation, like a heat map, showing the areas with highest and lowest transmit scales.
How does Transmit Scaling work?
This scaling does not affect all the rewards gotten by your hotspot. It affects the majority of the challenges and witnessing rewards. You can counter the reward scaling by using a high gain antenna to reach hotspots located in locations with high transmit scales. This works better with beaconing and a change in rewards that gives the bulk of challenge rewards to receivers, not transmitters.
The reward for each transmission will depend on the number of witnesses and then be scaled according to the transmitter's reward scale for transmissions. When it comes to witnesses, they will get a share of the prize based on how many there are.
Understanding your Hexes, Resolution, and Sibling
Before you place your new helium hotspot, it is expected that you will have done a bit of research and surveillance to select a suitable location so you can earn the maximum amount of HNT. Part of this recon would be to utilize the helium explorer and the helium map. To understand the explorer, you must be familiar with these terms.
- Hexes: These are simply Hexagons in the Helium Explorer. They are used to separate and designate regions on the helium map. Each hexagon marks out certain areas to which certain rules can apply.
- Resolution: This is also referred to as Res, for short. A resolution on the helium explorer represents certain vertical distances from the earth's surface.
- Sibling: The sibling refers to a hex that shares borders with your hex. Technically speaking, it is one of the chain variables that the network uses to calculate your transmit scale.
Rules of the Game
The transmit scale operates on many rules, some of which are kept secret by the Helium Network. However, paying attention to the general rules is important as they would affect your earnings drastically.
Chain variables explain the mode of operation of the transmit scales, and you can use them to estimate the amount of scaling your hotspot would receive in a particular location with regard to its resolution. The chain variables (or Chain Vars) are:
- Density Target: the total number of hotspots that can be in a hex without any other hotspot.
- Density Max: the highest number of hotspots you can have in your Hex, even if sibling variables are met.
- Sibling: the number of siblings required to meet the density target to reach Density max.
These three variables have a set of rules that, if not met, would warrant a penalty, and the accumulation of the penalties is what becomes your transmit scale for a particular location.
For example, at Resolution 8, the chain variables are 2, 1, and 4. The “1” refers to the density target of your hex. The number “2” refers to the number of siblings required to have the density target so your hex can have up to the density max before it is scaled. The last variable is the Density Max.
If all the conditions are fulfilled in the res 8 hex, your hotspot would receive no penalties or scaling for that particular res. However, this calculation is done on every resolution from 4 through 10. This makes it difficult not to be mounted.
Summary
The Helium Network gives incentives for using their network. These incentives are calculated based on numerous details. One of the most direct means of reward calculation is the transmit scale which simply scales your reward to the number of hotspots you can effectively witness and challenge.
Transmit scaling was introduced to increase the rewards of lone hotspots in unoccupied while reducing the rewards of hotspots placed in crowded regions. Using chain variables, the network has successfully created a means to estimate chain variables so users can determine the best spots to deploy their hotspots.
FAQ
Can I Reverse the Effect of the Transmit Scale
Yes. To make up for a lower transmit scale, Hotspots should improve their antenna setup (go outdoors, use higher gain antennas, utilize higher elevations) so they can see beacons from Hotspots farther away, which could be in regions that have higher transmit scales. This makes sure that a Hotspot with a low transmit scale can keep earning rewards at the best level.
Does the Transmit Code Affect me at all Resolutions?
No, it doesn't. That would be unfair. Hotspots would be scaled in resolutions 4 to 10. The Helium Network left a small chance for hotspots that are just starting out. If properly researched, you might find a great location where you won't be scaled.
Why did Helium Introduce Transmit Scaling?
Transmit scales were introduced to encourage users to set up devices in unoccupied locations rather than stay clumped up in specific locations.