A communication system for an altitude changing object, the system comprising: an antenna system having one or more antennas, each of the one or more antennas associated with a single fixed radiation pattern; and one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to execute a control routine to perform operations, the operations comprising: detecting a trigger condition prior to the altitude changing object communicating with one or more nodes in a communication network, the trigger condition comprising a change in an operating condition of the altitude changing object; responsive to detecting the trigger condition, obtaining data indicative of one or more communication parameters associated with the altitude changing object, the one or more communication parameters comprising an altitude of the altitude changing object; determining a transmit power for each of the one or more antennas based at least in part on the one or more communication parameters; and controlling the antenna system based at least in part on the transmit power to communicate with the one or more nodes in the communication network; characterized in that the antenna system is cycled through a plurality of transmit powers when the altitude changing object changes altitude by a certain threshold. an antenna system having one or more antennas, each of the one or more antennas associated with a single fixed radiation pattern; and one or more processors, the one or more processors configured to execute a control routine to perform operations, the operations comprising: detecting a trigger condition prior to the altitude changing object communicating with one or more nodes in a communication network, the trigger condition comprising a change in an operating condition of the altitude changing object; responsive to detecting the trigger condition, obtaining data indicative of one or more communication parameters associated with the altitude changing object, the one or more communication parameters comprising an altitude of the altitude changing object; determining a transmit power for each of the one or more antennas based at least in part on the one or more communication parameters; and controlling the antenna system based at least in part on the transmit power to communicate with the one or more nodes in the communication network; characterized in that the antenna system is cycled through a plurality of transmit powers when the altitude changing object changes altitude by a certain threshold. detecting a trigger condition prior to the altitude changing object communicating with one or more nodes in a communication network, the trigger condition comprising a change in an operating condition of the altitude changing object; responsive to detecting the trigger condition, obtaining data indicative of one or more communication parameters associated with the altitude changing object, the one or more communication parameters comprising an altitude of the altitude changing object; determining a transmit power for each of the one or more antennas based at least in part on the one or more communication parameters; and controlling the antenna system based at least in part on the transmit power to communicate with the one or more nodes in the communication network; characterized in that the antenna system is cycled through a plurality of transmit powers when the altitude changing object changes altitude by a certain threshold.