Jamming Equipment
| Jamming Equipment | |
|---|---|
| Type | Sensor Equipment |
| Tech Level | TL–5 |
| Cost | varies |
| Size | varies |
| Weight | varies |
Jamming Equipment is any device designed to confuse or overwhelm Sensors or Communications Equipment.
- It is a form of sensor.
- It is a type of electronic countermeasure.
Description / Specifications
Jamming equipment normally functions by emitting an electromagnetic disturbance, sometimes called ‘noise’, on a band at an intensity that overwhelms the target receiver, making reception impossible. Jammers are designed to affect specific services (such as radio communications) or devices (such as RADAR).
- A jammer is a type of electronic countermeasure.
- Jamming can usually be distinguished from background and natural interference or device malfunctions.
- Jamming can be used as a form of censorship in authoritarian states, in order to prevent the inflow of broadcast data (such as news services) from other sources.
Radio Jammers Radio transmitters generally broadcast a signal by systematically modulating properties of electromagnetic energy waves.
- Radio jammers generally work by the transmission of electromagnetic noise that disrupts communications by decreasing the signal-to-noise ratio.
- It is an active countermeasure.
Radar Jammers RADAR is a sensor system that bounces radio waves (electromagnetic energy) off of a target and detects the reflection. RADAR broadcasts can be detected by many sensor systems. A RADAR jammer interferes with the operation of a RADAR by saturating its receiver with noise or false information or by blocking the receiver with highly concentrated energy signals.
- It is an active countermeasure.
Jamming Techniques:
- Spot jamming occurs when a jamming device focuses all of its power on a single frequency. Spot jamming is powerful but an "agile" RADAR can hop frequencies, rendering the jamming ineffective.
- Multiple jammers can spot jam a range of frequencies.
- Sweep jamming is when a jammer's full power is shifted from one frequency to another. It is able to jam multiple frequencies in quick succession but it does not affect them all at the same time.
- Barrage jamming is the jamming of multiple frequencies at once by a single jammer.
History & Background / Dossier
Jamming equipment is available from TL-5 onwards.
The power of jamming equipment determines its effective broadcast range – the distance to which a broadcast will carry before it is sufficiently degraded to be incapable of affecting the targeted sensor or communications systems.
- The intensity of a jamming broadcast gives jamming equipment relatively large energy demands.
Jamming equipment is limited by realspace physics. The EM broadcasts that a jamming device produces take time to reach their target.
- A broadcast travels at approximately 300,000 km per second. For example, a RADAR jammer attempting to disrupt broadcasts from a target at a distance of 900,000 km will have a signal delay of 3 seconds (3 seconds for its EM broadcast to reach the target).
References & Contributors / Sources
- MegaTraveller Referee's Manual, (Game Designers Workshop 1987) p68
- Fire, Fusion, & Steel, Traveller The New Era, (Game Designers Workshop 1987) p50
- Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
- Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science