Radio Communicator

Radio Communicator
Communications Device
Type	Communications Gear
Tech Level	TL–5
Cost	Varies
Size	Varies
Weight	Varies
Manufacturer	Various
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A Radio Communicator is a technological device for sending and receiving signals, messages and data.

• It is a type of Communications Equipment.

Description ([[Specifications])

Radio communicators use radio waves to carry information, such as sound, by systematically modulating properties of electromagnetic energy waves. The information in the waves can be extracted and transformed back into its original form by another radio communicator.

Radios of increasing sophistication remain in use throughout a broad range of tech levels: radio waves are easy to manipulate, easy to detect, and can be broadcast, allowing anyone within range to receive the signal.

• Although radio transmitters generally broadcast a signal, advanced designs are able to send a tight beam transmission. A radio is an Active device.
• Radio broadcasts can be detected by many sensor systems.
• A radio can simply listen to signals and broadcasts: in such cases it is termed a "receiver" and is a Passive system.
• A radio broadcast (and the ability to receive a broadcast) can be disrupted or blocked..

Radio Direction Finder

A Radio Direction Finder specifically locates radio devices based on the radio waves that they emit. It consists of a receiving array (typically one or more aerials) and a control panel.

• It is a passive sensor.
• A Radio Direction Finder can detect signals across a variety of wavelength bands.
• It is able to precisely pinpoint the source of a radio broadcast.

Countermeasures

Radio transmissions can disrupted or blocked.

• Radio Jammers (active ECM).

History & Background / Dossier

Radio Communicators are available from TL-5 onwards.

Radio Direction Finders are available from TL-5 onwards.

The power of a radio communicator determines its effective broadcast range – the distance to which a clear signal will carry before it is sufficiently degraded to be indistinguishable from natural background noise and static.

• Personal radio communicators are small and compact, making use of micro-electronics (and in some cases nanotechnology components) and very efficient lightweight batteries.
  • Commdots are a commonly used form of personal radio communicator.
• Radio communicators fitted aboard vehicles and spacecraft are correspondingly larger and more powerful, with effective broadcast ranges measured in millions or even billions of km.
• All spacecraft are automatically equipped with radio receivers integral to the hull. In the event of these receivers being destroyed, the receiver arrays of many other types of electromagnetic sensors will function adequately as radio receivers.

References & Contributors / Sources

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• MegaTraveller Referee's Manual, (Game Designers Workshop 1987)
• Traveller The New Era: Fire, Fusion, & Steel, (Game Designers Workshop 1994)
• T5 Core Rules, Far Future Enterprises 2013
• Traveller Wiki Editorial Team
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science