Editing Communications (section)

= Communications Gear =
'''Neo-Cetacean Translation Device:''' This dime-sized device is worn behind the left ear. It perceives ultrasonic frequencies and translates the whistles, clicks, and bursts of neo-cetacean into the transhuman language of the user’s choice and transmits it directly through the skull to the inner ear. The device is, of course, waterproof and works out to the range of normal neo-cetacean hearing. A linked ultrasonic emitter, usually worn on the belt, allows for translation in the other direction. Neo-cetacean is a primitive language, and translations are often muddy at best. This device has Exotic Language: Neo-Cetacean at 50. '''[Low]'''

'''Hypersonic Communicator:''' This device allows the user to transmit audio in a beam, so that the directed sound is only audible at the targeted position. When pointed at a person, the target will hear the transmission as if the sound were in their own head. Used commonly for advertising, museum displays, art galleries, and similar purposes, portable hypersonic beam devices also enable people to communicate without fear of eavesdropping and without having to rely on insecure mesh transmissions. The drawback to hypersonic beams is that they are line of sight and will be disrupted by anyone or anything passing through them, so they are ideal for close quarters or non-busy environments. Hypersonic communicators are small devices. They do not work in vacuum, but in atmosphere the beam is unaffected by nearby loud noises. '''[Low]'''
'''Mission Recorder:''' A mission recorder is a simple mini-sized spime designed to record live lifelog, XP-cast, or other sensor feeds from gatecrashing teams. Standard protocol is to leave mission recorders at an easy-to-ﬁnd location on or next to a Pandora gate, so that search-and-rescue teams can ﬁnd and analyze the recordings. Mission recorders are often hooked up to radio boosters, laser links or other tools for increasing their reception range for gatecrashing teams that stray far aﬁeld. '''[Trivial]'''

'''Motes:''' Motes are lightweight, micro-sized computers that come in packages of 500 (or more). They are designed to be spread around an area, whether manually, by airburst mote “grenade,” or scattered by aerial drone. Individual motes have grip pads that enable them to stick to almost any surface with which they come into contact. Once they blanket an area, the motes link together, establishing an ad hoc mesh network. Though each individual mote only has a range of 50 to 500 meters, en masse they can provide coverage over a significant region. Mote meshes are often the ﬁrst networks a colony will have, with main outposts saturated and motes spread along main trails and thoroughfares. Motes can also be equipped with sensors; cameras are a common choice. '''[Low for packages/grenades of 500; Moderate for sensor-equipped models]'''
'''Neutrino Retreat:''' This highly specialized piece of equipment is designed specifically for gatecrashers who use emergency farcasters. This device includes a powerful radio transceiver and a specialized neutrino receiver, both of which are quantum entangled with one or more emergency farcasters. This device uses its radio transceiver to make daily backups of the owner’s ego and is also capable of receiving the pulsed ego broadcast made when an emergency farcaster sends out its single destructive neutrino broadcast. This device can remain in radio contact with an emergency farcaster at a range of 500 km and can receive the neutrino pulse from emergency farcasters up to 100 AU away. Most gatecrashers place this device within a few yards of the gate so rescue teams can easily ﬁnd and access it. This device is also popular with criminals and freelance covert operatives who wish to have a carefully hidden safe haven for their egos.
Neutrino retreats cannot broadcast neutrino communications and so are considerably smaller and less expensive than standard neutrino transceivers. Each neutrino retreat is able to communicate with up to 10 different emergency farcasters and can store up to 10 egos. This device is a medium-sized cube one meter on a side, weighting 400 kilograms. It contains its own nuclear battery, capable of running the device for up to 10 years. '''[High]'''
'''Radio Beacon:''' This portable, medium-sized radio transmitter has an open range of 250 kilometers. It can be programmed with any message(s) the user desires and set to repeat, alternate, or broadcast according to schedule. It can also be set to only broadcast after it receives a preprogrammed signal. Radio beacons are used as claim markers for resource or archeological ﬁnds, as planted messages to follow-up teams or rescuers, and for automatically warning people away from dangerous or secured areas. '''[Low]'''

'''Satnet-In-A-Can:''' One of the ﬁrst steps to establishing an outpost on any exoplanet is to install a a basic satellite network. A satnet-in-a-can is a large metallic hydrogen-fueled missile that carries 32 small satellites. Each of the 32 satellites is a 1-kilogram sphere only 10 centimeters in diameter. The missile itself is 40 centimeters in diameter, 2 meters long, and 300 kilograms in weight. This rocket can be used on any world with a gravity of 1.8 g or less. It includes a smart material launch tube that extends struts and supports to automatically aim the missile in the correct trajectory. To use it, all the owner needs to do is set it up in a roughly vertical position, turn it on, and stand back. The missile will then automatically aim and launch. Once it reaches the proper altitude, it will deploy the satellites into intermediate circular orbit. Between 1 and 2 days later, the satellites will be in position and the satnet will come fully online.
The satellites provide GPS data to anyone on the planet’s surface as well as continuous low-resolution observation of the entire surface using the ultraviolet, visual, and infrared spectrums. These satellites provide a top resolution of only 100 meters on 1 g planets; around lower-gravity planets the satellites are closer to the ground and get better resolution, around higher-gravity exoplanets their altitude is higher and so they can only see larger details.
This satnet can provide a rough map of the planet in just under a day. It can also provide continuous real-time imagery of the entire surface, allowing anyone linked to the network to instantly learn of volcanic eruptions, large earthquakes, spaceship launches, meteor strikes, the detonation of any atomic weapons or similar large bombs, or any other large-scale events. The network’s software can both analyze weather patterns and do limited weather prediction for any location on the planet’s surface (Academics: Meteorology skill of 60).
These satellites also provide a network of communications relays so that anyone with a radio booster can communicate with anyone else with a radio booster, anywhere on the planet. This effectively facilitates a global mesh for anyone with a radio booster. The satnet transmissions are also boosted, so anyone with basic mesh inserts or an ecto can receive its broadcasts. Though this is a large and pricey piece of gear, the advantages it provides are great enough to justify the cost and difficulty of transport. '''[High]'''

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