Communications

Communications

The oldest and most widespread communications technology still in regular use is radio. Every habitat and world inhabited by transhumanity is awash in radio traffic, with humans, machines, and uplifts all constantly communicating with one another. The smallest radios are no larger than a spec of dust and have a range of no more than 20 meters, while the largest are the size of a truck and have a range of many thousands of miles. Radios large and small are ubiquitous and almost all devices contain at least short-range radios so they may interact with the mesh. Most morphs are equipped with basic mesh inserts that include an implanted radio.

Fiberoptic Cable: Fiberoptic cables are used to establish wired connections between two devices. Given the ubiquity of radios and the tangled mess wires cause, they are typically only used for privacy (unlike radio communication, fiberoptic signals may not be intercepted) or in areas with heavy radio interference. [Trivial]

Laser/Microwave Link: These portable devices are used to establish a tight-beam, line-of-sight communications channel with another laser or microwave link. The range of these transceivers varies widely with environmental factors, but approximates 50 kilometers in atmosphere and 500 kilometers in space (though horizon limits must be kept in mind, being 5 kilometers at ground level on Earth and less on smaller bodies). Lasers are subject to interference from fog, dirt, smoke, and similar visual chaff, while microwaves may be hindered by metallic obstructions. These links may only be intercepted by getting directly in between the beams. Some teams carry a micro version of this system, worn on their person, allowing line of sight intra-team communications that cannot be intercepted like radio. [Moderate]

Radio Booster: This device boosts the range and sensitivity of short-range radios, like those from implants, ectos, or microbugs. The booster must be with the shorter-ranged device’s range (or directly linked via fiberoptic cable). It will repeat any transmissions received from that device, but at its extended range of 25 kilometers in urban areas (250 kilometers remote areas). Broadcasts from a radio booster are easy to receive by anyone looking for broadcasts, though transmissions may be stealthed. Boosters are commonly used by characters traveling far from habitats or other civilized regions. [Low]

Neutrino Communicators

Neutrinos are particles that can pass through any solid matter with ease and are impossible to block. As a result, they make an ideal medium for communications. Unfortunately, they are also easy to intercept. Even a tight beam of neutrinos sent between two locations can be intercepted simply by placing another receiver behind the location the broadcaster is sending to. Neutrino communicators require a large power plant to power the high energy particle interactions required to generate the neutrino broadcast. Neutrino receivers are also relatively large, with the smallest occupying 100 cubic meters. In most cases, neutrino communicators are designed to broadcast neutrinos in all directions, though tight-beam transmissions are also possible. Quite often neutrino communications take advantage of quantum farcasting for security. Neutrino Transceiver: This transceiver is capable of generating and receiving neutrino signals at a range of at least 100 astronomical units. It is large, with a size of 8 cubic meters (in a cube 2 meters on a side), but they can be loaded onto large vehicles. To function, it must be connected to a large power plant, such as one found in habitats or large spacecraft. The cost and size of this device includes the computer necessary for quantum farcasting. [Expensive]

Quantum Farcasters

Quantum farcasters are special computers designed to protect a communications channel (such as fiberoptic, radio, laser/microwave, or neutrino) with unbreakable encryption. To function, two or more quantum farcaster computers must first be entangled together (on a quantum level) in the same physical location. The farcasters may then be separated, at which point they may continue to exchange encrypted data via quantum teleportation. This data exchange requires a standard communications link (� fiberoptic, radio, laser/microwave, or neutrino), and so is limited by the speed of light, but it is a high bandwidth form of communications. The quantum encryption used by these entangled farcasters is unbreakable, and any attempted interception is immediately detected and neutralized. A quantum farcaster may not be used to securely communicate with any farcasters other than the ones it is entangled with. Because it is exceptionally safe and secure, quantum farcasting via neutrino communications is the primary means of both long-distance communication between habitats and egocasting. The neutrino signal cannot be blocked and it can only be decrypted if a character has access to the computer that is sending or receiving the signal. Miniature Radio Farcaster: Miniature farcasters communicate with each other using standard radio transceivers. As noted above, they may only securely communicate with the other farcasters with which they are entangled. Most miniature farcasters are worn as jewelry or fitted into clothing or other equipment. [Low]

Quantum Entangled Communications

The rarest form of communications is quantum entangled (QE) communication. QE communication is instantaneous and works over any distance, but is also very limited. QE communication requires pairs of entangled particles known as qubits. To use QE, large number of pairs of qubits are created and then separated from each other. Millions of these separated pairs of particles are stored in special containers known as qubit reservoirs. If two QE communicators each have a qubit reservoir containing qubits that are each entangled with qubits in the other communicator’s qubit reservoir, then characters can use the two QE communicators to commutate with one another instantaneously. Characters can use QE to instantly communicate between any two locations, even if one character is in the solar system and the other has passed through a Pandora gate and is standing on a planet 500 light years away. Each bit of data transmitted between these two QE comms uses up one qubit. Once all of the qubits are used up, the two QE comms can no longer communicate with each other until they each get a new batch of entangled qubits. Qubits are expensive to produce, contain, and transport, making this an exceedingly expensive form of communication. As a result, extremely high bandwidth communications like full sensory AR and egocasting cannot be performed using QE communication. Portable QE Comm: This is a handheld FTL communications device. The actual communications unit can be made as small as desired, but must be large enough to connect to or hold a qubit reservoir. Because qubit reservoirs are relatively large and must be replaced, they are rarely implanted. Some miniature farcasters are designed so that users can also attach qubit reservoirs to enable them to be used for both light speed and FTL communication. [Low]

Low-Capacity Qubit Reservoir: Low-capacity qubit reservoirs can be used for 10 hours of high-resolution video conferencing or meshbrowsing and 100 hours of voice or text only communications. [High] High-Capacity Qubit Reservoir: High-capacity qubit reservoirs can be used for 100 hours of high-resolution video conferencing or meshbrowsing and 1,000 hours of voice or text only communications. [Expensive]

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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