Communications

Stats Transmitters Item Conceal Weight Avail Cost SI Legality Micro-transceiver 10 0 Rating/48 h Rating x 1,000 2 8P-U Sub-Vocal Mic 12 0 3/48 h 500 1.25 9P-U Transceiver 8 1 Rating/48 h Rating x 500 2 8P-U Signal Amplifier 3 Rating Rating/(Rating x 12) h Rating x 250 1.5 10P-U Signal Repeater NA Rating x 2 Rating x2/48 h Rating x 1,000 3 6P-U Simrig 10 .5 8/14 d 50,000 2 Legal Simlink 8 .5 8/14 d 25,000 2 8P-U Vidlink Transmitter 9 .5 4/7 d Rating x 2,000 2 8P-U Scanner 8 1 Rating/24 h Rating x 100 2 Legal ECCM NA NA +1 per Rating +1,000 =Y= per Rating +0.5 per Rating Legal Encryption Item Cost SI Legality Encryption Rating 1-4 Rating x 1,000 =Y= 1 8P-V Encryption Rating 5-7 Rating x 2,000 =Y= 1 8P-V Encryption Rating 8-9 Rating x 4,000 =Y= 1 8P-W Encryption Rating 10-12 Rating x 5,000 =Y= 1 8P-W Decryption Item Cost SI Legality Decryption Rating 1-4 Rating x 2,000 =Y= 1 8P-V Decryption Rating 5-7 Rating x 4,000 =Y= 1 8P-W Decryption Rating 8 Rating x 40,000 =Y= 1 8P-W Desc Micro-transceiver These units feature a mini-throat mike (taped to the neck), an earpiece and a transceiver module (worn on a belt or carried in a pocket). Most models in 2060 feature wireless components and transceive on preselected frequencies that can be programmed in. Each unit can accept up to Rating x 2 programmed frequencies at a time. Sub-Vocal Microphone This microphone is strapped in place at the center of the throat and allows the user to subvocalize his communications. It adds a +4 target number modifier to any Perception Tests to overhear what the user is saying. Transceiver This is a standard, hand-held two-way radio. Many models in 2060 come equipped with headsets, handsets or earphones. Frequencies are programmable, and each unit can maintain Rating x 2 programmed frequencies in memory at a time. Signal Amplifier This useful accessory boosts the electromagnetic power available for transmission, increasing a device’s range. Signal amplifiers boost a device’s Flux Rating by the amplifier’s rating. Signal Repeater Repeaters receive signals from (usually) low-powered devices and then re-transmit them on a separate frequency to a larger area. Radio networks using repeaters transmit on one frequency but receive on another. Police agencies use repeaters in their vehicles to re-transmit their hand-held radio signals across the sprawl, as do numerous other civilian and corporate agencies. Most sprawls have companies that sell “repeater time”—you give them the frequencies and pay them, and they re-transmit your signals throughout their area of coverage. To calculate a signal’s range when using a repeater, add the Flux Ratings of the transmitting device and repeater together. When subjected to electronic countermeasures, the Flux Ratings of the repeater and the device remain separate for purposes of resolving tests. Repeaters cost Rating x 1,000¥. Renting repeater time generally costs Rating x 100¥ per day, with discounts for long periods. The rental process requires a SIN and a minor background check. Simrig This device consists of numerous induction ‘trodes worn by a person to record a baseline simsense signal. Unlike the cyberware version, the rig is worn externally instead of implanted, but it cannot record Full-X sim. Simrig output can be to any digital or optical storage format (requiring 1 Mp per second) or to a simlink. Simlink These relatively short-range devices transmit the output from a simrig to a receiver unit. The receiver unit can be plugged into a simdeck, cyberdeck or remote control rigger deck, allowing a user to experience the recording in real-time, or to a simlink recorder to produce a wet record. The Flux Rating of a simlink is equal to its Rating ÷ 4, rounded down. Cost is for the entire transmitter, receiver, and recorder package. Video Transmitter Similar to a simlink, the vidlink package features a transmitter, receiver and recorder. It is primarily used to transmit\ footage from surveillance micro-cams, portacams or datajack-acceessed opticams. This system can handle both video and trideo. The Flux Rating is equal to its Device Rating ÷ 2. Scanner This device receives radio frequencies. It can be programmed to monitor specific frequencies, or to scan through a range of frequencies for active signals. To intercept a signal on a frequency known to the user does not require a test. To locate and intercept a specific signal (to find the frequency), the character makes a Scanner Rating Success Test against a target number equal to the transmitting device’s Rating + 3. Electronic Warfare may be used as a Complementary Skill for this test. Each success locates a frequency that the character is looking for, which the character can then monitor. Alternatively, successes can be used to reduce the 30-minute base time for searching. If the transmissions are encrypted, they must be decrypted before a character can make any sense out of them. Scanners feature fold-out screens for intercepted vid-calls. ECCM All broadcast communications equipment is subject to interference and jamming, known as electronic countermeasures (ECM). ECM is countered by electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM), such as noise-filtering and signal amplification. Unless otherwise noted, each communications unit is assumed to have an ECCM Rating of 1. If the purchaser wishes to acquire the equipment at Rating 0 (which means that it has no ECM/ECCM and therefore automatically loses to opposing equipment), multiply the base cost by .75. Characters can also purchase equipment with higher ECCM Ratings. Each additional ECCM Rating point costs 1,000¥, adds 1 to the item’s Availability and increases the Street Index by .5. ECCM modifies a unit’s Flux Rating by half its ECCM Rating. See Electronic Countermeasures (p. 138) for rules on using ECM and ECCM.