			    TRAVELLER Digest 228

Topics covered in this issue include:

  1) Re: TRAVELLER digest 227	by mtr@globalx.net
  2) Transponders/Code Security	by d.golden@genie.geis.com
  3) Re: Home Ties	by Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
  4) TL-6 Off'noah Civilian Motorcycle	by Boris Zaidfeld <cs911408@red.ariel.cs.yorku.ca>

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Date: Sun, 19 Mar 95 10:08:36 -0500
From: mtr@globalx.net
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: TRAVELLER digest 227
Message-ID: <9503191815.AA0257@C9.globalx.net>

> Haven't we reached a consensus? The Deyo chip may hold water in a technical
> sense, but in terms of human nature the official history leaks in all
> directions. Right?

Forgive a late-comer to the thread, but in what way do the Deyo chip and Virus
hold water in any technical sense?  It is this specific feature of the new
Traveller canon which prevents me from using the Traveller universe as my
campaign setting.

If you want to avoid repeating what is apparently a long-running discussion
feel free to answer by private e-mail.  I'm not interested in argument -- I'm
only interested in what sorts of PSG (pseudo-scientific gobbledigook) is used
to make Virus palatable.  The canonical explanation simply doesn't make any
sense at any level.  The social facets of it, so eloquently explained by several
people on the list, are obvious.  The technical facets of it are equally obvious
after a few minutes' thought.  (How the hell does a PROGRAM, a set of states and
state transitions, on one computer change the underlying HARDWARE of another,
often completely unrelated, computer?)

---
Michael T. Richter
mtr@globalx.net
(613)592-7994

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 19 Mar 95 20:24:00 UTC
From: d.golden@genie.geis.com
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Transponders/Code Security
Message-ID: <199503192050.AA123156259@relay1.geis.com>

More Cr.002 about the ongoing transponder thread
 
>   The Army introduced code books at the platoon level after their
 >experiences in Vietnam.  There you had NVA and VietCong types who
 >could not only talk with a perfect accent (take your pick, Australian,
 >Alabama, Ohio, etc.), but would assume the role of "Birddog One" or
 >whatever call sign someone might have been using for the past month.
 >I've heard tapes of some of the conversations these people had over
 >the air with American and Allied troops.  Pretty scary.
 
This is exactly what led to changes in the way the military does things. As
a former OPSEC/COMSEC officer, I can speak from experience. For example,
"static" (unchanging) call signs are only used in training. "Real" call
signs are changed on a _very_ frequent basis. And even when you hear a voice
with a valid call-sign, they have to be able to authenticate properly.
Authenticator codes, ciphers, etc. have very short lives as well. And let me
tell you, it is an administrative nightmare for the poor sucker (me)
responsible for making sure the pilots have the current COMSEC material. The
service also takes a very dim view of anybody who takes the security rules
(much tighter than for regular classified of the same level) lightly.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------
  Dave Golden                        Home: D.GOLDEN@genie.geis.com
                           Work: GOLDEND@smc-det10.afaa-net.af.mil
                                          PGP Public Key available
 ==================================================================
 ART 1.1 +  Newsflash:Bored Scientists Invent Artificial Stupidity
 
Oh, you're wondering what OPSEC/COMSEC means? OPSEC = Operations Security.
COMSEC = Communications Security.

------------------------------

Date: 19 Mar 1995 16:15:05 GMT
From: Rob_Prior@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca (Rob Prior)
To: traveller@MPGN.COM
Subject: Re: Home Ties
Message-ID: <262110.47275510@nynet.nybe.north-york.on.ca>

Cynthis writes:

> Look, if you're going to insist that most people would consider the tales
> of their parents more of a home than the place where they were born, grew
> up, own land, and are making a decent living, just say so and I'll agree 
> to disagree with you.

I don't know about _most_, but a lot of folks around here seem to be holding
on quite tightly to places their _grandparents_ came from.  I suspect they'd
never return (else why haven't they done so), but they still buy the savings
bonds, travel "back" every year, maintain the language and customs, send
money to the family "back home", etc.

------------------------------

Date: Sun, 19 Mar 1995 23:32:00 -0500 (EST)
From: Boris Zaidfeld <cs911408@red.ariel.cs.yorku.ca>
To: TNE Mailing List <traveller@MPGN.COM>
Cc: GDW-Beta List <gdw-beta@quark.qrc.com>
Subject: TL-6 Off'noah Civilian Motorcycle
Message-ID: <Pine.SUN.3.91.950319232030.8102A-100000@blue>

Hello everyone,

Here is my newest attempt at designing motorcycles using FF&S.  It's a TL 
6 Motorcycle, which turned out to be pretty cheap.  I found many mistakes 
with my pervious designs, and this time I'm sure it's a valid FF&S design.  
Please send any comments, ideas, errors to me.  

	-Shalom Zaidfeld

Note:  
 
This motorcycle design uses two rule changes.  First, 
The Open Crewstation is modifed according to the rules for 
Grav belt design, which can be found in the FF&S ADD ON RULES 
section in RCEG.  They state that a Rigid type grav belt workstation 
will use 0.04 as it's mass, no volume and the price will remain the 
same as in FF&S.  So I converted this rule for use in
my Motorcycle design stage.  The second modification is in the 
restricted seat.  It uses no volume or mass, but the price 
remains the same.  In motorcycles, the seat really doesn't 
take any volume or mass that should be accounted for.  The 
passanger is riding on top of the motorcycle main hull.
                                                               
=========8<=========8<===================8<=========================== 
TL-6 Off'noah Civilian Motorcycle                                         
 
TL              6                                                       
Price:          943.48 Credits          
Size:           1.4 Cubic meters = 0.1 Displacment Tons  
Weight:         0.63 Tonnes Empty 
                1.01 Tonnes 
Loaded                                            
Power:          0.04 MW TL 5 Improved Internal Combustion Engine            
Maint:          1                                                       
Controls:       TL 6 Enhanced Mechanical Motorcycle Controls     
Commo:          TL 6 Radio Reciver Only [AM/FM like]
Sensors:        1xFront Headlight, 30 meters range
Life Support:   Light, Heat     
Cargo:          100 kg      
Crew:           1               
Passengers:     1 [Restricted Seat]              
Armament:       None            
Movement:                       
        Road:           119 Kph             
        OffRoad:        12  Kph            
        Travel:         239/24 Kilometers per 4 hours     
        Combat:         55/6 meters per turn.      
Fuel Capacity:                  
        Fuel Type:      Hydrocarbon Distillates         
        Fuel Tank:      80 liters  
Fuel Consumption:                       
                        10 liters/hour [8 hours]
        Refill:         20 Credits 
 
Combat Statistics:                      
Config: Open Frame              
                        HF:     [0.5]
                        HS:     [0.5]
                        HR:     [0.5]
Deck:   Open            Belly:  0.5
 
 
 
DESIGN NOTES:
=============                  
 
HULL:           Passengers:     1
Rate:   0.1     Crew:           1
Volume: 1.4     TL:             6
MV:     0.13            
MVM:    2       Config: Open Frame       
 
HULL PLATING:                   
Material:       Light Alloy             
Thoughness:     1.7     AV:     0.493
Thickness:      0.29            
Volume: 0.0754          
Mass:   0.4524 
Price:  90.48            
 
SUSPENSION:                                     
Type:   Restricted Wheel                                
TL:     5                               
Volume: 0.14                 
Mass:   0.028              
Price:  35              
Surface: 9.1 meters square                
 
CONTROL SYSTEMS:                                        
Type:   Enhanced Mechanical                       
TL:     6                       
Volume: 0.0014                 
Mass:   0.00014                 
Price:  30                    
Power:  0.00002      
 
CREWSTATIONS:                   
Type:   Open Crewstation [Motorbike]            
Volume: 0               
Mass:   0.04            
Price:  300             
 
COMMMUNICATION: 
Type:   Radio Reciver Only
TL:     6
Range:  0
Volume: 0
Mass:   0
Price:  100
 
SENSORS:        
Type:   1xFront Headlight               
TL:     4               
Range:  30              
Volume: 0.002   
Mass:   0.001   
Price:  50              
Power:  0.0001
 
SEATS:                  
Type:   Restricted [motorcycle]         
Volume: 0               
Mass:   0               
Price:  100             
 
POWER PLANT:                            TRANSMISSION:                   
Type:   Improved Internal Combustion    Type:   Wheel           
TL:     5                               Volume: 0.012  
Volume: 0.1                             Mass:   0.012      
Mass:   0.1                             Price:  18    
Price:  200                                
Power:  0.04                              
Fuel Type:      Hydrocarbon 
Distillates                                         
Fuel Tank:      0.08                                            
Fuel Mass:      0.08                                
Fuel Price:     20                               
Endurance:      8                               
 
                                                      
TOTALS:                                                         
 
Volume:                                                         
Used:   0.4108                                                  
Cargo:  0.4 
Left:   0.5892                                                  
                    
Mass:                           
Loaded: 1.01354                 
Empty:  0.63354                 
 
Price:                          
943.48                          
 
Surface Area:                           
Used:   0                       
Left:   9.1                     
 
SDR:    Type:   W 1.1             
 
Power   Used    Engine          
0.04    0.00012 0.03988         
 
Movement:                               
Road:   119.3681     
Cross:  11.93681                                       
Combat: 55.26743   5.526743                                 
Travel: 238.7553   23.87553              
Maint:  1                      

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End of TRAVELLER Digest 228
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