Traveller-digest       Monday, August 9 1999       Volume 1999 : Number 930



(R)1996. Traveller is a registered trademark of FarFuture Enterprises.
All rights reserved.

The following topics are covered in this digest:

Re: Dispatch From Crescent City Con
Re: Hi!
Re: Habitable worlds in the Spinward Marches (long)
Re: Re Skill Limits and CGen
Re: Dispatch From Crescent City Con
FW: Hi!
Re: Hi! 
Re: FW: Hi! 
Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED: Effects of stats on skill rolls
Re: Planetology 102 Part 4
Re: Program Output
Re: Planetology 102 Part 8
Planetology 102 Part 9
RE: Effects of stats on skill rolls
Re: Effects of stats on skill rolls
[ADMIN] Reply Address Question
Re: [ADMIN] Reply Address Question
GT Second Edition
Explain to me how radios work
Re; Trav Suite
Re: Effects of stats on skill rolls
Re: Explain to me how radios work
Re: Explain to me how radios work

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 99 01:26:52 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Dispatch From Crescent City Con

On 08/08/99 at 07:01 PM,  shudson@lightspeed.bc.ca (Steven Hudson) said:

>...
>>>They sold out of the first edition that fast.  The Second printing is just
>>>a bug fix.
>>
>>How many did they print/sell?

>  All of them?                (sorry, traffic was low... :> )

Ho! Ho! ;-p

I don't know if SJG would give out that information, but they might..how about
it Loren? Would you care to give us a general idea?  All us "fanboys" really
want to know how many other Trav-geeks there are out here. <g>

Eris 
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 99 01:36:46 -0500
From: "Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>
Subject: Re: Hi!

On 08/08/99 at 10:46 PM,  "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net> said:

>> From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>

>> What, no TMLers in the PRB???

>That would be me, comrade.

Oh, NOW I get it...People's Republic of Berkley...but that's not the right spelling is it? ;->


Eris
- -- 
- -----------------------------------------------------------
"Eris Reddoch" <eris@pcola.gulf.net>    using MR/2 ICE #245
- -----------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: Sun, 08 Aug 1999 23:39:06 -0700
From: Edward Swatschek <edjs@bitslayer.net>
Subject: Re: Habitable worlds in the Spinward Marches (long)

At 21:30 99/08/08 -0700, Glenn M. Goffin wrote:

>I haven't yet analyzed your sector-by-sector analysis, but I'm not sure
>the survey data is bad.

It has problems.  The article Bruce mentions (in Challenge 77 actually) 
includes the results of a study of the second survey data that shows that 
certain UPPs (excluding the starport and TL) are repeated too often.  For 
example, of Zarushagar's 495 worlds, 76 (15%) have UPPs of n100433-n or 
n100434-n.


- --
Edward Swatschek - edjs@bitslayer.net

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 03:11:27 EDT
From: GypsyComet@aol.com
Subject: Re: Re Skill Limits and CGen

SciFiFan56@aol.com writes:

>In a message dated 8/8/99 12:40:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
>eris@pcola.gulf.net writes:
>
>> 
>>  MT, sure! But we were talking about CT. ;-J  However, I don't think the 
Int+
>> Edu limit is actually *in* CT...at least, I really don't remember it being 
in 
>> my LBB's. There was a seven term limit, though, IIRC.
>>  
>>  Eris
>>  
>
>The Int + Edu limit is in CT on page 29, first column of the Traveller Book. 

 Yes. It was a late CT addition in response to Mercenary and High Guard. Eris 
is one of us OTFs who considered the Traveller Book a "new" edition...

 As for skills being attached to certain characteristics, it's a mechanic 
that has been all the rage for quite a while. I'm a little tired of it in 
most of its published forms, however. MegaT was actually revolutionary in 
that its Task system recognized that a skill will mix with _different_ 
characteristics based on the task at hand. Unfortunately, it was more akin to 
the first Russian Revolution than to the American, as it was supplanted and 
quickly forgotten by the fixed pairing mechanics used by T:2k, Ars Magica, 
Cyberpunk, Star Wars, AD&D, Alternity, ad nauseum...

GC

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 20:29:33 +1200
From: "Andrew Moffatt-Vallance" <a.vallance@netaccess.co.nz>
Subject: Re: Dispatch From Crescent City Con

Date sent:      	Sun, 08 Aug 1999 14:27:44 +0100
From:           	John Buston <John.Buston@tesco.net>

> >They sold out of the first edition that fast.  The Second printing is just
> >a bug fix.

> How many did they print/sell?

From memory GT was first printed in Sept 98, there was a second printing
earlier this year; so I guess they are selling fairly well.


Andrew etc
http://users.netaccess.co.nz/amv/
    Listening to way to much Dave Brubeck

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 16:33:18 +0800
From: "Antony Farrell" <Skaran@bigpond.com>
Subject: FW: Hi!

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
[mailto:owner-traveller@lists.imagiconline.com] On Behalf Of Eris
Reddoch
Sent: Monday, 9 August 1999 14:37
To: traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
Subject: Re: Hi!


On 08/08/99 at 10:46 PM,  "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net> said:

>> From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>

>> What, no TMLers in the PRB???

>That would be me, comrade.

Oh, NOW I get it...People's Republic of Berkley...but that's not the right
spelling is it? ;->


Eris

Shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Berkely (PDRB)?

Antony

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 05:38:35 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: Hi! 

> On 08/08/99 at 10:46 PM,  "Glenn M. Goffin" <gmgoffin@pacbell.net> said:
> 
> >> From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
> 
> >> What, no TMLers in the PRB???
> 
> >That would be me, comrade.
> 
> Oh, NOW I get it...People's Republic of Berkley...but that's not the right spelling is it? ;->

Nyet, Comrade.  It's Berkeley.

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 05:48:00 -0400
From: "Keven R. Pittsinger" <jamstar@accesstoledo.com>
Subject: Re: FW: Hi! 

> >> What, no TMLers in the PRB???
> 
> >That would be me, comrade.
> 
> Oh, NOW I get it...People's Republic of Berkley...but that's not the right
> spelling is it? ;->
> 
> 
> Eris
>---------------- 
> Shouldn't that be the People's Democratic Republic of Berkely (PDRB)?

I didn't know they were democratic over there.  <grin, duck, & run>

Keven

- -- 
tc++ tm+ tn t4- to ru++ ge+ 3i c+ jt au st- ls pi+ ta+ he+ so- vi zh sy
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Science-Fiction Adventure
                                                     In Reavers' Deep

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 10:45:25 +0100
From: "Derrick Jones" <dojones.whitestar@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: SEC: UNCLASSIFIED: Effects of stats on skill rolls

I personally use the MT system, almost as it stands,
with the exception of you round to the nearest integer
when you divide by 5.

This gives the outcome of 
1-2 = 0
3-7 = 1
8-B = 2
C-F = 3

which works for me, since my players think they're getting
a good deal with bonuses, and I just make tasks that little
more difficult.

I also use a house rule which says that a character can have
no more total skill levels than his INT+EDU+Terms, and
in no more skills than his INT+Terms.

I allow a related (included) skill to be increased seperately 
from it's major skill, and any points of the related skill, proir to 
it's own increases, do not count towards the skill points total.

E.G

Karoll has Pilot-3, which gives him Ship's Boat-2. He went on 
a Ship's Boat training course and became Ship's Boat-3.
For purposes of determining skill levels used, his Ship's Boat
Skill is only 1 (2 were 'given' from the Pilot-3 skill)

Works for us!

Cheers

Derrick

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 01:39:44 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Planetology 102 Part 4

In mail you write:

> Subject: Re: Planetology 102 Part 4
> Leonard Erickson wrote:
>
>>It's also somewhat important biologically. You see, this
>>"unimportant" compound called "chlorophyll" contains magnesium. 
>
> True; but this could be an "accident" of terrestrial life. There
> are actually several varieties of chlorophyll, each responding
> best to a different wavelength of light. AFAIK some other
> metallic ion or even some entirely different kind of coupound
> could serve the same function, given the appropriate biochemistry
> and cellular machinery.

Well, another "interesting" factoid is that (as I recall) the basic
structure of chlorophyll (the organo-metallic phoryphin(sp) that makes
it all work) is *very* similar to the "heme" backbone of hemoglobin and
the active portions of the other respiratory pigments. 

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 02:02:58 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Program Output

In mail you write:

> Do a little bit of B, C and D:
> have options for the save as command: An 80 column CT/MT/TNE, an 80 Collumn
> GT Specific stuff, and a 120 or 160 column "Combined"; the average
> laserprinter can do 2 columns in 7-8 pt at 80 Chars wide in a monospaced PS
> or TT font. Small, but readable; If all the data is available in separate
> 80-col output files, it can be printed as two larger pages...

Actually, both inkjet and laser printers can print something in excess
of 255 columns readably IN LANDSCAPE MODE. More if they can handle
legal sized paper (8.5" x 14").

And for folks with wide carriage dot matrix printers, there is fanfold
paper available in "landscape legal" format. I used to have several
boxes of i. They were essentially free from someone who worked at a
bank that'd switched to laser printers. 

BTW, if you ever stumble across one of those old "workhorse" wide
carriage dot-matrix printers at a swap meet, consider buying it.
Ribbons are generally still available cheaply, and they they are *the*
single best thing ever built for cranking out page after page of
program listings or subsector data tables.

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 02:16:19 PST
From: shadow@krypton.rain.com (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Planetology 102 Part 8

In mail you write:

>      Enough of the building blocks have been discussed that it is
> time to pause and present a somewhat speculative but chemically
> plausible scenario for the formation of rocky planets. The
> starting point is mineral grains coated with ices. These collide,
> melting the surfaces, and stick together, forming larger and
> larger grains and lumps. At a certain size, the heat produced by
> collisions begins boiling off some of the ices, concentrating the
> minerals. When larger asteroid-sized lumps collide, they boil off
> more volatiiles and begin to melt the minerals as well. Under
> these conditions, methane and ammonia begin to react with water
> to form hydrogen, nitrogen gas, and carbon monoxide.

Also, since most nebulae have had recent supernovae in the vicinity,
they are rather "enriched" in short halflife radio-isotopes. Thus, as
the "snowballs" and "dustballs" getr bigger, it gets harder to radiate
the heat generated by radioactive decay. This provides a more or less
*continuous* source of heat for allowing larger bodies to
differentiate. 

Radio-isotope heating is *still* a major source of Earth's intenal
heat. Currently the big contributor is K40 (Potassium 40). So in the
"early days" (5 billion years ago) most planetismals must have been
*sizzling*. 

Does anyone have even *ballpark* figures for the likely abundance of
radioisotopes in the early stages of system formation?

- -- 
Leonard Erickson (aka Shadow)
 shadow@krypton.rain.com        <--preferred
leonard@qiclab.scn.rain.com     <--last resort

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:34:14 -0400
From: Thad Coons <Sapience@compuserve.com>
Subject: Planetology 102 Part 9

10. Aluminum
   Aluminum, like magnesium and silicon, is chemically far too
reactive to be found as the free metal, and it is always an
energy-intensive process to extract it. This lightweight
industrial metal is used extensively where light weight is an
important design criterion.
   Much like magnesium and silicon, aluminum combines with oxygen
so well that it excludes practically everything else. There are
various forms of the oxide (Al2O3, or alumina). One of them,
corundum, forms a basis for several of the precious gemstones and
is one of the harder minerals (a distant second to diamond on the
usual scale). Aluminum also forms a hydroxide Al(OH)3, which is
poorly soluble in water, and a partial hydroxide AlO(OH). These
are the principal components of bauxite, the preferred ore for
aluminum.
   The pure aluminum silicate Al2SiO5 sillimanite is fairly
uncommon. The vast majority of alluminum in the cosmos is found
substituting for silicon in the huge subclass of silicates called
the aluminosilicates. Other metallic ions, including magnesium
and iron, are usually incorporated into these minerals to make
the ionic charges balance. On the earth, one of the chief
components of soil is clay, which is chiefly impure hydrated
aluminum silicates.
   Aluminum hydroxide may be either alkaline or acid, depending
on conditions, but generally speaking it is difficult to form and
no more soluble than silica. Depending on local conditions,
either silica or alumina may be extracted from rocks and
recrystallized elsewhere.
 

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 09:40:03 -0400
From: Ian Ferguson <ian@vax2.concordia.ca>
Subject: RE: Effects of stats on skill rolls

Hughes, Michael writes:
<snipped>
>Stat Value	Task DM
>1	-3
>2-3	-2
>4-5	-1
>6-8	-
>9-A	+1
>B-C	+2
>D	+3
>E	+4
>F	+5
>
>What do people think? Too Hot? Too Cold or just right?

	I don't know how you use skill levels, but I wouldn't want
	a player, even with Int = 15, to have a default skill level
	of 5 in everything related to Int.  Being an old LBB fart, I
	have a list of all skills, with required and advantagous
	stats for each (along with the associated bonuses/penalties).
	Just like the combat skills.  I also have a list of 
	"unskilled" penalties which depend on experience.  For 
	example, ex-army have small penalties for weapon use while
	ex-navy have small penalties for most shipboard skill use.

Peez

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:50:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
Subject: Re: Effects of stats on skill rolls

I've always liked (Stat/3) - 2, which is pretty close to what some others
have proposed.  It comes out as:

1-2: -2
3-5: -1
6-8: +0
9-B: +1
C-E: +2
F  : +3

I like the range of this (for one thing it's very similar to DP9's
Silhouette system <Insert Heavy Gear plug here> :-) and it makes those "F"
stats that much more impressive.  

Charles C.

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:52:53 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
Subject: [ADMIN] Reply Address Question

Hi All.  Sorry, admin question here:  Should I be replying to these two
addresses...

traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com

...or just one of them?  Am I double posting or what?

Thanks,
Charles C.

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 09:53:23 -0400
From: Rob Miracle <rwm@mpgn.com>
Subject: Re: [ADMIN] Reply Address Question

All posts should go to:   traveller@lists.imagiconline.com

Rob


At 09:52 AM 8/9/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Hi All.  Sorry, admin question here:  Should I be replying to these two
>addresses...
>
>traveller@lists.imagiconline.com
>traveller-digest@lists.imagiconline.com
>
>...or just one of them?  Am I double posting or what?
>
>Thanks,
>Charles C.

- --
Rob Miracle <rwm@mpgn.com>
Be patient or be a patient. -- Anton Devious
http://www.mpgn.com/

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 10:08:56 -0400 (EDT)
From: Charles Collin <charles@hebb.psych.mcgill.ca>
Subject: GT Second Edition

Hmm, a check of the SJ Games website does not reveal much as to whether
this is a second printing or second edition.  They do _call_ it a second
edition (there's a like that just leads to the main traveller page),
though.  Since Glen has mentioned new artwork and others have mentioned
changes to trade rules and such, I'd guess it is in fact a second edition
as opposed to a second printing with errata fixed up.  

Charles C.

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 09:38:10 -0500 ()
From: "Joseph R. Dietrich" <yikes@evansville.net>
Subject: Explain to me how radios work

I have a situation I thought the list might be able to enlighten me on. I
have several PCs that are equipped with personal radios with a listed range
of about 10 km. Unfortunately, I am a little hazy on what "range" actually
means.

I assume this means *transmission:reception* range, i.e., how far away one
of these little radios can be from another one of these little radios and
still be heard.

I also assume that a broadcast from a more powerful transmitter (say a
1,000 km ranged transmitter) could be picked up and heard by these little
radios at a longer range.

Does this sound correct so far?

Now the important bit (at least for the purposes of my game). If these PCs
with their little radios talk to each other with them, is it possible for a
large receiver (like a listening post or a satellite) to pick up their
transmissions even if it is far outside the little radios' 10 km listed
range?

It's one of those things I thought I understood pretty well but that, on
futher thinking, realized I didn't understand at all. If someone could
explain this to me in terms that your average 12-year-old could comprehend,
I would greatly appreciate it. :-)

Ciao,

Joseph R. Dietrich
yikes@evansville.net

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 08:04:53 -0700
From: "Dave Strebe" <strebe@intergate.bc.ca>
Subject: Re; Trav Suite

Could some kind being direct me to the 
"Trav Suite" or "Dulinor Suite". I had a look
at the "Core" site but it is not listed there.

Thanks
Dave

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

Date: Mon, 9 Aug 1999 10:16:35 -0500 ()
From: "Joseph R. Dietrich" <yikes@evansville.net>
Subject: Re: Effects of stats on skill rolls

[snip]

>1-2: -2 [Poor]
>3-5: -1 [Mediocre]
>6-8: +0 [Fair]
>9-B: +1 [Good]
>C-E: +2 [Great]
>F  : +3 [Superb]

Ahh ha ha haa! FUDGE will come to rule the world!!!

Ahem. Sorry.

Ciao,

Joseph R. Dietrich
yikes@evansville.net

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 12:48:52 -0300
From: Michel Vaillancourt <misha@empire.atlantic-online.ns.ca>
Subject: Re: Explain to me how radios work

At 09:38 AM 8/9/1999 -0500, you wrote:
>I have a situation I thought the list might be able to enlighten me on. I
>have several PCs that are equipped with personal radios with a listed range
>of about 10 km. Unfortunately, I am a little hazy on what "range" actually
>means.

        Distance at which the reciever can "hear" the transmitter reliably.

>I assume this means *transmission:reception* range, i.e., how far away one
>of these little radios can be from another one of these little radios and
>still be heard.

        Correct.

>I also assume that a broadcast from a more powerful transmitter (say a
>1,000 km ranged transmitter) could be picked up and heard by these little
>radios at a longer range.

        Correct again.  "Range" is a function of the *transmitter*, not the
reciever.  So, a 10km range transmitter can be heard by any reciever on the
same freq within 10km.  A 1000km range transmitter is heard by every
reciever on the same freq within 1000km, regardless of the range of the
recievers transmitter.

>Does this sound correct so far?

        Yep.

>Now the important bit (at least for the purposes of my game). If these PCs
>with their little radios talk to each other with them, is it possible for a
>large receiver (like a listening post or a satellite) to pick up their
>transmissions even if it is far outside the little radios' 10 km listed
>range?

        A good rule of thumb (barring atmospheric Weird Sh!t) is that a good
electronic warfare operator will localize the transmitter at 3 times its
transmission range.  Once he's got it isolated from the background noise, he
can, with a big enough "ear", eavesdrop it.

>It's one of those things I thought I understood pretty well but that, on
>futher thinking, realized I didn't understand at all. If someone could
>explain this to me in terms that your average 12-year-old could comprehend,
>I would greatly appreciate it. :-)
>
>Ciao,
>
>Joseph R. Dietrich
>yikes@evansville.net

        I hope I was helpful.

        --Michel
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	Michel R. Vaillancourt	misha@atlantic-online.ns.ca
				ICQ # 31172292
	"Reality Error in Progress....
			....Do Not Adjust Your Penguin"	
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	Into Cyberpunk?  Check Out:
		"http://www.atlantic-online.ns.ca/cp2020"
	Into Traveller?  Check Out:
		"http://www.atlantic-online.ns.ca/traveller"
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-
	***REMEMBER - Always virus-check your emails ***
	-+=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=+-

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

Date: Mon, 09 Aug 1999 17:15:57 +0100
From: Phil Kitching <postmark.design@btinternet.com>
Subject: Re: Explain to me how radios work

At 09:38 09/08/1999 -0500, "Joseph R. Dietrich" <yikes@evansville.net> wrote:
>I have a situation I thought the list might be able to enlighten me on. I
>have several PCs that are equipped with personal radios with a listed range
>of about 10 km. Unfortunately, I am a little hazy on what "range" actually
>means.

I don't know what the books actually assume but I would guess the following:

A 1 km radio generates a certain amount of radio energy.
As you get further away from it the signal strength decreases
(inverse square law).
At 1 km, this signal is just about detectable with the sort of receiver
that you expect it to be matched to - in this case, probably a 1km receiver.

The problem is - what is the correctly matched receiver?

My guess would be that a 1,000km transmitter needs a 1,000km receiver
to work at 1,000km.

A 1 km receiver should be able to detect a 1,000km transmitter at some
range greater than 1km but less than 1,000km.

Hmmm,

Assume a 1 km transmitter has a signal strength of 1 and can be
received at 1km distance, with a signal strength of "r".

At 1,000km, the signal strength would be r/1,000,000

Assume that the 1,000km transmitter generates a signal of 1,000,
at 1,000 km the signal strength would be r/1,000.
So a 1,000km receiver can pick up a signal of r/1,000.

Sounds good, so far.

A 1,000km transmitter has a signal strength of:

	1,000 r at 1km
	   10 r at 10km
	r/10    at 100km
	r/1,000 at 1,000km

On the scale suggested:

A 10km transmitter transmits with a signal of 10.
A 10km receiver can pick up a signal strength of r/10

So a 1,000km transmitter can be heard by a 10km receiver at 100km.
Similarly, a 10km transmitter can be heard by a 1,000km receiver at 100km.

There's a formula there somewhere...

If the transmitter and receiver have ranges "T" and "R"

The range at which they work together is:

	sqrt( T * R )

This being "by inspection" - that famous method of mathematical proof meaning
"the answer looks right but I don't know how to formally derive it"

>I assume this means *transmission:reception* range, i.e., how far away one
>of these little radios can be from another one of these little radios and
>still be heard.
>
>I also assume that a broadcast from a more powerful transmitter (say a
>1,000 km ranged transmitter) could be picked up and heard by these little
>radios at a longer range.
>
>Does this sound correct so far?

yes

>Now the important bit (at least for the purposes of my game). If these PCs
>with their little radios talk to each other with them, is it possible for a
>large receiver (like a listening post or a satellite) to pick up their
>transmissions even if it is far outside the little radios' 10 km listed
>range?

Yes, maybe.

It depends on how much radio noise there is around. For example, my phone
at home has a range of 300m. If you put it on a space probe and pointed a
large
radio telescope at it, you could probably pick it up halfway across the
solar system. If it was in the middle of a large city and there were many
other
such phones on the same frequency, you might have problems at just 1km.

>It's one of those things I thought I understood pretty well but that, on
>futher thinking, realized I didn't understand at all. If someone could
>explain this to me in terms that your average 12-year-old could comprehend,
>I would greatly appreciate it. :-)
>
>Ciao,
>
>Joseph R. Dietrich
>yikes@evansville.net
>
>
>
>
- --
  http://www.btinternet.com/~salvo/
  Postmark Design Bureau, Emerging Technologies Division.
 "Microwaving half-baked ideas from across the Galaxy"

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

End of Traveller-digest V1999 #930
**********************************

To unsubscribe to Traveller-Digest, send the command:

unsubscribe traveller-digest

in the body of a message to "traveller-request@lists.imagiconline.com".
If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is
coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that
address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe
"local-traveller":

subscribe traveller-digest local-traveller@your.domain.net

A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to
subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "traveller-digest"
in the commands above with "traveller".

Multi-Player Games Network http://www.mpgncom
