Radio

Talk on a radio out on the surface, and build and set up radio gear.

radio

radio
radio <on/off>
radio <channel>
radio channels

Use the radio you hold or wear. With nothing after it, it shows the channel and the battery. A channel is its number or its name.

The radio works only when it is on and you are out on the surface. Anyone on your channel hears you, and you hear them. No channel is private.

transmit

transmit <message>

Say something over the radio. People near you hear it too. How well a listener hears you depends on the distance and what is in the way.

The battery runs down while the radio is on and when you transmit. It charges inside the city.

antenna

antenna
antenna cut <dipole/ground plane/yagi> <MHz>
antenna cable <metres>
antenna fit <part>
antenna remove <antenna/cable/cell>
antenna <trim/add> <antenna> <mm>
antenna aim <direction>

Build parts for the radio in your hand and fit them to it. You cut an antenna from a spool of wire for the frequency you name, and a cable from a spool of coax. A cell replaces the radio's own battery. A directional antenna hears best in the direction it points.

Type use analyzer on <antenna> to test an antenna, and use meter on <radio> to read the signal.

relay

relay
relay fit <part>
relay rack <cell>
relay remove <radio/cell/panel/guys/rack/section>
relay <set up/take down>
relay <raise/lower>
relay <on/off>
relay tune <channel>
relay name <words>
relay <clean/seal/straighten>
relay aim <direction>

Fit a relay box, set it up on open ground, and raise its mast. It repeats what its radio hears to everyone in range, until its cells run out or the mast fails.

beacon

beacon
beacon fit <part>
beacon remove <cell/antenna/tag>
beacon <set up/take up>
beacon <on/off>
beacon tune <channel>
beacon name <words>
beacon aim <direction>

Fit a beacon and push its spike into the ground. It sends a steady signal on its channel until its cell runs out. A signal meter with a directional antenna can follow the signal to it.

jammer

jammer
jammer fit <part>
jammer remove <cell/antenna>
jammer <set up/take up>
jammer <on/off>
jammer tune <channel>
jammer aim <direction>

Fit a jammer and set it out. Every radio in range hears its channel through loud noise, until the jammer's cell runs out.

pickup

pickup
pickup cancel

Call the Outriders for a truck home. Use it out on the surface, with a radio you carry that is tuned to the Outrider net. If the gate hears you, a truck is sent. Stay where you are and keep the radio on until it arrives. The farther out you are, the longer it takes. The truck will not drive onto ground that is too hot.

shelter

shelter
shelter <set up/take down>

Set up the canvas shelter you carry, on open ground. It takes a while. Anyone can take it down and carry it off. The canvas rots in a few days.

flag

flag

Wave down an Outrider truck that is coming in along the road, and ride it to the gate. You must be on or next to the road. Trucks going out do not stop. A truck carries only a few people.