Ion pulse communicator

From Reach

The Ion Pulse Communicator is the method through which the colonists communicate with the colony ship. Due to the thick atmosphere of the planet, combined with the thick chemical clouds swirling between the planet and the ship, communication is all but impossible. The refractory index combined with the variable magnetic fields diverts and dilutes any transmission, rendering the signal unreadable (over 410dB power loss).

The solution to this was the Ion Pulse Communicator. This large device generates a pulse of negative ions, which are fired up into the atmosphere in a large burst. As they travel through the clouds, they repel the largely negative clouds, forming a sort of tunnel into the sky. This clears a pathway through the clouds for about 30 seconds through which the attenuation is reduced to 190 dB, a much more readable level. The powerful (10 Megawatt) signal is dissipated to 2 nanowatts by the time it reaches the colony ship.

These devices are roughly 4x4x4.5 meters, and weigh over 3000 Kg. Due to the large size, they are not transportable, except for the rare portable version fitted on ATV 4ks. Each colony was issued one upon landing, but many have fallen into disrepair, leaving only 37 still functional.