Rules for Radios?, Specifically shortwave radio... Options

[ColdEquation]

One of my characters (the rigger, to be exact) has invested skill points in radio-related knowledge skills, and is a ham radio operator in his spare time. While there are lots of rules for radios like shadowrunners would use during a mission, I can't really find anything on this sort of radio. I figure that shortwave radio is still around in Shadowrun, especially in places like the NAN, Africa, and other less populated areas. There's a lot of potential for communications, numbers stations, pirate stations, and using the radio networks to gather intel, but I don't have any real rules to work with.

Could someone point me in the right direction? If there aren't rules, I'll have to make some up, but I want them to be functional. Thoughts?

[Deadmannumberone]

Make it a radio with a rating 6 non-standard wireless link module.

[RunnerPaul]

The 10km Signal Range for a Rating 6 nonstandard wireless link module seems less than satisfying for an approximation of amateur shortwave broadcasting without some sort of houserule for bouncing it off the ionosphere.

[Gamer6432]

Aye, an approximate 6 mile radius is less than a high end walkie-talkie you can pick up at Radio Shack. Something like rating 9 (400km range) seems more appropriate. It's what the book says most commercial AM/FM station broadcasting gear is at (Signal Rating table, pg. 222 SR4A).

[SkepticInc]

The neatest thing about radios in SR is that they aren't limited in the same way we are now. With smart materials, FPGAs, and nanoware, you'll have practical Software Defined Radio, allowing your Rigger to use the same device to cover almost any broadcasting frequency. It should let you use Encryption/Decryption to maintain a conversation over wireless that jumps frequencies according to a set pattern (the Encryption), so it would be perfect for the uses you described.

A software-defined radio system, or SDR, is a radio communication system where components that have been typically implemented in hardware (e.g. mixers, filters, amplifiers, modulators/demodulators, detectors, etc.) are instead implemented by means of software on a personal computer or embedded computing devices. While the concept of SDR is not new, the rapidly evolving capabilities of digital electronics render practical many processes which used to be only theoretically possible.
--Wikipeida

[Ed_209a]

One of my characters (the rigger, to be exact) has invested skill points in radio-related knowledge skills, and is a ham radio operator in his spare time. While there are lots of rules for radios like shadowrunners would use during a mission, I can't really find anything on this sort of radio. I figure that shortwave radio is still around in Shadowrun, especially in places like the NAN, Africa, and other less populated areas. There's a lot of potential for communications, numbers stations, pirate stations, and using the radio networks to gather intel, but I don't have any real rules to work with.

Could someone point me in the right direction? If there aren't rules, I'll have to make some up, but I want them to be functional. Thoughts?

I doubt there are any rules for low frequency radios. If there are, they would probably be in Unwired.

If something quick & dirty will do, double the Signal rating for range purposes, and say it can only be used for voice or instant messaging.

[Hand-E-Food]

The 10km Signal Range for a Rating 6 nonstandard wireless link module seems less than satisfying for an approximation of amateur shortwave broadcasting without some sort of houserule for bouncing it off the ionosphere.

Each hit on a Computer (radio) + Logic test increases the signal rating by 1. The recipient's radio requires a sufficient signal rating for two-way communication. Alternatively, maybe an Electronic Warfare (signal) + Logic test would be suitable?