I'd have to check the rules again, but I wouldn't treat trying to read the communications as hacking as you aren't really trying to gain access to anything, but more as decryption.  You are passively detecting their communication and trying to figure out how to listen to it.  So I wouldn't limit it to 20ft. and it would be very unlikely to encounter any countermeasures.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=315225.msg15254867#msg15254867">Quote from: Vergil Tanner on 27-01-2020, 07:22:38</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">I mean, technically speaking, Comms should be detectable with the correct equipment. Right? I mean, militaries can intercept and detect radio chatter <em>now,</em> can't they? Though only if they know that it's there. ^_^<br/></blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>If a signal is in the electromagnetic spectrum I assume you should be able to detect it, but that's taking real world into (space opera/magical) sci-fi, and also I imagine there is a ton of effort into concealing communications even these days that I know nothing about.  Burst, directional, and who knows what else.  I imagine people much smarter than myself have probably come up with ways that I wouldn't even understand.   :P