The ability to use your 1 on 1 radio to contact another person in another star system. Long distance phone calls. If they do not have this ability they cannot respond to the user through the normal 1 on 1 radio method. Shuttles and Base communication tower rooms tend to be equipped with LR Radio so someone without the ability can use their 1 on 1 radio normally in these places and their transmission will reach long range targets. Alternately, instead of buying LR_Radio just use your IC faction channel, which can be heard by everyone in your faction regardless of where you, and they, are located around the galaxy.