franchise-star-trek-tng-technical-manual1

8.3 SHIP-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATIONS8.3 SHIP-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATIONSThe next higher organizational level for the overall communicationssystem involves contact and information exchangebetween the starship and planetside personnel andremote equipment.Communications external to the spacecraft are routedfrom the main computers to the radio frequency (RF) and subspaceradio system nodes. While the term "radio" is somethingof an anachronism, since Starfleet communicationsmore often than not involve visual information, it neverthelesscontinues to describe the basic function of the system. Normalradio frequencies are set aside as backups to the primarysubspace bands, though RF is in continued use by numerouscultures maintaining relations with the Federation, and Starfleetvessels must sometimes rely on this older system whensubspace bands prove unusable due to stellar or geologicalphenomena, or when hardware difficulties arise with eitherthe host or remote sides. Such space-normal radio communicationsare, of course, restricted by the speed of light,resulting in severe time and distance limitations.INSTALLED HARDWAREThe RF section consists of a network of fifteen triplyredundant transceiver assemblies cross-connected by ODNand copper-yttrium 2153 hardlines and linked to the maincomputer comm processors. All are partially imbedded withinthe structural hull material at degree and distance intervalsabout the starship for maximum antenna coverage andmanageable antenna timesharing loads.Each transceiver assembly is a hexagonal solid measuringthree meters across the faces and one-half meter inthickness. Each consists of separate voice and data subprocessors,eight six-stage variable amplifiers, realtime signalanalysis shunts, and input/output signal conditioners atthe hull antenna level. RF section power is obtained fromType III taps from the electro plasma system. The basiclimitations of the RF section stem from the c velocity limit, anda normal useful range at moderate power on the order of 5.2Astronomical Units (A.U.). RF frequencies directed throughthe steerable central component of the main deflector canextend the useful range to some 1000 A.U., though nopractical applications of this power have yet been demonstrated.The subspace transceiver specifications, in proportion,are roughly akin to the warp propulsion system being comparedto its less powerful impulse cousin. Approximately onehundred times more energy is required to drive voice and datasignals across the threshold into the faster subspace frequencies,and even when applied to relatively short distances, thetransmission reliability climbs dramatically. As with the RFsection, small transceivers such as the standard subspacetransceiver assembly (STA) in the personnel communicatorsneed not emit great amounts of power if the large transmittersand receivers remain on the starship.A series of twenty medium-power subspace transceiversare imbedded within the starship hull at various locations toprovide communications coverage similar to that of the RFunits. Each triply redundant device is contained within atrapezoidal solid measuring 1.5 x 2 meters by 1 meter inthickness. The system is powered by Type II electro plasmasystem (EPS) taps with a total maximum power load acrossthe twenty nodes of 1.43 x 10 2 MW. Each transceiver consistsof voice and data processors, EPS power modulation conditioners,subspace field coil subassemblies and directionalfocusing arrays, and related control hardware. Signal handofffrom the optical data network is done with a combination ofrealtime and sequence anticipation Al routines for maximumintelligibility, given the FTL nature of the outgoing and incomingsubspace signals.APPLICATIONSCommunications between the starship and a destinationtypically 38,000 km to 60,000 km away from the antennae arehandled by the above-mentioned radio systems. Situationsencountered cover a broad range, but most notably includediscussions with planetside governments, communicationand control of Away Team operations, local and regional crisismanagement, data collection from remote and active occupiedresearch stations, shuttlecraft departure and approachterminal guidance, and Starfleet search and rescue. TheEnterpriseSubspacetransceiverAway team/i|\Other planetaryJ8.3.1 Ship-to-ground communications