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Standard Communications Range: 42,000 - 100,000 kilometers
Standard Data Transmission Speed: 18.5 kiloquads per second
Subspace Communications Speed: Warp 9.9997

INTRASHIP COMMUNICATIONS Communications aboard a vessel are generally one of two forms: voice or data.

The ship's computer systems, along with peripheral hardware nodes, are able to handle both forms. This aspect of the vessel is comparable to the central nervous system of a life form. The vast quantity of data distribution grid hardware ensures that voice and data communications is able to move from any place aboard the vessel to another place with no hindrances. While the hardware is the same throughout the vessel, the ways they are utilized can differ and are elaborated upon in this document. When docked at a Starbase or other facility, communications generally occur through physical connections between the data distribution networks of the vessel and facility.

Communication System Hardware (Internal):

Dedicated intraship communications equipment utilizes over 8,000 dataline sets and terminal node devices located throughout the vessel, run in parallel with pure hardware telemetry links of the data distribution grid. This is the primary conduit for voice and data communications aboard the ship. A similar quantity of radio frequency (RF) based terminal node devices scattered throughout the vessel act as a backup system. Another backup systems runs parallel to the energy distribution grid consisting of 7550 kellicams of copper-yttrium-barium superconducting wiring. The same terminal node devices are utilized in this system.

Each terminal node is a cylinder 5.75cm in diameter and 1cm in thickness. The casing for the cylinder is made of molded polykeiyurium. Internally it consists of a data and a voice portion. The voice section has an analog-to-digital voice pickup/speaker wafer, preprocessor amplifier, optical fiber modulation input/output subcircuit and digital-to-analog return processor. The data relay section contains two nested circuits consisting of a standard subspace transceiver assembly (STA) found in most communicators, and a short-range frequency modulation pickup and emitter. Hand-held and portable devices not wired into the data distribution grid send and receive data through the data transmitter/receiver subsystem. Though duplicate RF receivers exist in the backup system, the work in the primary system to manipulate data transmissions for broadcast on the optical fiber system.

Intraship Communication Operations:

To perform voice communications, the crewmember will normally identify themselves, state the location they are trying to establish communication with, and the individual they wish to speak to (optional). The artificial intelligence system of the communications-monitoring computers will study the content of the message, attempt to locate the intended receiver, and then activate the communication system of that area. A slight delay in transmitting the broadcast will be experienced as the computer system does the required analysis work. Further broadcasts will be transmitted in real-time.

In Yellow/Red Alert conditions or other crisis situations, a high-speed processing system will be activated. This special condition will give priority to processing messages to and from the bridge to insure that orders go out quickly and situation reports can be received quickly.

Communications can be facilitated between any standard hardware equipped with RF-based or STA-based devices by manual keypress or a verbal command to the computer. Before processing the request, the computer will seek authorization to perform the requested action.

Authorization includes:
Password/voice authentication.
Keypresses for specific hardware.
Verification of device type.
Data transmission protocols.
Multiple device sequencing protocols.
Securing of the broadcast(s) may be performed by either manual input or verbal request. This is dependent on the equipment involved in the communication and their location(s).

For guests, all visitors to the vessel can retain any communication equipment (communicator badges, hand-held communicators, communicator stations, etc.) they bring aboard. Their operating frequencies are programmed into the ship's systems to allow them to be recognized.

SHIP-TO-SHIP COMMUNICATIONS (NOTE: As mentioned above, this also covers ground communications beyond the limit of the medium-power transmitters [limited to approximately 40,000 kilometers).

Communication System Hardware (High Power):

The long-range communication equipment consists of 12 ultra-high power subspace transceivers. Each unit is a trapezoidal solid 3 x 2 meters and 1.5 meters thick. These units are installed below the hull skin. The antenna arrays are the only devices in the outer 5.67 centimeters of the hull skin layer. Direct field energy wave guides connect these to the transceivers. Due to these broadcasts being made at either sublight or at warp speeds, the transceivers include a sublight signal processor, warp velocity signal processor, adaptive antenna radiating element steering driver, relative velocity sending/receiving compensators (RVS/RC), a combined selectable noise/clutter eliminator and amplifier stage and a passive ranging determinator. Encryption/decryption is managed by the computer processors.

Transmissions have a maximum data transmission rate of 19.3 kiloquads/second. Transmissions are generally initiated by a signal packet containing all necessary information about the sender. Routing is often done by security personnel. Routine transmissions between scientific, technical and operational offices are cleared by security at initial contact, then are conducted real-time. Alert conditions will determine how much involvement security will have in managing broadcasts. In cases of voice transmissions between personnel, there can also be data transfers along multiple subchannels. These secondary broadcasts often contain information being exchanged between those speaking.

Transmissions going out can also include ship logs, sensor recordings, strategic/tactical analyses and ship/crew information. Incoming data can include navigational database updates, news updates, summaries of logs from other vessels/starfortresses/outposts, orders/advisories and other information.

SHIP-TO-GROUND COMMUNICATION (NOTE: This refers to communication between external locations in relatively close-range (approximately 20,000-40,000 kilometers orbital distances). Communication with locations very far away (significantly beyond orbital distances) will work the same way as SHIP-TO-SHIP communications described below).

The main computer will route communications external to the ship through the RF-based and STA-based systems. Frequencies are routinely set aside for external communications as backup to the STA-based system. RF-based communications are subject to speed-of-light limitations, so time and distance considerations exist to limit their usage.

Communication System Hardware (Medium Power):

The RF-based system consists of 15 quadruply redundant transceiver assembles cross-connected by the data distribution network and copper-yttrium 2153 hardlines and are linked to the computer communication processors. These assemblies are partially embedded within the hull structure in a manner that maximizes antenna coverage around the vessel, yet keeping antenna timesharing loads manageable.

Each transceiver is an octagonal solid measuring 1.5 meters across and .25 meters thick. There are separate voice and data subprocessors, eight six-stage variable amplifiers, real-time signal analysis shunts, and input/output signal enhancers at the hull antenna level. The RF-based system is powered from Type III power taps off the power distribution grid. Limitations to the RF-based system come from the speed-of-light nature of this form of communication. This system is usually limited to distances of approximately 5.2AU (Astronomical Units). Channeling the broadcast through the main deflector array has been able to broadcast a signal of acceptable clarity up to 1000AU, but there is no practical application for this as long as the STA-based system is available.

Just as the warp propulsion system is more powerful than the impulse propulsion system, the same comparison can be drawn between the STA-based system and the RF-based system. The STA system requires approximately 100 times more power is required to move the signal into the range of subspace frequencies. The benefit of this system is a dramatically improved-quality broadcast signal. Personal communicators do not require vast amounts of power to operate as long as the vessel is in range to have its much more powerful and sensitive transceivers utilized. Personnel operating on a planetary surface or other area off-ship over a wide area can utilized the vessel or other communication equipment as relays and boosters to maintain contact with each other.

Twenty five medium power subspace transceivers are built into the hull structure and distributed widely similar to the RF equipment. Each transceiver is contained in a trapezoidal-shaped solid measuring .575 x 1 meters and .5 meters thick. These operate on a Type II electroplasma power tap with a maximum power load across all 25 nodes of 1.43x102 megawatts. Each transceiver contains voice and data processors, electroplasma power modulation enhancers, subspace field coil subassemblies, directional focusing arrays and related control hardware. The interface between the data distribution network and the STA system is a combination of real-time communication and artificial-intelligence software. Synthetic-intelligence systems are installed due to the FTL nature of subspace communication and the need to overcome time lags that would result from the main vessel computer trying to work with another FTL system with a slower connection between them.

This system is generally used for maintaining contact with away teams, ground forces, intelligence-gathering operatives and communication with local personnel. The STA system is also tied into the transporter system to perform beamup/beamdown operations. A minimum of three transceiver arrays are required to achieve a reliable transporter lock.

The maximum safe distance for a lock is approximately 40,000 kilometers due to a median matter stream blooming tolerance of .005 arc-seconds. Contact originated outside of the vessel is categorized into one of two ways: crew-initiated and outside-originated. Crew-initiated communications will be directed immediately to the intended recipient.

Outside-originated transmissions are routed through security before being sent on to the recipient (if approved by Security or a senior command officer). Transmissions classified as "Emergency" will be routed directly (Security being alerted to it if the protocol used for the transmission allows them to be notified. Some "Command Only" transmission protocols will bypass security monitoring systems. These are only available to high-ranking personnel within Starfleet).

Broadcast encryption/decryption work is performed by the FTL processors of the communication system. Encryption algorithms are changed on a cyclic scheduled determined by Starfleet Command. Each vessel possesses unique algorithms.