Personal
Communicators
An
indispensable part of every Federation crew member's basic equipment, the
personal communicator was initially designed to provide planet-to-ship voice
transmissions as well as helping transporter crews lock on to personnel.
Modern-day communicators also allow the crew to talk directly to a ship's
computer.
The
modern-day multi-function personal communicator is attached to a crew member's
uniform, on the left side of the chest, and can be used in often startling ways.
The device's protective casing is made with duranium and then coated with gold
and silver alloys. Despite its simple, elegant appearance, beneath the casing is
a collection of computer components and a sarium krellide power cell.
Using
the communicator
For all its complex technology, the communicator is activated with a simple tap
and issues an electronic chirp to confirm that it is ready for use.
The wearer states his or her name and the intended recipient and the
communicator establishes the connection. The recipients voice is transmitted on
the communicator's audio speaker.
The link is broken when either a voice command or if the communicator itself
detects the discussion has ended. But the communicator can remain 'hot', ready
to relay follow-up speech without the preliminary tap.
Shipboard
communicating
Personal communicators are superfluous on vessels equipped with an intra-ship
comms system (which automatically detects and dispatches verbal messages without
the need of an additional external device). However, the communicator still
works on the ship as normal.
The
STA
The main component in the communicator is the subspace transceiver assembly (STA),
also used by many other Starfleet devices. SImply put, the STA turns the
user's words into a digital burst that is captured by one of many short-range
radio frequency (RF) transceivers embedded about the ships hull.
The RF transceivers then coordinate with the onboard optical data network (which
controls all intra-ship and subspace communications) and the main computer comm-processors
to establish a link with the desired location.
Transporter
Lock
Detailed data pinpointing the communicator's precise location is an additional
by-product of the communicators exchange with the RF transceivers, because the
transporter system is linked to the transceiver system. This is not the only way
to establish a transporter lock, but it is, by far, the most convient.
Universal
Translator
When connected with the ship's computers, a communicator also has Universal
Translator capabilities. ANy crew member can communicate in any known tongue
and, with enough data, the translator can also decipher a high percentage of any
new languages that may be encountered.
Range
The communicator's STA generates only a weak subspace field. It's the ship's
short-range RF transceivers that perform the bulk of the power-receiving and
transmitting work that makes transmissions from 38,000 to 60,000 km possible. (A
ship generally orbits at a distance of 40,000km). Without boosting from the
ship's RF transceivers, an away team will kind the communicator's range limited
to approximately 500km.
Encryption
circuit assembly
Standard Starfleet procedure dictates that all communications must be sent in
encrypted form. The personal communicator's encryption circuit assembly computes
the encryption algorithms prior to transmission. The encryption algorithm comes
from, and is randomly changed by, Starfleet command for all Starfleet
communications throughout the galaxy.
Dermal
sensor controller
Each communicator is customized to function only when it is being used by the
person to whom it was issued. A dermal sensor controller inside the communicator
ensures this by verifying an individuals unique bioelectrical fields and
temperature profiles prior to executing commands.
Only someone with the proper authority and access to the security code can
override the dermal sensor controller, and security codes are changed frequently
to prevent misuse. This system is designed to prevent unauthorised use by
hostile forces.
The dermal sender controller also detects the user's activating tap and notifies
the STA to go into power-on mode.
Power
cell
The communicator's power supply is a tiny sarium krellide crystal battery with a
two-week life-expectancy. The user is warned when the crystal needs to be
recharged or replaced. Keeping the communicator in a power-down mode, as most
away teams do, preserves the power resources.
Without boosting from the ship's RF transceivers, an away team must keep in mind
the communicator's range and power cell limits. If a planet's density and
magnetic fields are low, the communicators range may be increased. However,
electromagnetic fields can also prove a hindrance to proper functioning.
Still, these are only minor variations to one of Starfleet's most reliable and
valuable devices.
