SHIP-T0-SHIP COMMUNICATIONS

	The most energetic and far-reaching communications possible from 
the USS Enterprise encompass ship-to-ship and ship-to-starbase 
transmissions. These will typically span from hundreds of Astronomical Units 
to tens of light years, far beyond the capabilities of the lower-power 
subspace transceiver units already described.

	The communications system designed into the starship comprises 
ten ultra-high power subspace transceivers. Each is a trapezoidal solid 6 x 4 
meters by 3 meters thick, set below the hull skin layer. The antenna array is 
the only device imbedded within the outer 11.34 cm of the skin. It is tied to 
the rest of the transceiver by a direct field energy waveguide.

	Since the operation of the long-range units can take place at both 
sublight and warp velocities, the internal arrangement of the transceiver 
allows for a greater number of major assemblies, including a sublight signal 
preprocessor, a warp velocity signal preprocessor, an adaptive antenna 
radiating element steering driver, Doppler and Heisenberg compensators, a 
combined selectable noise/clutter eliminator and amplifier stage, and a 
passive ranging determinator. As with the short-range system, signal 
encryption/decryption is handled by the main computer.

	All Starfleet starships are able to transmit and receive voice and data 
via subspace, at a maximum transfer rate of 18.5 kiloquads/second. Calls 
between ships during low-action levels are usually initiated by a hailing 
signal packet, which contains all pertinent information relating to the calling 
ship. The call, usually directed toward upper-tier command personnel, can 
be held for routing to the proper destination by Security or Ops. Routine 
voice and data exchanges between scientific, technical, and operational 
departments aboard both vessels can be cleared by Security once contact 
has been established.

	Crisis action levels, especially during Red Alert, can see normal 
hailing signals circumvented, depending on the exact situation. As with the 
other communications modes, calls can be closed out by either active 
controls, direct voice commands, or the aural monitoring functions of the 
main computer as it processes contextual cues.

STARBASE CONTACTS

	Communications with starbases are handled in a similar manner. 
Depending on the action level and distance from the starship, voice contact 
with a starbase can be routed through numerous Starfleet Command tiers. 
As face-to-face exchanges take place, information is constantly moving 
along hundreds of other high-speed subspace channels. Starship logs are 
downloaded along with volumes of collected information, including vehicle 
hardware and crew performance, sensor scans, strategic and tactical 
analyses, experiment results, and many other areas. Uploads to the starship 
include new additions to the galactic condition database, Starfleet clock 
synchronization values, compilations of other starship downloads, flight 
advisories, mission orders, and other information necessary to the smooth 
running of a starship. While docked at a major starbase, voice and data are 
normally transferred by the ODN.

NON-STARFLEET CONTACTS

	Most of the key interstellar-capable cultures in the Milky Way have 
come to use subspace frequencies in the interest of rapid communication. 
To echo an old saying, itÕs the only game in town. As such, even those that 
have had dealings with the Federation but are not members usually have 
gone some way toward adopting some common protocols, if only to interact 
with Starfleet vessels. Those who do not use standard voice and data 
translation routines, especially newly encountered races, can nevertheless 
be dealt with if the Enterprise main computers can perform adequate signal 
analyses and produce viable algorithms for use with the universal translator.

	In many cases, however, dedicated survey and contact ships will 
precede starships as large as the Galaxy class, performing pathfinder 
missions, making cultural contacts, and compiling the required 
communication information. The possibility always exists, however, that a 
certain small percentage of true first contacts will be made by the 
Enterprise, activating a series of events designed to insure adherence to the 
Prime Directive by all concerned departments. Pending Federation policy 
determinations on the specific contact, StarfleetÕs traditionally conservative 
interpretation of the Prime DirectiveÕs noninterference requirements may 
result in subspace channels being closed down or set to higher encryption, if 
it has been determined that a new contact is using subspace radio.  Æ