7.2 Personal Communicators

Miniaturized subspace and RF communications devices are used by almost every culture operating on or near Deep Space 9. The principal Alpha Quadrant races or authorities who apply personal communicator badges to their onboard clothing and EVA garments are Starfleet crew, Bajorans, Klingons, and Romulans. Other species have adopted core devices similar to the STA for use in other hardware for voice and data transmissions.

The current Starfleet-issued communicator retains its primary role in maintaining voice contact between crew members aboard ship and during away missions and to provide a lock-on contact for transporter operations. Voice contact with the Deep Space 9 computers and that of other spacecraft, such as the Starship Defiant or Runabout Rio Grande, is also designed into the system. The casing is micromilled duranium with new proportions of plasma-bonded gold and silver alloys and reflects the latest Starfleet emblem.

The STA used in the combadge, padd, and tricorder has been upgraded in range, voice-encoding circuitry, and power-usage efficiency. Voice inputs detected by the audio pickup are improved in audio quality due to added vibrational conduits molded into the casing. The voice processor has additional hardwired AI algorithms in place for improved phoneme separation and passes the phoneme impulses through a set of user-definable filters to control word and phrase validation. These AI circuits also work directly with the integral universal translator section, a limited version of the normal large handheld device. The combadge universal translator (UT) circuit is equipped with the basic conversational libraries of 253 galactic civilizations plus the linguistic analysis routines for basic translations.

Combadge subspace radio range has been increased to 1200 kilometers in line-of-sight mode, and to 780 kilometers through geologic materials with a mean density of 7.54 grams per cubic centimeter. Command coupling with more powerful communication devices, such as emergency subspace beacons, allow combadges to make contact with each other over distances approaching 60,000 kilometers. In relay mode, beacons can allow the STA to transmit and receive voice and data over distances of up to 3.72 light-years.

Transporter lock using the combadge is always affected by interfering fields and particles, though the STA circuitry continuously attempts to bounce a clean transponder pulse back to the polling unit. Adaptive waveform algorithms in the STA automatically filter the subspace signal, even in fluctuating field conditions. If the threshold for a safe transport has been tripped, the combadge chirps a negative tone.

Power is supplied by a densified sarium-krellide cell with a continuous operating time of three weeks. Recharging is accomplished through a standard induction loop. Audible crystal oscillation indicates when the unit is close to depletion.

Bajoran Communicator

The Bajoran combadge mirrors the insignia of the Bajoran planetary defense forces and is worn on both military uniforms and civilian clothing. The forced-matrix circuit technology is hybridized between Bajoran and Starfleet, the latter mainly providing connection to and control of a more compact version of the sarium-krellide power cell than is used in the Starfleet communicator. The Bajoran unit is normally configured to Starfleet com frequencies and operates on the same voice and data transmission protocols.

The casing is fabricated from a 2.43-millimeter shell of pressure-molded hafnium-beritite, a variant of the alloy used in Bajoran jewelry. The alloy itself is colorless, but exhibits a reddish hue from the molding process; a stabilized microfracture layer changes the wavelength of the reflected light. The Bajoran type of STA incorporates the necessary audio pickup/speaker, voice and data processor circuitry, and universal translator component. The UT is slightly more limited than the Starfleet version, with only 198 available linguistic libraries, but the real-time translator is 155 percent faster. The densified sarium-krellide monofilm power cell can run the unit continuously for 2.3 weeks and is induction-loop rechargeable.

Klingon Communicator

The current standard-issue communicator badge of the Klingon Defense Forces is provided to all KDF crews, including the troops assigned to Deep Space 9 beginning in 2374. The casing is polyduranium and layered in tempered baakonite and is emblazoned with the insignia of the particular Klingon military division to which it is issued. The subspace transceiver is similar to those discussed, with significant control of distant transporter systems. The unit-to-unit range is rated at 960 kilometers. The UT library is even more limited than the Bajoran unit, but the real-time translator is comparable in speed. Power is provided by a miniature sintered therminium cell, which produces current from controlled radioisotope decay. A new cell can run continuously for 4.65 weeks.

Romulan Communicator

The Romulan communicator is most typically incorporated into the military uniform in the form of the bird-of-prey symbol. This communicator does not normally possess a dermal sensor. As such, once activated, the communicator remains on power until cell exhaustion. It is assumed, though not confirmed by either the Romulans or Starfleet Intelligence, that the units are rotated during a mission conducted from a warbird, scout, or other vessel. The casing is carved from a single metallic crystal of stepheinium-calmecite, an alloy known for its hardness and resistance to brittle fracture. The subspace transceiver specifications are not included in any declassified database, and it is not generally known if any units have been acquired for analysis.

Ferengi Translator Implant

The Ferengi have produced a small implantable universal translator which can aid in negotiations, although it does not have any subspace or RF functions. The unit measures 2.3 centimeters in diameter by 2.54 centimeters high and runs continuously on an integral sarium-krellide cell for two weeks. Muscle impulses in the lobe area control the activation of the implant. Some well-known problems exist, including EM interference, data dropouts, and intermittent operation caused by uncontrolled nerve firings due to illness or overstimulation. The unit maintains an updatable file of 756 linguistic libraries and as many currency conversion tables.

Other Communication Devices

Most com devices not worn as part of a garment are sized as handheld equipment for 50-percentile humanoids. They vary in range, bandwidth, power consumption, and translator options. Aside from the Ferengi translator, most subdermal implants and smaller STA components are not common for everyday applications and fit more into covert activity gear than routine communicators. Pack-mounted and larger transportable units are also seen, but here, too, are categorized as specialized systems for voice and data.