PERSONAL COMMUNICATOR

	The current Starfleet-issue communicator represents the latest 
improvement in small subspace radio devices. Its primary role is to maintain 
voice contact among crew members aboard ship and during away missions, 
and to provide a lock-on contact for transporter operations. Voice contact 
with other devices, such as the shipÕs main computers, is also within the 
communicatorÕs capabilities.
	The communicator casing is micromilled duranium overlayered with 
gold and silver alloys in a diffusion-bonding process. The metal alloys serve 
to complement the aesthetic design of the device, which has been fashioned 
into the Starfleet emblem.

SUBSPACE TRANSCEIVER ASSEMBLY

	The heart of the internal electronics is the subspace transceiver 
assembly (STA). This circuit incorporates an analog-to-digital voice encoder 
and low-power subspace field emitter. It is also the same circuit used in 
devices such as the personal access display device (PADD) and tricorder, 
and shares the efficient data transmission protocols.
	Voice inputs are received by a monofilm pickup diffusion-bonded to 
the inner casing and routed to the STA. While the standard STA possesses 
input channels for other data, these are not active in the communicator. As 
all Starfleet communications are normally encrypted, the voice signal pulses 
are converted by a series of encryption algorithms. These algorithms are 
changed on a random schedule by Starfleet Command for galaxywide 
subspace transmissions, and individual starship codes may be substituted 
during local away missions.
	Battery power is provided by a sarium krellide crystal rated for two 
weeks in normal use. When close to depletion, the crystal will produce a 
faintly audible oscillation; it can be returned to full power by induction 
recharging.

COMMUNICATOR CONTROL

	Control of the personal communicator while aboard a Starfleet vessel 
is a matter of preference and habit. To initiate a voice call, it is simply a 
matter of tapping the front of the badge to confirm to the STA that the 
message is meant to go out. This may seem redundant, as the intraship 
comm system is constantly monitoring and routing voice transmissions, but it 
is a good practice to learn. During away team operations, the tap is essential 
to preserving internal battery power. The tap activates a dermal sensor to 
relay a power up command to the STA.
	The range of the communicator is severely limited, mainly due to the 
small size of the STA emitter and power supply. In transmissions between 
two stand-alone communicators, clear voice signals will propagate only 500 
kilometers. This is a tiny fraction of the 40,000 km required to contact an 
orbiting spacecraft, so it is the spacecraft that must become the active 
partner in orbit to receive the communicatorÕs lower-power signals, and 
transmit correspondingly high-power signals to the communicatorÕs 
receiver.
	The communicator is a line-of-sight device during away missions. Its 
planetside range may be improved if the magnetic field value is below 0.9 
gauss, or mean geologic density is less than 5.56 g/cc.
	Various EM factors will affect voice and transporter lock. Most 
remedies to comm interference will take place on the spacecraft side, as 
there are few user-adjustable controls within the communicator. In the event 
of loss of transporter lock, other ship sensors can be brought into play to 
locate Starfleet crew members, though the process can take longer to 
complete.

USER ID SECURITY

	For security purposes, the communicator is a personalized Starfleet 
device that can be programmed to respond to the individual crew memberÕs 
bioelectrical field and temperature profiles using the built-in dermal sensor. 
If an attempt is made to operate an appropriately programmed device by 
another crew member without security override authority, the communicator 
will fail to activate. During benign situations, security codes are changed 
every five days. During emergency situations, or when Away Team members 
are involved in planetside operations, codes are changed on a random 
schedule at least once every twenty-four hours.  Æ