113 "What is subspace radio?" (Warp and Subspace - Star Trek)
Description
This article is from the Star Trek Tech FAQ, by Joshua Bell inexorabletash@hotmail.com with numerous contributions by others.
113 "What is subspace radio?" (Warp and Subspace - Star Trek)
A means of sending a signal through subspace, so that it is not
limited by the speed of light. This is done by creating a subspace
distortion which propagates in much the same way as an electromagnetic
field. A large amount of energy is needed to send a signal any large
distance, and the more energy that is available, the deeper the signal
can be forced into subspace.
However, the signal dissipates over time, eventually releasing the
energy that is left as an electromagnetic field. A more powerful
initial signal can travel farther before this happens, but there is a
limit; too much energy and the level of subspace that is used won't be
tightly coupled to our own space-time any more, and the signal will
probably go awry.
The Federation (and presumably other Alpha and Beta Quadrant groups)
use subspace relay networks to periodically boost subspace signal
strengths. We see one of these in "Aquiel" [TNG] and Seven of Nine
uses one to "phone home" in "Hunters" [VOY].
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