[Ryan]

The GTVA currently control Alpha centauri, less then 5 LY's from earth, right?

And we have sent TV, radio, and other signals across lightyears, right?

So why not send Messages to and from Earth? Sure, no real-time talking, no real help, but it would tell the people of Earth there families are safe and sound.

[terran_emperor]

Well, that is the obvious thing to do...and the obvious reason is that it kind of makes the story moot...

But it might not have occured due to the post great war fall-out...on both ends

Postulate:
1) the Inter-system Communication system relies on jump nodes stable enough to travel. As all nodes from Sol are gone, so are those those lines are out. leaving sol with internal subspace comms

2) the destruction of the Lucifer in Sol system, hey it was half way through the node, might have flooded the system with a high level of radiation that rendeners Extreame Long range Radio dead

or someone tried to ring, but no-one was in to pick up the phone and there was no answer machine. or they got cut off for not paying theeir bills  

[Hyper Ion]

Just a highly unlikely theory, but perhaps humanity had developed beyond the need of radio communication so much, they forgot how to use it. Sort of like with e-mails and how we have no idea how to write letters anymore. Though I suppose a better analogy is telephone vs. morse code. In a technologically advanced society, we're bound to lose the ability to perform tasks we took for granted.

[Admiral_Stones]

Quite frankly, I'm guessing all the chatter going on in FS IS transmitted through radio waves/a radio.

[Snail]

I think it's just because they have, but ****ing GTVA command classified it all Level HyperOmegaLevel92.1

[TrashMan]

I think it's just because they have, but ****ing GTVA command classified it all Level HyperOmegaLevel92.1

Level92.999

[karajorma]

Quite frankly, I'm guessing all the chatter going on in FS IS transmitted through radio waves/a radio.

It's fairly obvious that comms is FTL. Ships are never out of contact with command no matter where they jump in a system. In fact the only time I remember a ship being out of contact with Command is in Lions Den where they are in a completely different system. 

The only other explanation involves Command always moving to be near the player. Which seems rather unlikely.

[TrashMan]

I speculate that there are subspace bouys or relay stations at every node that create a small subspace vortex and transmit data normally trough the nodes (sorta like the internet). The ships and the buys themselves again communicate sending radio messages trough subspace in-system.

[Snail]

I had a similar idea... A kind of "jumping" transmission.

[TrashMan]

It kinda makes sense that any FTL communication would probably use hte same method for reaching those speeds as the ships themselves

[Mad Bomber]

Perhaps they did try, and got no response. The receivers in Sol would have to be actively looking for a signal.

Or, if the government in Sol had become repressive enough, and the official government line were "everyone outside of Sol is dead", those who tried to contradict that official line with pesky radio evidence would be promptly tossed in jail or an insane asylum.

On the other hand, maybe INFA is right and they were far too busy fighting one another to pay attention.

[karajorma]

Or they were simply looking at Sirius while the GTVA sent the signal from Alpha Centauri  

If it took either party longer than 4.4 years to build the radio telescope it could easily be that they are looking in the wrong place.

[Snail]

I still think GTVA Command are evil bastards who classified everything.

[lenard27]

Perhaps they did try, and got no response. The receivers in Sol would have to be actively looking for a signal.

Or, if the government in Sol had become repressive enough, and the official government line were "everyone outside of Sol is dead", those who tried to contradict that official line with pesky radio evidence would be promptly tossed in jail or an insane asylum.

On the other hand, maybe INFA is right and they were far too busy fighting one another to pay attention.

I'm pretty sure that Sol would be actively looking for a signal from the rest of the terrans.  But I could totally see the leaders of Sol totally going in that totalitarian government route.

[Unknown Target]

There was a huge discussion on this awhile back actually, look it up for reference if you'd like

[TrashMan]

And what was the conclusion?

Lemme guess - there was none

[WMCoolmon]

I don't think it's got much relevance to the story in Freespace 2, does it? It'd take years to send a message either way, so it wouldn't be reasonable at all for either the GTVA or the earth to try to exert much control over each other.

GTA: "What's up?"

*Years pass*

Earth: "Not much. You?"

*Years pass*

GTVA: "Nah. Just chillin'."

*Years pass*

Earth: "That's cool. How're things with the Vasudans working out?"

*Years pass*

GTVA: "Just fine, thanks. BRB, Shivans."

*Freespace 2*

[Mustang19]

I still think GTVA Command are evil bastards who classified everything.

Any receiver in Alpha Centauri (which is actually a Vasudan system) would pick up all the Law and Order broadcasts, wireless torrents, podcasts, and whatnot from Earth, so there'd be no way to stop someone from finding out. The FS2 techroom suggests that the Sol society destroyed itself after the collapse of the node, which would be why the GTVA was never able to contact them. It says that "all attempts at contacting Earth have failed", implying that the Terrans probably tried everything they could think of, including using 20th century style radio transmissions. The stupidest part is that, if you can build antimatter torpedoes, then you can build a drone that will travel at .5c or so and reach Earth in 10 years, then broadcast back what's going on.

You're not the first one to ask, Ryan. Virtually every subject you can think of pertaining to the FS2 story has been discussed before. The conversation usually finds a conclusion quickly and then turns to spam for want of discussion material. When looked at logically, the FS2 universe makes little sense.

[Agent_Koopa]

I don't think it's got much relevance to the story in Freespace 2, does it? It'd take years to send a message either way, so it wouldn't be reasonable at all for either the GTVA or the earth to try to exert much control over each other.

GTA: "What's up?"

*Years pass*

Earth: "Not much. You?"

*Years pass*

GTVA: "Nah. Just chillin'."

*Years pass*

Earth: "That's cool. How're things with the Vasudans working out?"

*Years pass*

GTVA: "Just fine, thanks. BRB, Shivans."

*Freespace 2*

Haven't read that Isaac Asimov story, have you? The solution, as proposed by an old lady, is simply to broadcast all the time and not wait for an answer. That way you get the answers to your questions without asking.

[Flipside]

GTVA: "Just fine, thanks. BRB, Shivans."

Kinda reminds me of my Eve days.

I would suspect that contact had been made at some point, if Earth is technically capable of recieving it, the concern is, had it been good news, like everyone is fine and dandy, then they'd have made it fleet-wide knowledge. The only real reason for hiding good news would be to hide Earth, but the Shivans have never shown a real attraction for such things as interrogation, so the morale boost would probably outweigh the risks. That, in itself, suggests that all is not as it should be on Earth.