[The E]

Way I see it, knowledge getting truly lost is really, really rare. There is always the option of reverse engineering. But, you are right, of course. The fact that we (as players) never get told about any communication whatsoever with Earth is one of the more glaring holes in FreeSpace canon.

[Mobius]

Maybe the communications are classified? Maybe someone did not want to make them public because they'd de-legitimate the Terran branch of the main GTVA authorities?

Or maybe the collapse of the node has triggered a series of events that somewhat compromised the stability of subspace, creating some sort of "subspace shockwave" that stops all transmissions coming to/from Sol

I'm using the second option to justify the fact that the GTVA didn't know anything about the EA(and viceversa) before the first, dramatic contacts between the two factions.

[mr.WHO]

I heard that some scientists calculated that almost all current radio transmissions after travelling 2 LY are becoming so weak that background noise (stars, galaxies, universe) make it impossible to hear anything useful.

I think that GTVA could build super large radio emmiter that could make contact between ACentauri and Earth but:
1) such emiter would fry any human trying to get close to it.
2) It would be so powerful that it would jamm any other transmission within whole system - not a good idea in populated core system

[The E]

I heard that some scientists calculated that almost all current radio transmissions after travelling 2 LY are becoming so weak that background noise (stars, galaxies, universe) make it impossible to hear anything useful.

I think that GTVA could build super large radio emmiter that could make contact between ACentauri and Earth but:
1) such emiter would fry any human trying to get close to it.
2) It would be so powerful that it would jamm any other transmission within whole system - not a good idea in populated core system

1) So you don't put Humans near it.
2) I'd guess that they'd do it anyway, because a) regaining contact with Earth, if only sporadically, would probably be a huge morale booster for the Humans, b) such a transmitter wouldn't have to run 24/7, c) We don't know if FTL communications would be affected and d) hardening com lines on the planets isn't that hard.

[Mobius]

Click!

[castor]

2) It would be so powerful that it would jamm any other transmission within whole system - not a good idea in populated core system

Could it be any worse than this?

[Rodo]

the FTL transmision wave travels through intersystem jumpnodes :O

or...if mater can travell at FTL speeds then wouldn't transmissions too?

[Mobius]

Or maybe the word FTL should be used in BSG-related discussions...

Seriously, although we know of subspace jumps/communications in the FreeSpace universe using the word FTL seems a bit awkward, even if it fits.

[The E]

Why? That abbreviation has been around for, like, ever, long before BSG started.

[redsniper]

Or mabye the initials FTL were in use long LOOOONG before BSG and we should all be fine using them for anything Faster Than Light.

[Mobius]

Uhm, you're right...it might be lingual...

[Mongoose]

Realistically speaking, the Alpha Centauri problem is most likely a plot hole that just didn't think about.  Within the universe, we're obviously left with educated speculation.  Subspace communication is definitely out, as everything we've seen in the games suggest that intersystem communications would need to be relayed through the same node that no longer exists.  The main options I see as being probable mostly overlap with those Herra mentioned:

1)  No one's left in Sol to respond to any attempts at contact, due to Shivan attack through some never-discovered node or some sort of mutually-assured destruction between different factions in Sol.  The former would have made for an especially-powerful kick in the nads were it used in the nonexistent sequel.

2)  The GTVA has made contact with Sol, but the results of the contact are disturbing enough that the information has been classified at the highest level.  Maybe some sort of ultra-militaristic fashion has risen up and seized power.  Maybe the Vasudan elements left stranded in Sol have somehow managed to take over the place.  Maybe the aforementioned Shivan attack is currently in-progress.  Insert your own reason here.

3)  The GTVA has attempted to make contact, but some sort of phenomenon existing in the space between Sol and Alpha Centauri has made their efforts futile.  Perhaps some sort of interstellar medium that largely absorbs radio wavelengths is positioned smack-dab between the two star systems.  Or, like Mobius suggested, maybe the Lucifer's subspace cataclysm created some sort of strange anomaly that deflects certain wavelengths of the EM spectrum.

Out of those three choices, I kind of feel like the third is the most probable reason.  Three or four light-years represents a whole crap-load of empty space, and any number of factors contained within it could render getting a coherent message through next-to-impossible.  It would certainly explain why the issue was never raised at all in FS2, even in a speculative sense.  Still, though, that first option would make for one heck of a campaign...

[Mobius]

Do you want to wikify your post, Mongoose?

Click!

[General Battuta]

This seems like it needs some kind of tag, Mobius. Like one of those big non-canon ones, or a speculation one.

[Col. Fishguts]

Out of those three choices, I kind of feel like the third is the most probable reason.  Three or four light-years represents a whole crap-load of empty space, and any number of factors contained within it could render getting a coherent message through next-to-impossible.  It would certainly explain why the issue was never raised at all in FS2, even in a speculative sense.  Still, though, that first option would make for one heck of a campaign...

Barnard's star is roughly 6 light years away from Earth, so it would be a feasible alternative to Alpha Centauri.

I don't think there's a good technical reason why radio transmission wouldn't work. Even with todays technology we would be able to easily send and receive narrow beam radio transmissions over a few light years distance.

I think simply forgot that possibility.

[Wobble73]

Unless the lensing effect of mini black hole got in the way?

[karajorma]

Barnard's star is roughly 6 light years away from Earth, so it would be a feasible alternative to Alpha Centauri.

It wasn't settled until after the Great War finished. So it's doubtful Sol would be expecting a signal from there. The best system is actually Sirius as it's not far away and the Terrans would be expecting a signal from there at least as much as Alpha Centauri.

[Col. Fishguts]

Ah, didn't know that Barnard's wasn't settled (is there canon mention of that somewhere?)

But I guess the GTA remnants in Sol would start listening to several star system according to the distance if nothing were to be picked up from Alpha Centauri.
Same goes for sending... it wouldn't require much effort to start piping newsfeeds and the like through big transmitters pointed at a handful of nearby settled star systems.
Actually I would have expected that the GTVA would start sending from several systems pointed at Sol.
That way, both Sol and the GTVA would get constant news from each other with a few years of lag.

[Snail]

CONSPIRACY!!!

The GTVA is in contact with Sol, they just don't want to tell anyone!

[Pred the Penguin]

Conspiracy definitely feel like the logical choice here. Phenomenon would be the excuse from GTVA. =/