[Mobius]

I don't really think the conspiracy theory is valid, but I had to mention it in the Wiki article. It's politically correct, and afterall that theory is interesting...

[Snail]

Not valid?

[Mobius]

Part of the NTF's propaganda would be based on the fact that the GTVA kept transmissions coming from Sol secret...

[karajorma]

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

Not exactly....

New Technology: Flail Cannon

Research and Development teams at Sol have recently completed development on a few new weapons.

A group of Terran scientists has returned from a previously unexplored system known as Laramis, and bring with them a new weapon called the Flail.

Since you can only get to Barnard's via Laramis it seems likely that Barnard's was also unexplored.

[Mongoose]

Do you want to wikify your post, Mongoose?

No.

I think simply forgot that possibility.

This is pretty much it, and the problem is that the plothole it creates is big enough to not be filled in easily.  Something like that bit of technobabble Inferno is going with is probably about as good as we can be expected to do.  Like you mentioned, Alpha Centauri isn't the only system within easy striking range, and even the conspiracy theory falls apart when you realize that any private entity with a few radio telescopes pointed at Sol probably would have been able to pick up any signals themselves.

[AlphaOne]

well assuming that most of the comunications are done via subspace stations or something did anyone stop to consider that :

1-because of the node crash that means no subspace FTL comm's !
2-because of the node crash perhaps some sort of disturbances have appeared that slow down or make it really really hard next to imposibble to comunicate outside SOL sistem.

3-What is the deal with all this "your mom" stuff. Its giving me the creeps.

[Blue Lion]

Is it possible they never used a intra-system communication other than through a node?

For all we know they might not even have detailed locations on exactly where to send the signal.

[Knight Templar]

I've always assumed that communications were relayed through subspace.

The real question is, actually, why Earth hasn't contacted the GTVA via conventional means. Alpha Centauri is only ~4 light years from Sol (probably not precise, but you get the idea).

Fix'd that for you. And yes it's a plot hole if any. It isn't explained how all contact to Earth can be lost - they should have started transmitting radio messages towards Earth from Alpha Centauri immediately, and gotten some kind of response eight years afterwards. Obviously it must be assumed that there hasn't been an answer, and that can be explained by quite a few ways though they fall in three main categories...

-Earth can't receive the signal. Unlikely considering the GTVA resources and technology, but still possible in case enough Shivan forces got through the node to bring Earth back to stone age or outright destroy the civilization. A case of "There's no one there to answer", if you will, although given the canon ending of Great War, I think the Shivans were eventually defeated by the First Fleet (and Alpha 1). An internal squabble developing into full scale war would also be possible...

-Earth can't transmit the signal. Similar scenarios on smaller scale could hypothetically lead to inability to transmit powerful enough signals to Alpha Centauri.

-Earth doesn't want to respond. There could be many reasons for this. Protectionist, corrupt government? Terran supremacy? Religious revolution? An external threat can easily be used by populistic politicians to get the population to sacrifice freedoms for "safety". It's possible that Earth and Sol system were overtaken by political agenda that does not see it beneficial for them to establish connections to GTVA. They might just be interested in increasing their military might so that if and when the gates to GTVA space open, they can take over and likely destroy or subdue the PVE instead of treating them as partners.


Just a few options...

You forgot the most important reason; plot tension.

Communication speed in science fiction is and always will be, dictated by plot-driven needs.

[General Battuta]

Are you actually Setekh? Of Crystalline Array fame?

[redsniper]

Nooooooo, he's Knight Templar. His title is Setekh. Setekh is Setekh and no one else.

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Apparently, that's the old HLP method of classifying members according to their post count.

And yes, Setekh is Steak.

Now, back on to the topic, I was wondering if the Radar Dishes on the Colossus does wonders for communication.

[FreeSpaceFreak]

No, I bet the radar dishes are for sensors. But mainly, because they look cool. I'd be using phased-array radar if I were them.

[S-99]

The future is lidar or better. No communications to earth would reach in time because the node to earth is closed permanently. Communications going from system to system need to pass through a node.

[Snail]

I have always and will always believe that communication is handled through subspace. A transmission is sent from one ship, hits a comm array and gets redirected either to another comm array, a jump node, or the recipient ship.

Because subspace is needed for communication, when you disable a ship's comm system it is disabled. Mobile phones and other hand-held devices are useless since they don't have any subspace capability (unless it gets zapped by Doctor Who or something).


Communication with Sol probably has taken place but the GTVA don't want us to know about it. (conspiracy)

[Androgeos Exeunt]

Unlikely. If subspace is needed for communication, how can the GTVA communicate with Sol if the only subspace node to it has collapsed?

[Snail]

Unlikely. If subspace is needed for communication, how can the GTVA communicate with Sol if the only subspace node to it has collapsed?

Radio, someone still loves you?

[Mongoose]

I hear subspace killed the radio star.

[Pred the Penguin]

Communication with Sol probably has taken place but the GTVA don't want us to know about it. (conspiracy)

Maybe it's the other way around.

[Krelus]

What I'm curious about is, how does the actual subspace FTL comm operate? Do subspace transmissions go to a central hub and then out to wherever, or do they just travel direct?

[Snail]

What I'm curious about is, how does the actual subspace FTL comm operate? Do subspace transmissions go to a central hub and then out to wherever, or do they just travel direct?

Well, there is certainly a central hub in some systems (Beta Aquilae Comms, that random Comm station in Silent Threat), but I doubt they're crucial to actual communications. Perhaps they're needed only to boost transmission strength (evidenced by how one of the Aries transports needed to get to the Comm station to bypass the transmission jammer).