XPost: rec.arts.sf.tv, rec.arts.tv   
   From: rgorman@block.net   
      
   On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 17:02:21 -0000, pv+usenet@pobox.com (Paul Vader)   
   wrote:   
      
   >ANIM8Rfsk  writes:   
   >>> Star Trek communicators are magic. Deal with it. *   
   >>   
   >>First I want an example of communicators talking through a planet.   
   >   
   >The enterprise is in orbit. Therefore, for much of the time, it has no line   
   >of sight to the landing party. The planet's in the way.   
   >   
   >Unless the enterprise always uses geosyncronous orbits anyway. I suppose   
   >that's a possible fanwank. *   
      
   Why wouldn't they be in a geosynch orbit?  The only reason I can think   
   of is, that they are in orbit around a planet with a lot of space   
   traffic so they need to take an available orbit instead of a good one.   
      
   Even then they have the kind of power budget that lets them just hover   
   in position.   But since we know they can't normally beam through   
   planets, and since we know they can normally beam up from every   
   landing party at a moment's notice, I don't think there's a good   
   reason to automatically assume that communicators work through   
   planets.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)