TRANSPORTERS 



 
Transporters are an integral part of all Starships, whether they be Federation, Klingon, Romulan, Cardassian, Ferengi, Dominion or Borg.
The transporter was developed in the early 23rd century, they have been an integral part of Federation Ships for the best part of 150 years.  They are a sophisticated technical system, and have become far more efficient compared to the early trial days on the USS Enterprise NCC-1701.  The transporter not only provides a faster and less time consuming mode of transport than landing ships, but is also capable of carrying out rescue, repair and covert missions into otherwise inaccessible locations.  The normal operating range can be up to 40,000Km, though this is affected by the payload and the relative velocity of the materials being transported.  A standard transporter can carry 6 people.  A few minor disadvantages are that the transporter can not be used when shields are up or when traveling at warp speed unless the landing location is traveling at exactly the same integral velocity as the ship.
These are the basic principals of how a transporter works.
 

1. Transporter operation Sequence.  All those preparing to be transported enter the standard six-person chamber and take up their position on each transporter pad of the platform, which is elevated to prevent the chance of occasional static discharge.  At this time, the transport operator uses the systems automated controller- a dedicated sub processor located in the console off to one side - to run a self-diagnostic check in order to verify that all of the various system components are in full working order.
2. Transporter check.  All the main components of the transporter are checked automatically each time it is used in order to eliminate any potential malfunctions.  These components include the primary energizing coils, the phase transition coils, the molecular imaging scanners, the pattern buffer, the biofilter and, on the ships exterior, the emitter pad arrays and the targeting scanners.
3. Destination coordinates.  The destination coordinates are relayed via computer from another ship's station or input directly by the operator, and once the system and travelers both signal ready the operator sweeps the three red touch-sensor controls upward.  This is usually performed upon the traditional command "energize".
4. Confinement.  The annular confinement beam (ACB) creates a spatial matrix from the primary energizing coils overhead.  A secondary inner field is a back-up safety feature, to prevent an energy discharge if the ACB is disrupted.
5. Scanning. Four redundant molecular imaging scanners in the overhead pads make the memory file of each transporting subjects quantum state.
6. Records.  The pattern is stored in the ships computer as a retrievable transporter trace, and an entry in a transporter log records the beam-out itself.
7. Disassembly.  Using a wideband quark manipulation field, the phase transition coils in the lower pads begin the actual disassembly of each body by partially unbinding their energy on the subatomic level.
8. Matter stream.  Once recorded and deconverted, each pattern's matter stream is held in the pattern buffer until the Doppler shifts between ship and destination can be determined.
9. Pattern buffer.  The pattern buffer is a super conducting tokamak device holding the pattern is suspension.  One pattern buffer is shared by each twinned set of transporter chambers but, as with every stage of the beaming process, a back-up is assigned for emergency shunting if needed.
10. Beam out.  Once beam out is secured, an ACB carrier directs each patterns matter stream through an emitter array on the external hull of the ship toward the target coordinates.  A booster set of coils and scanners then work in reverse within the ACB to reassemble each pattern into its original form.
11. No receiver required.  Because no special arrival apparatus is required, a transporter destination may be another point within the same ship, another vessel, or a planets surface.  In adverse cases, a destination site's transporter may be used to aid reception, if so equipped.
12. Warp limits.  Transport between to objects at warp is not possible unless the warp factor is matched precisely, and the procedure requires and experienced operator.
13. Arrival.  Within five seconds of the initial energizing signal, the transported body has fully reformed at the target destination.
14. Return.  The repeat process from destination without its own transport system is accomplished in much the same way, using a crew members personal communicator, or ships sensors in other cases, to provide a lock on signal.
15. Security.  Weapons and other accessories deemed unwanted for security reasons maybe detected, deactivated or even removed during the transport sequence by the ACB.