Internal coordinate system

[WildKazoo]

I have recently started getting into the technical aspects of Star Trek starships. I purchased the TNG Tech Manual and have been poring over that. I was intrigued by the internal coordinate system established for the Enterprise-D (found on pages 20-21).

I was wondering if anyone had attempted to apply the system to other classes, like the Intrepid or the Akira that don't have such a defined separation between their primary and engineering hulls.

 

[DEWLine]

I don't think that's been done yet with the other starship classes. An attempt to work one out for DS9 was included in that series' Tech Manual as published by Pocket Books.

 

[Boris Skrbic]

The Enterprise-E and the Defiant don’t even have sections as part of door labels, unless the room numbers on smaller ships in some cases double as sections (it may or may not be a coincidence that Deck 2, Section 5 in “One Little Ship” corresponds to the engine room, where we usually see a door labeled 02 05).

 

[WildKazoo]

I don't think that's been done yet with the other starship classes. An attempt to work one out for DS9 was included in that series' Tech Manual as published by Pocket Books.

Good to know. I'll have to look at that one. I'm guessing it was probably rather simple for DS9 though since the station is round and symmetrical.

The Enterprise-E and the Defiant don’t even have sections as part of door labels, unless the room numbers on smaller ships in some cases double as sections (it may or may not be a coincidence that Deck 2, Section 5 in “One Little Ship” corresponds to the engine room, where we usually see a door labeled 02 05).

Hmm. I wonder if they gave up on continuing it from TNG due to the headache it was to figure out labels and be consistent.

 

[Boris Skrbic]

Who needs labels anyway? If the universal translator can ensure alternate audio is heard only by people expecting translation, the same principle could be reused in customizing voice directions for a person walking towards an intended destination. Classic labels would remain as a backup solution, but they could also be dispensed with as on Voyager.

Also, if you’re in an emergency and need to say “Hull breach on Deck 5, Section 7!”, but instead hesitate or say something like “Hull breach on <where am I exactly?>”, suppose the translator kicks in and seamlessly replaces your audio with that of the correct location?

 

[DEWLine]

There was a point to not labelling the hatches on Voyager the same way as on the Enterprise-D...

 

[Boris Skrbic]

I wonder what explanation Rick Sternbach would’ve come up with in the unrealized Star Trek: Voyager Technical Manual.

 

[DEWLine]

Those hatches were labelled like bar codes.

 

[Boris Skrbic]

Yes, but why? So you could figure out where you were by pointing a tricorder at the codes in an emergency, while normally the ship’s computer would track your combadge and beam directions into your ears only?

The cryptic designations such as 3F 127 in TOS were probably intended for a similar purpose. They could even be standardized inventory codes (identifying rooms as well as furniture), since one of them appears in the second pilot on the side of the captain’s chair.