Sources??
This page is in serious need of sources if it wishes to remain intact. --Gvsualan 02:24, 25 Feb 2005 (GMT)
very exostensial thought, the page itself wishing to remain intact??? lol
We don't have a page on ship phasers yet, but when we do, this page should be used as either a disambiguation page, or an article on both (which would be logical, considering they are both build on the same principal, one just being a bit larger). -- Redge 10:36, 22 Jun 2004 (CEST)
- Do you think it's really necessary to distinguish them? They have the same operating principles. I think it's fine as just one page. -- McC 01:00, 23 Feb 2005 (GMT)
I'm deleting the part at the end that says stuff vaporized in TOS because they didn't have enough budget. This is pure speculation and I'm sick of people trying to decanonize TOS as a whole because it doesn't look that pretty. -- Mark 2000
That Which Survives establishes that the 23rd century Federation phaser could heat metal to maximum temperature of 8000 degrees Centigrade. This definitely belongs in this article. 64.229.181.69 03:32, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)
- However, that statement does not tell much since different metals have different heat capacities, meaning that the same amount of energy used causes different rises in temperature. Furthermore, that's a rather odd statement considering that the vast majority of metals, if not all of them, (at least those we know today) would be in gaseous form at 8000 degrees Centigrade.--Timo Takalo 23:07, 13 Sep 2005 (UTC)
Phaser Turret Schematic in TOS "Space Seed"
Just wanted to pop in and comment on the first note at the bottom of the article to say that there's at least one episode of TOS besides "The Trouble With Tribbles" where an image of a phaser emitter is seen, and that's in "Space Seed." It's at the point where Khan is in Sickbay and reading schematics and texts for the Enterprise. One of the images is a schematic of the ship's phaser turrets (if I remember correctly, specifically the ones on the saucer section; it's basically a ball turret). It's shown on screen in such a manner that makes it perfect for screen capturing, if I recall.--63.230.159.110 21:01, 8 Jul 2005 (UTC)
You're mistaken, that diagram in "Space Seed" was something else entirely, something with long lateral lines going across the page, probably some kind of perspective view of somthing. --Atrahasis 00:41, 13 Sep 2005 (UTC)
ok, i may be misunderstanding the topic, but you see a live action shot of a phaser emiter on ds9 when the cardies try to take it back, the up close shot consists of torpedo turrets taking aim and the phaser turrets right beside them.
Two Points
There definitely needs to be a picture in this article. If I knew where to get the images, I would add one myself -- but phasers were a standard prop in the two series I watched, TOS and TNG. I'm amazed no one has yet added an image.
Second:
- Since early times, human beings have endeavored to create less lethal weapons.
That's a nice sentiment, but it seems to me the opposite is true. Is there some reason for this inaccurate (and not particularly encyclopedic) sentence?
Alien weapons
I may be at the wrong article (ie: disrupotr, phase weapon, energy weapon, etc.) But should this article have "Alien" sub-headings like Tricorder has? I can think of a number of alien weapons, including the "you-have-to-look-closely-to-see" Vulcan phasers. Because this article seems to be strictly about Starfleet phasers (read first line) - AJHalliwell 13:09, 18 Sep 2005 (UTC)
References
I think most of the text referring to the use of each setting of the phaser should be backed up with a reference to an episode, if possible. Zsingaya Talk 18:33, 25 Oct 2005 (UTC)
- I believe so as well. At the moment, they all come directly from Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Manual, which isn't realyl considered a canon source. --From Andoria with Love 19:02, 25 Oct 2005 (UTC)
Re-write
Phaser-type weapons, as has been mentioned above, have been seen in other races, such as the Vulcans. At the moment, the page only has information about Federation weapons, and only a small section on the ship-mounted weapons. I reckon this page could get really good with a community-effort. Special attention should be paid to the Sidearm settings section, which probably doesn't come from on-screen references. Zsingaya Talk 22:34, 25 Oct 2005 (UTC)
removed info
- When discharged, phasers typically emitt a "bew bew" like sound wave. This wave pattern is due to the transition of tricobolt particles within the particle accelerator between trans-sonic velocities.
I don't think we need a fan-based explanation as to why a phaser goes "bew bew"... --From Andoria with Love 20:10, 27 February 2006 (UTC)
History
I removed the following from "History", as it comes froma novel and is non-canon:
":It seems that the phaser pistol had not come into regular service even in Kirk's time; in the novel Ashes of Eden, during a simulation, Kirk (as the phaser control operator of the USS Farragut on the surface of the planet) is holding a laser pistol and musing that only the only phasers around are shipboard phaser banks on the USS Farragut. This imples that at that time, shipboard Phaser Banks were installed on the larger starships, but that the hand held versions were not as common."
Roundeyesamurai 03:14, 4 June 2006 (UTC)
Recent Edits
I find myself dissatisfied with the recent edits, removing the power setting information to the "Background" section. As the information is from a permitted resource, and considered reliable unless contradicted, I think it should be returned. Otherwise, an extensive rewrite of the part of the article regarding phaser capabilities seems in order. The article just doesn't look right as it is. Capt Christopher Donovan 07:23, 9 September 2006 (UTC)
- Where is is said that the Tech Manual being a permitted resource? The current canon policy states that the Tech Manual, among other books written by production staff, "may be referenced in Trek Universe articles, but should be formatted as background information as described in Memory Alpha's Manual of Style." Where does it say information from those books are allowed to be included in articles? --From Andoria with Love 04:59, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
Galaxy Phasers
Here's some food for thought.
In Star Trek: Generations, Riker ordered a return fire on the renegade Bird of Prey. The Bird of Prey's shields deflected the blast and they were only dealt minor damage. Ok, so what's the deal here? Why couldn't they continue firing phasers, or cause more damage to an old D12 BOP?
Let me go into a bit more detail.
The Enteprise D was able to fire all weapons simultaneously on full against a Hunsnock vessel and a Borg Cube. The phasers even caused significant damage to the Borg Cube at J25, and knocked out the tractor beam in BoBW. It's odd how the Enterprise was only able to get off one phaser shot at a Bird of Prey, not much of a ship, but was able to put up a decent fight against more powerful enemies like the Borg. You don't mean to tell me that the Klingons just scared them to death do you?
Also, in the battle to retake DS9, Galaxy wings 9-1 and 9-3 simply blew by a Cardassian Galor Class taking her down with no more than five phaser bursts. The Galor didn't even appear to have shields, but I'm just guessing that's DS9 effects. The Galor is a much more poweful ship than a Bird of Prey, but it can't take the same damage that a BOP can?
Lets not forget that the USS Oddyssey wasn't able to do much damage to the Jem'Hadar fighters, but in the battle to retake DS9 we can clearly see a Galaxy Class ship eliminating a Dominion ship with ease while the Defiant is being chased by the Jem'Hadar.
I realize the producers had to work with a script, time, and a budget, but with disregard to that can someone explain the large difference in Galaxy phasers between TNG, DS9, and the movies?
--JeanLucPicard1 20:51, 13 September 2006 (UTC)JeanLucPicard1
Darmok
I bring up another interesting point. In TNG Darmok, the Enterprise fired its phasers from the forward torpedo tube. I know Riker ordered Geordi to reconfigure the phasers to drop the Tamarian field, however, I don't think Geordi was a capable enough engineer or had the right equipment to reconfigure phasers to fire from the torpedo launcher. That would require a major overhaul of weapons systems at a starbase.
--JeanLucPicard1 20:54, 13 September 2006 (UTC)JeanLucPicard1
- While you're above comments regarding phaser use against a BOP raise some good points (and I wish I had answers for you – basically, it's probably a writing error; in canon, it can't really be explained without speculation), the point about Geordi's recalibrating the phasers in "Darmok" is more of a critique or an opinion of an element of the episode, neither of which are really suitable for talk pages. Having said that, Geordi has worked many miracles during his time as chief engineer – just consider this another one. ;-) --From Andoria with Love 21:17, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
Ship Phaser Power
I have looked through just about all the material concerning Phaser, how they work, who has them, and their different sizes, 4-12.
We know that with the re-fit of the NCC1701 to NCC1701A that the "Phaser Bank" which was exhaustible (Doomsday Machine) and needed to be recharaged after use, to a direct feed from the warp-core from Star Trek the movie. However, moving from the MK IV, MKVIII, MK X (array?) and MK XII there is no coralary information as to the lower and upper power ranges of these weapons. I feel as though this needs to be addressed. I don't own any of the manuals or other tech books, so could someone add some kind of reference to this issue.66.245.46.170
- Even if the tech manuals give this information, it can only be included as background information, and not canon. Please read the Memory Alpha:Canon policy if you have any questions. --OuroborosCobra talk 17:03, 24 October 2006 (UTC)
Phaser Cannon?
I belive a page addressing Phaser Cannons such as that seen on the Enterprise-D in All Good Things... should be added! -- Awar 12:57, 24 May 2007 (UTC).
- I also belive that this page should also feature an article on Phaser Cannons! -- Awar 12:57, 24 May 2007 (UTC).
Necessary power
I'm not quite sure where this would go, but it definately deserves a mention somewhere:
LaForge: ...a reactor capable of producing 4.2 gigawatts. Riker: Enough to power a small phaser bank, or a subspace relay station, or... LaForge: a hologram generator.
(TNG: Who Watches the Watchers)
70.243.215.63 21:22, 1 June 2007 (UTC)