Tech level of the Vulcans/Romulans

[Mikey]

Not necessarily - is a cloaking device one-way or two-way? In other words, we know that it bends light (and presumably other EM radiation) around the cloaked vessel; would it work against EM radiation coming from INSIDE the cloak? If so, then you wouldn't pick up the emissions of the nav deflector. However, that would beg the question of why they have to power everything down when the cloak goes up - surely the available power can't be SO thin that they can't even keep a light bulb on?

[kostmayer]

I think Balance of Terror established that the Romulans cloak also interfered with their ability to detect, as well as an enemies ships ability to detect them.

Spock comments that their maneuvres are leisurely, as if they did not realize they were being followed. The Romulan ship can infact detect the Enterprise, but is unable to distinguish it from a Sensor echo.

Spock also loses track of the ship when they jettison debris. This part suggested to me that the Cloaked Romulan ship may only have been detectable by active sensors, and not passive ones. When Spock focused on scanning the debris, he lost the Romulan ship.

Of course, all of this was set up as a "submarine episode", the same as the battle scenes in Wrath of Khan, and the end of Undiscovered Country. I always preferred those types of Trek Battle.

[Teaos]

I dont see how their stuff could work through it. Unless they use Star treks favorite word and say it has to do with frequency.

[Mikey]

That's my question. If it's designed to bend EM radiation around the contact, is it able to be focused "outward" only, or is it a two-way effect? And if it is two-way, then why do they have to shut all the lights out?

[Teaos]

Maybe the more light that hits it the more power it uses so by turning the lights off it reduces the work load.

[kostmayer]

Could it be their equivalent of going to Red Alert? They turn the lights off to emphasise to the crew that they're cloaked?

[Teaos]

Mood lighting?

[Reliant121]

They did it on the Defiant. And on the Klingon BOP in ST III. Perhaps it is just to tell the crew that they are cloaking. Or perhaps standard lighting gives off more energy, making the cloak less effective.

[Sionnach Glic]

Could it be their equivalent of going to Red Alert? They turn the lights off to emphasise to the crew that they're cloaked?

Isn't that kinda counter-productive? I mean, when cloaked they'd probably have everyone doing stuff to make sure they weren't detected, so wouldn't it help if they could see what they're doing? I doubt the crew would be functioning at 100% if they're constantly banging their knees off consoles and tripping over things.

[Reliant121]

Could it be their equivalent of going to Red Alert? They turn the lights off to emphasise to the crew that they're cloaked?

Isn't that kinda counter-productive? I mean, when cloaked they'd probably have everyone doing stuff to make sure they weren't detected, so wouldn't it help if they could see what they're doing? I doubt the crew would be functioning at 100% if they're constantly banging their knees off consoles and tripping over things.

Perhaps Romulans have a higher spacial awareness than us...or perhaps they are told that the only way to learn where the console is is to slam into it

[Teaos]

It shardly dark enough to cause any detremental effect for the crew.

[Sionnach Glic]

True, but there's no point in dimming the lights. It just makes things that little bit harder. Slap some red lights on instead, or something.

[Aaron]

For the same reason why naval vessels have subdued lighting in the CIC. Conserve power and make it easier to see your stations display. Look at Trek (especially post TOS) bridge consoles and observe how highly reflective they are, now picture what it's like to use a cell phone display in bright light.

[Sionnach Glic]

Ah, I see.

[Sionnach Glic]

Ah, I see.