Signal to Noise is an eight-part mission chain that starts with an anonymous tip about Captain Sulu’s missing U.S.S. Excelsior and grows into a war against a V’ger-like entity that builds replica Federation, Romulan and Klingon ships. You rescue Sulu, join a task force led by the Enterprise-B, cross into Romulan space, dine with Chancellor Azetbur and finally choose which fleet to fight beside. All eight parts are recommended for level 51, start at warp 1 and need warp 205 to complete. Rewards include 3 TMP Hikaru Sulu shards, 5 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 245 Challenge Credits and 432,000 Officer XP.
Signal to Noise at a glance
| Part | Recommended level | Warp to complete | Key reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal to Noise Part 1 | 51 | 205 | 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 1 Transwarp Core Tier 5 |
| Signal to Noise Part 2 | 51 | 205 | 150,000 Officer XP, 25 Challenge Credits |
| Signal to Noise Part 3 | 51 | 205 | 132,000 Officer XP, 500 Federation Recruit Token |
| Signal to Noise Part 4 | 51 | 205 | 102,000 Officer XP, 500 Romulan Recruit Token |
| Signal to Noise Part 5 | 51 | 205 | 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 1 Transwarp Core Tier 5 |
| Signal to Noise Part 6 | 51 | 205 | 500 Klingon Recruit Token, 60 Challenge Credits |
| Signal to Noise Part 7 | 51 | 205 | 50 Quantum Communicators, 70 Challenge Credits |
| Signal to Noise Part 8 | 51 | 205 | 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 3 Transwarp Core Tier 5 |
Every part starts at warp 1, and completing one part opens the next.
Signal to Noise Part 1
An anonymous tip off sends you into dangerous territory. A message with Starfleet access codes points you to a destroyed listening post whose memory bank holds Sulu’s call for reinforcements, sent from the Rehan nebula.
- Retrieve the message, in Gamma Sedra.
- Find the memory bank, in Gamma Sedra.
- Investigate the battle, in Rehan.
- Destroy the Klingon ship, in Rehan (enemy strength ~17,249,879).
- Destroy the Romulan ship, in Rehan (enemy strength ~17,249,879).
The Klingon and Romulan ships attack together, which your officer finds highly concerning. Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 1 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 1,900 3★ Raw Gas, 396,000,000 Tritanium.
Signal to Noise Part 2
Search for the U.S.S. Excelsior, or its remains. Deeper in the nebula Sulu makes contact, and you defend his damaged ship, patch it up and then face the Excelsior’s own sister ship.
- Find the U.S.S. Excelsior, in Rehan.
- Follow Sulu’s bearing, in Rehan.
- Defend the Excelsior, in Rehan (enemy strength ~17,249,879).
- Use 680M Tritanium to repair the Excelsior.
- Engage the Excelsior’s sister ship, in Rehan (enemy strength ~20,291,657).
Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 25 Challenge Credits, 150,000 Officer XP, 250 3★ Common Refined Crystal, 1 1 Hr Peace Shield.
Signal to Noise Part 3
Regroup with Starfleet. The ships waiting in Jemia are not the Federation fleet but cloaked Constitution II-class vessels with genuine transponders, and the Enterprise-B and Uhura’s Leondegrance arrive to help drive them back.
- Assist the Federation fleet, in Jemia.
- Defeat 3 hostiles of Level 51 or higher.
- Follow the Enterprise-B into battle, in Jemia.
- Ward off the unknown Starfleet vessels, in Jemia (enemy strength ~17,882,135).
- Defeat 4 hostiles of Level 51 or higher.
- Pursue the enemy force to Heruyos, in Heruyos (enemy strength ~19,968,447).
Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 40 Challenge Credits, 500 Federation Recruit Token, 132,000 Officer XP, 1,000 1 Hour Speed Up.
Signal to Noise Part 4
Determine the political situation that caused this conflict. No enemy ship will answer a hail, so you stir up trouble near the Neutral Zone until the Romulans come to you, and end up face to face with the Praetor.
- Gain the attention of the Romulans, in Kayla.
- Defeat 4 hostiles of Level 45 or higher.
- Cross the Romulan border, in Teranth.
- Engage the Romulan vessel, in Teranth (enemy strength ~19,553,313).
- Escape the Praetor, in Teranth (enemy strength ~22,170,271).
- Return to the task force, in Heruyos.
Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 50 Challenge Credits, 500 Romulan Recruit Token, 102,000 Officer XP, 260 3 Hour Speed Up.
Signal to Noise Part 5
Analyze wreckage left over from the battle. Captain Scott of the Enterprise-B wants pieces of the enemy ships to study, and McCoy wants samples of his own.
- Gather enemy wreckage, in Jemia.
- Use 3.9B Parsteel to store the wreckage.
- Deliver the wreckage to Scotty, in Heruyos.
- Beam the debris to the Enterprise, in Heruyos.
- Gather the samples, in Jemia.
- Bring the samples to McCoy, in Heruyos.
This part has no combat. Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 1 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 2,000 Commander XP, 144,000,000 Dilithium.
Signal to Noise Part 6
Sulu and the Excelsior return with new orders. The enemy is now understood to be V’ger’s fleet, and you travel into Klingon space to find Chancellor Azetbur, whose forces have been losing ships to what look like Federation allies.
- Attend the meeting of the fleet, in Heruyos.
- Find the Klingon Chancellor, in Inoss.
- Defend yourself against the Klingons, in Inoss (enemy strength ~19,553,313).
- Join Azetbur for dinner, in Inoss.
- Return to the fleet, in Heruyos.
Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 60 Challenge Credits, 500 Klingon Recruit Token, 48,000 Officer XP, 1 4 Hr Peace Shield.
Signal to Noise Part 7
While Spock is unconscious, V’ger attacks. A new armada pushes the task force back to Jemia, including an Excelsior-class sister ship that V’ger has brought back. When Spock wakes, he warns that this entity is like V’ger but darker.
- Join the task force, in Jemia.
- Defeat 5 hostiles of Level 51 or higher.
- Defeat the attacking Excelsior-class, in Jemia (enemy strength ~23,029,645).
- Defeat the replicated Romulan ships, in Jemia (enemy strength ~19,553,313).
- Request urgent Klingon reinforcements, in Jemia.
Warp to complete: 205.
Rewards: 70 Challenge Credits, 50 Quantum Communicators, 400 3★ Battleship Parts, 90 8 Hour Speed Up.
Signal to Noise Part 8
The intruder has entered Federation space. The replicated armada breaks through to Gamma Sedra, and after holding the line you chase the intruder to Avofall, where you pick a side for the final push.
- Join the battle against the intruder, in Gamma Sedra.
- Hold the line, in Gamma Sedra (enemy strength ~17,249,879).
- Destroy the Battle Cruiser, in Gamma Sedra (enemy strength ~19,968,447).
- Break the wave of Excelsior-class ships, in Gamma Sedra (enemy strength ~23,029,645).
- Catch up with the intruder, in Avofall.
- Target a V’ger Fighter, in Avofall (enemy strength ~25,144,247).
- Choice: which fleet should we fight beside?
Starfleet
- Help Starfleet stop the intruder, in Avofall (enemy strength ~25,144,247).
- Blockade the enemy fleet, in Rehan.
Rewards: 3 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 500 Federation Recruit Token, 50 Quantum Communicators.
Klingon Defense Force
- Help the Klingons stop the intruder, in Avofall (enemy strength ~25,144,247).
- Blockade the enemy fleet, in Rehan.
Rewards: 3 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 1 TMP Hikaru Sulu shard, 500 Klingon Recruit Token, 50 Quantum Communicators.
Warp to complete: 205.
Tips for completing Signal to Noise
Every part needs warp 205, so one ship with that range can carry the whole chain. The action moves between Gamma Sedra, the Rehan nebula, Jemia and Heruyos, with side trips to Teranth, Inoss and Avofall.
The fights climb slowly, from about 17.2 million strength in Part 1 to about 25.1 million for the V’ger Fighter and the final fight in Part 8. Part 8 has five fights, so it is the part to start with a fully repaired ship.
Plan for two payments: 680M Tritanium in Part 2 and 3.9B Parsteel in Part 5. The small hostile sweeps in Parts 3, 4 and 7 list no system.
The Part 8 choice only changes the recruit tokens: Federation Recruit Tokens with Starfleet, Klingon Recruit Tokens with the Klingon Defense Force.
Are the Signal to Noise rewards worth it?
Yes, especially if you want TMP Hikaru Sulu. The chain gives 3 of his shards, 5 Transwarp Core Tier 5, 245 Challenge Credits, 432,000 Officer XP, 100 Quantum Communicators and a spread of recruit tokens and speed ups. The fights are easy at level 51, and the travel is steady at warp 205. For more missions at this level, see the STFC mission guide.