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Master Tracking List
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Wah Ming Chang was paid for providing ten black-bodied communicator props; two working "heroes" and eight static "dummies." Here they are in detail, as best as can be tracked during the three seasons of Star Trek as well as after. The Greek naming is our means to provide a uniform scientifically-oriented nomenclature. In determining their order and to keep them in sensible groupings, we took into consideration their prominence and importance (heroes first), familiarity, current status and moiré pattern. In case you're wondering how we figure out which comm is which... |
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> > > > The Details - HOW TO "TELL" A MATCH < < < < |
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We've added a graphic on the amount each antenna swings open, both here and on the dedicated page linked below ... |
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> > > > The Details - ANTENNA HINGE ANGLES < < < < |
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Once a comm is found and analyzed, we will offer a "Details" page with complete data on that one prop. Look for it in the left title bar. |
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Alpha (hero) |
The most salivated-over and desired comm, owing to its gorgeous star turns in "Friday's Child" and "Patterns of Force," Alpha is the version from which nearly all replicas are based. When we think "communicator," we mostly think of this one. Now that it has been found and fully documented here, we are seeing a whole new slew of ever-more inspired Alpha copies. Alias: "Spock hero" Current status: private collection of an anonymous west coast collector
Seen in: 1. Friday's Child, 2. Patterns of Force, 3. The Omega Glory, 4. For the World is Hollow...Sky |
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Moiré:
Description: 2-layer moving effect from a top pattern printed on clear .020 acetate (dot centered) above an identical image on semi-gloss white Kromokote cardstock (dot 0.107" off-center). The bottom is rotated via a 30 sec. stopwatch. It has two motions; a slow growing/shrinking of many thin arcs and an overall rotation of the pattern. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: Yes (now missing) Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: 4
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Jewels:
1966-68 |
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1968-now
 16ss
Crystal AB  16ss
Hyacinth
16ss Olivine ABIt is likely the Siam rhinestone fell off during the third season and was replaced by a Hyacinth off of a dummy comm. Researched here. |
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Beta (hero) |
Familiar mostly through its only close-up in "Day of the Dove," this lesser-known of the two heroes differs more from its famous sister than most people realize - most prominently with a similar but modified "spider" moiré configuration mounted lower in the control well and an antenna that opens up not more than 45 degrees past vertical (less than any other comm). Alias: "Kirk hero" Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1,2. Day of the Dove, 3,4. Dagger of the Mind, 5,6. Elaan of Troyius, 7. Catspaw View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré: Source: Edmund's 1960's Experimenter's Moiré Series (A) Kit, pattern #4 (radial lines).
Description: 2-layer moving effect from a top pattern printed on clear .020" acetate (dot 0.035" off-center) above an identical image on semi-gloss white Kromokote cardstock (dot centered). The bottom is rotated via a 30 sec. stopwatch. It has only one motion; a fast growing/shrinking of a few wide arcs. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: Yes Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: Probably 2
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Jewels:
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Gamma (dummy) |
Made famous by Stephen Whitfield Poe's book "The Making of Star Trek," this beautiful prop, perhaps the most quintessential of all the dummies, had a rare close-up for a non-hero, in "Assignment: Earth." It was one of the most frequently-utilized comms, with appearances in far too many episodes to be fully listed here. Besides having its antenna wire likely made of steel instead of the usual brass, it has one unique feature in that the antenna is mounted further forward than the others, closing down just outside of the control well instead of over the control panel. The center Light Siam jewel was also glued on crooked. Alias: "TMOST comm" Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1,2. Assignment Earth, 3. The Enemy Within View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré:
Description: black ink on matte cream-white paper. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: Yes Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: 3
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Jewels:
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Delta (dummy) |
A true workhorse, this comm was used all over the place. It famously fell to the ground in "This Side of Paradise," where the antenna bounced open from a rubber band wrapped around the wire near the hinge wheels. Those wheels curiously have a groove cut partially around their midlines - from source unknown. Delta is easy to ID in screen caps because of its wide moiré bezel and the empty screw holes on the bottom. It was originally owned by Set Decorator John Dwyer and then sold through a 2001 Profiles in History auction. Alias: "Dwyer comm" Current status: owned by Paul Allen, currently on display at the Science Fiction Museum in Seattle, WA
Seen in: 1. This Side of Paradise, 2. Doomsday Machine, 3 (group). Bread and Circuses, 4,5. Spock's Brain |
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Moiré:
Description: black ink on matte cream-white cardstock. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: Yes (now missing) Bottom Shell Screws: No, but with undrilled dimples to receive the screws. Moiré Bezel side grooves: 0
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Jewels:
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Epsilon (dummy) |
Control knobs placed very far apart, a pushed-in upper left edge of the moiré pattern, and a large dark distinct tarnish blotch on the antenna are the key id features when finding this often-used comm in screen caps. This piece, also originally owned by John Dwyer who first sold it to Mark English, had those traits removed during a refurbishment by the now-current owner. It has an antenna wire made of steel rather than brass, like with Gamma. Current status: owned by Greg Jein, private California collection
Seen in: 2 (group). This Side of Paradise, 3. Spock's Brain, 4. The Apple, 5. A Taste of Armageddon |
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Moiré:
Description: black ink on matte cream-white paper. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: No Bottom Shell Screws: No Moiré Bezel side grooves: 5 (or 6 - a tiny hint of a sixth groove is seen)
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Jewels:
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Zeta (dummy) |
We only see this comm twice in three years; once as disassembled on a barrel in "Patterns of Force" and next again sitting motionless on a table in the famous "Spock's Brain" group shot. Its antenna hinge today has very restricted motion, and if this problem has been present in some fashion all along, it would explain why it was never used in action on the show. The current owner took it apart again and has the Velcro and the mic grill stored separately. Current status: owned by Greg Jein, private California collection
Seen in: 2. Patterns of Force, 3. Spock's Brain |
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Moiré:
Description: black ink on matte cream-white paper. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: No Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: 3
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Jewels:
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Eta (dummy) |
For some unknown reason, this seemingly normal prop got almost no camera time, so many of the details are sketchy. A few of the external tells are a full flip-back antenna with screws, the antenna has flattened sides along with some distinct mild tarnish blotches plus a prominent solder spot 1/3 of the way back on the left, and it shows some generous midplate exposure also on the left. Inside, the moiré pattern might likely be a logarithmic spiral inset into a bezel ring mounted extremely low in the well like Theta's. The center jewel is probably a hyacinth like so many, but the left and right rhinestone colors are a bit of a guess. Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1(grp)Conscience...King, 2,5 Tomorrow is Yest., 3(grp.)Shore Leave, 4 (top)Spock's Brain, 6 (grp)Paradise Syndr. View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré:
. Description: black ink on white Kromokote cardstock. Link here for a 20% likelihood alternate pattern, and here for a 5% alternate. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: No Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: Unknown
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Jewels:
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Theta (dummy) |
While it is distinguished as being the only comm without a red center jewel, some of the internal features are not well known for lack of good close-ups. It has the sharpest "boxy" bends on the antenna's four sides and a very low-positioned moiré ring. Screen caps hint at moiré pattern "bunching" lines (fully consistent with the same wavy pattern as in Delta and Iota) but much lighter, suggesting the same image but a different source; plus the dark contrast seen in one scene tells of clear plastic top layer. This is probably the only dummy to have a two-layer moiré pattern! A smear of excess squeezed-out glue is atop the moiré around the lower inside of the ring lip. Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1 Bread and Circuses, 2, 3 (group), 4 Mirror, Mirror, 5 Metamorphosis, 6 Shore Leave, 7 (group) The Omega Glory View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré: Description: black ink on matte cream-white paper. Plus a likely plastic overlay, possibly clear. * The loose-leaf advertising insert is an exact duplicate of pages 38 & 74 from the 1965 Edmund Scientific catalog. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: No Bottom Shell Screws: No Moiré Bezel side grooves: Maybe 3
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Jewels:
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Iota (dummy) |
Seen often early in the series, it got relegated later to the back of the line. We got lucky, though, with a couple shots that show the moiré well enough to figure out the pattern from the "bunching" of the waves that form their own fuzzy lines. It is the only one of three comms that ever had its antenna swing all the way to the back that also had no screws (though its hinge stop-pin was replaced and fell out a few times). This occasional feature combined with an angled cut along its Velcro's high-up rear edge makes it easy to spot from just about any angle. Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1, 2 (group), 3 (group) Miri, 4 (group) A Piece of the Action, 5 Shore Leave, 6 Mudd's Women View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré:
(researched
here) Description: black ink on matte cream-white cardstock. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: Yes Bottom Shell Screws: No Moiré Bezel side grooves: Maybe 3
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Jewels:
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Kappa (dummy) |
This comm got the best close-up of any dummy, in "The Omega Glory." It too was a workhorse, seen aplenty all throughout. It also has the most unique (and easiest to see from a distance) moiré pattern, a static printing of the "spider" Pattern #4 clipped from a catalog ad, plus some distinctive antenna solder marks. The center jewel looks to be not a faceted flatback but a 3mm diameter round ruby or garnet cabochon gem with a "bullette" shape, probably harvested from a wristwatch crown like those Wah also used on his two tricorders). This communicator's bold look and frequent appearances are why we have it bringing up the rear of the list. Current status: unknown
Seen in: 1,2. Omega Glory, 3. Assignment: Earth, 4. Enterprise Incident, 5. Tomorrow is Yesterday, 6. A Piece of the Action View a simulation here of what it most likely would look like today. |
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Moiré:
Description: black ink on matte cream-white paper. * The loose-leaf advertising insert is an exact duplicate of pages 38 & 74 from the 1965 Edmund Scientific catalog, but instead printed on the matte stock found in the moiré book instead of the semi-gloss paper used in the catalogs. Researched here. |
Mid-Wheel Midplate: No. Bottom Shell Screws: Yes Moiré Bezel side grooves: Maybe 2
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Jewels:
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16ss
Siam
20ss
Emerald AB (5) 
16ss
Light Siam (4)
missing
20ss
Blk. Diamond AB
never installed
12ss Hyacinth*
16ss Lt. Vitrail
(1)
20ss
Peridot AB (2)
red
