Signal (information)

“ Strictly speaking, a visual signal is any visible sign by which intelligence is communicated, but in a military sense the term visual signaling has a broader meaning and includes other methods of transmitting information than those which appeal to the sense of sight. ”

“ While, in consequence of the development of electrical invention and improvement, visual signaling will be less frequently resorted to in future than heretofore in the service of field lines of information, it should be appreciated that the necessity for an adequate supply of apparatus of this kind, and the need for skilled manipulators to operate it, has in no wise diminished. ”

“ Visual signaling is and always will be a most valuable means of transmitting information [10] in peace and war, and it is not to be imagined that it will ever be supplanted in its particular function by the introduction of other methods. Occasions will frequently occur in the field when no other means will be practicable, and then, if not before, will the value of the system be fully emphasized. ”

“ For sixteen years he had conducted the Nachrichten with signal ability; maintaining its high character as a center for astronomical research and information of the highest order, and even raising, whenever possible, its tone of scientific dignity, impartiality and judicious discrimination. ”

“ Definition.—The term "field message" is applied to all messages sent over field lines of information. All field messages for transmission over field lines of information by electrical or visual means should be plainly written by the sender on the blank forms in the United States Army Field Message Book. The practice of verbally delivering telegrams to enlisted men for transmission should invariably be discouraged. ”

“ When a number of stations are in view from one station and it is desired to send a message to all or more than one station, some preconcerted signal, as a rocket, a red light, or some peculiar flag or torch signal, should be designated as a signal for general attention. ”

“ N. B. Much practice is necessary to enable members to exchange this signal in such a manner as not to attract attention.
2d. The Signal of Danger—This signal is for use when Miss Jane, or any other foe-woman, heaves in sight. It consists in rubbing the nose violently, and at the same time giving three stamps on the floor with the left foot. It must be done with an air of unconsciousness.
3d. The Signal for Consultation.—This signal is for use when immediate communication is requisite between members of the Society. ”

“ Is your old information so precious that nobody must know it? What makes you so suspicious of everybody and everything?"
"It is not right that the enemy should have knowledge of the movements of the Imperial army," replied Fritz. "That is all."
"And that's quite enough to make me feel that I'd like to be a spy once just for pure spite!" declared Jimmie. "You and your spy business make me tired! We Boy Scouts don't care a rap about your old information!"
"Perhaps," was the smiling response. But Jimmie saw in the smile and the single word a doubt of his statement. ”

“ But this is what you think, and not what you have figured out, for if you have eight flags of different colors and display them, four at a time, on the signal halyard you can make the surprising number of 1680 permutations; and this, you will allow, is enough to say anything that you may have to say.
Although a code book is found in every signalman’s outfit, he is a chap who knows all the signals by heart and can send and receive flag messages almost as fast as you can write down the words. ”

“ Wonder how a signalman can by any means contrive to keep a cool head on his shoulders, while working as one sees him in a signal-box of glass, and the temperature of the tropics.
Wonder if upon an average there are three men in a thousand who have never been puzzled by the hieroglyphics in Bradshaw. ”

“ If you used a focused signal, you’re going to have to be perfectly aligned if you’re going to talk back to your base, so unless you want to provide a connection to one tiny pinpoint somewhere a couple kilometers away, it won’t do you any good. ”

“ Pigeons to be used for signal communication should be trained with the message holder attached to the leg to accustom them to carrying it. Pigeons should be distributed to combat troops, with message holders attached if it is known that the receiving troops have not had training or experience in handling the birds. Otherwise, holders may be delivered separately. Personnel of a loft should make every effort to provide message center units being served with necessary information concerning care, handling, and release of birds. ”

“ When there is a dot at the end of the arm it represents the cap of the signal-man. You see, then, that a man on one side a river might, by making one letter at a time, communicate what word he pleased to a man on the other side of the river, who might signalize it to another in the same way, and so on to any distance required. ”

“ A telegraphic message travels with the speed of light, for the speed of electricity and the speed of light are the same. A telegraphic signal would go more than seven times around the earth in one second if it travelled on one continuous wire. ”

“ The instrument with which we are contending is capable (in theory) of transmitting a message either telephonically or telegraphically. In practice, this means that the signaller, having wasted ten sulphurous minutes in a useless attempt to convey information through the medium of the human voice, next proceeds, upon the urgent advice of the gentleman at the other end, and to the confusion of all other inhabitants of the cavern, to "buzz" it, employing the dots and dashes of the Morse code for the purpose. ”

“ He wanted me to try to straighten out some of his wrongdoings."
"Then this does not refer in any way to information that might be of value to our enemy?" questioned the Kaiser, looking keenly at the lad.
"Not in the least!" declared Jimmie, returning the other's gaze frankly and fearlessly. "You are a good enough judge of human nature to determine whether I'm telling you the truth or not." ”

“ The correct determination of background color from the vicinity of home stations is usually difficult and unsatisfactory, and it is considered the best method to establish communication with the distant station by simultaneously using several kinds of signaling apparatus, that kind producing the most intelligible signals being retained for continued use. ”

“ Regarding a printed notice on the wall that strangers are particularly requested not to distract the attention of the signal-man from his duties, we take a look round, and the general impression to be got from a cursory glance is that it must be rather jolly to be a signal-man. ”

“ In most systems of signals suitable for military use, each signal is composed of one or more separate units, known as elements. Having prescribed a certain number of elements, the various signals are formed by having these elements appear singly or together in different arrangements or combinations. The continental system is one of two elements, namely the dot and the dash, while the Morse system employs three elements, the dot, the dash, and the space. Having agreed upon a certain number of combinations of elements, a system of signals is formed by giving a meaning to each combination. ”

“ There is scarcely any commercial industry whose successful existence does not vitally depend upon some one, perhaps several systems of signaling, and improvements of old and inventions of new signal devices are continually necessary to meet the requisite needs demanded by the progress of art and science. Railways are probably the greatest of all commercial users of signals. With them the great mass of intelligence is transmitted by the electric telegraph and telephone, but the flag, the semaphore, the signal light, and many other contrivances furnish indispensable visual adjuncts. ”

“ Another form of signal, although not capable of use at very great distances, may, however, be employed with considerable advantage, under certain circumstances. Universality and economy are its great advantages. ”

“ The propagation media, including the Earth, atmosphere, and ionosphere, as well as physical and electrical characteristics of transmitters and receivers, influence the stability and accuracy of received radio signals, dependent upon the frequency of the transmission and length of signal path. ”

“ The system shall provide means for the visual and aural indications of signals transmitted by ultra-high frequency positive-cone-of-silence and fan type marker stations. The design of the system shall preclude, insofar as possible, erroneous patterns of the transmitted signal caused by the receiving system. ”

“ Our commercial code of signals is so invented and arranged that no matter what tongues may meet, perhaps those utterly incomprehensible by word of mouth, yet by these signs communications may be carried on with great facility. The whole system is so beautifully simple that a child of ordinary intelligence can understand it. ”

“ I may here say, that when once a man gets out of a signal-box—either for good or bad deeds—nobody can ever get him to take to it again. A signalman may see men join the service years after him, placed in positions just under the eyes of the authorities, and promoted over his head. ”

“ The signal-man is able to survey the lines all round him by the aid of his electric signals; he can talk by telegraph or telephone to his neighbors and his station-master; he learns of the motion of the trains he is marshaling by the different sounds of electric bells; he controls his out-door signals by the deflection of needles or the movement of miniature semaphores; he learns the true working of his distant signals by their electric repetition; machinery governs and locks every motion that he makes, so that he can not make a mistake. ”

“ The person who makes the signals must stand on one side in front of the instrument; and, by passing his hat slowly before the aperture any number of times, may thus express each unit's figure of his signal. ”

“ You may wonder how one wireless operator gets into communication with another. He first listens in to determine whether messages are coming through the ether within range in the wave-length he is to use. Hearing nothing, he adjusts his sending apparatus to the desired wave-length and switches this in with the signal aerial which serves both his sending and his receiving set. ”

“ The signal experiment is duplicated thousands of times in the education of every human being. He learns the meaning of signs and slight indications; that is, he learns to recognize important facts by aid of signs that are of themselves unimportant. We shall have much to say on this matter in a later chapter on perception. Man learns signs more readily than such an animal as the rat, in part because the human being is naturally more responsive to visual and auditory stimuli. Yet the human being often has trouble in learning to read the signs aright. ”

“ It will be found convenient to have an answering signal from the receiving end of the line to each word separately. This must be sent in the pause after each word, and consists of the short signal E – when the word is understood, or the double short signal I – – when the word is not understood. ”

“ E. Price-Edwards recently delivered before the Society of Arts a valuable lecture on "Signaling by Means of Sound," in which he considered the requisites of a good signal, and discussed the merits of the different signals in use. The essential quality of a good sound signal is that it shall give a strong sound which can be uniformly heard at a definite distance. The range of a sound is determined by the force with which it is uttered, and is modified by certain conditions of the atmosphere. ”

“ It is all very well to say that each signal is repeated, and therefore that a mistake would be instantly corrected; but we all know what mistakes occur in telegraphic messages, even if we pay for their being repeated. ”

“ I may here remark that men are sometimes appointed to the position of signal-inspectors who have never done one hour’s duty in charge of a signal-box in their lives. Just fancy an official of this kind being entrusted with the very important duty of seeing that signalmen thoroughly understand all the important points connected with their duties that I have named! ”

“ We generate a signal, vary the frequency until I lose my mutant powers—and that's it! We generate as strong a signal as we can. Then we have every transmitter in the country put on a direct line to us. When the radar spots the first saucer, we let go with every kilowatt of power we've got. ”

“ THE Signal Service of the United States performs a great service to science by inculcating the value of scientific investigations. Observations in meteorology were formerly buried in the proceedings of learned societies, and met the eyes only of a few scientific men: now they are discussed at the breakfast-tables of a million people. The departments of physics in our universities and technical schools have reason to thank the Signal Service for leading the public mind to see the importance of physical investigations to the ordinary pursuits of mankind. ”

“ It has become necessary, therefore, to rely upon small electrical instruments, miniatures of the out-door semaphores, which direct the signal-man in the box how to exhibit his out-door signals by displaying the signals which they themselves ought to give. ”

“ Man has made a simple code of signals representing his alphabet, and right merrily do we rap out the signals for which we receive orders at the distant end of the wire, while some one at the other end listens to the sounds we cause to be made. ”