Signal (messaging)

“ 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. ”

“ The sun was not yet quite down when I traversed the field-path near the top of the deep cutting. I would extend my walk for an hour, I said to myself, half an hour on and half an hour back, and it would then be time to go to my signal-man’s box.
Before pursuing my stroll, I stepped to the brink, and mechanically looked down, from the point from which I had first seen him. I cannot describe the thrill that seized upon me, when, close at the mouth of the tunnel, I saw the appearance of a man, with his left sleeve across his eyes, passionately waving his right arm. ”

“ 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. ”

“ These meanings usually include the letters of the alphabet and numerals, combinations of which being used to formulate necessary information. Combinations of elements of any system can also, however, be used to indicate any desired meaning.
With reference to period of visibility, signals are of two kinds, transient and permanent. A transient signal is one which disappears as soon as completed; [11] a permanent signal is one that remains in view for some time. Heliograph signals are transient signals, while signals made by code flags are permanent signals. ”

“ 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. ”

“ When, however, the distance would be too great for conversation, or the wind would be in the wrong direction, a few signals were used that could be distinguished a great way off. The signal to "come here" is given by standing with your face toward the party with whom you desire to communicate and then raising your right arm to the right and moving it up and down like a pump handle. The effect can be increased by holding a gun or your hat or anything that can be seen at a greater distance in the moving hand. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The assignment of men should be such that a continuous watch for signals is kept and the responsibility for neglect to promptly answer calls determined. Of the station men, one is the sender, whose duty it is to transmit all signals to contiguous stations. Another, the receiver, attends the telescope and reads and calls off the signals displayed at the distant station. A third man acts as recorder, alternately calling off the outgoing message to the sender or transcribing the incoming message repeated by the receiver. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The Chief Signal Officer has charge of the system of communicating with distant points by means of various systems of signals, the most noteworthy of which is that of the heliograph, by which information is conveyed by the use of sun-reflecting mirrors. ”

“ 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. ”

“ After transmitted sound the next thing is the visible signal, and this has been employed by human beings from the earliest ages in transmitting information to a distance. It is a method which will perhaps never be wholly abandoned. Observe the surveyors running a trial line. Far off is the chain bearer and here is the theodolite. The man with the standard watches for the signal of the man with the instrument. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The signal should be called loudly enough to be heard by every man in the midst of the din of battle. The quarter should put as much earnestness and enthusiasm as possible in the calling of the signals. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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! ”

“ That is for meeting in a room, on a train, or in the street. If you should happen to be in a restaurant, the signal would be [Pg 7] two taps of a cup on a saucer followed by three, or if it is a mug, the same number of taps against the table. Your answering signal would be the same. Don't ever do this just because you are inquisitive about a person. Have some sure grounds for believing that the man you are signalling is part of the service. Now goodbye and good fortune. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ If a telephone-receiver diaphragm can be made to vibrate in accordance with the variations in signal intensity then the air adjacent to that diaphragm will be set into vibration and these vibrations will be just like those which the human voice set up in the air molecules near the mouth of the speaker. All the different systems of receiving radio-telephone signals are merely different methods of getting a current which will affect the telephone receiver in conformity with the variations in signal strength. ”

“ For instance, when a pointsman is letting a train in or out of a siding by hand signal upon the ground, or attending to main line points, during shunting, he is generally upon the spot, and has, of course, the points close under his eye, so that he can at once see whether they are properly closed or not. ”

“ Repeaters introduce retardation, and each repeater involves a reduction
in the rate of working. Yet in many cases they increase the speed of a
line greatly, as its speed is about equal to that of its worst section,
which may be far greater than that of the whole line in one.
Synonym--Translater.
Telegraph Signal.
In the telegraph alphabet, a dot, or dash; the signal or effect produced
by one closing of the circuit. A dash is equal in length to three dots. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Each and every operator will also have a personal signal of like character. Station calls or personal signals when once given or assumed will not be changed except by order of higher authority. Every station should at all times have on hand a list of all calls and personal signals liable to be encountered in station working. The general call suited to attract the attention of any station whose regular call is unknown [79] will always be a signal represented by the letter "A" in the Morse or the letter "E" of the Army and Navy Code. ”

“ 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. ”

“ The signal to stop is a series of two pulls in rapid succession.
It sometimes happens that the assistant cannot see what [Pg 28] number is required, say, for instance, the number on a watch or the date on a coin. In this case the performer communicates with the assistant by sign language, and the assistant now telegraphs the desired number or numbers to the medium. The signs may be gotten up as in the following table ”

“ I started.
“Ah! it was a dreadful time, sir. I never left off calling to him. I put this arm before my eyes not to see, and I waved this arm to the last; but it was no use.”
Without prolonging the narrative to dwell on any one of its curious circumstances more than on any other, I may, in closing it, point out the coincidence that the warning of the Engine-Driver included, not only the words which the unfortunate Signal-man had repeated to me as haunting him, but also the words which I myself—not he—had attached, and that only in my own mind, to the gesticulation he had imitated. ”

“ In case it becomes necessary to speak to shore by speaking instruments, the signal will be given at the 50 minutes, and at the 30 minutes, as in paragraph 5, by sending 81⁄4 minutes’ reversals, commencing Z to E, and changing over to the speaking instruments, on receiving acknowledgment of call from shore (which will be also 81⁄4 minutes’ reversals) , communication or message to be sent, and when acknowledgment of message and reply (if any) is received, then the system of testing is to be resumed, as if no interruption had taken place. ”

“ He will enter in the proper places, at the head of the blank, the number of the message, the call letter of his station, with his personal signal, the check (number of words or groups of cipher contained in message, counting address and signature) , and, after "OK" has been received, he will enter the time the message was sent, and the call letter of the receiving station, with the personal signal of the receiving operator.
Order of transmission.—To transmit a message, the operator will send: (1) The number of message and call letter of his station; (2) his personal signal; (3) the check ”

“ It is time gained to do so; it is a loss of time and an annoyance to run letters together. Nothing so distinguishes the good from the indifferent operator, visual or telegraph, as this. When signals are being made with a flag, a fraction of a second will be ample. In using the lantern or heliograph, the pause between letters should be relative to the time of display of the elements, longer than with the flag. To prevent any entangling of the flag upon its staff, skillful handling, acquired by practice, is necessary. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Repeat the signal A ._ Orange, Plank. Do this a few times till all pictures are clear and come quickly.
Let all your alphabetical practice be by seeing the picture and speaking the signal. Thus, A, see the picture and speak the signal, Dot, Dash.
See to it that most of your practice is from signal to letter. This is "receiving" and requires the most practice.
In your odd moments go over signals, thus, _ _._ two bats, an apple and a bat (wrapped in a Quilt) Q.
._ _ an orange and two planks (the Wolf walks over) W.
Pictures insure accuracy, depend upon the picture. ”