Lesson 10 : Use of the NROTC Exercise Signal Book

Learning Objectives

• comprehend the organization of the NROTC Exercise Signal Book

• encode/decode tactical signals using the NROTC Exercise Signal Book

• review the key single flags and pennants introduced in the handout (vice Cpt 2)

• Do not memorize the signal book!

ATP 1B, Volume II• Allied Maritime Tactical Signal and

Maneuvering Book - dissemination of orders and information pertinent to allied naval operations– commonly used with flaghoist and radio

telephone – security classification CONFIDENTIAL

• simple, unchanging code used

• do not transmit when in danger of interception

• use of the NROTC Exercise Signal Book

NROTC Exercise Signal Book• Used in place for instructional purposes only

due to security classification– similar mechanics to the ATP 1B, Vol II– signals SHOULD NOT BE MEMORIZED

• Divided into three sections:– Instructions– Signal Vocabulary– Index

NROTC Exercise Signal Book• Book consists of 33 chapters

– Chapter 1: General Instructions for use of signal book

– Chapter 2: Single Flags and Pennants• refer to handout

– Chapter 3: Emergency alarms and action signals– Chapters 4-9: Maneuvering signals utilizing

special flags and pennants• FORM CORPEN

• STATION SPEED

• TURN SCREEN

NROTC Exercise Signal Book• Book consists of 33 chapters

– Chapters 10-31: Operational and Administrative Signals & Flag Action Tables

• arranged alphabetically and under headings with basic signal group I.e. Administrative - AD

• Three chapters contain special action tables that enable common signals to be made into the shortest form possible

• Action tables identified by single numeral flags– Flag 1 - ASW

– Flag 2 - Surface Action

– Flag 7 - AAW

– Flag 9 - Torpedo Action

NROTC Exercise Signal Book• Book consists of 33 chapters

– Chapter 32: Supplementary Tables• each table has a heading

– Table A - Aircraft

– Table B - Beach

– etc….

• And ID letter that follows the number suffix

• Example : Table B - Beach, 20. Blue 3 – write as “20B”

– Chapter 33: Standard Position Indicators• ZZ - center of the force

– Index

Basic Encoding vs. Decoding

• Encode - reference should be made to Index– Index lists keywords to desired signal with basic

signal group and chapter– DO NOT USE INDEX SOLELY to construct signal

• “Have radar contact believed to be enemy aircraft”– half of class look up “radar” in index– other half look up “contact” in index

Basic Encoding vs. Decoding

• Radar– “have radar contact” = RD1

• Contact– “have radar contact” = RD1

• “Have radar contact believed to be enemy aircraft”– RD1-1-D

Encoding vs. Decoding

• Decode - refer to main signal vocabulary to help decode a signal

• CS8-2– go to TAB CS - COMM– “Act as visual relay ship”

Signal Construction

1. Heading

2. Text

Signal Construction

• 1. Heading - signal from superior to junior or vice versa addressed prior to text– omitted when addressed to all ships

• Visual calls are flown alone from outboard halyard or separated from text by tackline

Call-signs and Unit indicators• Three types of visual calls

– Ship call - composed of one-letter type indicator followed by one or more numeral pennants indicating hull numbers

• Table 1-1 on page 1-5 of Exercise Signal Book

• Submarine 775 - “Sp5”– “S” for submarine– pennant 5 to indicate last number on hull

• If same class ship with same last number, indicate each number

– Submarine 775 and 745» Sp7p7p5» Sp7p4p5

Call-signs and Unit indicators– Tactical call - address units within own tactical

organization• “7p3”- for everyone in the Task Group

Organization– Flag 7 means Task Group

– pennant 3 is Task Group Number

– Administrative call - used to address units in the administrative chain of command

• type indicator, special unit indicator, and numeral pennant

– “DELTA SQUAD p4” - for all ships in Destroyer Squadron FOUR

Signal Construction• 2. Text - some signals require additional

information– “____“ or “as indicated” appears after a signal

• signal must be completed by adding the required data from a list of suffixes accompanying the basic group

– (if instruction is in parentheses) additional information is optional

– Example: look up CR1• Chemical warfare attack is ___(list A) (delivered by

____(list B))• CR1-1-D

Governing Pennants• Three pennants impart a special meaning to the

signal– Preparative - “Prepare to _______”– Interrogative - Questions– Negative - “Cease/do not _______”

• Pennant precedes signal– PREP AV - “Prepare to launch aircraft”– INT AV - “Are you launching aircraft”– NEGAT AV - “Cease launching aircraft”

Governing Groups

• Turn to Chapter 10

• Two-letter signals hoisted above the basic signal group and separated by a TACK (-)– 16 total groups listed in Chapter 10-1

• BA - AV “I am launching aircraft”

• BF - AV “I am ready to launch aircraft”

Signaling Time

• TANGO flag - time indicator used by originator who desires signal to be executed at specific time instead of when hauled down– exact hour may be expressed as two digits

• “19” for 1900

– or four digits• “1945” for 1945

– ANSWER pennant to indicate 30 minutes• “19 ANSWER” for 1930

Signaling Time

• When time is sent with a signal group, TANGO has the following meanings

• T preceding numerals - action will commence at that time– “AV-T1845” Commence launching aircraft at

1845

• T following numerals - action will be completed by that time– “AV-1845T” Complete launching aircraft by 1845

Signaling Time• T between numeral groups - time action is

to be completed and time at which action is to commence respectively– “AV-19T1845” Commence launching aircraft

at 1845 and complete by 1900

• TANGO flag not required as long as there is no ambiguity with insertion of time

Substitutes• Used to prevent alphabet flags, numeral flags,

or numeral pennants from appearing more than once in same hoist– First sub - repeats first flag/pennant in hoist– Second sub - repeats second flag/pennant in hoist– Third sub - repeats third flag/pennant in hoist– Forth sub - repeats forth flag/pennant in hoist

• Ex. Corpen 000 - Corpen 0, 2nd sub, 3rd sub

Answer Pennant• Used to indicate fractions or decimals in a

tactical signal– indicate 5 degrees

• TURN STBD 4 ANSWER– “Turn to starboard 45 degrees”

– indicate .5 knots• SPEED A 10 ANSWER

– “Proceed at 10.5 knots”

– when inserted inbetween numerals, ANSWER acts as a decimal point

• SPEED A 10 ANSWER 2– “Proceed at 10.2 knots”

Emergency Signals

• When an emergency exists or necessity to get out information asap– hoist Emergency pennant as first flag on hoist– signal acted upon as soon as it is understood– originator sounds six short blasts to call

attention to hoist

International Code of Signals

• Pub 102 – allows Navy vessels to communicate with

merchant vessels, non-military stations, and non-allied warships

• signals preceded by the CODE (ANSWER) pennant

• watch what your sailors use from this pub in exercises!!!

Basic Maneuvering Signals

• Six pennants that pertain directly to maneuvering (Chapters 4-9)– CORPEN– TURN– SPEED– STATION– FORMATION– SCREEN

• Typical signal:– maneuvering pennant– 1-3 numerals or ANS– PORT flag or STBD pennant

• Corpen and Turn - course signals– may indicate true course to steer as indicated by

three numerals– may indicate course change in 10’s of degrees– direction of course change must always be

given with PORT flag or STBD pennant

• Formation - written “FORM”– used to assemble ships in formation or change

formation– true direction indicated by three numerals– relative direction indicated by 1-2 numerals– PORT flag or STBD pennant to indicate

direction

• Station - assign position or station to joining ship or change in station– distance signaled from guide

• Screen - forming different screen situations

Homework

• Encode/Decode homework assignment

• Quiz on flags Friday

• Read Surface Ship Ops Chapter 5-1 to 5-20