Signalman 1 & C - Historic Naval Ships Association

number flag indicator assigned to it. This flag may beleft flying in a superior position when successivesignals from the same table are being used.Participants then may keep their books open to onetable instead of searching through the book each timea signal is hoisted. This practice permits greater speedin signaling.Supplementary tables are used primarily toexpand the meaning of certain basic groups; they maybe used with any governing or basic group asappropriate. When an item from the supplementarytable is used by itself, it must be preceded by the basicgroup BV.CONSTRUCTING FLAGHOIST SIGNALSWords are seldom spelled out in Navy flaghoistsignaling because of the length and number of hoistsrequired and the time required to handle the hoists. Thesignal book provides chapter and basic groups andsuffixes. A chapter group is a two-letter group allocatedto a particular chapter and the main vocabulary fromwhich all signals in that chapter are derived.Example: CM—communicationA basic group is a signal consisting of the chaptergroup followed by one or more figures.Example: CM1Suffixes are provided so that the basic meaningcan be varied. When a suffix is used, it must followthe last figure of the group, separated by a tack. Thetack may be omitted if no ambiguity will arise.Example: CMl—1, CMl—l—lSignals from ATP 1, volume II may he supplementedor modified by the use of the following:1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.Governing pennantsGoverning groupsCall signs, sequence numbers, and unitindicatorsDescription signalsPlain textOperating signalsInternational Code of SignalsTablesGoverning PennantsThree governing pennants—PREPARATIVE,INTERROGATIVE, and NEGATIVE—are availableto impart a different sense to a signal. When hoistedwith signals, their meanings are as follows:PREP—Prepare toINT—Questions or inquiriesNEGAT—Cease, do not; or to give a negative senseto an otherwise affirmative (informatory)statement.In the following examples, EXl means“Commence run”:PREP EXl—Prepare to commence run.INT EXl—Are you commencing run?NEGAT EXl—Do not commence run.A governing pennant governs all signal groups whenseparated from those groups by TACK or when hoistedalone on an adjacent halyard. If the pennant is to governonly one of several signal groups, it must immediatelyprecede the group governed. The other groups must beseparated from the governed group by TACK.Governing GroupsGoverning groups are two-letter signals used inmuch the same fashion as governing pennants. Thegoverning group followed by a tack, precedes thesignal and governs that signal only. The governinggroup may be used alone when no ambiguity willresult. The following list contains the governinggroups:BABBBCBDBEBFBGBHBIBJBKBLBMBTBUBVBXBZAction is being carried out (or I am)Action completed (or I have)I recommendReport time you will be ready (to )Report wben ready (to )Am ready (to )(at )My present intention is toRequest permission toAction is not being carried out (or I am not)If you desireWhen you desireWhen readyEnemy/opponent is or I am beingFor use see ATP 1, volume II (articles 164e and 164g)Unable toTake action or information as indicated fromappropriate supplementary table (ATP 1, volumeII, chapter 33)Indicates end of series of groups governed bygoverning groupsWell done5-8