Signalman 1 & C - Historic Naval Ships Association

Standing alone, prosign C means “Correct.” Becauseit is followed by other information in our example, itmeans ‘This is a correct version of the portion of themessage indicated.” Another prosign, WA, meaning“word after,” follows certain prosigns (including C) toidentify a portion of the text of a plain languagemessage. In figure 3-2, the portion of the textidentified is the word after DEBARK, which appearsin the text as GROUPS. Accordingly, the finalinstructions of the message mean “Correct word afterDEBARK to TROOPS.”Other prosigns may appear in the finalinstructions. Prosign C may be followed by AB, AA,or WB, instructing the receiving station to correctportions of the text. Prosign B used alone in the finalinstructions means “More to follow to all stationscalled." When B is followed by call signs, it means“More to follow to stations indicated.”Prosign G, for repeat back, may be used in the finalinstructions if, during transmission, its use is deemednecessary. Used alone, G directs all stations to repeatback the message. When G is preceded by a call sign(or signs), its meaning is “Stations whose call sign (orsigns) precede G are to repeat back.” In addition to itsuse in the transmission instructions and finalinstructions, G may be used in the text of a flashinglight message to indicate the addee is to repeat backthe previous group sent by the transmitter.Visual transmissions are completed by endingprosigns K or AR. The K means "This is the end of mytransmission to you, and a response is necessary.”Ending prosign AR means "This is the end of mytransmission to you, and no response is required orexpected."SERVICE MESSAGEA service message is one between communicationspersonnel and pertaining to any phase of traffichandling, communication facilities, or circuitconditions. It is prepared and transmitted inplaindress, abbreviated plaindress, or codress form.The abbreviation SVC following any securityclassification or UNCLAS in the beginning of the text,identifies a plain-language service message.An encrypted service message will always carry anumerical group and will only be identified as aservice message within the encrypted text.Service messages generally concern messagesoriginated at, destined for, or refiled by that station andnormally will be assigned a precedence equal to thatof the message to which they refer.Examples of plain-language service messages:1. Plaindress format: P 031500Z MAR 95 GR10BT UNCLAS SVC BRIDGE TO BRIDGE INOPCOME UP ON TGO BT K2. Abbreviated plaindress format: BT UNCLASSVC BRIDGE TO BRIDGE INOP COME UP ONTGO BT 1500ZABBREVIATED SERVICE MESSAGEThe text of an abbreviated service messagecontains only prosigns, operating signals, addressdesignations, identification of messages, parts ofmessages, and amplifying data as necessary. It may beoriginated by operators and may contain any of thecomponents shown in the basic format except that1. The long break is used only if the date-timegroup/time group is used; and2. The date time group/time group is to be employedonly when it is necessary to indicate the time at which themessage was originated or when it is considered thatfurther reference may be made to the message.Examples of abbreviated service messages:1. INT ZDK NKZO 062222Z MAR 95 K2. Abbreviated plaindress format: BT INT ZDKNKZO 062222Z MAR 95 BT 2300Z K3. Plaindress format: P 062323Z MAR 95 GR 6BT INT ZDK NKZO 06222Z MAR 95 BT KABBREVIATED PLAINDRESSMESSAGESOperational requirements for speed ofhandling—contact reports, for example—may dictatethe abbreviation of plaindress message headings. Atsuch times, any or all of the following may be omittedfrom the heading: precedence, date, DTG, and groupcount. If the DTG is omitted, a time group must be inthe ending procedure components.CODRESS MESSAGESA codress message is one in which the entireaddress, originator and all addressees except when theaddress indicating groups are used, is encryptedwithin the text. The heading of such a messagecontains only information necessary to enable3-10