thorn@godot.radonc.unc.edu (Jesse Thorn) (10/05/89)
From: thorn@godot.radonc.unc.edu (Jesse Thorn) >From: bash@cbnewsd.ATT.COM (thomas.w.basham) >>There was an article in Signal magazine some years ago - the author suggested >>the reason for the rapid success of Germany in tank warfare against France >>was possible because every German tank had radio, whereas the French tank >>forces relied on messengers on motorcycles. >Many nations, however, emphasized alternate means of communications... >The earliest was the use of signal flags, in a sort of semaphore system. >Each commander carried a card explaining the meanings of various colors >and positions; for example, one set might mean "form column", another >"form line abreast", a third "halt", etc. The British armored forces in North Africa during WWII used signal pennants flown from tank aerials for communication during periods when radio silence was to be observed. Bryan Perret's "British Tanks North Africa 1940-1942" devotes about a page to this. The pennants were used not only for identification purposes but for issuing commands and conveying useful information. Some examples include: . Troop leader's vehicle . Navigator vehicle . Rally and reform here . Disabled vehicle . Disabled vehicle in minefield They were brightly colored and about a meter in length. Jesse Thorn thorn@godot.radonc.unc.edu
jwm@stda.jhuapl.edu (Jim Meritt) (10/11/89)
From: jwm@stda.jhuapl.edu (Jim Meritt) The Navy (NATO, anyway) uses signal flags for tactical signals. In fact, that ability is scored (accuracy & time) at the Fleet Training Facility down in GITMO, along with everything else. It is the ONLY way at sea under radio silence - messengers don't swim that fast. :-) [mod.note: Surely we haven't forgotten how to use signal beacons ? - Bill ] -- "In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain" - Pliny the Elder These were the opinions of : jwm@aplvax.jhuapl.edu - or - jwm@aplvax.uucp - or - meritt%aplvm.BITNET
dep@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (David Pugh) (10/12/89)
From: dep@ius3.ius.cs.cmu.edu (David Pugh) In article <10104@cbnews.ATT.COM> jwm@stda.jhuapl.edu (Jim Meritt) writes: >The Navy (NATO, anyway) uses signal flags for tactical signals. ... >It is the ONLY way at sea under radio silence - messengers don't swim >that fast. :-) >[mod.note: Surely we haven't forgotten how to use signal beacons ? - >Bill ] Or how about a low-power laser? If the entire "footprint" of the laser falls within the target (which should be easy enough to do: use a laser with a small divergence and adjust the aim whenever it drifts too near the edge of the target), the signal should be undetectable. For that matter, why doesn't the army get into the act...I'm sure they could find a use for a secure & undetectable LOS communications system. -- ... He was determined to discover the David Pugh underlying logic behind the universe. ...!seismo!cmucspt!ius3!dep Which was going to be hard, because there wasn't one. _Mort_, Terry Pratchett