1. RO2(T)
Tactical Communications 2nd Class By
POC Josh Sylvester

2. Contents Morse Code Flag Recognition Hoisting Procedures
Tactical Voice Procedure
Manoeuvring Definitions & Procedures
Fleet work Formations
Communication Safety
Types of Communication
Practices and Responsibilities
Message Handling
Practical Rigging
Admin Voice Procedure

3. MORSE CODE …
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4. Morse Code by Flashing Light
Non Directional Flashing is Morse Code sent from the mast head light, and is used when you want to send a message to more than one ship.
Directional Flashing is Morse Code sent from a and is directed at one ship.
FRX (Flash Receiving Exercises) and FTX (Flash Transmitting Exercises) use Tactical Voice Procedure and Tactical (Alpha Numeric) Call signs.
Audible Morse is no longer used in the Royal Navy, but a good Tactical Communicator will be able to transmit and receive both visual and audible Morse Code.

5. Morse Code A .- B -… I .. J .--- Q --.- R .-. Y -.-- Z --.. 7 --...
C -.-.
D -..
K -.- L
S …
T -
E . F
M --
N -.
U ..-
V …-
Long Break
Error
G --.
H ….
O ---
P .--.
W .--
X -..-

6. Flag Recognition
The International Code of Signals, British Ensigns, and Parts of a flag.
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7. Flag Recognition - Alphabet
I have a diver down; keep well clear at slow speed.
Bravo
I am taking in, discharging, or carrying dangerous cargo.
Charlie
"Yes" or "affirmative".
Delta
I am manoeuvring with difficulty; keep clear
Echo
I am directing my course to starboard
Foxtrot
I am disabled; communicate with me. On aircraft carriers: Flight Operations underway

8. Flag Recognition – Alphabet cont.
Golf
I require a pilot.
I am the Leader, follow me.
Hotel
I have a pilot onboard.
India
I am directing my course to port.
I am coming alongside.
Juliet
I am on fire and carrying dangerous cargo; stay clear.
Kilo
I wish to communicate with you.

9. Flag Recognition – Alphabet cont.
Lima
You should stop your vessel immediately
Mike
My vessel is stopped; making no way.
November
No or negative.
Oscar
Man overboard
Papa
All personnel return to ship; proceeding to sea
Quebec
Ship meets health regs; request clearance into port.

10. Flag Recognition – Alphabet cont.
Romeo
Preparing for RAS. Duty Ship.
Sierra
Moving Astern
Conducting flag hoisting drills.
Tango
Keep clear, engaged in trawling.
Do not pass ahead of me.
Uniform
You are running into danger.
victor
I require assistance.
Whiskey
I require medical assistance.

11. Flag Recognition – Alphabet
X-Ray
Stop carrying out your intentions and watch for my signals
Yankee
I am dragging anchor.
Ship has Visual Communication Duty.
Zulu
I require a tug
Code / Answer
Message understood.
5 in a Relative Bearing.
Flag that follows is from international code of signals

12. Flag Recognition - Substitutes
1st Substitute
Substitutes for the 1st flag in the hoist.
Absence of flag officer
2nd Substitute
Substitute for the 2nd flag in the hoist.
Absence of Chief of Staff.
3rd Substitute
Substitute for the 3rd flag in the hoist.
Absence of the CO.

13. Flag Recognition – Number Pennants4 8 1 5 9 2 6 3 7

14. Flag Recognition - Other
Speed
Corpen
(Course Pennant)
Form
(Formation)
Port
Starboard

15. Flag Recognition - Flag Officers
Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral
Vice Admiral
Rear Admiral
Commodore

16. Parts of a Flag
Upper Hoist
Upper Fly
Lower Fly
Lower Hoist

17. Ensigns St George’s cross with Union flag in upper hoist
Used by the Royal Navy
Red flag with Union Flag in top upper hoist
Civil ensign of UK, by pleasure boats & merchant ships
Blue flag with Union Flag in upper hoist
Used by government bodies, defaced with their emblem
Made up of the crosses of Saints Patrick, Andrew & George
Flown on the Jack Staff of all RN Ships when alongside, when the ship is dressed, in the presence of a Fleet Admiral, or when a Court Martial is in progression.

18. Church Pennant
Hoist – St. George’s Cross
Fly – Dutch Flag

19. Commissioning Pennants
Royal Navy
Sea Cadets
Flown at the Masthead, indicates that a ship is in commission. When a ship enters harbour for the last time, it will hoist the Paying Off Pennant, which is the same as the Commissioning Pennant, except it is as long as the ship itself!

20. Hoisting Procedures
Reading a Mast, Colours, Evening Colours, Half Mast, and Dressing Overall.
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21. Hoisting Procedures Tack line – Break between flags
Gaff
Mast head
Yardarm
Starboard Outer
Port Outer
Starboard Inner
Port Inner
Halyard
Tack line – Break between flags
Bend on – Clipping on flags
Execute – Pull the signal down fast
Hoist – to haul a flag up
Dip – to bring 1/3 down
Close up – Bring the flags to the top

22. Hoisting Procedures – Half Mast
Colours
Ensign is hauled to the top of the mast in 20 seconds. Break for 2 marching paces, then slowly lower the ensign between 1/3 and ½ of the way down the mast.
Evening Colours / Sunset
Ensign is slowly raised to the top of the mast head. Break for 2 marching paces, then ensign is lowered fully in 40 seconds.

23. Dressing Ship
Accession Day 6th Feb
Commonwealth Day - 2nd Monday in March
Queens birthday - April 21st
Queens Official Birthday - Date Published
Coronation Day - 2nd June
Prince Phillips Birthday - 10th June
Ships are to be dressed overall when in a foreign port on a day that the county would dress ship, like 4th of July in the USA

24. Manoeuvring Definitions & Procedures
Relative Bearings, True Bearings, The Guide and Movement Restrictions.
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25. Manoeuvring Definitions
Formation – The way a group of ships are organised to operate as.
Corpen – “Course Pennant” - Wheeling
Turn – Turning fully.
Speed – The speed at which the formation should be operating at.
Guide – The ship flying “Golf”, ship is the leader, and all are to form on, or take a bearing off this ship.

26. Bearings A true bearing of 315 A true bearing of 090
A TRUE BEARING has 3 figures and is displayed on a compass rose.
A RELATIVE BEARING has 1 or 2 figures, and “ANS” if it is .5. For example, if a ship was facing a true bearing of 000, to turn to starboard 45*, the relative bearing would be “STBD 4ANS” - STBD 45
000
315
045
A true bearing of 315
A true bearing of 090
270
090
135
225
180

27. The Guide
The Guide Ship will usually have the OTC (Officer in Tactical Command) onboard
The Guide will ALWAYS hoist flag GOLF to show it is guide.
When a formation wheels using Corpen, the pivot ship will become guide.
If the Guide sheers from formation, the next ship in sequence number becomes Guide.

28. Movement Restrictions
When in Column, ships can wheel up to 180°.
When in Line Abreast, ships can wheel up to 90°.
When on a Line of Bearing, ships can not wheel.
Ships can turn 180° to Port or Starboard.

29. Distances between Ships
A Large Ship is a ship over 450 feet in length.
A Small Ship is a ship under 450 feet in length.
The distance between 2 large ships should be 1000 yards.
The distance between 1 large ship and 1 small ship should be 1000 yards.
The distance between 2 small ships should be 500 yards.
The distance between ships is measured from foremast to foremast.

30. Formations
Formations 1, 2, 3 and 4
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31. Formations Form 1 – Ships form column in order of sequence numbers.
Form 2 – Ships form column in reverse order of sequence numbers.
Form 3 – Ships form line abreast to starboard in order of sequence numbers.
Form 4 – Ships form line abreast to port in order of sequence.

32. Formations 1 1 1  LEAD SHIP 2 Guide Ship Formation True Bearing 3
Speed
000 – SP10 – Form 1 – G1

33. Formation 2 3 2 1
 LEAD SHIP
000 – SP10 – Form 2 – G1

34. Formation 3 3 2 4 1
LEAD SHIP
000 – SP10 – Form 3 – G1

35. Formation 4 4 3 2 1
LEAD SHIP
000 – SP10 – Form 4 – G1

36. Types of Communications and Types of Call signs
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37. Types of Communication
Radio’s
Pyrotechnics (fire, flares etc.)
Visual (flags, semaphore, Morse by Light)
Audible (bells, whistles, talking, audible Morse)
Can you think of any more?

38. Types of Call sign
International – used mainly in Admin Voice, an international callsign will be unique depending on your country and area. MFK58 is an International Call sign.
Tactical – used for Tactical Voice, these are Alpha Numeric (one letter, one number). A3 is a Tactical Callsign.
Visual – used in flaghoists, directional and non directional Flashing Morse Exercises. These are the pennant numbers found on the side of ships, for example, RO7 is HMS Illustrious, D23 is HMS Bristol etc.

39. Communications Safety
Fire Extinguishers and hazard awareness.
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40. Isolator Switch
If you walk into a Comms Room and discover somebody on the floor, DO NOT touch them.
A switch should be located on the same wall as the door to the Comms Room, called an Isolator Switch.
Hit this switch, and all electronics in the room are cut off.
Only once the isolator switch has been used should you attend the casualty.

41. Fire Extinguisher
A CARBON DIOXIDE fire extinguisher should be located near the isolator switch of the Comms Room.
A CO2 Extinguisher will not damage your equipment.
Be careful when handling a CO2 extinguisher, because they will cause Cold Burns, so handle them correctly.

42. Hazards Tripping Hazards (cables, chairs, feet etc)
Radiation Hazards (from radio aerials and equipment)
Electrocution Hazards (by drinking in Comms Rooms)
Can you think of any more?

43. Practises and Responsibilities
Forbidden Practises and Visual Operator Responsibilities
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44. Forbidden Practises
The following practises are specifically forbidden on Sea Cadet Circuits. Many are forbidden on the vast majority of other Radio Frequencies around the world. Infringement may result in the removal of an operator from the circuit, withdrawal of a Permit to Transmit and even, in some cases, criminal prosecution:

45. Forbidden Practises Transmission on a directed net without permission.
Excessive tuning and testing.
Unauthorised transmission of Place, Unit or Personal Names in Clear.
Use of profane, indecent or obscene language.
Use of excessive or unauthorised transmitting power.
Transmitting at speeds beyond the capabilities of the receiving operator.
Operation on a circuit by any person not holding a valid Permit to Transmit, except under the supervision and with the express permission of an Authorised Person.
Use of unauthorised Callsigns, except where local Callsigns have been approved.
Use of precedence Flash by SCC stations.

46. Visual Operator’s Responsibilities
Ensuring no unauthorised transmissions are made.
Giving an immediate answer to a call.
Observing the following rules:
Practices specifically FORBIDDEN -
Unofficial conversation between operators.
Transmitting an operator’s personal sign.
Unauthorised use of plain language in place of authorised Prosigns or operating signals.
Use of profane, indecent or obscene language.
Practises to be AVOIDED –
Use of too wide a beam or too bright a light.
Transmitting too fast for the receiving operator to read.

47. Tactical Voice Procedure
Delayed Executive Method and Immediate Executive Method
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48. Saying the Delayed Executive Method
If you wanted to make all ships turn 90° to starboard, you would SAY over the radio the following:
The order
Z0, this is A1, execute to follow, turn starboard 9, B2 over.
Call sign for all ships
Means you await a receipt
Your CS
Means “await another message before executing it”
Z0, this is A1, standby EXECUTE, C3 over.
Means “Carry out the order......now”

49. So the radio transmission would go:
Z0, this is A1, execute to follow, turn starboard 9, B2 over.
This is B2, roger out.
Z0 this is A1, standby execute, C3 over.
This is C3, Roger out.

50. Writing the Delayed Executive Method
You also have to log that transmission, so you would write:
Starboard
Your CS
CS you want a receipt off
Turn
Z0 de A1 IX Tu STBD 9 B2 K
over
All ships
This is
Relative Bearing 90°
Execute to follow
Z0 de A1 SB IX C3 K
Stand by Execute

51. So the log would look like:
Z0 de A1 IX Tu STBD 9 B2 K
De B2 R +
Z0 de A1 SB______IX C3 K
de C3 R +

52. Saying the Immediate Executive Method
Basically, it is spoken nearly the same as the Delayed, however it is done immediately with no chance to respond, like so:
Z0, this is A1, immediate execute, speed 30, I say again, speed 30, standby execute over
As you can see, it is all done in one message. It is vitally important you repeat the order, so everybody hears it. If by the time you have reached “standby” and your Captain is not ready to action the order, you continue saying “standby”. Standby....standby....standby......Execute. Everybody should receipt the order afterwards.

53. So the radio transmission would go:
Z0, this is A1, immediate execute, speed 30, I say again, speed 30, standby execute over.
This is B2, roger out.
This is C3 roger out.
ZO this is A1, roger out.

54. Writing the Immediate Executive Method
Written in the same way as the delayed method, but all together:
Speed 30
Standby Execute
Z0 de A1 IMIX SP30 ISA SP30 SB____________ IX K
Over
I say again
Immediate Execute
Call signs

55. So the log would look like:
Z0 de A1 IMIX SP30 ISA SP30 SB____________ IX K
de B2 R +
de C3 R +
Z0 de A1 R +

56. Admin Voice Procedure
Transmitting priority messages, test transmission, radio check and time check.
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57. Radio Check
To ensure your radios are all working, it is necessary to do a Radio Check before transmitting:
GALL this is GCON, Radio Check over
this is GLEA, roger over
this is GSYL, roger over
this is GTOR roger over
GALL this is GCON roger out.

58. Radio Check
If the signal you receive is not “loud and clear” (which is demonstrated by replying ROGER), then you can replace ROGER and use the following:
Signal Strength
Loud
Good
Weak
Very Weak
Fading
Readability
Clear
Readable
Distorted
With Interference
Intermittent
So a radio check could go:
GLEA this is GCON Radio Check over
this is GLEA, fading and distorted over
GLEA this is GCON roger out

59. Time Check
Sometimes it is necessary to check the time over radio. Done like so:
GLEA this is GCON request time check, over
this is GLEA wait out.
GCON this is GLEA time check at 1812Z seconds seconds TIME 1812Z over
this is GCON roger out
You must wait until the countdown is in time with the clock.

60. Test Transmission
Stations may want to test transmissions between another station. You can do this by doing the following:
GLEA this is GCON Request test transmission, over
this is GLEA Testing over
this is GCON roger out

61. Submitting Priority Messages
You should now fill in a Message form as shown by your instructor. Then the following will happen:
GALL this is GCON, This is a directed net, I am control, of what precedence and for whom are your messages? Over
This is GLEA, priority for GTOR over
This is GTOR, no traffic over
This is GSYL, routine for GLEA over.
From the above, each operator should create a traffic list, showing which call sign has what message for whom.

62. Next stage
Once you have created your traffic list, control will request for messages to be sent, going in priority of precedence:
The receiver of the message must receipt here to show the sender you are listening.
GLEA this is GCON send your priority over
this is GTOR over
this is GLEA, priority for GTON.
(here you go through your message; DTG, From, To, Info, // unclass. SIC: Message //) Over
this is GCON roger out
this is GTOR roger out
If you didn’t hear a section of the message, you transmit “Say again all after/before ....” here

63. Practical Rigging (Aerials)
Safety Checks and Maintenance on Aerials
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64. Safety Checks
Aerials shouldn’t be more than 15m high if you are within one mile of an airfield.
Remember to check the ground beneath you for pipes and wires, and check the area above you for pylons and extended cables or branches.
Make sure that everybody on your team is paying attention while you erect and aerial.
Make sure you are wearing hard hats at all times.

65. Maintenance on Aerials
ALWAYS tell somebody that you are working on an aerial.
Put a “Persons aloft” sign up.
Take a buddy to help you out.
Take the Safe to transmit keys out of the radios!!
If there are no keys, remove the fuses.
Wear the appropriate safety equipment.
Cadets are discouraged to work on aerials. Your Unit Communications Instructor should do all necessary work.

66. The Basics, Pro Words, Precedence's and DTG’s
Message Handling
The Basics, Pro Words, Precedence's and DTG’s
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67. The Basics
A good communicator should always have the following at hand:
A Pen (NEVER write in red!!)
Pencil (Cross out mistakes, DON’T erase them!)
Paper (Lined preferably, and lots of!)
Carbon Paper (Makes copying messages easy!)
Clipboard (Always handy, elastic band will stop paper from flapping!)
Message Forms, Radio Operator Logs and Message Handling Logs

68. Date & Time Groups
DTGs, or Date and Time Groups are used to identify individual messages minutes, hours, days or weeks after they have been sent.
151545zJUL08
The year
(2008)
The day (15th)
The month
(July)
The time
(15.45)
ZULU Time
Every message you take should have a DTG for easy filing and future reference!!

69. Prosign’s AA – All After AB – All Before AR – End of transmission
AS – Wait
B – More to follow
BT – Long break
C – Correct or Correction
DE – This is
EEEEEEEE – Error
FM – From (call sign)
G – Read back
GR – Group Count
HM HM HM – Emergency Silence
II – Short break
SA – Say again
INFO – Information (call sign follows)
INT – Interrogative
K – Invitation to transmit (I require a reply)
O – Immediate
P – Priority
R – Roger
R - Routine
T – Relay
TO – Action (call sign)
WA – Word After
WB – Word Before
XMT – Exempt Address
Z - Flash

70. Precedence's
A Message should come with a precedence to show its importance:
Flash (Z) – Not used by the SCC – emergency, for example enemy sightings.
Immediate (O) – e.g. Require immediate medical assistance.
Priority (P) – e.g. Require a new left propeller for when ship comes into port.
Routine (R) – e.g. Need to order size 14 working boots from stores.

71. Remember PRACTISE everything in this power point as often as possible.
This power point is only intended to lightly cover the main topics of the Radio Operator (Tactical) 2nd Class course, not teach it!!!
If you thought RO2(T) was good fun, encourage others to do it, and go for your RO1(T)!!
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