Visual Message Format and Transmission Procedures
Message Header (Parts 1-10): Includes procedure (1-5), preamble (5), address (6-9), and prefix (10).
Message Text (Parts 11-12): Contains the core message content (12), separated from the header by a designated separator (11/13).
Message Termination (Parts 13-16): Concludes the message with specific procedures (14-16).
Visual Preparation Components: 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, and 16.
Plain-dress designations of origin and destination are external to the message text, similar to a watering plan. The need for speed often leads to abbreviated headings and the omission of one or more of the following: precedence (1), day (2), group date/time (3), and computer groups (4).
2. Call Signs/Address Groups: This line contains call signs or address groups of calling and receiving stations, including XMT (Transmitter) and APRO (Approved), potentially preceded by “APRO F” (repeated four times).
3. Station Serial Number: This line is typically unused and reserved for station serial numbers.
4. APROSAR Line (F, G, L, T): This line may contain APROSAR (Approval/Signal) codes (F, G, L, T), service marks, call signs, address groups, or direction indicators in clear language.
5. Precedence, Date/Time, Instructions: This line includes the message precedence (with hyphen separation for dual qualifications), sender’s date/time group, necessary message instructions, service marks, and “IX” (Executive) if needed.
6. Sender Designation (FM): This line, identified by “FM” (From), indicates the sender’s designation using a call sign, address, or address group indicator.
7. Action Addressee Designation (TO): This line, marked by “TO”, specifies the action addressees using call signs, address groups, or direction indicators.
8. Information Recipient Designation (INFO): This line, identified by “INFO”, lists the information recipients using call signs, address groups, or direction indicators.
9. Exempted Recipients (XMT): This line, marked by “XMT”, details recipients exempted from collective designations used in lines 7 and 8.
10. Fees, Groups, and Numbers: This line may contain fee symbols, approved calculation groups and numbers, and approved groups without counting. Encrypted messages always include group computations.
12. Message Text and Instructions: This line contains the message text, potentially including internal instructions and the sender’s intent. It may be preceded by security classifications, Sinclair, or “SVC” (Service).
13. Text/Termination Separator (BT): This line, marked by “BT”, separates the message text from the termination section.
14. Time Group: When used, this line displays the time in hours and minutes, including the time zone suffix. Non-executive messages (excluding IX/IIX) require this line with a time group.
15. APROSAR and Service Indicators (AS, B, C, G, GR, IMI, IX): This line includes APROSAR codes (AS, B, C, G, GR), group numbers (GR), IMI (Immediate), IX (Flash 5 seconds), and other service signs and indicators.
16. Transmission End (K/AR): This line concludes the transmission with “K” or “AR”, except as noted in paragraph 605.f.
(KK KN . or / IMI AAA ? XE)
Abbreviations and Codes:
- R DIV: Receiving Division
- p4: This Line/This aircraft carrier
- D GROUP/FLOT p1: Destroyer Group/Flotilla 1
- D: Destroyer
- SQUAD: Squadron
- DIV R: Receiving Division
- DP2: Destroyer Group 2
- COP9: Cruiser and Destroyer Group 9
- P0: My Immediate Superior In Command (Tactical Only)
- P0p0: Commands under my command
- (Further abbreviations and codes are listed in the original document)
Technical and Transmission Speed: Each character should be transmitted clearly and distinctly. Transmission speed depends on prevailing conditions and operator/receiver capabilities. Accuracy is more important than speed. When transmitting to multiple stations, the slowest receiver’s speed should be accommodated. Headings should be sent slower than the text.
Record Books and Records: All transmitted/received visual signals are recorded with execution time in a log book and filed.
Distinctive Call: Call and response identifications authorize visual, internal, tactical, organizational, operational, and collective calls. Distinctive call/direction groups are alphabetized, with slash (/) and numbers 1-0 representing alphabet letters 27-37. Precedence ratings indicate the relative importance of messages.
Qualifications:
- Sender: Required delivery speed to the recipient.
- Communications Staff: Delivery/processing order.
- Recipient: Order of message acknowledgment.
Precedence: Messages with multiple TO and INFO recipients can have a single precedence for all or two separate precedences (higher for TO, lower for INFO). In dual precedence, the higher one appears first.