Prosign Confusion

[JohnChanceRead]

I learnt my morse procedures with the Royal Navy.  Every  operator could send
good morse at 22 wpm and followed the WRITTEN  procedure rigidly, if he did
not, and was overheard by authority, he was in  trouble. During that period I
worked with the U.S. Navy who were  faster but didn't follow the same
procedure. I also had a stint in a Commercial  Shore station where again morse was very
good and procedure almost the same  as the R.N. but not so rigid in its
interpretation.
I then joined the British Army where morse proficientcy was slow and  
procedure erratic. During  that time our Special Communication  Regiment of old morse
men, consisted of R.N operators, RAF flight operators,  Parachute Regiment
operators and selected Amateur operators - they had a very  simple but strict
morse, which was initially diregarded but eventually adopted  equally as rigidly
as the R.N.
I think I can say from experience that I agree wholeheartedly that Morse is  
a language but a one that should be intelligently construed and adhered  to.
The ITU has issued lists of Prosigns and of course print them with a single  
bar over the letters to indicate that they are joined together - I do not know
 of a way to type examples but when I was in the Royal Navy school we had to
put  the bar on top when we copied are morse with pen and pencil.  Later when
we  used typewriter this could not be done but some prosigns were given  
symbols  e.g. AR (meaning end of exchange) could be written as a '+'
The current discussion about prosigns could be wound up by simply locating  a
formal (official) document on the subject and recognising that only those  
characters which are joined by an overline (as apposed to an underline) should  
be sent without spaces.
The word amateur means 'non-professional' not 'lacksadaisically' and  we
should use the procedures laid down for our use - they do  exsist.
Other points raised were :-
1.    The use of BK or B K. I understand that K means  'go ahead' an offer to
the other station to transmit - I do not see the logic in  sending a B.
2.    Whist being trained as a RN  operator  it was required that both called
and calling callsigns were to be sent on every  transmission.  However in the
'amateur radio exam'  I was told  that EACH initial  call (transmission) also
required both callsigns to  be used but from then on one could begin with
'DE' (not overlined)  followed by one own callsign, but not necessarily included
the station  called (in an exchange).   My understanding was that the GPO (the
British  Licencing Authority, now passed into history) needed to have the  
ability to locate the origin of every transmission.  
This isn't followed any longer but since I have been out of the hobby for  15
years, there may well be a new procedural publication issued that I know  not
of.  Some how I doubt it.
Its a language, as the man said - enjoy it.
John G4BOU
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[Sam Binkley]

----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>


>I learnt my morse procedures with the Royal Navy.
=====================
I had occasion to work some of the Royal Navy operators back in the 60s.
One in particular, aboard HMS Tartar/GHGC, was one of the best traffic
handlers I ever worked in 23 years in the USCG.  I had the pleasure of
meeting this op (Don) once when both our ships were tied up at the Navy base
in Key West, FL.
======================

> 1.    The use of BK or B K. I understand that K means  'go ahead' an offer
> to
> the other station to transmit - I do not see the logic in  sending a B.

There are actually 3 prosigns here; 1. B, 2. K, and 3. BK (overscored).
1.  B meant/means "more to follow"
2.  K "invitation to transmit"
3.  BK - used when attempting to break the sending station.

73,
Sam, KL7V
Oklahoma City
K2 #3158

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