[Hallicrafters] Navy messages

[haywireman]

Carl is right.  The confusion may be the term
"signals".  Every radio transmission is, in one sense,
a signal.  But yes, there were special Q and Z
"signals" which were actually a brief message between
radio operators.  They are unclassified and generally
understood.

Classified material can not be sent in plain language,
it must be encrypted.  Standard encryption, "crypto"
for short, converted the text into seemingly random
characters that could be sent via unclassified means. 
This included CW radio transmission, teletype,
semaphore, whatever.  The idea was that the message
was of no use until it was decrypted by use of very
controlled machinery and key lists (no, don't ask, I
can't tell).
I have only seen such encrypted messages in 5-letter
groups, whether for CW or teletype transmission.
The guys who sent the CW didn't need a clearance, but
the crypto operators and technicians needed to be
cleared for the highest level that was handled in that
space.  BTW, the crypto room was the most secure place
of the radio room.

The reference to routing indicators was a means of
identifying the recipient, as far as I know by
teletype.  

I was a radioman from 1968-1972.  
John C. Harry




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