SOMERTON MAN: First Level of Code Page Cracked!

First Level of Code Page Cracked!

For the enthusiast. If you look to the left of the first letter A in the AIAQC sequence above, you will see two dots and then alongside the upper dot, if you download the large version, you will see a 3 letter word in micro-writing. Let me know what you think it says. Prosigns, the 1945 US War Department Radio Operators Manual has cracked the first level of the code page. Here's the link to the manual which you can download:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4FgVwct8qNUd0F4a1hST0NreHJzTGhCN0FmSm12d1A4QW9j/editHere are my first notes with explanations, there are some letters that can be interpreted but they do need to get additional confirmation, that means researching the web for any WW 2 radio operators manuals. Hoping that Pete Bowes and co will lend a hand!

A could mean ‘Authenticate’ references in various morse code sites. It can also mean ‘the originators call sign follows’ from the manual

AB means ‘All before’ in manual

AR means ‘This is my last message, no reply is expected or required’ in manual

The single letter A could mean ‘All’. assumed from manual

B is ‘More to follow’ in manual

C is for ‘Corrected Version’ in manual

D means ‘Defer’ in manual

E repeated means error so possibly the E means an error from a previous message.assumed from manual

G means ‘Repeat Back’ in the manual and possibly means ‘Groups’ which could contain microcodes of just which groups are to receive the messages. Assumed from manual and other sources

‘I’ could be for ‘Information only’ from other sources

M stands for ‘Message’ The letters CM stand for ‘Classified Message’ so it would not be unreasonable to assume that it is OK. Assumed from manual

N means ‘Not Received or Exempted’ in the manual, could be short for ‘Net Control Station’ or NCS. assumed from manual

O means ‘Urgent’ from manual

P means ‘Priority’ from manual

We have the Q may be part of an operating signal normally containing 3 letters in which case we would have QCV, notably the 3 letter signal beginning with Q was used by aircraft to include movements of aircraft. That, of course, rings a bell because the Q contains microcode CA 23, a still on the board design for a twin jet fighter-bomber designed by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation which used the two letters CA as ‘prefix’ for all their aircraft types. It could then alter the 6th line in the earlier comment to QCVTT. From manual

R is ‘Received’ or ‘Routine’ from manual

The S could mean ‘Station’ referred to in the manual.

T means ‘Transmit to’ from the manual. There are other uses of the T which can be found in the manual

V means ‘message from’ from manual

Finally, the X above the two crossed lines could mean ‘Executive Message’ assumed from the manual. That would fit because those two lines contain strings of microcode.

That would cover all of the larger letters and you should be able to see how they could have been used as a kind of ‘filing’ and instructions system for microcode messages.

The code page letters make sense if they were designed to be carriers of microcode, but, as stand-alone letters with Prosign meanings, they do not make any real sense.

Another Military Radio Operators manual would be of value to confirm some of the assumptions.

As it stands I think we may just have cracked open the first level of the code and have certainly already discovered the presence of the concealed code.

Code Page Marked Up Instances

There are around 100 instances of definite or likely examples of micro writing highlighted on this page. They range from single letter X in small circles to strings of numbers with some letters. In one case there are several lines of handwriting just above the letters B and D in the first line. The handwriting has a noticeable back slant.

You can download this page in it's enlarged version by clicking on the image which will open the large version, you can then right click and download.