OT - Hanoi Hilton - POW Tap Codes
 

On Feb 6, 6:39*pm, Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 15:18:08 -0800 (PST),





wrote:
On Feb 6, 6:14*pm, Tim wrote:
On Feb 6, 4:52*pm, wrote:

On Feb 6, 5:49*pm, Vic Smith wrote:

On Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:07:33 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing

wrote:
On Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:46:46 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

Heard a John *McCain stump speech today.
John talked about speaking in tap codes to fellow POWs about
a Republican Governor who was trying to get the guys released.
That governor was Ronald Reagan.
Anybody know how to spell Ronald Reagan in tap code?
Is that morse code?

It's a cipher code based on a two sided square. *We used to teach it
in the original SERE school which wasn't called SERE back then - way
back then - there. *:)

Found it. *Here's the article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tap_Code

Thanks. *At first glance that looks clumsy, but then you realize how
it could help retain sanity, and I bet they got real fast with it too.

--Vic *- Hide quoted text -

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Wouldn't morse code have been easier? Seems so to me.- Hide quoted text -

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I imagine that the enemy could crack the Morse code, so an alternate
was vital.

Just an uneducated opinion.- Hide quoted text -

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It just hit me that a "cheat sheet" for tap would be easier to make
and you do not really have to "learn" tap, just look at a quick cheat
sheet in the dirt or whatever..

Nope.

Remember - it's a cypher. *Morse code isn't a cypher. *And it's much
easier to remember because it's only 100 sets.

Additionally, you can reduce the sets needed. For example - let's say
one POW at one end saw a guard coming and tapped out A GRD. *That
would be one guard. *Two guards would be TO GRD. *TRE for three, etc.

Much like text messaging, you can further reduce the sets into common
sets - BRB for BE RIGHT BACK or other combinations.

During the day of RR telegraphy, it was quite common for operators to
use common sets and signals to reduce the number of key strikes to a
minimum. *To moved on to Morse use and exists today in text messaging
on cell phones.

I once saw a very interesting study of African drum codes in which
they used the same techniques in sending messages including, of all
things, a signal for standby. *:)- Hide quoted text -

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But still easier. I do not remember morse code and could not remember
it if I had to. Right now, only reading the one link, I will be able
to communicate in this type of tap for the rest of my life, line 1= a
b c d e line 2= f g h i j... c replaces k and what could be easier?
No need to really remember anything but the alphabet and how to count
to 5 ;)