Message Precedences "M"

[apride58]

Any old Tel-Ops 212 out there that can tell me what "M" stands for in a msg prec line? The msg is a 1959 msg about the Avro Arrow. I know the usual zopr, but never saw m. Thanks in advance. Al.

 

[chrisf]

Maintenance/engineering traffic wasn't it? It's been a while, but precedence m wasn't a precedence (as opposed to zopr, or flash, immediate, priority, routine) but it indicated the message was related to maintenance or engineering of the circuit.

Of course I was never a tel op and by the time I did start comma as a sig op, this stuff was all in drop down menus... So I may be mistaken.

 

[apride58]

Tnx for input. The M is in the prec position, ie double MM in address line on top preceding rtg inds and single in the dtg line. Did they have separate maint/eng comms in those days? Would have been RCAF. Al.

 

[Occam]

I don't recall ever seeing any references to it in ACP 126 or ACP 127, but my experience only goes back to 1986.

 

[apride58]

Yup, I go back to 1975, and I never saw an M as a prec. Driving me crazy trying to figure it out. lol.

 

[chrisf]

Tnx for input. The M is in the prec position, ie double MM in address line on top preceding rtg inds and single in the dtg line. Did they have separate maint/eng comms in those days? Would have been RCAF. Al.

Maintenance/engineering of the communications circuit, M went into the precedence slot indicating the message was not an actual message to be passed on but related to the circuit.

 

[Occam]

That explanation wouldn't fit well with the subject of this particular message, though.  Can't speak to what they did way back when, but maint/eng messages (aka service messages) used ZOPR precedences just like other messages for as long as I can remember.

What did they have before the Mod 28s, anyways?  Stone tablets and chisels?  ;D

 

[apride58]

lol. Enjoying the answers. The message is a real msg and not a svc or cct maint msg. We used mod 28, mod 14/15/19 with the old murray code tapes. No fancy computers then until we finally got the mod 40's which were 20 yrs obsolete when we got them. Anyway, keep em coming guys. There has to be older TelOps out there than me. lol. Will get our answer yet! Al.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

I believe you will find that it stands for "Most Immediate" or "Most Urgent" (not sure which one anymore) precedence, which was the British usage in use in Canada before we switched to the American driven NATO system of "Flash".

Ever wonder why "Immediate" uses "O": In the British system, the actual name of the precedence was "Operational Immediate", hence the "O".

 

[apride58]

I knew we could find the answer. Big thank you to Oldgoatdriver. Oops, sorry Oldgateboatdriver, my bad lol. I can now stop pulling out what little hair I have left.

 

[chrisf]

Makes perfect sense.

 

[apride58]

Oldgateboatdriver, Ok. Got the M. Understand the O for Immediate. Now explain why the ZZ for flash? lol.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Short answer: I haven't the foggiest....

possible funny answer: "Flash" is American and their illiterate members of the military can see a lightning bolt in the letter "Z", hence "Flash". 

 

[apride58]

lol. Good answer. No one ever said communications was logical.