unforum

[Guin]

another thing ive found - and im sure it may have been hinted at - but in the popham codes the actual mast can have a bearing too (or so it seems).

there are at least 4 i cant find.

yellow blue triangle
blue white blue triange
white red with pointy red bits
white and black stripy triangle

[Guin]

[trevor_jarvis]

I currently have 2 miain views on this card

possibly an equation (simultanious?) you know 13x/56 = 25*x and so we need to work out the answer..

alternativly on the same subject the long striped black tail could be an *equals* sign as the red striped version means answer?

this could also mean the other seemingly random flags could just be mutated versions of there originals. for example the reversed 1 / u flag (red white quartered) could actually mean -1 (negative one)

idea two that this is really a co-ord style direction program a bit like the turtle things that we had in schools way back for path plotting.

so they could be course plots and changes.

This make sense to anyone but me?

[Guin]

[UKver2.0]

[brokenthoughts]

Hey, I think I have found the signal code used...

H. Cranmer Phillipps system, which he devised while serving in the Levant in 1826, included provision for secret and cipher signals and it was not dependent on the use of different coloured flags. Instead he proposed using flags of different shapes to represent numerical values.

here is the only picture I have been able to find so far
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/iss/library/speccoll/exhibitions/skilsail/flags.jpg

[doublecross]

Hmm, interesting, thanks. But surely the only Union Flag (value 2) is the one at the top of the middle mast. Are the others all 'vanes' =6? The seven 6s (or 2s) in a row is a little off-putting, but you could be on the right track.

[brokenthoughts]

I thought the vanes were rectangular and under were it says the nation jack it appears to say 'or other square flags'

but I do agree that the repatition of the 2 (or 6) doesnt look good

[Hunting4Treasure]

The repetition of the 2 (or 6) wouldn't be a problem, if the code consists of 3 numbers per character/word/whatever, like someone recently suggested. Hmm... I think we're getting close!

[GasparLewis]

I have no idea what anybody has just said, but I like it.
Trevor and double might have something, now that I actually get it.

So, whatever happened to Perrin? We never found the set, did we?
Donxkey, did you ever get the chance to visit the museum?

[devjoe]

The problem with including the union flag is it no longer breaks into a multiple of three flags. But if we ignore it, then we get:

[GasparLewis]

A few more codes, because I'm bored.
They come from here.
And, another thing: using multiple codes is an acceptable naval practice.

1- ICS 5 / R37
2- ???
3- MAR 3R (repeat itself?!) / R37
4- ???
5- ICS W / R37 B / KEM 14
6- ICS X / HOW 1 / POP 1 / R37 2
7- ICS P / HOW 2 / POP 2 / ELF 4 / WAT 9 / MAR 1 / R37 0
8- USN 0 / R37 No
9- ICS 3 (Pennant) / USN 3 (Pennant) / R37
10- POP 6/ HOW 6/ R37 4
11- POP 8/ HOW 8
12- ???
13- ???
14- R37 K
15- HOW 4
16- USN Turn
17- ???

ICS = Internation Code Signals
USN = U.S. Navy
POP = Popham
HOW = Howe
MAR = Marryat
R37 = Royal Navy, 1937
KEM = Kempenfelt
ELF = Elford's Telegraphic Flags
WAT = Waston, Liverpool to Holyhead
??? = Currently Unknown

Column 1: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 = 7 total
Column 2: 4,6,8,9,6,10,11,12,9,10,13,7,8,2 = 14 total
Column 3: 4,7,14,17,10,7,15,14,16,6,14,13 = 12 total

[? denotes a flag without any sort of known meaning at the given time]
[! denotes a flag with a meaning that is unidentified or very confusing]

L: (5/!) ? (!/!) ? (W/B/14) (X/1/2) (P/2/4/9/1/0)
M: UK ? (X/1/2) (0/No) (3/!) (X/1/2) (6/4) 8 ? 3 (6/4) ? (P/2/4/9/1/0) (0/No) ?
R: ? (P/2/4/9/1/0) K ? 6 (P/2/4/9/1/0) 4 K Turn (X/1/2) K ?

[Flashman9]

Another thought

[Austin]

Would this message make any more sense in l33t?

[donxkey]

Hey guys

sorry I havnt been on in a while. The reason I havent been to the museum is because they sent me this email :

Thank you for your recent enquiry.

Unfortunately we do not hold any information upon the flags and signals mentioned in your enquiry. I suggest contacting the Naval
Historical Branch as they are the Royal Navy's historians and they should be able to provide you with some information relating to
the drawing and the flags. The address is Naval Historical Branch, HM Naval Base (PP20), Portsmouth, PO1 3LU (written requests
only).

I am sorry we are unable to assist you on this occasion.

I guess writing them is definatley worth a shot, I will do it if you like, just let me know everything you think should be included.