minute, an experienced SM probably will reply at the same rate; but you will be out of luck if you can read only 6 or 7 words a minute. Speed, incidentally, does not imply noise. The shutters can be moved quickly without banging them up and down. When you are first learning to send code by light, it is wise to increase the interval between characters and groups. The extra time enables the beginner to see each character in the proper time ratio. Moreover, the greater period between the characters and groups allows the mind to verify or realize what the eyes have seen. Practice reduces this reception time, and the periods can be decreased. The period the shutter remains open for a dit or dah and closed between characters and groups, when sending by flashing light, is given in the following list. Note that the interval between dits and dahs is the same. A dit equals 1 unit of duration. A dah equals 3 units. The period between dits or dahs in the same character equals 1 unit. The period between two characters equals 3 units. The period between groups equals 7 units. FLASHING LIGHT QUALIFICATIONS Certain flashing light standards are required of the Signalman for advancement to the third and second class levels. You must demonstrate your ability to meet these standards before you are recommended for advancement. They are required as part of your performance tests, which must be taken for advancement in rating. For advancement to Signalman 3, you must be able to transmit and receive code groups at six groups per minute, and plain language messages at an approximate speed of eight words per minute. (Five characters equals one group.) For advancement to Signalman 2, you must be able to transmit and receive code groups at an approximate speed of eight groups per minute and plain language at an approximate speed of 10 words per minute. Following is a series of Morse code drills. Practice each drill until you can send and receive it at the rate of 25 characters per minute before going on to the next exercise. To estimate the time required to attain that speed, divide the number of characters in each drill by 25. Drill 1, for example, contains 150 characters. Before going on to drill 2, practice drill 1 until you can send or receive it in 6 minutes. Drill 1 GM7OH JMOHl GOMG7 MOJG7 HOMJG O7AMG H4OJM 7GHOJ MJ7GM OH1JG OMJ4H OGlJH MOlGJ HOM4G JHJOO GMlHJ HlGOM JH7G7 H07GM J4HJG OMGlJ H4MOG JGHM7 GOJMH GGJ4O MlJGH 4GMOG JOGH4 OMGNl OGM7A Drill 2 DOGJK SK7MY HMJOD GSHKD 7M28J YOSKH SKDOH MZGJK 87M0Y    MGJOH G7S2K    DY7GO J7MHD SKG28 MJ7K0   G8SMR DJH72 KYDS8 KGOMJ SHD28 K7GO2 DKSJ4 280HY    7GKSD HJDYM    HSK07 82GJH    DSK82 HOYMG    7D8KS Drill 3 EJZPH   U8IOA YBMKW 7GO85 SD3YB   KH5E5 PWJY7    JBK3H YW7SD   EOGP5 W3BWP    ES5K2 YMOG7    HJKYO B P 8 2 7   MGSDW KHOP3    KSJME W7G5B   B28YD 2POHB 5SKJM OMOG2   KYJH7 8SDW3 YBEP5 7HJG0   MYK2D P S 8 5 P    EB3WJ PKWGY    MJW28 HOGKS Drill 4 6 B 8 2 H 00QP3 5T4HY FLEWY WEMJO GSK3P OHYDL    JFB6Q F N L 0 8 KDJ07 KMGOP   3W5BE OKYDS LFNGJ YS5WN   JKOBF POLQN 5PEDS 8 7 H J 2   GKY3W BQ6FO PWO96 Drill 5 UJKLV AHYQP 96WX4   JO9UC A4XQO 6 L S 2 G WOHPW   6F7YM W9NSD NGMJB CUPEX   QKOH6 YOXC3 POH7G 5BA94    HUWEM J 2 8 N 6 QOSKY EDLF8   X4ACU FQ7LN C 0 5 3 6 PBW5G    7HJOM 8DSKY 2DNQL 6JP9C    AW6YF AN8PV    PW096 AII-3