Signaller Merit Badge -- Resources and Games

This merit badge is being offered only for 2010 in honor of 100 years of scouting. On this page we offer games and resources to help you practice sending and receiving messages because that is a big part of the badge. This document contains all the signalling details.

I recommend this sheet for decoding Morse code. To use it, place your finger above the middle of the chart on the line between E and T. Each time you hear a dot or dash you move your finger down to either left (DOT) or right (DASH). After each move you get two more choices. When you hear no more sound write down the letter your finger is on. For example, if you hear a DASH (move finger to T) and then a DOT, you move you finger to the left underneath the T to the N. If you hear another DOT you would move down to the D. When hear nothing write down the D and move your finger back to the top.

Likewise this chart works for semaphores. See the notes below on how to use this one. This other sheet for semaphores is more traditional.

There are plenty of other guides available on the internet. Here is an antique study device and and its back side used by the BSA in 1915. It includes Morse code, semaphores and wig-wag.

Game for practicing listening / receiving skills

Game for practicing sending skills Sorry, this no longer works.

Hints for decoding Wig Wag

Wig Wag transmits Morse code using only one flag. When the flag appears on the left it means a DOT. When the flag appears on the right it means a DASH. The flag will be at rest (vertical in the middle) between dots and dashes. The flag will drop down to the ground to signal the following

Hints for decoding Semaphore

Semaphore flags start from a rest position when both are down. When the flags are up, move your eye clockwise starting from the bottom to find the position of the first flag you meet. This flag tells you which ring you are on. When the first flag is at the bottom you are on the outermost ring. When the first flag is at 9:00 you are on the 3rd ring (counting in). Then look at the position of the second flag--it will always be further along clockwise from the first flag. It's position tells you what the letter is on the chart. Note that the letters are not entirely in order--J is skipped and some letters around U and V are swapped.

Created by Matt Humphrey -- matth at iviz dot com