180 METHODS OF COMMUNICATION FOR FOREST PROTECTION 



A record of the time of receipt and transmission of every official message should 

 be kept. 



In receiving messages nothing should be taken for granted and nothing con- 

 sidered as seen until it has been positively and clearly in view. Do not anticipate 

 what will follow from signals already given. Watch the communicating station until 

 the last signals are made and be very certain that the signal for the end of a message 

 has been given. 



Attempts to attract the attention of a station to be successful must be persistent. 

 They should never be abandoned until every device has been exhausted. 



Section 114 Care of .Instruments 



(1) When riding always carry the heliograph slung across the shoulders and not 

 attached to the sad'dle. On a pack-horse it should 'be rolled in the shedding. 



(2) Never leave the heliograph on its stand when the work with it is finished. 

 Dismount and replace in its case. 



(3) Avoid holding the instrument 'by the U arms or mirror frame. 



(4) If the heliograph gets wet, rub the metal portions over with an oily rag 

 before putting it away or at the first opportunity. 



(5) Always keep the heliograph clean and free from rust and dust. Grit and 

 dust in the tangent screws or sockets of the mirror bars will soon destroy the best 

 instrument. 



(6) Occasionally oil the working parts (screen, sliding-bar, vanes, tangent 

 screws, bearings, etc)j but never leave superfluous oil on any part, as it collects duet. 

 ( Never allow oil to drop on the mirror. 



(7) Make adjustments of the bearings, etc., only when necessary. Be careful 

 not to damage or burr the heads of screws, and see that the threads are not crossed 

 or otherwise mutilated. 



(8) Before commencing any minor repairs, consider by which means the fewest 

 screws and parts need be removed. Avoid stripping the heliograph on ground where 

 the parts would be easily lost, such as in long grass, elc. If possible spread a blanket 

 or pack cover on which to work. 



Section 115 Training Operators 



The following, taken from " Systematic Fire Protection in the California 

 .Forests ", corresponds with the author's experience, and is quoted 1 as a suggestion 

 to those who may undertake to employ the heliograph in forest protection: 



" It has been proven by experience that the average mountain man selected for 

 lookout service is quite capable of learning and becoming proficient in the use of the 

 heliograph. The first step in installing this system on a forest should be to secure 

 the services of an experienced instructor to train the new men. 



" In heliograph work, practice is absolutely essential to fast and intelligible 

 signalling. A common fault is the failure to keep the mirror in perfect adjustment 

 while operating. This fault is extremely annoying to the receiving station and 

 must be eliminated. The .actual spelling out of words is not the difficult part; the 

 trouble comes in at the ends of words, ends of sentences, ends of messages, getting 

 started, failure to observe the conventional methods of calling, breaking signals, 

 starting again, acknowledgment of messages, etc. It is only through constant drill- 

 ing, as in the case of telegraph operating, that the heliograph man learns these 

 tricks of the trade. 



" The average speed attained by the best Forest Service operators has been 

 found to be about four words a minute. The average fire message need not exceed 

 twenty words, so it will ,be seen that after the discovery of a fire an expert heliograph 

 :nan can get the news to his receiving station in five minutes. Twice this length of 

 time should! be a safe figure for an ordinary operator." 



