A nonsynchronous system for mobile record communications

One of the most significant advances in the record communications industry occurred during World War II. This was not so much a technological advance, although this certainly occurred, but a change in operational requirements. The sheer bulk of communications which is required to control adequately and to support a highly mobile combat force plus the difficult communications problems which are posed by such mobile operations early dictated the requirement for more efficient and reliable communications than could be provided by conventional voice circuits. Voice communications are beset by the disadvantages of a relatively low transmission rate and an inherently high transcription error, plus the requirement for a relatively good communications circuit. Consequently, the volume of traffic which is assigned to ripnted record communications has steadily increased until currently the use of voice communications is largely limited to short-range command functions; it is conceivable that, in the not too distant future, even this function will be supplanted by highly portable printing telegraph systems.