| 600m wavelength |
(600m/500kHz) International distress signal wavelength. Monitored by U-boats during attacks to learn the identity of the victim or other tactical intelligence |
| AAA/AAAA, RRR/ RRRR, SSS/SSSS distress signals |
Special version of “SOS” that indicates the reason for the signal is that we are under attack by A for Aircraft, R for Raider or S for Submarine. Normally accompanied by the name or call sign of the ship and their position. Later in the war it was changed from three to four letters. |
| Abfertigen |
To dispatch (as for a message) |
| Abgegeben |
Literally delivered, in the contect of a KTB sent as in sending a radio message |
| Abhören |
To intercept radio messages |
| Abhörgefahr |
Danger of interception |
| Abhörstelle |
Intercept station, signal monitoring station |
| Abkommandieren |
To detach |
| Ablauschen |
To listen in, intercept, pick up radio messages |
| Abmarschmeldung |
Departure message (sent after leaving the supply boat) |
| Abschirmung |
Shielding, screening |
| Abstimmen |
To tune |
| Abstimmskala |
Tuning scale |
| Abtastdose |
Record player |
| Abweichfrequenzen |
Alternate frequencies |
| Adressbuch |
A book for encoding naval grid positions for transmission in wireless messages |
| Albrecht |
Active sonar countermeasure |
| Ansteuerungbefehl |
Approach order |
| Antenne |
Antenna/aerial |
| Antenne mit Rundwirkung |
Omni directional antenna |
| Antennenmastwinde |
Winch for aerial masts |
| Antennenschacht |
Shaft for aerials |
| Antwortbuchstaben |
Answer characters |
| Auf- und abschwellender |
Modulated tone |
| Augenverbindung |
Visual communications |
| Ausweichfrequenz |
Alternate frequency |
| Bachstelze |
Wagtail - Fa-330 aircraft - rotary-wing kite |
| Bakenempfang |
Radio beacon reception |
| Balkon Gerät |
Late-war bow-mounted (passive) sonar installation with 48 sensors covering a 270° arc |
| Bandbreite |
Bandwidth |
| B-Deinst |
Radio Intelligence Service |
| Befehlsübermittlung (Bü.) |
Order transmission |
| Befehlsübermittlung Fehler (Bü-Fehler) |
Order transmission error |
| Bericht |
Report, news dispatch |
| Bestätigt |
Confirmed (receip of a message) |
| Bestätigung |
Confirmation of radio message |
| Beta Beta, ββ |
Header for a short signal - the Greek symbol for Beta known in Britain as B-Bar. The U-boat radio operator would send -...- -...- (Morse code for ββ) the shore operator replied -.- (Morse code for K) meaning OK continue. The U-boat radio operator then sent his short message consisting of a series of four-letter groups and ending with ... -.-. (Morse for SK or Silent Key) indicating the end of the message. |
| Betriebsbuch |
Station log |
| Betriebsfunkspruch |
Routine radio message |
| Blinkfeuer |
Flashing light |
| Blinkgerät |
Signal lamp |
| Blinkspruch |
Signal lamp message |
| Bodenwelle |
Ground wave |
| Chiffreschlüssel |
Cipher key |
| Chiffriermaschine |
Cipher device |
| Chiffrierung |
Encipherment |
| Dauerstörung |
Continuous interference |
| Dauerstrich |
Long dash (Morse) |
| Dauerton |
Steady/continuous tone |
| Dazwischensprechen |
Break-in procedure |
| Dechiffieren |
To decipher |
| Dezimeter-Telegraphie (DeTe) |
Decimeter-Radio - the first German codeword for radar |
| Dipolantenne |
Dipole antenna |
| Dolmetscher |
Translator |
| Drehbar |
Revolving |
| Drehkondensators |
Variable capacitor |
| Drehrahmenantenne |
Rotating loop antenna |
| Durchführung |
add grommet to definition |
| Durchführungmeldung |
Accomplishment/execution message |
| Echolotbehälter |
Echo-sounding room |
| Eingang (Eing.) |
Acknowledgement of receipt of radio message |
| Eingangsuhrzeit |
Time group/start time - of a message |
| Einstellen |
To tune in |
| Elektrodenröhre |
Radio tube |
| Empfänger |
Receiver |
| Empfangsbereich |
Reception radius |
| Entschlüsselung |
Decode, decryption |
| Entziffern |
To decipher |
| Entzifferung |
Deciphering |
Erkennungssignal (E.S.)
|
Recognition signal passed by visual means |
| Erkennungszeichen |
Recognition mark |
| Feineinstellung |
Fine tuning |
| Fernhörer |
Receiver |
| Fernmündlich |
Telephone |
| Fernschreiber |
Teletype |
| Fliegeraufklärungs-Tafel (F.Au.T.) |
Code book for long distance air reconnaissance |
| Focke-Achgelis (Fa) Fa 330 |
Wagtail - Fa-330 aircraft - rotary-wing kite |
| Frequenz |
Frequency |
| Frequenzband |
Frequency band |
| Frequenzbereich |
Frequency range |
| Frequenzeinstellung |
Tuning control |
| Fühlfunksignale |
Contact radio signal (can be a dummy radio signal) |
| Fühlungshalterbojen (Fübo) |
Contact keeper buoy - a buoy which set up colored flares after a 30 min delay |
| Füllfunk |
A padding/filler message sent to conceal the volume of traffic on a circuit. |
| Füllfunkspruch |
Dummy W/T message |
| FuMB 1 - Metox 600A (Grandin) |
Radar detector (manufactured in France by the firms Grandin and Sadir) covered between 125-260 cm wavelengths - used FuMB Antenna 2 rotated by hand popularly know as the Biskayakreuz (Biscay cross) aerial later replaced by FuMB 3 Bali antena 137-166 cm wavelength |
| FuMB 10 - Borkum |
Stop-gap radar detector that covered between 20 to 300 cm wavelengths used the boat's existing Radione receiver and the FuMB 3 Bali antenna |
| FuMB 2 - Sadir R87E |
Radar detector that covered between 250 to 455 cm wavelengths |
| FuMB 26 - Tunis |
Radar detector - combined FuMB 24 Cuba Ia - Fleige (for 8-23 cm wavelengths) and FuMB 25 - Mücke (for 2-4 cm wavelengths) antennas back to back |
| FuMB 35 - Athos |
Radar detector covered X (2.5-4 cm) and S (8-15 cm) bands with a cylinder-shaped water/pressure resistant array of circular loop antennas |
| FuMB 37 - Leros |
Radar detector combined the electronics of FuMB 35 Athos with the FuMB Antenna 3 Bali antenna |
| FuMB 4 - Samos RS1/5 UD42 |
Radar detector that covered between 64 to 333 cm wavelengths used Samoa (FuMB Antenna 5) antenna - replaced early type Metox and Sadir on U-boats equipped with FuMO 30 radar |
| FuMB 7 - Naxos (Timor), Naxos I (FuG 350), Naxos Ia (FuG 350a) |
Radar detector that - first used FuMB Antenna 11 Finger covering between 3 to 12 cm wavelengths - later a parabolic antenna designated FuMB Antenne 24 Cuba Ia operating at 8-12 cm wavelengths commonly known as Fliege and finally FuMB 25 Mucke to cover 2-4 cm wavelengths - all could be rotated by hand providing a directional capability |
| FuMB 8 - Wanz G1 (Zypern I, Hagenuk) |
Radar detector that covered between 120-180 cm wavelengths introduced automatic frequency search - the FuMB 3 Bali fixed antenna consisted of two small dipoles mounted on a cylinder known as runddipol (round dipole) - Wanz was a contraction of Wellenanzeiger |
| FuMB 9 - Wanz G2 (Zypern II, Hagenuk) |
Radar detector that covered between 120-180 cm wavelengths - same as FuMB 8 Wanz G1 except that the receiver did not radiate |
| FuMB Antenne 11 - Finger |
Radar dectector antenna first used with FuMB 7 Naxos - not water/pressure tight with manual rotation |
| FuMB Antenne 2 - Honduras |
Radar detector antenna - cross shaped antenna rotated by hand - used with Metox radar detector - known as Biskayakreuz (Biscay Cross) |
| FuMB Antenne 24 Cuba Ia - Fliege |
A rotating antenna used with the Naxos radar detector - parabolic shaped and resembled a bow tie - initially mounted in the DF loop later in a seperate mounting on the bridge |
| FuMB Antenne 25 Mücke |
Radar detector covered 3 cm wavelengths - used a horn-shaped antenna |
| FuMB Antenne 3 - Bali |
Radar detector antenna - Circular shaped fixed antenna with two small vertical dipoles used with Wanz (FuMB 9) radar detector - known as Runddipol (round diploe) or Hächhen (bunny) due to its reselblance to a rabbit |
| FuMB Antenne 4 - Sumatra |
Radar detector antenna - mounted on the back of the FuMO 61 radar antenna |
| FuMB Antenne 5 - Samoa |
Radar detector antenna mounted on the back side of the FuMO 30 radar antenna |
| FuMO 29 - Seetakt |
Radar set - employed a 2x6 fixed dipole array fitted on the forward face of the conning tower - 82 cm wavelength (formerly designated FuMG 41 gU Seetakt) |
| FuMO 30 - Seetakt |
Radar set - employed a small turnable frame aerial with only 2x4 dipoles - 82 cm wavelength (formerly designated FuMG 42 gU) |
| FuMO 391 - Lessing |
Radar set - designed to detect aircraft - 240 cm wavelength - only for Type XXI |
| FuMO 61 Hohentwiel-U |
Radar set - employed a rotating rectangular frame aerial (1m x 1,4m) carrying 4x6 dipoles - 56 cm wavelength |
| FuMO 65 Hohentwiel-U1 |
Radar set - same as FuMO 61 except that it incorporated a Plan Position Indicator (PPI) display |
| FuMO 82 Berlin UI |
Radar set - employed a 4 ceramic stub antennas in a plastic sphere - 9 cm wavelength |
FuMT 1 - Aphrodite IV |
Baloon from which suspended metal foil strips for the purpose of decoying radar |
| FuMT 2 - Thetis IIC |
Radar decoy buoy released from a surfaced U-boat |
| FuMT 4 - Thetis US |
Radar decoy buoy that could be released from a submerged U-boat |
| Funk |
Radio |
| Funkanlage |
Radio installation |
Funkantenne |
Radio antenna |
| Funkbeobachtungsdienst (B-Dienst) |
Radio monitoring service of the Kriegsmarine |
| Funkbeschickung |
Calibration of radio direction finder by comparing optical bearings to radio bearings |
| Funkeinsatz |
Employment of radio |
| Funkempfang |
Radio reception |
| Funkempfänger |
Radio receiver |
| Funkentzifferungsdienst (xB-Dienst) |
Code breaking unit of the Kriegsmarine. |
| Funkgerät |
Radio equipment |
| Funkhorchdienst |
Radio intercept service |
| Funkkladde |
Day log maintained by watch in radio room |
| Funkmaat |
Radio Mate |
| Funkmast |
Radio mast |
| Funkmeldung |
Radio message |
| Funkmess (FuM) |
Radar set |
| Funkmess-Beobachtung (FuMB) |
Radar - detector, passive detection (of enemy radar transmission) |
| Funkmessgerät (FuMG)(DeTe) |
Radar (DeTe was an early designation for radar) |
| Funkmess-Ortung (FuMO) |
Radar - direction finder, active ranging |
| Funknetz |
Radio net |
Funkpeilrahmen or Funkpeilantenne |
Direction Finding (D/F) loop antenna. A circular antenna that once raised from its housing could be rotated to determine the bearing to a radio transmission - this antenna was also used to receive VLF and |
| Funkraum |
Radio room |
| Funkrufzeichen |
Radio call signal |
| Funkschlüssel |
Radio message code |
| Funkschlüsselgespräch |
Direct inter-communication by U-boats by enciphered Morse on HF |
| Funksendung |
Radio transmission |
| Funksignal |
Radio signal |
| Funkspruch |
Radio message |
| Funkspruchvermittlung |
Radio message transmission, radio message relay |
| Funkspruchweg |
Radio channel |
| Funksschaltung |
Radio circuit |
| Funkstille |
Radio silence |
| Funktasten |
Keying |
| Funktelegrafie |
Radio Telegraphy |
Funktelegramm |
Abbreviated F.T. in KTBs - Radio telegram |
| Funküberwachung |
Radio monitoring |
| Funkverbot |
Radio silence |
| Funkverkehr |
Radio traffic |
| Funkweg |
Radio channel |
| Funkwelle |
Radio wave |
| Funkwiederholer |
Radio repeater |
| Gegensignal |
Answering signal |
| Geheimschrift |
Cryptography |
| Geheimtext |
Cipher text |
| Geheimwort |
Cipher key |
| Gerät(e) |
Equipment(s) |
| Gesellschaft für Elektro-akustische und Mechanische Apparate (GEMA) |
Manufacturer of the FuMO 29 & 30 radars |
| Gewitterstörung |
Atmospherics, static |
| GHG-Anlage |
Group listening apparatus installation |
| Goliath |
Codename for the powerful Kriegsmarine long wave radio transmitter near Magdeburg, Germany. Boats could receive these transmissions while submerged |
| Grenzfrequenz |
Cut-off frequency |
| Grenzwelle (M.W.) |
Medium frequency (MF) |
| Gruppenhörchgerät (GHG) |
Fixed hydrophone array on either side of the bow, a total of 48 hydrophones provided 140° of coverage each side of the bow |
| Hängeantenne |
Trailing wire antenna |
| Hauptsender |
Final amplifier, power amplifier |
| Heereslangwellenpeiler |
DF equipment |
| Heimatdienst |
News radio broadcast received daily using the broadcast receiver |
| Heimatverbindung |
Communication with home |
| Hertz |
Cycles per second |
| Hochfrequenz-Peiler |
High Frequency Direction Finder |
| Hochfrequenzteil |
High-frequency module |
| Hochspannungschalter |
High voltage switch |
| Horch- |
Listening |
| Horchdienst |
Radio intercept service |
| Hornstrahler antenne |
Horn shaped antenna |
| Kabelbahn |
Cable path |
| Kennbuchstabe |
Code letter |
| Kenngruppen |
2 groups at beginning and end of Enigma Message |
| Kennzahl |
3 figure groups at beginning of Alpha message |
| Klappbar |
Collapsible, folding |
| Klappbuchse (slang) |
Signal lamp (Morse) |
| Kondensatoren |
Capacitors |
| Kontrollsendung |
Control transmission |
| Kopplung |
Acknowledgement of message by receiving station, Plotting/tieing in/linking |
| Kraftverstärker |
Power amplifier |
| Kristal-Basisgerät (KDB) |
Crystal base-hydrophone |
| Kristalldrehbasisgerät (KDB.) |
Crystal rotating-base apparatus |
| Kurier |
A system of high-speed automatic "flash" transmission capable of sending about ten letters of encoded text at a speed of approximately 600 words per minute used to send short signals |
| Kurzsignal |
Short signal - a special code book (Kurzsignalheft) was used that assigned four letter groups to common tactical phrases to make a message as short as possible. |
| Kurzsignalschlüssel |
Short signal cipher |
| Kurzwelle (K.W.) |
High frequency (HF) |
| Kurzwellensender |
HF transmitter |
| Kurzwetter |
Short signal weather message |
| Langsignal |
Long signal - was send by an U-boat when it was on its way home. This was a long message to report successes and the expected arrival date. |
| Längstwelle (Lä.W.) |
Very low frequency (VLF) |
| Langwelle (L.W.) |
Low frequency (LF) |
| Lautstärke |
Signal strength |
| Leitnummer (Lt.Nr.) |
A daily serial number assigned to a message by shore station before the U-boat was allowed to transmit. This number would later be referenced in the confirmation message (appell) |
| Leitstelle |
Headquarters |
| Leuchtkörper |
Flare |
| Lichtspruch |
Signal-lamp message |
| Magisches Auge |
Magic eye (visual indicator on the Fu.M.B.) |
| Meldedienst |
Message service |
| Meldesammelstelle |
Message center |
| Morsealphabet |
Morse code |
| Morsen |
Transmitting by Morse code |
| Morsenamen |
Morse code title/name |
| Morsespruch |
Telegraph message |
| Morsetaste |
Telegraph key |
| Nachrichtenstelle |
Message center |
| Nachtsignalapparat (NSA) |
Night signalling apparatus |
| Netzgerät |
Power supply |
| Notsender |
Emergency 40W transmitter |
| Notsignal-Sender |
Emergency beacon radio for lifeboat |
| Notzeichen |
Distress signal |
| Offener Funkspruch |
Radio message in the clear |
| Offener Wortlaut |
In plain language |
| Ortendem |
Locating/radiating |
| Passiermeldung |
Passage message |
| Peilempfänger |
Bearing receiver |
| Peilen |
Direction finding, to aim |
| Peiler-funk |
Radio beam, radar direction-finding |
| Peilstrahl |
Signal beam - as from an Elektrasonne navigation beacon |
| Peilzeichen |
Beacon signals |
| Porzelanisolierung |
Porcelain insulator |
| Punke und Striche |
Dots and Dashes |
Radiomitteilung |
Radio message |
| Radiotemps |
Radio bearing signals |
Radioüebertragung |
Radio transmission |
| Reservehandverfahren (RHV) |
A Kriegsmarine hand cipher system for emergency use in case a vessel's Enigma machine was out of order or if the current Enigma cipher key documents were not on board |
| Reservehandverfahren (RVH) |
Reserve Hand Procedure - a manual cipher used as an emergency backup in case the boat's Enigma machine was out of order or the current key materials were not available |
| Röhren |
Tubes (as for electrical equipment) |
| Rückmeldung |
Reply |
| Rufweite |
Hailing distance. |
| Rufzeichen |
Call sign |
| Runddipol |
Round dipole |
| Rundfunk |
Receiving, not sending |
| Sammelmeldung |
General message |
| Schallplatte |
Phonograph record |
| Schalltrichter |
Speaking tube |
| Schaltung |
Circiut (radio) |
| Schauzeichen |
Visual signal |
| Scheinfunk |
Dummy signal |
| Schlüssel M4 |
Enigma coding machine, the M standing for Navy model, the 4 for 4 wheels |
| Schlüsselmaschine |
Coding machine |
| Schlüsseln |
To encode |
| Schlüsselunterlagen |
Code documents |
| Schlüsselwort |
Cipher key |
| Schwammboje |
Swimming buoy - set out by U-boats to indicate the position of convoys by transmitting a radio beacon signal |
| Schwanken |
Fade |
| Schwebungs |
Zero beat |
| Schwebungsüberlagerer |
Beat frequency oscillator |
| Sehr, Sehr, Dringend (S.S.D.) |
Very, Very, Urgent - An urgency indicator ahead of an encoded radio message giving its priority for decryption |
| Sehverbindung |
Visual communications |
| Sehzeichen |
Visual signal |
| Seiltrommel für Funkentelegrafiemast |
Cable drum for W/T mast |
| Sendeanlagen |
Transmitter |
| Sendeantenne |
Transmitting antenna |
| Sendebereich |
Transmitting radius |
| Sender |
Transmitter |
| Sendgerät |
Radio transmitter |
| Sichtzeichen |
Visual signal |
| Signalbuch |
Signal book |
| Signalgast |
Signalman on duty - a seaman trained in visual communications |
| Signalstelle |
Message center |
| Signaltafel |
Code table |
| Skalenbereich |
Scale range |
| Soldatensender |
British propaganda broadcast for U-boats |
| SP-Gerät |
Echo-ranging equipment |
| Sprechfunk |
Voice radio |
| Sprechmaschine |
Phonograph |
| Stabsantenne |
Dipole, Rod aerial antenna |
| Stelze |
Wagtail - Fa-330 aircraft - rotary-wing kite |
| Stichwort |
Keyword or cue-word |
| Stichwortbefehl |
Cue-word Order - a procedurefor altering the Enigma cipher keys when they were suspected to have been compromised. The "Stichwort" was always supposed to be the name of a celestial body. |
| Stichwortbefehl |
Cue-word order - An order prescribing the procedure to be used for altering the Enigma key-settings when headquarters suspected that the key-lists had been compromised |
| Stützpunktfunkstelle |
Base radio center |
| Such Gerät (S-Gerät) |
Active sonar, sound locator |
| Suchbetrieb |
Search mode |
| Tagesappell |
Message of today - confirmation message sent by shore station acknowledging receipt of U-boat message |
| Taste |
Key |
| Tasten |
To send by key |
| Tastverkehr |
Continuous Wave (CW) communication |
| Telefonboje |
Telephone buoy |
| Telegraphistkarte |
Telegraphic chart |
| Tornister Gerät |
VHF Voice radio |
| Tote Zone |
Skip zone |
| Trägerwelle |
Carrier frequency |
| Transformator |
Transformer |
| Uhrzeit (Uhz.) |
Time of origin |
| Ultrakurzwelle (U.K.W.) |
Very High frequency (VHF) |
| Ultrakurzwellempfänger |
Very High Frequency receiver |
| Unterwasser Telefonie |
Underwater telegraphy |
| Unverzügliche Übermittlung |
Immediate transmission |
| Vakuumröhre |
Vacuum tube |
| Varta-Lampe |
Signal lamp (Morse) |
| Verbindungsweg |
Channel of communication |
| Verfügungsfrequenzen |
Assigned frequencies |
| Verschleierungsverkehr |
Deceptive message traffic |
| Verschlüssalter Funkspruch |
Enigma Message |
| Verschlüsseln |
To encipher |
| Verschlüsselter |
Coded text |
| Verschlüsselung |
Encryption |
| Verschlüsselungsscheibe |
Cipher disc |
| Versenkbar |
Retractable |
| Verstanden |
Copied/received (a message |
| Verstärker |
Amplifier |
| Verstärkerrohr |
Amplifier tube |
| Verstümmelte |
Garbeled |
| Verzerrung |
Distortion |
| Vortagsappell |
Message of yesterday - confirmation message sent by shore station acknowledging receipt of U-boat message |
| Vorverstärker |
Pre-amplifier |
| Wachwelle |
Stand-by frequency |
| Wackelkontakt |
Loose contact/connection |
| Walzen |
Wheels (of code-machine) |
| Wechselstrom |
Alternating current |
| Wellenband |
Frequency band |
| Wellenlänge |
Wave length |
| Wellenschaltung |
Change of wave-length |
| Wellenwechsel |
Change of frequency |
| Wetterkurzschlüssel |
short weather cipher |
| Wiederholung |
Repetition |
| Wiederstände |
Resistors |
| Winkflagge |
Semaphore flag |
| Winkspruch |
Semaphore message |
| Winkzeichen |
Hand signal, flag signal |
| Zeichenverbindung |
Visual communications |
