Signaling

This Historic Merit Badge can be earned only during calendar year 2010, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
It was first offered in 1910 and discontinued in 1992.

BSA has announced a special program in honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the BSA, which includes the reintroduction, for 2010 only, of four Historical Merit Badges - Carpentry, Pathfinding, Signaling, and Tracking.

The basics of the 2010 Historical Merit Badge program include:

• An overall goal of the program is for a majority of the BSA’s registered Boy Scouts to earn one or more of the merit badges during the centennial year, 2010.
• The badges offered have a history that can be traced back to the origins of the BSA.
• The original requirements are being used, as well as supported by scanned pages of the early merit badge pamphlets so a Scout can view what a Scout 100 years ago used. Supporting the scanned pages of the original pamphlets are information guides for each merit badge that explain what a Scout of 1910 might have experienced, along with background information to assist a Scout in understanding what maybe unfamiliar terms.
• The contemporary merit badges closely resemble the original designs of their counterparts with the exception of the border, which is gold. The unique border will immediately identify it as a 2010 historic merit badge.
• The four historical merit badges may be used toward a Scout’s rank advancement.
• The effective date for earning these new merit badges is April 1, 2010, and requirements must be completed no later than Dec. 31, 2010..
• The BSA will not reprint the pamphlets for these merit badges. Reprints of the original merit badge pamphlets are posted to http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx
• As with all merit badges, units, districts, and councils should recruit and register qualified counselors for these badges.

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Download a pdf of the Original Merit Badge Book  

Download a pdf with the New Information for This Merit Badge

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These are the original requirements for Signaling written in 1911.

Requirements:

To obtain a Merit Badge for Signaling, a Scout must:

1. Make an electric buzzer outfit, wireless, blinker, or other signaling device. Send and receive in the International Morse Code, by buzzer or other sound device, a complete message of not less than 35 words, at a rate of not less than 35 letters per minute.
2. Demonstrate an ability to send and receive a message in the International Morse Code by wigwag and by blinker or other light signaling device at a rate of not less than 20 letters per minute.
3. Send and receive by Semaphore Code at the rate of not less than 30 letters per minute.
4. Know the proper application of the International Morse Code and Semaphore Codes; when, where, and how they can be used to best advantage.
5. Discuss briefly various other codes and methods of signaling which are in common use.

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BSA Advancement ID#: 141
Requirements last updated in: 2010
Pamphlet Stock Number: NONE
Pamphlet Revision Date: 1940

Worksheets for use in working on these requirements:	Format
	Word Format	PDF Format

Blanks in this worksheets table appear when we do not have a worksheet for the badge that includes these requirements.