Message Trials at the Ultimate Disc Field

The Recreation Club's Field Report

An ultimate disc club practices on a large grass field. During drills, a coach needs to send three messages to players waiting across the field. The club builds a shape board and tries a whistle code. These are practice messages, not emergency signals. Players learn both code keys before testing. They read the board from left to right and listen to whistle notes in the order they are made.

The board shows two large shapes side by side. Each message has its own ordered pair of shapes. The whistle uses two notes for each message. A short note lasts less time than a long note. There is a small gap between the two notes and a longer pause between messages. An adult uses the whistle at a comfortable volume. No player stands close to it.

The club tests both designs in three conditions: a quiet field in daylight, a noisy field in daylight, and a quiet field in dim evening light. For each condition, the club sends 12 messages with each design. It uses the same players, distance, and mix of messages. The board size and whistle volume stay the same. A recorder counts how many messages the players identify correctly. The graph shows the club's results.

The club wants a method that players can understand when conditions change. It also wants room to add another message later. After the first tests, members suggest larger shapes, a new code pair, and a way to request a repeated message. The club has not tested those changes yet. Members must decide which suggestions address a problem in the results and what evidence to collect next.