"Six-two and even, over and out"

[chknltl]

Ok so many of us remember this phrase from Dick Tracy cartoons which aired back in the 1960s but what does it mean?

I searched around and found a reference to horse racing. It seems odd that the authors of that cartoon would choose horse race booking vernacular as a police code.

Anyone here know something about this old phrase?

[MicaelS]

1. The Straight Dope

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=12457

"Six, two, and even, over and out" is a direct quote from the old Dick Tracy cartoons. He was usually talking into his wrist radio when he said it. At the time, it was funny because radios at the time (late fifties, early sixties) weighed several pounds and took up more space than would fit on a wrist. The numbers come from two dials that were used to measure received power levels. Hence, six was showing up on one dial, two was showing on the other, and the numbers were holding steady. This same origin is reflected in the term "I read you five by five," indicating that the two dials were both at five (a pretty strong signal). Nowadays, of course, we have two-way wrist TVs just like Dick had. Will wonders never cease?

[chknltl]

3. Now that makes better sense. Thanks.

I figured it had to be something like that. So now we know. Thanks MicaelS.

[Jeff R]

2. Learned

Something today.
I remembered the cartoon (not re-runs) and the code, but never realized what it meant till the 1st reply.

[chknltl]

4. Me too

They say it is good to learn something new everyday. Guess we are both 'Good to go' till tomorrow.

Six, Two and Even, Over and Out.