"'SOS,' 'CQD' and the History of Maritime Distress Calls" by Neal McEwen, K5RW

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

"'SOS,' 'CQD' and the History of Maritime Distress Calls"

The Marconi Yearbook of Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony , 1918 states, "This signal [SOS] was adopted simply on account of its easy radiation and its unmistakable character. There is no special signification in the letter themselves, and it is entirely incorrect to put full stops between them [the letters]." All the popular interpretations of "SOS," "Save or Ship," "Save Our Souls," or "Send Out Succour" are simply not valid. Stations hearing this distress call were to immediately cease handling traffic until the emergency was over and were likewise bound to answer the distress signal. 

Although the use of "SOS" was officially ratified in 1908, the use of "CQD" lingered for several more years, especially in British service where it originated. It is well documented in personal accounts of Harold Bride, second Radio Officer, and in the logs of the SS Carpathia, that the Titanic first used "CQD" to call for help. When Captain Smith gave the order to radio for help, first radio officer Jack Phillips sent "CQD" six times followed by the Titanic call letters, "MGY." Later, at Brides suggestion, Phillips interspersed his calls with "SOS." 

In SOS to the Rescue, 1935, author Baarslag notes, "Although adopted intentionally in 1908, it [SOS] had not completely displaced the older "CQD" in the British operators' affections." Marconi in his U.S. Senate testimony on the Titanic disaster said, "I should state that the international signal [SOS] is really less known that the Marconi Co.'s [CQD] signal." (It is interesting to observe that Marconi was waiting in New York to return home to England on the Titanic.) 

The first use of wireless in the rescue of an American ship was in 1905. Off Nantucket, the operator of Relief Ship No. 58, a light ship, sent "HELP" in International Morse and American Morse. (Trans-Atlantic ships used International Morse and coastal ships used American Morse. The use of American Morse on seagoing vessels ceased in 1912 although it survived for many years on the Great Lakes.) A Naval Radio Station in Rhode Island answered the "HELP" call. 

The rescue of 1,500 passengers and crew from the Republic and the Florida by the Baltic in January of 1909, was the defining moment in wireless rescue history. The White Star liner Republic was rammed in a dense fog by the Italian Florida. Wireless operator Jack Binns of the Republic, sent out a "CQD." (The Florida was not wireless equipped.) The Baltic came to the rescue after hunting for the Republic in the fog for many hours. Those concerned with the maritime industry now realized the importance of equipping ships with wireless. 

The number of ships equipped with wireless grew rapidly after the Republic disaster. For example, at the end of 1909 the Marconi Co. owned and operated 143 wireless stations on the high seas. By the summer of 1911, the number grew to 303 stations. By the end of 1912, there were 580 shipboard wireless installations. 

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Navigation publication, Important Events in Radio telegraphy, 1916, recorded maritime disasters in which wireless played a part in rescue on the seas and the Great Lakes. From 1899 to 1908, there were nine such events. In 1909 there were 18 rescues and in 1915, 35 rescues. The following quote, though not directly rescue related, demonstrates the extreme importance of shipboard wireless: 

"November, 1914 -- Great Lakes storms destroyed 19 vessels, none of which were equipped with wireless. All vessels having radio apparatus installed received warning of the coming storm and sought safety."

The first recorded use of "CQD" by an American ship was in 1908 by the steamer Santa Rosa off the coast of California. Commander Richard Johnstone records this in his memoir My San Francisco Story of the Waterfront and the Wireless, 1965. The first recorded American use of "SOS" was in August of 1909. Wireless operator T. D. Haubner of the SS Arapahoe radioed for help when his ship lost its screw near Diamond Shoals, sometimes called the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." The call was heard by the United Wireless station "HA" at Hatteras. 

A few months later, the SS Arapahoe received an "SOS" distress call from the SS Iroquois. Radio Officer Haubner therefore has the distinction of being involved in the first two incidents of the use of "SOS" in America, the first as the sender and the second as the receiver. Being slow to adopt international wireless standards, the U.S. did not officially adopt "SOS" until 1912. 

Besides "CQD" and "SOS," "XXX" was used as an urgent signal, being less urgent than "SOS." "XXX" was used when there was concern for the safety of a ship or the safety of person on board or a person sighted from on board. "TTT" was used as a safety signal to precede ice, storm and other navigational warnings including coastal artillery practice. "MEDICO" was used by ships without a doctor seeking medical advice from another ship or shore station. During W.W.II, the signal "SSSS" was used for "submarine sited". 

The distress call by radio telephone is the two words "MAY DAY." This corresponds to the French pronunciation for "m'aider", which means "help me." On voice, the "XXX" (urgent) equivalent is the word "PAN." This corresponds to the French pronunciation for "panne", which means "mishap" or "accident." The "TTT" (safety) equivalent is "SECURITY." This corresponds to the French pronunciation for "sécurité", which means "safety." The calling frequency for voice was 2182 kilohertz. 

During the investigation into the Titanic disaster, Guglielmo Marconi stated that he was experimenting with a device that could be used as an automated alarm for distress signals. Upon hearing a series of signals, an alarm bell would ring. Some European nations put these alarms into service. A sequencing device was connected to the output of the receiver. Upon the reception of four or more dashes of exactly four seconds duration, a device rang an alarm bell in the radio shack, the radio officer's quarters and on the ship's bridge. The system was employed as a substitute for a second operator. Because the system could miss a call under adverse conditions or ring the bell in error, American radio authorities deemed it unreliable and not a substitute for another on duty operator. Americans later mandated the used of automatic alarms with the Communications Act of 1934. 

At the third international radiotelegraph conference in 1912, it was agreed that ships would listen for distress signals on a wavelength of 600 meters. This is a frequency of about 500 kilohertz. (The calling and distress frequency for the Great Lakes was 410 kilohertz.) International law required each ship to cease transmitting for three minutes at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour. During this interval they were required to listen for distress calls. At this conference, the recent Titanic disaster was fresh on the minds of the delegates, particularly the British. Consequently, many advances were made concerning the cooperative use of wireless for safety at sea. 

It is interesting that the use of "CQ" as a general call was displaced by "QST" in 1911. Radio amateurs, or hams as they are more commonly called, continue to use both. "CQ" is used as "calling any station" and "QST" is used as "calling all stations" 

Wireless and radio literature of the early and mid 20th century is rich in documenting the use of maritime distress signals. Only the surface of the subject is covered here. Yet, perhaps next time a reference to "SOS" is seen, there will be a little more appreciation of its lineage. 

Special thanks to Thomas White for providing electronic copies of German Regulations for the Control of Spark Telegraphy, Important Events in Radiotelegraphy and International Wireless Telegraph Convention. Without them, this article would not have been complete. 

by Neal McEwen, K5RW

[afil...@ukr.net]

Marconi in his U.S. Senate testimony on the Titanic disaster said, "I should state that the international signal [SOS] is really less known that the Marconi Co.'s [CQD] signal."

So less known that SS Frankfurt/DFT, who received distress signal at 10:25 (the first CQD was sent at 10:25) wrote in his log:

Titanic bnd west NIL. (RST - Good). 

It was the first vessel who replied to the Titanic immediately (at 10:25).

(without exchange you will not get NIL.)

I always wonder why they  want to distort history, the efforts of DFT (German) and SBA (Russian vessel) in the Titanic rescue, even hundreds year later?

BR

Alex

UR5FIL

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

Hello Alex,

I don't see where it says FRANKFURT contacted TITANIC.  Certainly RST wasn't used, that's a much later amateur radio practice, not commercial practice, and contemporary amateur radio practice followed commercial practice QSA QRK and QRI.

I found more on this:  

https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/community/threads/frankfurt.2966/

Perhaps one our German members can help with this page:

 http://www.marconicalling.org/museum/html/objects/titanic/large_image/large_image-type_d__t02036.html

Any of our German friends?

73

DR

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[afil...@ukr.net]

Hello David,

It is well known :

Senator SMITH.
Was the Frankfurt the first ship that picked up the C.Q.D.?

Mr. BRIDE.
Yes, sir.

RST in brackets is my quick remarks to explain QSA in German.

It is easy to read the text in log if you recall your own radiolog format.

BR

Alex

UR5FIL

--- Исходное сообщение ---
От кого: "D.J.J. Ring, Jr." <n1...@arrl.net>
Дата: 7 февраля 2019, 05:57:55

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/radio-officers/CADO5RbgSMCNVWh6%3D0Y8CSN4R0V4Hux7nr5EXskC0HC-%3D72fzAg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Peter Hewitson]

I believe we all here in this group understand the meaning of QSA

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[afil...@ukr.net]

Did QSA and Q-Code have been well known to German Radio Officers in 1912?

--- Исходное сообщение ---
От кого: "Peter Hewitson" <peter.h...@gmail.com>
Дата: 7 февраля 2019, 06:27:24

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