Origin of "CQ" and first Distress Call "CQD"

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

THE FIRST DISTRESS CALL CQD

The landline telegraph operators had used the signal CQ for some time. CQ was the railroad landline telegraph signal that preceded the transmitting of the time signal. It was sent in order for the railroad telegraphers to get ready to reset their pendulum depot clocks and pocket watches.

The first wireless operators naturally brought this signal with them as a part of their operating habits they were to bring to the wireless and later radio world. CQ meant a call to all stations in the wireless or radio world. When it became obvious that wireless was to play such an important part in these distress incidents, the Marconi Company sent instructions to all their operators
that they were to use the signal CQD as a distress signal. Therefore, any vessel finding itself in a state of distress could precede its communication with this signal. This communication would be given priority over all other communications. Somewhere along the line it was given the label come quick danger and when the SOS signal replaced CQD it became known as save our souls. As near as I can tell this was done as simply a means of remembering the signal.

Mr. Ludwig Arnson was the first to send the CQD signal. He sent this from the liner KOONLAND when she lost a propeller off the Irish coast on December 7th, 1903. A British cruiser appeared in response to his signal. Mr. Arnson later became president of the Radio Receptor Company Inc.

Jack Binns was one to use this CQD signal. On January 23rd, 1909, Jack was sailing in the British White Star Liner REPUBLIC and was outbound from New York for the Mediterranean with 460 American tourists as passengers. At 5:40 AM REPUBLIC collided with the Italian Liner FLORIDA inbound to New York from Italy with 830 emigrants on board, mainly people evacuated from the Messina earthquake. FLORIDA was not fitted with wireless when these two ships collided off Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, in thick fog. Jack’s wireless station was located in the typical shack of the era, a wooden shack fitted on the boat deck. The collision left this shack in a mess and Jack had to operate his set in the fog and the cold. He managed to rig a canvas and cover himself in a blanket for some protection, but at that he did much shivering while he spent seventy-two hours talking another liner and a sister ship, the BALTIC, in alongside to rescue his passengers.

Jack was made a hero from this incident and was credited with the saving of probably 1500 lives. The crew and passengers were transferred from REPUBLIC to the FLORIDA shortly after the collision and on the arrival of the BALTIC the majority of the FLORIDA’s passengers and crew, and the crew and passengers from REPUBLIC were again transferred to the BALTIC. A considerable feat that was done by small life boats in rough seas during the
hours of darkness.

FLORIDA managed to limp into New York for repairs but the REPUBLIC was not so fortunate and sank while attempts were being made to tow her. Jack was not the type to welcome any kind of publicity. He became an
overnight hero both in the United States and his home in England and
was stuck with the title CQD Binns for the rest of his life – which ended
in a New York hospital at the age of 76.

John Robinson “Jack” Binns died in a New York hospital in December, 1959.
This incident was the one to make wireless an important part of the shipping
world and to knock the passing fad theory out of their vocabulary. From
that date there became a mad scramble  to fit more and more of the world’s
ships with wireless. Camperdown MHX was already a veteran by this time, 

More of this excellent writing is found by purchasing S.G. Roscoe's fine book: "Radio History: Ship Shore" available from Friesen Press in all three formats, electronic, soft cover, hard cover (the large pdf that comes with the ePub is only available from Friesen Press (you get two files)  and on Amazon. https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000255727505/Spurgeon-G.-Roscoe-Radio-History-Ship-Shore

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DR