{"id":24842,"date":"2017-03-27T07:38:52","date_gmt":"2017-03-27T11:38:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=24842"},"modified":"2017-03-27T07:38:52","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T11:38:52","slug":"the-first-maritime-radio-distress-call","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/the-first-maritime-radio-distress-call\/","title":{"rendered":"The first maritime radio distress call"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(Source: The Telegraph<\/a> via Mike Barraclough on Facebook)<\/p>\n

On 17 March 1899, the East Goodwin Sands Lightship, operating under a licence from the General Post Office, BT\u2019s predecessor, sent a signal on behalf of the merchant vessel Elbe, which had run aground on the treacherous Goodwin Sands off the coast of Kent.<\/p>\n

The message was received by the radio operator on duty at the South Foreland Lighthouse, who was able to summon the aid of the Ramsgate lifeboat.<\/p>\n

Goodwin Sands featured again a few weeks later when, on 30 April 1899, the East Goodwin Sands Lightship sent a distress message on her own account when she was rammed by the SS R F Matthews.<\/p>\n

Rather than the now-famous signals of \u201cSOS\u201d or \u201cMayday\u201d, the recognised call sign for ships in distress at the time was \u201cCQD\u201d. Devised in 1904 by the British Marconi Society, it was popularly mistaken to mean \u201cCome Quick \u2013 Danger\u201d or, more bleakly, \u201cCome Quickly \u2013 Drowning!\u201d. However, its actual official meaning came from the land telegraph signal CQ \u2013 \u201cs\u00e9cu\u201d from the French word s\u00e9curit\u00e9 \u2013 followed by D for Distress.<\/p>\n

The \u201cSOS\u201d Morse code signal \u2013 three-dots\/three-dashes\/three-dots \u2013 was established as an International Distress Signal, agreed at the Berlin Radio Conference on 3 October 1906 \u2013 though the signal wasn\u2019t formally introduced until 1 July 1908.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Continue reading the full story at The Telegraph online.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

(Source: The Telegraph via Mike Barraclough on Facebook) On 17 March 1899, the East Goodwin Sands Lightship, operating under a licence from the General Post Office, BT\u2019s predecessor, sent a signal on behalf of the merchant vessel Elbe, which had run aground on the treacherous Goodwin Sands off the coast of Kent. The message was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,288],"tags":[6053,3969,4091,6055,6054],"class_list":["post-24842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-radio-history","tag-east-goodwin-sands-lightship","tag-maritime-radio","tag-radio-history","tag-sos","tag-south-foreland-lighthouse"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-6sG","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":36294,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2019\/03\/scott-stumbles-upon-radio-veronica-at-the-ndsm-wharf\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":0},"title":"Scott stumbles upon Radio Veronica at the NDSM Wharf","author":"Thomas","date":"March 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Scott Gamble, who writes: [I was in Amsterdam recently] and was in a meeting over at the NDSM Wharf, and I happened to stumble upon Radio Veronica next to the office where I was meeting. Never though I\u2019d be so close to it. Such\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mediumwave"","block_context":{"text":"Mediumwave","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/mediumwave\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Radio-Veronica-Ship-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Radio-Veronica-Ship-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Radio-Veronica-Ship-1-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":41692,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/kph-article-on-techcrunch-and-bay-area-backroads\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":1},"title":"KPH Article on TechCrunch and Bay Area Backroads","author":"Thomas","date":"January 20, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Dan Van Hoy, who writes: \"The Last Radio Station,\" an article about maritime radio station, KPH, is up on TechCrunch ( https:\/\/techcrunch.com\/2020\/01\/18\/the-last-radio-station\/ ). https:\/\/youtu.be\/zI9-SRqJrgE KPH is silent on maritime frequencies, but through the hard work of volunteers continues operation 24\/7 with a 3-30MHz KiwiSDR\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/1024px-Cypress_Tree_Avenue_at_KPH_Point_Reyes-1024x635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/1024px-Cypress_Tree_Avenue_at_KPH_Point_Reyes-1024x635.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/1024px-Cypress_Tree_Avenue_at_KPH_Point_Reyes-1024x635.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":32886,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/06\/give-your-radios-a-vacation\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":2},"title":"Give Your Radios a Vacation!","author":"Thomas","date":"June 24, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"In 2013, I wrote the following feature for the Monitoring Times Magazine. Looking back, I realize that I never posted this article on the SWLing Post. Since we're in the midst of the summer travel season here in the northern hemisphere, I thought I'd post this feature from five years\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Radio-Canada-International-Sackville-NB-26-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Radio-Canada-International-Sackville-NB-26-150x150.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Radio-Canada-International-Sackville-NB-26-150x150.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/Radio-Canada-International-Sackville-NB-26-150x150.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59884,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/06\/the-giant-antennas-of-shanghai-coast-radio-station-xsg\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":3},"title":"The Giant Antennas of Shanghai Coast Radio Station (XSG)","author":"Thomas","date":"June 2, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Michael (BD4AAQ) who shares the following guest post: Shanghai Coast Radio Station (XSG): Those Giant Antennas! The 17th of May is the World Telecommunication Day. It is also the open day of Shanghai Coast Radio Station. On this day, a group of amateur radio\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Broadcasters"","block_context":{"text":"Broadcasters","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/broadcasters\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-300x169.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-300x169.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-300x169.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-300x169.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/10-300x169.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6593,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/radio-vacation\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":4},"title":"Radio Vacation","author":"Thomas","date":"May 29, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Some of you may remember that I took an extended vacation last year in the maritime region of Canada. Monitoring Times Magazine just published an article I wrote about the vacation which includes a visit to Sackville, New Brunswick, four weeks in an off-grid cabin in eastern Prince Edward Island\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"MTCoverMay13","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/05\/MTCoverMay13-230x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":58719,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/khp-an-over-the-air-cryptographic-challenge-on-january-20-2024\/","url_meta":{"origin":24842,"position":5},"title":"KHP: An over-the-air cryptographic challenge on January 20, 2024","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Paul (KW1L), who writes: The Maritime Radio Historical Society, in cooperation with our good friends at the Cipher History Museum, present a unique, over-the-air cryptographic challenge. https:\/\/www.radiomarine.org\/mrhs-events On January 20 2024, KPH will transmit a coded message consisting of 5-digit groups. The message will\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Enigma-Machine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Enigma-Machine.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Enigma-Machine.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Enigma-Machine.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}