{"id":64484,"date":"2025-11-05T06:41:51","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=64484"},"modified":"2025-11-05T06:41:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T10:41:51","slug":"video-the-origins-of-the-sos-distress-signal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/video-the-origins-of-the-sos-distress-signal\/","title":{"rendered":"Video: The Origins of the SOS Distress Signal"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Many thanks to <em>SWLing Post<\/em> contributor Fred Waterer for sharing this video from the YouTube channel &#8220;Today I Found Out&#8221; about the origins of the SOS distress signal:<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RU8JhW0PzyY?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">How Did \u2018SOS\u2019 Become The Universal Distress Signal?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Three dots. Three dashes. Three dots. Even if you don\u2019t know a single other letter of International Morse Code, chances are you immediately recognized the unmistakable rhythm of \u201cSOS\u201d. It is the universal distress signal, understood in nearly every country and language and appearing everywhere in pop culture including songs by artists as diverse as ABBA, Rihanna, and Great Big Sea. And with good reason: endlessly versatile, SOS can be tapped out on a telegraph key or spoken aloud over voice radio, flashed using a signal mirror or flashlight, written out in the snow or sand, or &#8211; if you happen to be held under duress &#8211; blinked out with your eyelids. But how did this seemingly random string of letters come to be the universal code for shit hitting the fan, and do the letters actually mean anything? Well, tune your radio transmitters, warm up your signalling fingers, and let\u2019s find out, shall we?<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">Author: Gilles Messier<br \/>\nHost: Simon Whistler<br \/>\nEditor: Daven Hiskey<br \/>\nProducer: Samuel Avila<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/RU8JhW0PzyY?si=a1-nfOkDWW-EHMY5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to view on YouTube.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer for sharing this video from the YouTube channel &#8220;Today I Found Out&#8221; about the origins of the SOS distress signal: How Did \u2018SOS\u2019 Become The Universal Distress Signal? Three dots. Three dashes. Three dots. Even if you don\u2019t know a single other letter of International Morse Code, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[3,305,288],"tags":[2729,6055],"class_list":["post-64484","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-radio-history","tag-fred-waterer","tag-sos"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-gM4","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":24842,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/the-first-maritime-radio-distress-call\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":0},"title":"The first maritime radio distress call","author":"Thomas","date":"March 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"(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\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","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\/South-Foreland-Lighthouse.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/South-Foreland-Lighthouse.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/South-Foreland-Lighthouse.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/South-Foreland-Lighthouse.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4373,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2012\/09\/radio-4-and-now-an-urgent-sos-message\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":1},"title":"Radio 4: And now an urgent SOS message&#8230;","author":"Thomas","date":"September 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a fascinating Radio 4 documentary about a BBC service that typically had a target audience of one individual. \u00a0Before the proliferation of telecommunications in the 1990's, the BBC's SOS message service acted as a communications link of last resort for people who needed to be urgently connected with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Broadcasters&quot;","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\/2012\/09\/SOS.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":55015,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/radio-waves-honking-sos-vatican-hosts-shortwave-g9-am-vital-in-wyoming-and-the-mainstream-transistor\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":2},"title":"Radio Waves: Honking SOS, Vatican Hosts Shortwave G9, AM Vital in Wyoming, and the Mainstream Transistor","author":"Thomas","date":"December 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio.\u00a0Enjoy! Supermarket delivery driver saves 90-year-old after 'SOS' Morse code signal on car horn (ITV) A 90-year-old widower was saved by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AM&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/dial_closeup_1-e1473938901597.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/dial_closeup_1-e1473938901597.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/dial_closeup_1-e1473938901597.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/dial_closeup_1-e1473938901597.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":64270,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/10\/a-deep-dive-into-the-nato-phonetic-alphabet\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":3},"title":"A Deep Dive Into the NATO Phonetic Alphabet","author":"Thomas","date":"October 14, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Fred Waterer, who writes: I've subscribed to this channel for some time. This video, which dropped the other day, will be of relevance to both SWLs and HAMS: https:\/\/youtu.be\/UAT-eOzeY4M?si=M-Q7Ihr4EmhKzBq7 Rob does some deep dives into language. Including the surprising origins of many words in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/UAT-eOzeY4M\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":59425,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2024\/04\/raddy-re40-emergency-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":4},"title":"Raddy RE40 Emergency Radio","author":"Robert Gulley","date":"April 8, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"By Robert Gulley (Guest Post) The Raddy RE40 is another portable shortwave radio offering from Radioddity, but with a twist \u2013 it is intended to be an emergency radio first, and a listening-for-pleasure radio second. In this review I will cover the emergency options incorporated into the unit, as well\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AM&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Compass.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Compass.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Compass.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56918,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2023\/05\/radio-waves-czech-radio-coin-philips-reproduction-radio-restoration-turning-radio-around-titanic-sos-and-ford-decides-to-keep-am\/","url_meta":{"origin":64484,"position":5},"title":"Radio Waves: Czech Radio Coin, Philips Reproduction, Radio Restoration, Turning Radio Around, Titanic SOS, and Ford Decides to Keep AM","author":"Thomas","date":"May 24, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Radio Waves:\u00a0 Stories Making Waves in the World of Radio Welcome to the\u00a0SWLing Post\u2019s Radio Waves, a collection of links to interesting stories making waves in the world of radio.\u00a0Enjoy! Many thanks to SWLing Post contributors David Iurescia, Christopher Brennen, Doug Katz, Dennis Dura, Jon Langley, and Mark Pascoe for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;AM&quot;","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-630-Dial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-630-Dial.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-630-Dial.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-630-Dial.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/JRC-NRD-630-Dial.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64484","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=64484"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64484\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64485,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64484\/revisions\/64485"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64484"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64484"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64484"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}