Thread: What is SSS?
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Old 08-02-06, 08:37 PM   #8
MuscleBob.Buffpants
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@ Cdr Gibbs,

Sorry but SOS has no meaning. It was decided at a conference in Berlin (1906) to replace the distress signal at the time (CQD - CQ is a normal morse/radio preface, D was for distress and quite difficult to transmit i.e. - · - · / - - · - / - · · ) with a new code that would not be mistaken for another call while being easy to transmit on a morse key. ...---... was chosen (ref Wikipedia).

It doesn't have a translated meaning, it's just memorable and quick to transmit.

Interesting factoid, the Titanic's first distress transmissions were CQD, its later ones were SOS.

Bob
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