What is SSS?

U-104 · 08-02-06, 05:34 PM

In October of '39, my sub had just rounded Norway on its way into the North Sea when we picked up a radio message saying, "SSS, SSS, SSS, SSS, 46.23N 14.59W SS." What does "SSS" mean?

Jager Kapitan · 08-02-06, 05:40 PM

I may be wrong but i think it means a submarine is attacking, it may be an acronym like S.O.S, but im not sure.

Dowly · 08-02-06, 05:41 PM

Like Jager Kapitan said:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins

During World War II a new distress signal, SSS, was devised for use only when the cause of the distress was a submarine torpedoing.

theluckyone17 · 08-02-06, 05:44 PM

Yep. "Ship undergoing submarine attack" or a paraphrase of such. http://www.usmm.org/bookreview.html#anchor2144512 .

U-104 · 08-02-06, 05:45 PM

i see now thank you all.

Dowly · 08-02-06, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theluckyone17

Yep. "Ship undergoing submarine attack" or a paraphrase of such. http://www.usmm.org/bookreview.html#anchor2144512 .

Like in SOS, the letters in SSS didnt actually mean anything as far as I know.

08-02-06, 07:59 PM

SOS - Oh it definatley has a meaning. Save Our Souls. Harks back to the days when all seamen were God fearing folk.

MuscleBob.Buffpants · 08-02-06, 08:37 PM

@ 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

CWorth · 08-02-06, 08:52 PM

This may help a bit..

http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/060199tip6.htm

From the article

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.

08-02-06, 09:07 PM

Wikipedia's - whatever float's ya boat!

Dowly · 08-03-06, 03:19 AM

SOS have said to mean Save our Souls or Save our Ship, but it was choosed because it is easy and fast to morse.

Safe-Keeper · 08-03-06, 04:56 AM

Are there any other "S-S" signals other than SOS and SSS?

Puster Bill · 08-03-06, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Safe-Keeper

Are there any other "S-S" signals other than SOS and SSS?

Not sure, but I believe 'RRR' was to be sent in case of attack by a surface raider.

JSalinger · 08-03-06, 09:04 AM

And then there was 'QQQ'-I am under attack by an unidentified enemy vessel.

bigboywooly · 08-03-06, 09:22 AM

Interesting

The clocks in the Radio Office were all set to Greenwich mean time, which was always referred to as Zulu time. The clocks had two segments painted on the dial, one segment at quarter to and the other at quarter past the hour. This was to remind the operator not to transmit during this time, but to listen for distress calls.

During World War Two, however, the radio operators had to maintain strict radio silence. They listened for scheduled messages sent to the convoys and independent ships from Portishead and Rugby Radio on the HF band. The rest of the time, they listened for calls on the 500 k/cs (600 metres) MF band. If the ship were attacked, they would transmit a four-letter code. For example, SSSS, would indicate an attack by U-boats, AAAA for aircraft, and QQQQ for armed surface raiders. The SOS code was not normally used in convoys in wartime.

http://www.gordonmumford.com/radio-0...ishead%20Radio

But this is different again - great read this one BTW of a German merchant raider attack

One of the ships signalled by lamp in morse code for the Rangitane to stop and for the radio not to be used; Upton and his officers were too busy to read the message. Following Admiralty standing orders, Captain Upton ordered a QQQQ radio signal to be sent - a standard 'suspicious vessel' message. As soon as the Radio Officer started sending the QQQQ message the raiders immediately tried to jam the transmission, switched on searchlights and started shelling the Rangitane. The radio officer tried to send an RRRR message - the standard 'raider attack'
http://www.thebells.btinternet.co.uk...tane/story.htm

08-02-06, 05:34 PM	#1
U-104 Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Posts: 797 Downloads: 187 Uploads: 0	What is SSS? In October of '39, my sub had just rounded Norway on its way into the North Sea when we picked up a radio message saying, "SSS, SSS, SSS, SSS, 46.23N 14.59W SS." What does "SSS" mean? __________________ My heart is steadfast, O God. I will sing and make music with all my soul. Ps. 108:1 Survival of the fittest does not explain arrival of the fittest. we live in a single spoken sentence.. "God said, let there be"

08-02-06, 05:45 PM	#5
U-104 Grey Wolf Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: United States Posts: 797 Downloads: 187 Uploads: 0	i see now thank you all. __________________ My heart is steadfast, O God. I will sing and make music with all my soul. Ps. 108:1 Survival of the fittest does not explain arrival of the fittest. we live in a single spoken sentence.. "God said, let there be"

08-03-06, 04:56 AM	#12
Safe-Keeper Ocean Warrior Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Posts: 3,234 Downloads: 11 Uploads: 0	Are there any other "S-S" signals other than SOS and SSS? __________________ First Strike Mod tester. Hardcore sub skipper.

08-03-06, 09:04 AM	#14
JSalinger Sparky Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Spokane, WA, USA Posts: 156 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	And then there was 'QQQ'-I am under attack by an unidentified enemy vessel. __________________ J. Salinger King of the House

08-03-06, 09:22 AM	#15
bigboywooly Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Swindon, England Posts: 10,151 Downloads: 35 Uploads: 0	Interesting The clocks in the Radio Office were all set to Greenwich mean time, which was always referred to as Zulu time. The clocks had two segments painted on the dial, one segment at quarter to and the other at quarter past the hour. This was to remind the operator not to transmit during this time, but to listen for distress calls. During World War Two, however, the radio operators had to maintain strict radio silence. They listened for scheduled messages sent to the convoys and independent ships from Portishead and Rugby Radio on the HF band. The rest of the time, they listened for calls on the 500 k/cs (600 metres) MF band. If the ship were attacked, they would transmit a four-letter code. For example, SSSS, would indicate an attack by U-boats, AAAA for aircraft, and QQQQ for armed surface raiders. The SOS code was not normally used in convoys in wartime. http://www.gordonmumford.com/radio-0...ishead%20Radio But this is different again - great read this one BTW of a German merchant raider attack One of the ships signalled by lamp in morse code for the Rangitane to stop and for the radio not to be used; Upton and his officers were too busy to read the message. Following Admiralty standing orders, Captain Upton ordered a QQQQ radio signal to be sent - a standard 'suspicious vessel' message. As soon as the Radio Officer started sending the QQQQ message the raiders immediately tried to jam the transmission, switched on searchlights and started shelling the Rangitane. The radio officer tried to send an RRRR message - the standard 'raider attack' http://www.thebells.btinternet.co.uk...tane/story.htm __________________ My mediafire page http://www.mediafire.com/?11eoq19bq9r41 Last edited by bigboywooly; 08-03-06 at 09:32 AM.

08-02-06, 05:40 PM	#2
Jager Kapitan Seaman Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 32 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I may be wrong but i think it means a submarine is attacking, it may be an acronym like S.O.S, but im not sure.

08-02-06, 05:44 PM	#4
theluckyone17 Captain Join Date: May 2006 Location: Niskayuna, NY Posts: 482 Downloads: 103 Uploads: 0	Yep. "Ship undergoing submarine attack" or a paraphrase of such. http://www.usmm.org/bookreview.html#anchor2144512 .

08-02-06, 07:59 PM	#7
Cdre Gibs Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	SOS - Oh it definatley has a meaning. Save Our Souls. Harks back to the days when all seamen were God fearing folk.

08-02-06, 08:37 PM	#8
MuscleBob.Buffpants Seaman Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 38 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	@ 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

08-02-06, 08:52 PM	#9
CWorth Grey Wolf Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Gettysburg PA Posts: 845 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	This may help a bit.. http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/060199tip6.htm From the article 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.

08-02-06, 09:07 PM	#10
Cdre Gibs Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Wikipedia's - whatever float's ya boat!

08-03-06, 03:19 AM	#11
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,052 Downloads: 32 Uploads: 0	SOS have said to mean Save our Souls or Save our Ship, but it was choosed because it is easy and fast to morse.