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.

Dutch · 01-17-07, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdre Gibs

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

That was not the "official" name of SOS.

The only way to make sense of it is this. SOS, and previously CQD, in modern day terms would be like 911. Its more or less a distress signal. I believe that at any point in a message the letters, S O S were in that order, was to be seen as a ship at sea declaring a state of emergancy, and requesting assistance from anyone in the area.

I believe that SOS was instituted around 1912, around the same time the Titanic sank. I belive at that time CQD was still seen as a distress call as well. But I believe, and correct me if I am wrong, the radioman on the Titanic was the first to use the "new" SOS distress signal. After the instituting of SOS it was later give the "unofficial" acronym of Save Our Souls, but was never intended to actually represent those words. Kind of like 911 bieng associated with 9/11 (Sept 11th) after the attacks.

Just my two cents, and again I am not 100% sure on all that.

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?

joea · 08-03-06, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cdre Gibs

Wikipedia's - whatever float's ya boat!

The site CWorth posted from is not wikipedia.

tycho102 · 08-03-06, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuscleBob.Buffpants

@ 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).

Bob

Exactly. It was chosen for the operators, and to prevent ambiguity.

I was never a radioman, but it was a field that came up from time to time.

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	#13
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.

08-02-06, 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	#9
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	#10
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	#11
Cdre Gibs Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Wikipedia's - whatever float's ya boat!

08-03-06, 03:19 AM	#12
Dowly Lucky Jack Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Finland Posts: 25,055 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.