SOS

For other uses, see SOS (disambiguation). sdfhgidl is the commonly used
description for the international Morse code distress signal
('· · · — — — · · ·). This distress signal was first adopted by the German
government in radio regulations effective April 1, 1905, and became the
worldwide standard under the second International Radiotelegraphic Convention,
which was signed on November 3, 1906 and became effective on July 1, 1908.
SOS remained the maritime radio distress signal until 1999, when it was replaced
by the Global Maritime Distress Safety System[1]. SOS is still recognized as a
visual distress signal. [2]

From the beginning, the SOS distress signal has actually consisted of a
continuous sequence of three-dits/three-dahs/three-dits, all run together without
letter spacing. In International Morse Code, three dits form the letter S, and three
dahs make the letter O, so "SOS" became an easy way to remember the correct
order of the dits and dahs. In modern terminology, SOS is a Morse "procedural
signal" or "prosign", and the formal way to write it is with a bar above the letters,
i.e. SOS.

In popular usage, SOS became associated with phrases such as "Save Our
Seamen", "Save our Ship", "Survivors On Shore" or "Save Our Souls". These
were a later development, most likely used to help remember the correct letters
(something known as a backronym).

Formalization

he use of the SOS signal was first introduced in Germany as part of a set of
national radio regulations, effective April 1, 1905. These regulations introduced
three new Morse code sequences, including the SOS distress signal:

1. Ruhezeichen ("Cease-sending signal"), consisting of six dahs

( — — — — — — ), sent by shore stations to tell other local stations to
stop transmitting.
2. Suchzeichen ("Quest signal"), composed of three-dits/three dahs/one-dit,
all run together (· · · — — — · ), used by ships to get the attention of shore
stations.
3. Notzeichen ("Distress signal"), consisting of three-dits/three-dahs/three-
dits (· · · — — — · · · ), also in a continuous sequence, to be repeated by a
ship in distress until all other stations have stopped.

SOS was developed from the general German radio call "SOE", with the 3 dits of
a "S" easier to hear in under noisy conditions than the one dit of an "E". Also, the
otherwise meaningless string of letters was selected because it is easily
recognizable and can be sent rapidly. Comparing SOS (di-di-di-dah-dah-dah-di-
di-dit) with the older CQD (dah-di-dah-dit dah-dah-di-dah dah-di-dit) (— · — · /
— — · — / — · ·) it is obvious how much simpler the new code was. Also, it would
not be mistaken for CQ, the radio code for "calling anyone" used in casual
circumstances.

In 1906, at the second International Radiotelegraphic Convention in Berlin, an

extensive collection of Service Regulations was developed to supplement the
main agreement, which was signed on November 3, 1906, becoming effective on
July 1, 1908. Article XVI of the regulations adopted Germany's Notzeichen
distress signal as the international standard, reading: "Ships in distress shall use
the following signal: · · · — — — · · · repeated at brief intervals". The first ship to
transmit an SOS distress call appears to have been the Cunard liner Slavonia on
June 10, 1909, according to "Notable Achievements of Wireless" in the
September, 1910 Modern Electrics. However, there was some resistance among
the Marconi operators to the adoption of the new signal, and, as late as the April,
1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic, the ship's Marconi operators intermixed CQD
and SOS distress calls. However, in the interests of consistency and water
safety, the use of CQD appears to have died out after this point.

In both the April 1, 1905 German law, and the 1906 International regulations, the
distress signal was specified as a continuous Morse code sequence of three-
dits/three-dahs/three-dits, with no mention of any alphabetic equivalents.
However, in International Morse, three dits comprise the letter S, and three dahs
the letter O. It therefore soon became common to refer to the distress signal as
"SOS." An early report on "The International Radio-Telegraphic Convention" in
the January 12, 1907 Electrical World stated that "Vessels in distress use the
special signal, SOS, repeated at short intervals." (In American Morse code, which
was used by many coastal ships in the United States through the first part of the
twentieth century, three dahs stood for the numeral "5", so in a few cases the
distress signal was informally referred to as "S5S").

In contrast to CQD, which was sent as three separate letters with spaces
between each letter, the SOS distress call has always been transmitted as a
continuous sequence of dits-and-dahs, and not as individual letters. There was
no problem as long as operators were aware that "SOS" was technically just a
convenient way for remembering the proper sequence of the distress signal's
total of nine dits and dahs. In later years, the number of special Morse symbols
increased. In order to designate the proper sequence of dits-and-dahs for a long
special symbol, the standard practice is to list alphabetic characters which
contain the same dits-and-dahs in the same order, with a bar atop the character
sequence to indicate that there should not be any internal spaces in the
transmission. Thus, under the modern notation, the distress signal becomes
SOS. (In International Morse, VTB, IJS and SMB, among others, would also
correctly translate into the · · · — — — · · · distress call sequence, but
traditionally only SOS is used).
It has also sometimes been used as a visual distress signal, consisting of three
short, three long, three short light flashes such as from a survival mirror, or with
"SOS" spelled out in individual letters, for example, stamped in a snowbank or
formed out of logs on a beach. The fact that SOS can be read right side up as
well as upside down became important for visual recognition if viewed from
above.

[edit] Later developments

Additional warning and distress signals followed the introduction of SOS. On

January 20, 1914, the London International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea
adopted the Morse code signal TTT ( — — —), three letter T's (—) spaced
correctly as three letters so as not to be confused with the letter O (- - -), as the
"Safety Signal," used for messages to ships "involving safety of navigation and
being of an urgent character."

With the development of audio radio transmitters, there was a need for a spoken
distress phrase, and "Mayday" was adopted by the 1927 International Radio
Convention as the equivalent of SOS. For TTT the equivalent audio signal is
"Securité" for navigational safety.

An urgency signal for safety matters was also introduced and used. This
consisted of XXX (— —··— — — —··— — — —··— — ) sent three times in
Morse or, when spoken, the words "Pan-pan" repeated three times before the
message.

During the Second World War, additional codes were employed to include
immediate details about attacks by enemy vessels, especially in the Battle of the
Atlantic. The signal SSS signalled attacked by submarines, whilst RRR warned of
an attack by a surface raider, QQQ warned of an unknown raider (usually an
auxiliary cruiser), and AAA indicated an attack by aircraft. They were usually sent
in conjunction with the SOS distress code. All of these codes later switched from
three repeats of the letter to four repeats ("RRRR", etc.).

None of these signals were used on their own. Sending SOS as well as other
warning signals (TTT, XXX etc.) used similar procedures for effectiveness. These
were always followed correctly. Here is an example of an SOS signal; the
portions in brackets are an explanation only.

SOS SOS SOS de (this is) GBTT GBTT GBTT (call sign of the QE2 repeated 3
times) Queen Elizabeth 2 (name of ship) psn (position) 49.06.30 North, 04.30.20
West. Ship on fire, crew abandoning ship (nature of distress) AR (end of
transmission) K (invitation to reply).

Ships and coastal stations would normally have required quiet times twice an
hour to listen for priority signals. However, many merchant vessels carried only
one or two radio operators in which case the SOS may not be heard by operators
off duty. Eventually equipment was invented to summon off-duty operators by
ringing an alarm in the operators berth. This was triggered by the operator of the
ship in distress transmitting twelve long dashes of four seconds duration each.
These were sent prior to the SOS hopefully ringing the automatic alarm in ships
so equipped. If possible a short delay was given before transmission of the SOS
proper. This was to give those off watch operators time to get to their radio office.

[edit] Cultural References

• On the 1997 Great Big Sea album Play, the song "Ordinary Day" begins
with the SOS code and later repeats the sequence.

• On the 2008 Metallica album Death Magnetic, the song "Cyanide" uses
the SOS code as a musical pattern in certain areas of the song, mainly the
beginning and end.

[edit] Famous SOS calls

• RMS Lusitania
• RMS Titanic (used CQD as well)
• HMHS Britannic
• SS Andrea Doria

[edit] References

1. ^ "GMDSS Resolution COM/Circ.115 "Discontinuation of morse code

services in the MF radiotelegraphy band" 10.02.93". GMDSS.
http://www.imo.org/includes/blastData.asp/doc_id=1196/GMDSS
%20(13%20April%202005).doc. Retrieved on 2008-07-02.
2. ^ http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/vds.asp US Coast Guard Visual
Distress Signals

• "The Wireless Telegraph Conference", The Electrician, November 27,

1903, pages 157–160, 214.
• Final Protocol, First International Radio Telegraphic Conference, Berlin,
1903.
• Regelung der Funkentelegraphie im Deutschen Reich, Elektrotechnische
Zeitschrift, April 27, 1905, pages 413–414.
• German Regulations for the Control of Spark Telegraphy, The Electrician,
May 5, 1905, pages 94–95.
• Robison, S. S., "Manual of Wireless Telegraphy for the Use of Naval
Electricians", 1st edition, 1906.
• 1906 International Wireless Telegraph Convention, U.S. Government
Printing Office.
• "The International Radio-Telegraphic Convention", Electrical World,
January 12, 1907, pages 83–84.
• "S 5 S" Rivals "C Q D" for Wireless Honors, Popular Mechanics, February,
1910, page 156.
• Notable Achievements of Wireless, Modern Electrics, September, 1910,
page 315.
• Collins, Francis A., Some Stirring Wireless Rescues, from "The Wireless
Man", 1912, pages 104–141.
• Turnball, G. E., "Distress Signalling", The Yearbook of Wireless
Telegraphy and Telephony, 1913, pages 318–322 (includes text of
"Circular 57").
• Dilks, John H. III, "Why SOS?" in QST, June, 2007, pages 88–89.