SOS Turns 100
“Send SOS,” one of the Titanic’s radio operators supposedly said to another after the famous ship struck that infamous iceberg. “It’s the new call and besides this may be your last chance to send it.”
That “new call” is 100 years old today, and people around the world who owe their lives to that piece of Morse code may reflect this morning on its importance.
In the past century, “SOS” has become a firm part of popular culture used in everything from DIY programme titles to Abba hits. But it began life in a far more serious setting after being adopted by the international community on July 1, 1908, as the globally recognised distress signal for ships at sea.
Until then, the most commonly used distress call was the “CQD” signal, which was open to misinterpretation. After much deliberation, SOS was chosen to replace it because the signal - three dots, three dashes and three more dots - is such a clear message to send in Morse code.
July 2nd, 2008 at 9:58 am
…. ..- .-. .-. .- ….!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:00 am
Is that smart arse in code?
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:05 am
-. —!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:12 am
-.-. .- -. | -.– — ..- | .-.. .. -… . .-.. | … — — . — -. . | .. -. | — — .-. … . | -.-. — -.. . | ??
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:17 am
will you stop it - I keep thinking that my screen’s knackered!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
MODS AND ADMIN
- .-. .- -. … .-.. .- - .. — -. / .–. .-.. . .- … . / -.– .- — .–. … - . .-.
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am
Sorry, It says
I bet M & A ask me for a translation of this before much longer
or it may say
Can you libel someone in Morse Code?
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
7
yampster Says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 am e
Can you libel someone in Morse Code?
********************
Yes!
I shall put my mind to it!
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:26 am
Yampster /Carmen
You should both be on the george thread if you want to converse in code
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:28 am
9
Noseycow Says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:26 am e
Yampster /Carmen
You should both be on the george thread if you want to converse in code
I’ve done my stint on the George thread, all vowels now returned by the authorities and I am on parole
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Bugger the George thread
Yampster I love it when you talk dirty
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
.- - - .. - -. ./ .. .-. - - - -. .. -. - -. /
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
..bit nifty with your punctuation, eh Yampster…?