![]() Having these multiple distress signals was confusing and potentially dangerous. The Marconi Company, which leased its equipment and telegraph operators to various ships, used “CQD.” The “German Regulations for the Control of Spark Telegraphy” of 1905 mandated that all German operators use “…-…”. Navy used “NC,” which was the maritime flag signal for distress from the International Code of Signals. At first, different organizations and countries had their own “in-house” distress signals. They needed a unique signal that would transmit clearly and quickly and wouldn’t be confused for other communications. When wireless radiotelegraph machines first made their way onto ships around the turn of the 20th century, sailors in danger needed a way to attract attention, signal distress, and ask for help. ![]() So why use that specific string of dots and dashes if there’s no meaning to it? Because it was the best way to get the job done. A message received from the ‘Titanic’ using Marconi's preferred “CQD” distress signal, now held in Oxford University’s Bodleian Library.
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