"CQD" Distress Signal Adopted (1904)

“CQD” was one of the first Morse code distress signals adopted for radio use. The Marconi Marine Communication Company began using it in 1904, but by 1908, “CQD” had largely been supplanted by “SOS,” a simpler code. Contrary to popular belief, “CQD” does not stand for “Come Quick, Danger” or “Come Quickly: Distress.” Rather, it combines the call “CQ”—a general call to all stations stemming from the French word sécurité—with “D” for “distress.” What was its most famous use? Discuss

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *