[CW] Code Speeds

[D.J.J. Ring, Jr.]

The reason First Class Radiotelephone licenses required certification
in Morse (20 WPM) is that that AM broadcast licensees was required to
keep watch on 600 meters (500 kc/s) and 300 meters (1,000 kc/s) for
distress calls.

If a ship called SOS on 300 meters (1,000 kc/s) all stations were
required to go off air until the finish of the SOS.

A continuous watch on 600 and 300 meters was required while the
broadcast (it was AM radio band only in those days) station was
transmitting.  Even though ships were prohibited from using 300 meters
calling within several hundred miles from coast, all prohibitions were
meaningless in time of SOS when ANY frequency could (and should) be
used.

I believe I have heard an air check (recording) of one station
announcing it was going off air due to distress.

73
DR