[CW] Code Speeds

[Dr Jim Kennedy]

Actually on further review:
§ 80.319Radiotelegraph distress call and message transmission procedure.
(a) The radiotelegraph distress procedure consists of the following six steps: however, when time is vital, the first and second steps may be omitted. These two steps of the distress procedure may also be omitted in circumstances when transmission of the alarm signal is considered unnecessary:
(1) The radiotelegraph alarm signal;
(2) The distress call and an interval of two minutes;
(3) The distress call;
(4) The distress message;
(5) Two dashes of ten to fifteen seconds each;
(6) The call sign of the mobile station in distress.
(b) The radiotelegraph distress transmissions must be sent by means of the international Morse code at a speed not exceeding 16 words per minute nor less than 8 words per minute.
(c) The distress message, preceded by the distress call, must be repeated at intervals until an answer is received. The radiotelegraph alarm signal may also be repeated, if necessary.
(d) The transmissions under paragraphs (a) (5) and (6) of this section, which are to permit direction finding stations to determine the position of the station in distress, may be repeated at frequent intervals if necessary.
(e) When the mobile station in distress receives no answer to a distress message transmitted on the distress frequency, the message may be repeated on any other available frequency on which attention might be attracted.

The reason for this 16 wpm requirement was to insure that US 1st, 2nd, and 3rd 
class and other nations radiotelegraph operators could copy the distress 
signals in time of emergency.


> Do. Jim Kennedy
> K 2 P H D -- PG0222156 - T2GB070658/Radar
> OEM-RACES-ARES-CERT  | K2PHD at arrl.net
> SARA-OOTC-FISTS-SKCC-NAQCC  | : FN20qv
> 
> Sent from my iPad





Sent from my iPad

> On Feb 19, 2020, at 8:19 PM, Dr Jim Kennedy <phdad_ccm at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> It seems to me that the commercial radiotelegraphers license regulations indicated that:
> 
> In case of distress, urgency or safety, the speed of radiotelegraph transmission should not in general exceed: Sixteen words per minute.
> 
> Do. Jim Kennedy
> K 2 P H D -- PG0222156 - T2GB070658/Radar
> OEM-RACES-ARES-CERT  | K2PHD at arrl.net
> SARA-OOTC-FISTS-SKCC-NAQCC  | : FN20qv
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Feb 16, 2020, at 7:58 AM, Bill Lanahan <wa2nfn at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>> On Wed, Feb 12, 2020 at 3:30 PM D.J.J. Ring, Jr. <n1ea at arrl.net> wrote:
>>> 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
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