[CW] Obsolete Prosigns

Sun Jul 12 20:52:34 EDT 2020

Darrel,

That's the old meaning of VE, similar to "CQ" which was in use commercially
from the 19-teens.

The other "odd bird" of a signal is QRRR, even though CQD and SOE were in
use prior to before the adoption of SOS in 1906, and Titanic's sinking
where the R/O's used both CQD and SOS, there was use of QRRR for Distress.
I believe it might have been Navy use, just like DE for YOURCALLSIGN DE
MYCALLSIGN usage was pretty standard from early in the 20th century, the US
Navy used V for that use NSS V NEPL

Later they changed to DE I think after WWII.

Interesting stuff, especially when you find something that is historically
interesting like this recording of Gramophone HMV B-629 of 1916 during the
Great War (thanks to Norman Field) - notice the use of period (III) in the
recording.

Norman Field's remarkable page of old Morse recordings:
http://normanfield.com/index.php/morse/

The recording itself:
http://normanfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/hmvb629a-1.mp3

My transcription of the Morse.
= ARRIVERAI GARE NORD MINUIT = GEORGES +
[Note + (AR) is used in 1916 just as it always in commercial usage, as "end
of message."]

(KA) RADIO R (VE)
[Note here the operator starts the next message with the starting signal
(KA) and then uses (VE) as an error sign.]

(KA) RADIO PANIS 1 1555 5.20S =

I would guess that RADIO PANIS was the originating radiotelegraph station,
1 was the numerical number of the radiogram, 1555 was the time of filing of
the radiogram, 5.20S for all I can figure out is 5th month, and 20 day, and
perhaps S time zone.  But that's the time zone for USA Central Standard
time.

Also I discovered a 1910 tinfoil cylinder "air check" of spark transmission
on this page. http://www.tinfoil.com/cm-0406.htm

The operator of tinfoil.com contacted me and asked for help with this
recording, and members of this list and the radio-officers at googlegroups.com
list helped him - with the transcription below.

http://www.tinfoil.com/cm/200406/morse-code~.ram

The consensus to date is that this is not "modern" International Morse Code
(used primarily after 1920), but the original "American" or "Railroad"
Morse Code.

Here is the best translation to date – Many thanks to all who have
contributed.   The bulk was provided by Lake "Ed" Trump "AL7N", Les Kerr
"N7RZ", and Lavina Shaw, with portions provided and confirmed by several
others:

. JOE JEFFRIES OWES JACK JOHNSON A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY. THAT IS HE HAS MADE
A FORTUNE THROUGH HIS RELATIONS WITH THE COLORED CHAMPION. IN FACT THE
CALIFORNIAN HAS CLEANED UP $62218.28 SINCE NOV 17 ALL BECAUSE THE NEGRO
FIGHTER INSISTED THAT THE RETIRED CHAMPION AGREE TO MEET HIM IN A FISTIC
CONTEST. 1 235 46789 342156.

73
DR

On Sun, Jul 12, 2020 at 7:43 PM Darrel <demerson2718 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> One more trivial and obsolete reference to "VE"
>
> I found in a 1954 version of "Scouting for Boys" by Baden Powell, in
Chapter 7:
>
> "SIGNAL MEANING AND USE
>
> VE, VE, VE, or AAAA Calling up signal.
> K Carry on (answer to VE if ready to receive message).
> Q Wait (answer to VE if not ready to receive message)."
>
>
>     So, there's quite a history of "VE" being used with this meaning,
 albeit in defiance of commercial and international agreements and usage.
>
>        Cheers,
>             Darrel, aa7fv & g3sys.
>
> On 07/12/2020 6:48 PM Darrel <demerson2718 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> I already posted this to the [SKCC] group, so apologies for posting here
too.  I thought it might be of particular interest to this group.
>
> I've seen queries about the prosign "VE"  (or equally "SN") come up from
time to time.  Now, ""VE" means in all contexts "Understood", but it wasn't
always that way everywhere.  Very occasionally, an old timer can be heard
lapsing into this earlier usage.
>
>
> See "Obsolete Morse Code Prosigns" on
https://wiki2.org/en/Prosigns_for_Morse_code#cite_note-:4-25 There's a
reference to "1937 Royal Navy Signal Card". "VE General call . . . _ . Code
re-used for "Message verified" or "Message understood" (see SN above). " If
you follow the links to that references given on that Wiki page, there's a
photo of the 1937 Royal Canadian Signal Card with VE defined as above, and
also to the Royal Navy Signal Card, with a similar definition of VE as a
"General Call". When I grew up using Morse, in the early 1960s, I suspect
there were many ex-Royal Navy (and ex British Army) operators on the ham
bands, who used the prosigns they had been taught. Hence, I grew up with
"VE" meaning "General Call". I don't think either the Royal Navy or the
Royal Canadian Navy felt particularly bound at the time by any commercial
handbook or agreed international definition. I also found a reference to
"VE" meaning "General Call" in an old Boy Scouts manual. I'm guessing that
may date from Baden Powell and the Boer War. As this Wiki page says, these
are "Obsolete Morse Code Prosigns", even though they were in common usage
on one side of the Atlantic at one time. I do try to resist using them now,
although not always successfully. Just for possible historical interest.
Cheers, Darrel, aa7fv & g3sys.
>
>
>
> From https://wiki2.org/en/Prosigns_for_Morse_code
>
>
> From
https://hatchfive.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/e676af9a-0708-4c10-bbe1-fce8667ea652.jpg
> The 1937 Royal Navy Signal Card
>
>
>
> From the 1937 Royal Canadian Navy Signal Card
> http://www.forposterityssake.ca/RCN-DOCS/SIGNAL_CARD_1937.htm
>   ______________________________________________________________
>
>
>
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