[Elecraft] "QRRR"

[Mike Morrow]

Dave wrote:

>...the CW equivalent of PAN PAN PAN (it should be repeated three 
>times) is XXX XXX XXX...

Ed wrote:

>Never heard of such nonsense

Even those who have decades of ham Morse experience are often
unfamiliar with basic commercial, maritime, or military Morse
usage.  Sadly, it's worth learning today only for historical
reasons.

The most common misunderstanding has always been the use of SOS.
It must be sent as one character (...---...), never as S O S 
(...  ---  ...).  When correctly sent, it has a very distinctive
sound.  That was the intent.

Oddly, one of the USAF's 1950s-era emergency Morse keyers,
used to automatically key an aircraft transmitter with SOS and
aircraft ID, sent S O S rather than the correct SOS.  I don't
know if that was intentional, or just an error made by the
engineer who designed the motorized cam wheel surfaces that 
determined the keying sequence.  I suspect the latter.

I've never liked ham-only inventions like QRRR or even KN.  They
have no reason for existence.  Commercial or miltary Morse usage
always set the standard wherever Morse communications had 
importance beyond hobby purposes.

Mike / KK5F