[K6NCG] Fw: CQD - CQD

[TC Dailey]

Shipwrecked!

The above is the message pounded out in Morse Code by radio operator Jack
Binns on January 23, 1909. Jack was the radioman aboard the RMS
Republic, a luxury liner with the White Star fleet, when at 5:40 in the
morning it collided with the ship, Florida. CQD was the Marconi Company's
equivalent to the modern SOS emergency Morse Code signal for distress.
By the way, both the CQD and SOS signals were used when the Titanic was
struck in the North Atlantic a few years later. Ironically, Jack for a time
later served under the titanic's Captain Smit on the ship Adriatic. MKC was
the code designation for the RMS Republic.
Even though half of his radio room was damaged by the collision, Jack put
his equipment back in order and send the above message. Six people had
been killed in the collision. Jack's message initiated the first rescue in
history that was aided by wireless equipment, and Jack became a national
hero. The republic was so badly damaged, passengers were transferred to
the florida, which was also sinking, though not as fast.
Jack's message went to a Marconi operator at Siasconsett, who then retransmitted
it to ships in the vicinity of the Republic. Later, Jack directly
communicated with the ship, Baltic, who came to the aid of the two damaged
ships. The operator on the Baltic, H. J. Tattersall, was on his key for 52
hours during the emergency.Both the Florida and the Republic, as well as
the rescue ship Baltic, attempted to sail back to harbor at new York City.
The Republic, however, couldn't make it and finally sank near Nantucket.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary, W1AA of Massachusetts will have
an on-air event on January 23 from 0001 UTC to 0400 UTC and again on
January 24 from 1200 UTC to 20000 UTC. For more information go to:
http://www.anything-it.biz/roass/roars.html. Don't miss it.



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