Talk:CQD

CQD
"British radio operators used it for years until the sinking of the RMS Titanic which gave SOS worldwide notoriety with its used." This is ungrammatical and I can't figure out what it's supposed to say. What is it? -phma


 * The signal used by British radio operators was CQD, but there was no international standard. At the 1906 International Conference on Wireless Communication at Sea, it was resolved that SOS should be used as a distress call. Britain adopted this standard in 1908, but the radio operators retained their old habit of using CQD.  When the Titanic sank in 1912, its radio operator Jack Phillips initially sent the distress call as "CQD", but was reminded by Harold Bride, the junior radio operator that the new code was "SOS" and that he should send it, as it might be his "last chance to use it."  Phillips then used both codes alternately.  For some reason, people are under a mistaken belief that the sinking of the Titanic was the first use of the "SOS" call: it wasn't.  But the news accounts of the Titanic disaster cemented the new "SOS" call in the mindset of the public, and it began to be used regularly afterward. -- Someone else 04:51 Nov 28, 2002 (UTC)

Meaning
I once heard that CQD meant Seeking You Danger. Is this true? Miked84 03:05, 23 December 2005 (UTC)
 * The origin I have heard is that CQ is "Call to Quarters" (FWIW) 21:57, 14 March 2006 (UTC)
 * The one I've heard is that it's shorthand for Seek You, for obvious reasons. I can't really back that up with references, though, so I will not edit. Anyone with solid references, feel free to do it. 217.31.178.94 (talk) 18:53, 14 January 2009 (UTC)


 * I second the "seek you" meaning, but similarly do not have a ready reference for that. -- Joe (talk) 01:26, 28 June 2011 (UTC)


 * Maybe it's "come quickly, drowning." :) MFNickster (talk) 18:54, 29 August 2010 (UTC)
 * No, CQD does not mean "Seeking you Danger". CQ was a "Call to all stations the earliest reference I can find of this is THE TELEGRAPHIST A JOURNAL OF POPULAR ELECTRICAL SCIENCE. EDITED WILLIAM LYND, A.S.T.E. VOLUME I. From December, 1883, to November, 1884. p. 110 in an article on "Ocean Telegraphy. https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QadcZXDmHj4iHWo1ZdOWx4NjQxqz0q-EJyzM9lYmwjiFQPmA2X6f3zef2meJpIJ4h4VbmbthtoUcQdT6HXx9tiESnNmDOog9YQhcmkXMvwjiFxnDYprQTo2iLbZnABHxHTCNeMIjv1-CCHaI1AbBug1ksnw2TK6aWzyV7RHxOSzWRuO_35fN2BXisNVfRozsJYpULbXDqCdRsBQkJ0hQboUmPRBlM7w4uzPEDu_mhQ9EfSN0iP_pfV9MtDEMV_jBGVM9fpE_6WCddQTiE30UMZz1ofBpWQ
 * The alphabet for Bain's printing was not like the one now in use for Morse. When the Electric Telegraph Company agreed to adopt the international alphabet, notice was given to CQ (all stations) to prepare for the change, and from a fixed date to abandon the one and adopt the other. Djringjr (talk) 05:37, 8 September 2023 (UTC)

Sorry to bother -- I am not familiarized with the Wikipedia system, but the audio file is actually playing 'FQD' instead of 'CQD'. Please confirm. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 92.81.82.70 (talk) 07:18, 14 April 2010 (UTC)

Incorrect Sound File
The sound clip given for "CQD" is actually playing "FQD". (..-. --.- -..) I don't know if this is because of how it was trimmed or just an oversight. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 131.122.42.20 (talk) 00:28, 6 December 2010 (UTC)


 * I'm not sure I think it's correct. Correct me if I'm wrong. Bodhipirate (talk) 21:13, 7 January 2024 (UTC)

Sécu (and SOS)
"Sécu" is indeed the root of sécurité and secours; however, by itself, the transliteration would be "safety", but would translate (in context) as something like "attention", "alert" or as mentioned, Marconi Co. translates this as "All stations". Although including those two words is useful, stating that 'sécu' is from those words is misleading -- the opposite is more accurate. Also, "This distress signal soon became known as 'SOS'" -- is meaningless. "SOS" is SOS in Morse code. It wasn't "soon" known as -- it was immediately known as. ~Eric F 184.76.225.106 (talk) 06:38, 18 April 2012 (UTC)

Erroneous Uses
Maybe some mention should be made of times when the incorrect usage of CQD has been made in film, such as the 1996 version of Titanic - with Catherine Zeta-Jones when the captain says 'send CQD - Come Quickly Distress'. Not sure how to fit that into the article at the mo'. VenomousConcept (talk) 15:19, 18 April 2012 (UTC)

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