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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 11:42 am |
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Visiting the Titanic Museum in Branson last week brought out some really deep seated memories about the historic technology behind our business. So, why not start a new category to dredge up those memories in the rest of the board?
The Titanic communications room was named, as were those on other ships, the "Marconi Room." You can guess what was inside.
At the first signs of sinking, the Captain had the Marconi Operator begin sending CQD, then later change to the "new" distress call, SOS.
Which of you younger contributers knows what these two calls mean?
Guesses will only be tolerated for 24 hours.
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artmorris
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 11:44 am |
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SOS has something to do with Chipped Beef, doesn't it?
Art
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Doug Cannon
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 09:28 pm |
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Buddy Dornster wrote:
At the first signs of sinking, the Captain had the Marconi Operator begin sending CQD, then later change to the "new" distress call, SOS.
Which of you younger contributers knows what these two calls mean?
Conventional Wisdome dicates the following:
CQD = Come Quickly, Dammit
SOS = Save Our Ship
However, here's an interesting story I found on the 'net.
SOS/CQD-- "Many people believe SOS stands for 'Save Our Ship,' 'Save Our Souls,' 'Stop Other Signals.' Actually, the letters have no significance whatever. The first distress call used by the early Marconi Company was CQD -- CQ being the general call to alert other ships that a message is coming and D standing for 'danger' or 'distress.' 'For various technical reasons this proved unsatisfactory and in 1908, by international agreement, a signal made up of three dits, three dahs and three dits was adopted as the one most easily transmitted and understood. By coincidence, this signal is translatable as SOS.
Last edited on Wed Apr 18th, 2007 09:35 pm by Doug Cannon
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Wed Apr 18th, 2007 10:58 pm |
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Very good, Doug!
CQD was actually given up because CQ was becoming a signal that someone was looking for someone else, "seek you." The three dits, dahs, and dits were far more recognizable as a unique distress signal, and would not be confused with any other traffic.
This was all before there was "wavelength," and everyone shared the same channel all the time. A bit later, frequency differentiation was made possible, and the air cleared up a bit.
Next question. A young Marconi Operator was monitoring the channel late one night for Morse code traffic, but heard an opera instead. What was the name of the first operator to officially log hearing music over the airwaves?
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 02:10 am |
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| OK. Here's a hint. He had a Russian last name, from ancient ancestory. He was American as apple pie, and had a Jack Russle Terrier.
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Desdinova the Super Villain of the Ozark
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 04:52 am |
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| You're refering to David Sarnoff, however he didn't have the dog. The dog and Victrola on the RCA logo was lifted from a surrealist painting called "His Master's Voice." The full painting shows them next to "his master's" casket at a funeral. Weird huh?
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 11:56 am |
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This business brings out the wierd in many a soul!
Desdinova didn't fall for the dog thing. Older than we thought, you are, and wise as well.
But tell us; what airline served Hooterville? (Not the headquarters of the restaurant)
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Mon Apr 23rd, 2007 11:26 am |
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Let's try this one...
History states that KGBX was Springfield's first "broadcast" station. However, there were several "wireless" stations before KGBX. The first one was on Commercial Street, and lived up to the street name, shamelessly.
What was it? What did they send over the "wireless?"
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Wed Apr 25th, 2007 12:42 pm |
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While we wait for an answer on that one, how about this?
Crooners were a manufactured thing, their popularity made necessary by what technical problem? 
Crooner: n. Singers with mid range vocal chords. See Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Nat Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald.......
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