# Save our SOS (BBC News)



## SN NewsCaster (Mar 5, 2007)

It's 100 years since SOS came into force across the world as the standard signal for ships in distress. But times have changed in the rescue business.

More from BBC News...


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Nice to see that the BBC have made another faux pas when dealing with marine matters. Does anyone know what *digital self calling *is as mentioned in the article? I've used *digital selective calling *on the VHF but not the former!


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## Chris Isaac (Jul 29, 2006)

Digital self calling is what cadets do in their own cabin on long trips


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Good article but no mention of how the mobile phone signal SMS makes all us ex sparkies jump out of our skins even after all these years. (EEK)

Kris


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

My Ericcson is programmed to send QRJ when someone phones me and QTC if its a text.


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## Geoff_E (Nov 24, 2006)

King Ratt said:


> My Ericcson is programmed to send QRJ when someone phones me and QTC if its a text.


Sad!

On the main thread though -typical BBC/media; given the chance (and all the information) to get it right, they inevitably get it wrong. If we see this in marine matters, how often does it happen across the board? Can we really believe anything out there?


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Marconi Sahib said:


> Good article but no mention of how the mobile phone signal SMS makes all us ex sparkies jump out of our skins even after all these years. (EEK)
> 
> Kris


You're right there - Kris.

(Thumb)


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## djmorton (Apr 10, 2006)

Too true Kris and all of us ex R/O's immediately react. Bet not many teletexters know what the ... - - ... is except it's a text message


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## Jeffers (Jan 4, 2006)

Orbitaman said:


> Nice to see that the BBC have made another faux pas when dealing with marine matters. Does anyone know what *digital self calling *is as mentioned in the article? I've used *digital selective calling *on the VHF but not the former!


Extract from BBC article.....


The Coastguard in the UK deal with half a dozen main avenues of distress call from on board vessels:

* VHF radio call: Use channel 16 and start broadcast with "mayday, mayday, mayday". Then give details of identity, position and situation. Other users will keep channel clear and hasten to the location.
* Digital selective calling: Automated button push system on many ships to indicate distress, allows inputting of reasons and automatically transmits position
* Satellite phone call: Dial 999 or other emergency services number
* Release of a beacon: Emergency beacon can be released which will broadcast position, other beacons automatically activate on contact with water
* Mobile phone call: Call to 999, or the European-wide emergency number 112, or text message to someone who contacts Coastguard
* Distress flare

It looks to me like they said "digital selective calling" 

Which article was Orbitaman reading?

Interesting article, I thought.
I hadn't been aware that the SOS should just be sent as a single string of dots and dashes.


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

That's why the SMS signal on mobile phones is so nervewracking, Jeff.
The only thing that ever ran everything together was the distress signal.
It was always written as SOS with a bar over the top of the three letters to signify it as one character with no spaces as ...---...

Kris


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## Orbitaman (Oct 5, 2007)

Jeff,

The original article definitely quoted digital self calling and I sent them a message pointing out the error. Perhaps they took some notice of my query and changed the article?

Orbitaman


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