MARITIME

COMMUNICATION
TOPIC 5:

SEND AND RECIEVED DISTRESS SIGNAL

SOS BY FLASHING LIGHT

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 1

▪Function: A-II/1 Function 1: Navigation at the Operational Level
▪Competence: A-II/1 F1.C7: Transmit and Receive Information by Visual Signalling
▪KUPs: A-II/1 F1.C7.KUP1: Visual Signaling
▪ .2 Ability to transmit and receive, by Morse light, distress signal SOS as specified in
Annex IV of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972, as
amended, and appendix 1 of the International Code of Signals, and visual signaling of
single-letter signals as also specified in the International Code of Signals.
▪Course Outcome 2: Transmit and receive messages by Morse light, distress signal SOS in accordance with
Annex IV of International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) 1972 as amended and
International Code of Signals (ICS)
▪Learning Outcomes: At the end of the lesson, the student must be able to…
1. Identify Morse symbols for the alphabet and numerals.
2. Send and received the distress signal SOS by flashing light.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 2

 HISTORY OF MORSE CODE

❑INTRODUCTION
The introduction of the telegraph and Morse code has revolutionized human communication.
Morse code has been in use for more than 160 years, longer than any other electrical coding system.
Before their inventions, the world had no means of long-distance communication.
Messages were written down by hand and relayed to far places by horse riders.
Beginning in 1867, ships began using onboard blinker lights to flash signals at each other.
Messages could also be sent visually, using flags and later, mechanical systems called semaphore
telegraphs, but these systems required the receiver to be close enough to see the sender, and could not be
used at night.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 3

In the 1890s, Morse code began to find use in radio communications. When the messages were sent through radio
waves, the electronic dots and dashes were converted into short tones and long tones.
Telegraph operators were trained to listen and interpret the tones. Radio operators called the tones, dits and dahs.
With the invention of Morse code, the world was presented with a faster means of long-distance communication.
Thanks to Morse code, it was possible for ships to transmit messages by using electric current, radio waves, visible
light, or sound waves.
What is called Morse code today is actually somewhat different from what was originally developed by Vail and
Morse.
The Modern International Morse code, or continental code, was created by Friedrich Clemens Gerke in 1848 and
initially used for telegraphy between Hamburg and Cuxhaven in Germany. Gerke changed nearly half of the
alphabet and all of the numerals, providing the foundation for the modern form of the code.
After some minor changes, International Morse Code was standardized at the International Telegraphy Congress
in 1865 in Paris and was later made the standard by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Morse's
original code specification, largely limited to use in the United States and Canada, became known as American
Morse code or "railroad code". American Morse code is now seldom used except in historical re-enactments.
The Morse code is used a lot less now than it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. It has been replaced by more
advanced technologies in nearly all the ways it was used before. The use of it really died down when the Global
Maritime Distress and Safety System replaced it on the waters in 1999.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 4

 What is Morse Code?

Morse code is a method used in telecommunication to encode text characters as standardized sequences of
two different signal durations, called dots and dashes, or dits and dahs.
Morse Code encodes the 26 Latin letters A through Z, one non-Latin letter, the Arabic numerals, and a
small set of punctuation and procedural signals (prosigns).
❑Who invented Morse Code?
Samuel Finley Breese Morse
Born April 27, 1791, in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
He studied at Yale University, United Kingdom with a Degree in Art and Sculpture.
1837, Morse invented the electrical telegraph.
1838, He demonstrated the use of his telegraph to the House Commerce Committee.
1840, He was able to secure the patent for his telegraph .

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 5

 The first official telegraph message in the US, called a telegram, was sent on May 24, 1844, from Samuel
F.B. Morse in Washington D.C. to Alfred Vail in Baltimore.
This famous message read, "What hath God wrought?“

Three people played a critical role in Morse's invention of the telegraph:

1) Joseph Henry, the American physicist
2) Leonard D. Gale, a professor at New York University
3) Alfred Vail, Morse's assistant
❑How is Morse code transmitted?
a) electrical pulses along a telegraph wire
b) an audio tone
c) as a radio signal with short and long pulses or tones
d) as a mechanical or visual signal e.g. a flashing light.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 6

 MORSE CODE TELEGRAPH KEY

Morse messages are generally transmitted by a hand-operated device such as a telegraph key, so there are
variations introduced by the skill of the sender and receiver — more experienced operators can send and receive
at faster speeds.
Morse code is transmitted using just two states (on and off). Historians have called it the first digital code. Morse
code may be represented as a binary code, and that is what telegraph operators do when transmitting messages.
❖International Morse code is composed of five elements:
1) short mark, dot or dit ( ▄ ): "dit duration" is one time unit long
2) long mark, dash or dah ( ▄▄▄▄▄ ): three-time units long
3) inter-element gap between the dits and dahs within a character: one dot duration or one unit long
4) short gap (between letters): three-time units long
5) medium gap (between words): seven-time units long

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 7

 The speed at which a message is sent in Morse code is normally given in words per minute (WPM). An
experienced Morse code operator can send and receive messages at a rate of 20-30 WPM.
❑Morse Code for the Maritime Distress Signal – SOS

Morse code was used to create an international emergency signal, called SOS.
A more technical way of representing SOS is by putting a long bar over the top of characters.
The SOS signal is a call for HELP.
In 1905, Germany became the first country to adopt the SOS distress signal. The signal became
standardized and used across the world until it was substituted in 1999, by a new Global Maritime
Distress Signal.
S O S

The term SOS: “SAVE OUR SHIP” OR “SAVE OUR SOUL”

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 8

INERNATIONAL CODE OF SIGNALS
MORSE CODE ALPHABET, NUMERAL & SPECIAL SIGNALS

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 9

 MORSE CODE SPECIAL SIGNALS
Period ( . )
Coma ( , )
Question Mark ( ? )
Slash Bar ( / )
At ( @ )

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 10

 FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALLING
List of light signaling apparatus on board

Flashlight/ Aldis Lamp Searchlight Heliograph Masthead Light

Torchlight (Suez Canal
Light)

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 11

❑ SYSTEM OF FLASHING LIGHT SIGNALLING

❖ A signal made by a flashing light is divided into the following parts:

The CALL. It consists of the general call or identity signal (call sign) of the station to be called. It is
answered by the answering signal.
The IDENTITY. The sending station makes DE followed by its identity signal or name. this will be
repeated back by the receiving station which will turn signals its own identity signal or name.
The TEXT. This maybe plain language or code groups. When the code groups are to be used, they
should be preceded by the signal YU. Receipt of each word or group is acknowledge by T.
The ENDING. It consists of the ending signal AR which is answered by R.
❖ Text in Plain Language

If the entire text is in the plain language, the same procedure is to be followed. The CALL & the
INDENTITY may be omitted when two stations have established communications and have already
exchanged signals.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 12

❑ Use of Procedure Signals and Signs
❖ The following is the list of procedure signals for flashing light transmissions.
AA = “All after...“(used after the “repeat signal” (RPT)) means “Repeat all after....”
AB = “All before...“(used after the “repeat signal” (RPT)) means “Repeat all before....” Ending signal or end of
transmission or signal. Waiting signal or period.
AR = Ending signal or end of transmission or signal.
AS = Waiting signal or period.
BN = “All between...and...” (used after the “Repeat signal” (RPT)) means “Repeat all between...and....”
C = Affirmative—YES or “The significance of the previous group should be read in the affirmative”.
CS = “What is tbe name or identity signal of your vessel (or station)?”
DE = “From...” (used to precede the name or identity signal of the calling station.
K = “I wish to communicate with you” or “Invitation to transmit”
NO = Negative—NO or “The significance of the previous group should be read in tbe negative.” When used in
voice transmission the pronunciation should be “NO.”
OK = Acknowledging a correct repetition or “It is correct”
RQ = Interrogative or “The significance of the previous group should be read as a question.”
R = “Received” or “I have received your last signal.”
RPT = Repeat signal “I repeat” or “Repeat what you have sent” or “Repeat what you have received.”
WA = “Word or group after...“(used after the "Repeat signal” (RPT)) means “Repeat word or group after....”
WB = "Word or group before..." (used after the "Repeat signal" (RPT)) means “Repeat word or group
before...."

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 13

❑ Procedure Signals:
1) The GENERAL CALL signal for call for unknown station AA AA AA, etc. is made to attract attention
when wishing to signal to all stations within visual signalling distance or to a station whose name or
identity signal is not known. The call is continued until the station addressed answers.
2) The ANSWERING SIGNAL TTTT, etc, is made to answer the call & it is to be continued until the
transmitting station ceases to make the call. The transmissions starts with the signal “DE” followed by
the name or identity signal of the transmitting station.
▪Example: When one of the stations is other than an Allied naval ship,
STATION "A" TRANSMITS STATION "B" TRANSMITS

AA AA (until answered) TTTTT (until call ceases)

DE NABC DE NABC KFLN KFLN

AR R

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 14

3) The Letter “T” is used to indicate receipt of each word or group.
4) The ERASE SIGNAL EEEEE, etc, is used to indicate that the last group or word was signalled
wrongly. It is to be answered with the erase signal. When answered, the sending station will repeat the
last word or group, which was correctly signalled & then preceded with the remainder of the
transmission.
5) The REPEAT SIGNAL RPT is used as follows:
a) By the sending station to indicate that it is repeat (“I repeat”). If however, no such repetition follows
immediately after RPT, the signal should interpreted as a request to the receiving station to repeat the
signal received (“Repeat what you have received”).
b) By the receiving station to request for a repetition of the signal sent (“Repeat what you have sent”).
c) the receiving station as appropriate, uses the special repetition signals AA, AB, WA, & BN. In each
case, they are used immediately after the repeat signal RPT.
▪ Examples:
RPT AB NM = “Repeat all before NM”
RPT BN “liferaft” “casualties = “Repeat all between “liferafts” & “casualties”
d) if a signal is not understood or when decoded & it is not intelligible, the RPT should not be used. The
receiving station must then make the appropriate signal from the code (e.g.”Your signal has been
received but not understood”).

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 15

 6) A correctly received repetition is ACKNOWLEDGE by the signal OK. The same signal is also used as an
affirmative answer to a question, (‘YES”).
7) A ending signal AR is used by the station in all cases to indicate the end of the signal or the end of the message.
The receiving station answers with the signal R, to mean “Received” or “I have received your last signal”.
8) The sending station makes the signal CS when requesting the name or call sign of the receiving station
9) The waiting signal or period signal AS is to be used as follows:
a) When made independently or after the end of a signal, it indicates that the other station must wait for further
communication (waiting signal).
b) When inserted between two groups, it serves to separate them (period signal) to avoid confusion.

10) The signal C should be used to indicate an affirmative statement or an affirmative reply to an interrogative
signal; the signal RQ should be used to indicate a question. The signal N is used in visual or sound signalling for a
negative reply to an interrogative signal or for a negative statement, while the signal NO is used for voice or radio
transmission.
11) When the signal N & RQ are used to change an affirmative signal into a negative statement or into a question
respectively, they should be transmitted after the main signal.

▪ Examples:
CY N = “Boat is not coming to you”
CW RQ = “is boat/raft on board?”
The signal C, N, & RQ cannot be used in conjunction with single-letter signals.

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 16

 END OF TOPIC
GOODLUCK

COMPILED BY: 2/M EDILBERT B. BRIONES, MME SUBJECT: MARINE COMMUNICATION 17