For what does QNH stand?
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You're not wrong. Anyone that can receive morse code at a reasonable speed automatically expects a Q code when the letter Q is sent. It really throws you when a Q code doesn't follow.
There are/were also Z codes and X codes too.
More q codes than you could ever possibly need....
List of Q codes
And
List of Z codes
And while we're here, here's the evolution of SOS....
One of the first distress calls was CQD, coined by the Marconi Company about 1904 from the "general call" CQ and the letter D for "distress." The main problem with CQD was that it was supposed to be used only by ships which subscribed to the Marconi radio system and ships of one system were discouraged from communicating with ships or shore stations of other, competing, companies. The problem got so bad that it was taken up in the international radio conference in 1906 where a new universal distress call was proposed.
The American delegation suggested the letters NC which were already recognized in the International Signal Code for Visual Signalling. The German delegation proposed its own SOE which was already in use on German ships as a general inquiry signal similar to CQ (which was then used only by the Marconi system). The British delegation, of course, wanted to stick to the Marconi signal CQD.
The convention found SOE acceptable except that the final E could easily be lost in QRN so the letter S was substituted, making it SOS. The convention decided that SOS should be sent as a single code character with a sound unlike any other character, thus arresting the attention of anyone hearing it. So was officially adopted, but CQD remained in use for some years, particularly aboard British ships.
It wasn't until 1912, after the Titanic disaster, that SOS became universal and the use of CQD gradually disappeared. Titanic radio operator Jack Phillips sent both CQD and SOS to be sure that there couldn't possibly be any misunderstanding.
There are/were also Z codes and X codes too.
More q codes than you could ever possibly need....
List of Q codes
And
List of Z codes
And while we're here, here's the evolution of SOS....
One of the first distress calls was CQD, coined by the Marconi Company about 1904 from the "general call" CQ and the letter D for "distress." The main problem with CQD was that it was supposed to be used only by ships which subscribed to the Marconi radio system and ships of one system were discouraged from communicating with ships or shore stations of other, competing, companies. The problem got so bad that it was taken up in the international radio conference in 1906 where a new universal distress call was proposed.
The American delegation suggested the letters NC which were already recognized in the International Signal Code for Visual Signalling. The German delegation proposed its own SOE which was already in use on German ships as a general inquiry signal similar to CQ (which was then used only by the Marconi system). The British delegation, of course, wanted to stick to the Marconi signal CQD.
The convention found SOE acceptable except that the final E could easily be lost in QRN so the letter S was substituted, making it SOS. The convention decided that SOS should be sent as a single code character with a sound unlike any other character, thus arresting the attention of anyone hearing it. So was officially adopted, but CQD remained in use for some years, particularly aboard British ships.
It wasn't until 1912, after the Titanic disaster, that SOS became universal and the use of CQD gradually disappeared. Titanic radio operator Jack Phillips sent both CQD and SOS to be sure that there couldn't possibly be any misunderstanding.
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Oh and another thing....
QNH was agreed at the Radio Telegraphy Convention in 1912, Newlyn was designated as the chart height datum in 1915 so I doubt the "NH" in "QNH" means "Newlyn height" or anything else for that matter.
QNH was agreed at the Radio Telegraphy Convention in 1912, Newlyn was designated as the chart height datum in 1915 so I doubt the "NH" in "QNH" means "Newlyn height" or anything else for that matter.
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Don D Cake-
Funny, I thought SOS stood for 'Save Our Souls'.
A question-
Are pilots allowed to use any Q codes these days, or is it now just limited to an official selection? i.e. Could I tell Exeter approach: G-CD, QSY Yeovil Radar 129.9...etc? ( I know that is not the corrcet freq. for Yeovil but just for the example!)???
Thanks
Tri
Funny, I thought SOS stood for 'Save Our Souls'.
A question-
Are pilots allowed to use any Q codes these days, or is it now just limited to an official selection? i.e. Could I tell Exeter approach: G-CD, QSY Yeovil Radar 129.9...etc? ( I know that is not the corrcet freq. for Yeovil but just for the example!)???
Thanks
Tri
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I too was under the impression that the old "Q Code" system was derived as convention when Morse was the best / only form of communication. I was taught that the "Q" stood for "Query"? A "query" was sent and then answered......
Eg a pilot / navigator would send by Morse "QNH" and then receive the reply from the ground station "1013"
As the Q codes were so common the term has stuck, despite the terminology being outdated nowadays
ie: ....as mentioned before in other posts
QNH = query nil height
QFE = query field elevation
and so on
I'd like to know just how many theory provides actually do know the answer! (If in fact what I was taught is accurate!)
Eg a pilot / navigator would send by Morse "QNH" and then receive the reply from the ground station "1013"
As the Q codes were so common the term has stuck, despite the terminology being outdated nowadays
ie: ....as mentioned before in other posts
QNH = query nil height
QFE = query field elevation
and so on
I'd like to know just how many theory provides actually do know the answer! (If in fact what I was taught is accurate!)
