What does CQD stand for?
I always assumed they sent SOS.
Near as I can figure out, there was no standard call for commercial shipping at the time.
CQD was a military code term for Close Quarters Distress. That is what they used ...
Most people think that SOS stands for Save Our Ship, but that is not true - in Morse Code, it was three dots - three dashes - then three dots.
This was the fastest method of signalling distress in Morse Code and they settled on it ...