XXX

[vwflyer]

No, this post is not about Vin Diesel or adult movies. Rather, it's a question concerning the old practice of sending X X X in CW for Pan Pan, which is a call for assistance in non-life threatening situations. As a pilot I'm familiar with Pan Pan and I was curious if there was a way to call it in CW. So I googled it and discovered it was three x's sent as distinct letters. I've been messing around in CW for a few years now and never have come across this yet so it is not common knowledge like SOS is. I got to thinking about it as I was driving through a really isolated stretch of mountain roads last week, miles from cell service and thought that a way of getting the attention of a ham on the CW bands would be real handy if I had a breakdown and needed to have a ham relay a message for me to my wife to let her know about it and send some help if needed. I know SOS would bust a pileup and get a dozen of willing helpers in seconds. Do you think sending X X X would have any affect at all or am I better off just calling CQ HELP or something like that?

[gil]

I don't think many people know about it.. I knew there was a "Pan Pan" in Morse but didn't remember what it was. Morse now being mostly a hobby, its value as a serious safety tool has been practically forgotten. I once asked the Reverse Beacon Network if they detected any possible SOS, the answer was no. It would be so easy to add a few lines of code to all those Morse skimmers to raise an alarm on detecting SOS or XXX.

I wouldn't count on it, but what else can you do? Sending an SOS would definitely draw LOTS of attention, but you might not need nor want that. I'd say use it and hope someone remembers... Otherwise, they might just answer your CQ to get a contact, no harm in that... Well, unless they give you a 599/73 and disappear!

Gil.

[vwflyer]

SOS recognition by skimmers would be very useful indeed. It's a shame it's not implemented. With the miniaturization of HF rigs and subsiquent popularization of portable ops including popular activities like SOTA and POTA  more and more people are taking radios to isolated areas these days. This has also lead to a renewed interest in CW among hams. As good neighbors and safety conscious hams, we should see CW as a valuable and viable way for the growing number of portable operators to call for assistance. Skimmers should be made to recognize distress calls and perhaps some skilled and charismatic writer should campaign to revive the awareness of X X X. An article in QRZ magazine, on their webpage, on some popular CW, portable ops, and general ham radio podcasts. Spread the awareness and make X X X a useful tool in the portable operator's toolbox.

[gil]

perhaps some skilled and charismatic writer should campaign to revive the awareness of X X X. An article in QRZ magazine

Doing it now.

Gil.

[Sparks]

Doing it now.

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