At the beginning of maritime wireless in 1900 there were no regulations at all.
        Everyone might produce electromagnetic waves. The first operators to come on board
        of ships, look after the transmitter and receiver and do the keying in 
        Morse / Gerke code. The apparatus were of simple construction and consist only
        of very few parts. So the SS Titanic gear was installed by Jack Philipps and 
        Harold Bride only a few days before her maiden voyage in 1912.

        Passenger ships were the first one's to have a commercially used wireless telegraphy 
        station. Two systems were mainly in use, Marconi and Telefunken. These companies trained 
        people themselfe to become an operator. There were no state examinations to pass but 
        only company tests. The operators were employees of the radio company and don't belong
        to the shipping line. Operators of the Marconi system were obliged to work only
        with own company coast- and shipstations.

        After the Titanic disaster in 1912 international rules come up and force every 
        station to work with each other station regardless of which system they use.
        Many Other regulations were set up for the first time.

        Later on the 600 m wave become the international call and distress frequency the 
        operators have to watch to. Twice an hour from 15 to 18 and 45 to 48 minutes they
        have to listen to the 600 m wave for distress calls.

        An auto alarm receiver for 500 kHz was constructed to keep watch when the operator
        was off duty. A special signal might be sent from a ship in distress to wake up
        all operators in the area to come to their rig and listen for the distress message.

        An ordinary freighter got an single operator, where passenger liners might carry
        many more.

        The major task of the radio officer was to take weather reports, navigational warnings,
        time signals, iceberg bulletins, listen to traffic list of coast staions, handle
        public telegrams exchange, keep contact to company ships. In case of medical problems
        with persons on board contact a radio doctor. 

        In case of an emergency, own and of other ships, to do the distress traffic to gain 
        help for themselve or others:        

        Manual communication seceded in the late 1980's when satellite communication 
        completely overtook the tasks of the radio officer in maritime mobile service.

        Some wireless operators lost their live fullfilling their duty for