Signal Kilo Bravo

Signal Kilo Bravo is broadcast from the WKML Broadcast Station located a bit southeast of Signal Alpha Lima and far south of Fort Constantine.

Head inside the station, and you will find the activation switch for the radio signal. It's located on the wall to your right, behind the power generators.

The signal is in morse code. It, like the signals from most of the other Drainage Chambers, sends: "-.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.-. --.- -.. . / -.- -... -.- -... -.- -... -.." This signal, "CQ CQ CQ DE / KB KB KB K", was explained by Mark Lampert, the Bethesda sound designer. Quote: Parsing the message, we get the following:

CQ -- calling any station

DE -- 'from'. The reason this Spanish/French form of the word is used is simply to shorten it as it's a common word to use. Compare sending DE -.. . to sending FROM ..-. .-. --- -- Consequently, operating in CW means heavy use of abbreviations, dropping unnecessary letters, and other handy ways of compressing your message length by use of what are called 'prosigns' and 'Q-codes'.

repeated three times -- that way if you miss it the first time or copy a character incorrectly, there's a chance for error correction

K -- could mean 'back to you', or 'open invitation to transmit' or simply 'over'. The meaning is more or less the same in this case.

Last, but not least, there's a pause as the station's operator momentarily listens for any replies. Hearing no replies, he/she resumes 'calling CQ'. Of course in this case our operator is long expired and we presume that the radio is simply transmitting a message from memory, operating for as long as it's still supplied with power.

Following the signal leads you to a Sealed Cistern at the foot of the drop-off, due south of the south corner of the WKML complex. Entering the grate, you find yourself in a short drainage tunnel, blocked at the far end by sandbags. To the right side of the desk is the Explosives Bobblehead that adds 10 points to your Explosives skill.

Along with the Bobblehead, you will find the following: one RadAway, two bottles of Purified Water, one Stimpack, one Rad-X, a .32 Pistol with 5 rounds in a box, a Fission Battery, and a Lunchbox.

Note

 * It seems that the radio operator, now a skeleton, had taken his life with the pistol some time ago. Or perhaps her life - is that a tattered dress?
 * Don't enter the grate with Fawkes because she will get stuck. You will not be able to escape unless you fire her (then go get her back).
 * Turning clipping off shows that there is nothing in the rooms past the sandbags that you can see on your local map.