NEW FOG-FIGHTER

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 November 1927, Page 8

NEW FOG-FIGHTER

RADIO TO THE RESCUE. An aid to ships at sea in heavy fog has been patented by Elmer Sperry of Brooklyn. The apparatus, which is called a 1 ‘ Special Device for Preventing Collisions at Sea in Fog,” broadcasts the ship’s course, its speed and its call letters and is operated independently of the ship's regular radio equipment, says the Now York Times ” Tho apparatus consists of a specially constructed broadcasting set with one element automatically taking the course readings from the gyro compass with a separate drum recording and transmitting the speed. This is set manually and adjusted to the speed of the ship as occasion demands. The cal; Itters are sent out automatically. The device is operated on a short wave to prevent its interfering with the regular radio equipment. It has a sending range of from ten to fifteen miles and its primary purpose is for use in heavy fogs. It is claimed that it might also prove o some value in cases of distress but that this, due to its short sending range was of secondary importance. It is pointed out by the inventor as the present time tho muffling qualities of fog drown ships’ whistles within a short radius of their courses, making it imperative that speed bo reduced to a minimum in order to avoid disastrous collisions.