MAWSON RADIOS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 905, 24 February 1930, Page 9

MAWSON RADIOS

CURIOUS IRREGULARITY OF MESSAGES VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY CANBERRA, Saturday. A copyright wireless message from Sir Douglas Mawson says: “This week while the Discovery has been at Royal Sound, Kerguelen Island, to have her boilers chipped, radio communication has been limited, as the only power available was a small auxiliary motor which was run for a short period daily. “Now full power has been restored, but we are still unable to establish free wireless touch with Australia. The same effect of screening from eastern localities was experienced when we were here last, although the difficulty does not exist a few miles away from Kerguelen Island. “During the voyage the wireless operator, Mr. Williams, met many other curious irregularities in radio distribution. For example, we have been within 2,000 miles of the Byrd Expedition, on the opposite side of the Antarctic Continent, yet never able to communicate directly with it. “Coaling has now advanced, and the engine overhaul should be ’ completed by February 21. Meanwhile the scientific staff, although hampered by hurricane winds, has been busy ashore, mapping and collecting. A number of white Samoyed dogs in fine fettle have been sighted. They are reported to be descendants of sledge dogs left by the Gauss Expedition in 1902. They are destructive of birds and seals.”