THE WORLD and RADIO

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 24, 30 December 1927, Page 13

THE WORLD and RADIO

New Zealand Administration on Sound Basis

The recently-held International Radio and Telegraph Convention, a report of which has been submitted by Mr, A. Gibbs, M.LE.E., Chief Telegraph Engineer to the Post a nd Telegraph Department, shows how sound is the basis of administration of radio in the Dominion. This conference is the first to be held since 1912, and has had as its aim the straightening out of radio transmission generally, in or der to lessen interference. In fuiure, broadcasting stations are to be confined to a wavelength of 200 to 545 metres, on which basis all of our New Zealand stations are at present operating. The report which we give below shows the step s which are to be taken for the prevention of interference, and deals with the gradual elimination of spark installations, A feature of special interest is the reservation of a wave band to be reserved solely as a distress signal band,

The International Convention was attended by seventy-six different radio administrations, and lasted a considerable time. It was naturally a difficult matter for all the countries represented to meet on the common basis of understanding, but, thanks to the strenuous work of the various committees, most of the major problems were guccessfully tackled. Ihe conference," says the report, "was faced with a bulky volume of proposals, many of which seemed incapable of reconciliation. Upon the various: sub-committes devolved the task of reconciling these" conflicting issues, of forming unique texts that would not only satisfy existing conditions, but would also safeguard the developments aud discoveries which are constantly being introduced, and which might at any time radically modify existing practice, Our delegate was appointed to the following sub-committees :-Technical, tariffs, mobile and special services, general regulations, code language. All delegates were ex-officio members of the convention committee, and of the plenary sessions. As committees often met simultaneously, it was impossible for him-being the sole New Zealand delegate to attend all meetings, but minutes of ail proceedings have been obtained, and these will be of value in the interpretation of regulations, the full purport of which might otherwise be obscure. SPIRIT OF COMPROMISE. ‘he ynanimity that was ultimately obtained on the various proposals was made possible only by lengthy discussion, and by a commendable spirit of compromise aud good-will, which treflected the greatest credit on such a cosmopolitan gathering, and was at jnteresting’ commentary upon the possibilities of international agreement, even it the presence of widely divergent views. . The resolutions arrived at form a bulky volume, covering, as they do, all phases of radio communication, and regulating the procedure to be observed and the technical features to be recognised, in the practice of radio-frequency . signalling. "These regulations and convention articles are being printed, and will shortly be circulated for general guidance. Jn anticipation of this issue I ‘am briefly outlining herein a number of features in which the New Zealand administration is more or less directly interested. :

FREQUENCY ALLOCATIONS. "prevention of interference between stations of all classes and of all natioualities: has engaged the earnest attention of the conference, and has been orie of the most difficult problenis. This also applies to the allied duty of aitocating the available signalling freqi eticeis among the many classes of radio services now being effected. The great growth in mobile services (ships and aircraft)’ is now: making big demands upon the common signalling mediuin, and: it was no easy task to satisfy all legitimate requirements, In 1912 no one could possibly have anticipated the great expansion which has taken place

in radio communication, and the many uses to which radio signalling would be applicd. Ships, aircraft, submarines, land stations, beacon and direc-tion-finding stations, picture transmission, broadcasting, all had to be provided for, and it was with no little difficulty that the available signalling channels were allocated to meet the needs of the art. A comprehensive allocation of frequencies to the difierent services has now been made, and it is be: lieved that this schedule will do much to reduce interfercnce and multiply, as far as possible, the avenues open to the transmission of intelligence by means of electromagnetic waves. "Administrations are required to exercise every care to avoid mutual interference, and to this end shall confer as may be necessary with a view to minimising the same, especially in the case of adjacent countries carrying on similar services in the same wave bands. SPARK INSTALLATIONS.

"The use of damped waves (spark installations )is to be gradually but seriously curtailed. Spark transmitters, by reason of an inherent breadth of wave band and consequent heavy demand upon the already too limited channels of cominunication, are now regarded more or less as an evil which must be eliminated as soon as such action can be warranted on economic grounds. ‘To this end the following proposals were adopted :- (a) No new spark installations are to be made on land stations ,and existing land stations are to be modernised as soon as possible. (b) From January 1, 1930, no new spatk installations may be made on ships or aircraft unless of low power (less than 3906 watts primary input). (c) No spark transmitters shall operate above 800 metres except as provided for existing land stations referred to in (d). (d) From January 1, 1925, all land station spark operation shall cease, (ec) From January 1, 1940, all spark operation of whatever character must cease, "The only exceptions to the above are stations which by reason of location, ete., are incapable of interfering with the conduct of public radio correspondence. SPECIAL DISTRESS BAND. "With such insistent demands upon the ether brought about by the growth of national and international radio ‘traffic, it was no easy matter to make adequate provision for ensuring the safety of life st sea by means of radio distress signalling. The demand of traffic and the watch for distress signals are somwehat difficult factors to reconcile, and toa large extent are mutually con-

flicting, It is, however, worthy of note that this subject received the most careful and preferential treatment. In spite of the problems mentioned. this early and humanitarian application of wireless signalling has been placed on a more satisfactory footing than was formerly the case. It may confidently be expected that the service rendered to ships in distress will be even more de: pendable and reliable-if that be possible-than the remarkably effi: cient and valuable services renders ed in this connection in the past. As a contribution to this end the wave band from 580 to 620 metres is to be reserved almost entirely as a calling and distress signal band,

SPECIAL NEW ZEALAND CON: CESSION. "4 special concession was made to New Zealand by the convention with respect to its home trade ships of small tonnage. These vessels, in accordance with New Zealand marine laws, are compulsorily fitted with wireless apparatus, with the main object of ensuring the safety of the passengers and crew. New Zealand holds a somewhat unique position in requiring ships of such small tonnage, if carrying nineteen persons or more, to be equipped with wireless apparatus. In the absence of international regulations that would appropriately cover such cases, and not impose impracticable requirements, local regulations were made in New Zealand in 1925 permitting the installation of comparatively low-power equipment on such small vessels, and considerably modifying the operating qualifications compared with those required of larger sea-going ships. While sympathetic with the objects of the New Zealand Administration, it was the general feeling of delegates that the time had arrived when, in the interests of the prompt disposal of traffic in an already congested medium, the convention would, as a general principle, have to impose more instead of less rigorous conditions upon the operating persennel of ships’ installations. "Overtures made by shipping companies in other parts of the world

to relax the operating conditions had always been consistently declined; it had to be admitted that any movement to degrade the standard of operating would have a serious effect upon the conduct of traffic and the general efficiency of radio communication.

PERIODICAL TESTS. It was, however, pointed ont that these small New Zealand coastal vessels were equipped almost entirely in the interests of safety of life, and were permitted to engage in public correspondence only in matters of maritime urgency; that the conditions under which such vessels operate render the employment of a full-time and __ fully qualified wireless operator impracticable and unnecessary; that the infrequent use of the apparatus reduces interference with public and other radio correspondence to a minimum; that these ships are engaged upon a somewhat hazardous service, and should be fully entitled to the security afforded by a wireless installation, even though not carrying a high-grade operating personnel, and that alreadv such installations had heen justified by the saving of human life. In view of the above arguments it was ultimately and unanimously decided to meet the case by a special reservation permitting New Zealand coastal ships of this class to carry a moflified installation and to be operated by ships’ officers fulfilling the requirements which the New Zealand Government deemed best suited to the special circumstances of the case. It

was agreed in this connection that pericdical tests would be made to ensure that the standard imposed was being properly maintained. THE BROADCAST BAND. "The wonderful strides made by radio telephone broadcasting during recent years rendered it imperative to make due provision for this most popular application of science to the entertainment aud instruction of mankind. It further required the curtailment of longwave stations-fortunately non-existent in New Zealand-which were seriously encroaching upon the frequencies required for. mobile and_ point-to-point services. Broadcast stations are, in future, to operate between 200 and 645 metres. This is the wave band in use in New Zealand, and in this and certain other respects this administration has been fortunate in being able to anticipate the trend cf development and thereby avoid .any considerable alteration to existing equipments, and the expense thereby involved. Provision has been made for shipstations to operate on longer waves than at present with a view to reducing the interference now being caused to broadcast listeners.. AMATEUR WORK.

"The regulation of amateur transmitting stations and the finding of signalling room for these noi*commercial services were the subject of considerable discussion. In this connection the policy cf New Zealand has been a generous one, and has many features in common with that of the United States of America'and Canada, where amateur experimentation has heen encouraged, and has reached a high state of development. Many other countries viewed this non-professional radio work with a good deal of misgiving, and were disposed to give but scant encouragement to the amateur experimentalist to pursne his studv and practice of highfrequency signalling.

The final result-although not all that could have heen desired by the amateur radio world now totalling about 25,000 devotees-was, in my judgment, a reasonable compromise. Ample scope can be made available to the amateurs of New Zealand for the prosecution of their work. "No doubt they will continue to respect the privileges afforded and thie responsibilities involved, and do their share to contribute to the data already accumulated with respect to radio communication on low power over a wide range of distance and frequencies. TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT. "A Consultative Technical Committee has been formed to consider such features as may be submitted for ruling or interpretation. and to watch the technical developments that are like to in-

fluence future regulations. This is a new departure, which will be watched with interest. . "It was pleasing to note that the practice of New Zealand in connection with the administration of the regulations of the 1912 Convention gave no grounds for criticism On the contrary, the standard set by this Administration for the technical efficiency of its stations both ashore and afloat, and for the qualifications of their operating personnel, proved to be a high one, and compared very favourably with that of older and more highly-develope radio ceuntrics. , KEEPING PACE. "Tn order to keep pace with the radio developments now taking place, and to take full advantage of the same, the report concluded, "it will be increasingly necessary for the New Zealand Government to extend its activi- . ties in the field of radio signalling, .« and to make a more scrions effort to keep pace with modern research. The time has clearly arrived when, in order to administer satisfactorily the responsibilities of a quickly expanding and highly scientific art, there must exist a body well equipped with the latest technical measuring apparatus, and possessing, in addition, a qualified and specialised staff capable of keeping abreast of scientific progress in the application of radio frequency to modern signalling practices, "It is to be hoped that the newlyformed Scientific and Industrial Research Department will be able to devote some time to the unsolved scientific problems of radio transmission calling for treatment in the Southern Hemisphere, and that collaboration with this department and its practical _ resources will furnish a useful and economical theans of contributing ‘to the rapidly accumulating store of knowledge of the ether as a transmission medium.’’