Pacific Flight

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 48, 15 June 1928, Page 5

Pacific Flight

--_-- VALUE OF RADIO DEVELOPMENTS : STICCESSFUL RELAY OF ARRIVAL _ GOOD WORK PERFORMED BY 2YA

RRAvVIO listeners on both short-wave and ordinary broadcast bands will long remember Captain Kingsford Smith’s great flight from San Francisco to Brisbane. The "Southern Cross’ was in the first, place fitted with the most complete and perfect wireless receiving and transmitting apparatus ever put into an aeroplane, and to this fact may be attributed a large measure of the success achieved. By radio the aeroplané was enabled to receive important compass bearings from ship and shore, and by radio they were enabled to permit the whole world, as it were, to accompany them in their flight. This, in retrospect, is the most outstanding feature of the flight-the sense of intimacy with the venture created in the public mind by the close contact with the progress of the aviators. Every important phase of the flight was immediately conveyed to the world, and so accurate were their computations that they were able to advise beforehand in the last dramatie "hop": to Australia that they would reach the Australian coast south of Brisbane and would require to work north. Successful Reiays,

PUE actual arrival in Brisbane was the subject of wireless history in that very complete preparations were made for deseribing to the whole world, both on broadcast and shortwave bands, the incidents as they oceurred. 2FC, Sydney went on the air at 6 a.m. and gave a running commentary of the progress of the aviators as it became known. A land line with Brisbane was in readiness "and at a later stage played an important part in proceedings. Unfortunately, however, this land line, doubtless owing to its great length, became somewhat noisy, and the actual messages transmitted from Brisbane were by no means as clear as they might have been. On receipt in Sydney of the Brisbane account, it was rebroadcast, by 2FC both on ordinary wave-length and also through 2ME on 28.5 metres. This short-wave transniission was picked up in Wellington mission was picked up in the heart of : Wellington by a short-wave receiver, made and operated by Mr. Mack, of Mack’s Radio Service, and relayed by telephone line to 2Y¥A, where it was put on the air. The reception was splen- . @id and credit must be given Mr. Mack for his work on this occasion. HicH praise is due to 2YA for the quality of their work. 2FC, when received direct, came through splendidly and was retransmitted practically as clearly as if from the local station. It must be admitted, however, that when Sydney went back on to Brisbane’s land line, the extraneous noises referred to caused a great deal of voice distortion and difficulty. In spite of that, it was a memorable occasion, and all listeners were thrilled at their instantaneous receipt of news of the safe conclusion of the most momentous flight yet recorded. The importance of the occasion seemed to affect the Brisbane announcer, for he spoke far too rapidly and excitedly for the proper transmission of his yoice. A Great Night, Mr. R. Leslie Jones supplies the following few notes of his experience "listening-in" on the flight Suva-Brisbane. The outstanding ‘impression left on his mind, he states , was the high spirits of the aviators, and the cheery character of the messages they were putting over as they, in a measure, saw the end of their flight in sight and success at the end. "One of the most interesting radio nights yet experienced and one that will live long in my memory was on Friday night last, when listening-in to ----

the progress reports from the South‘ern Cross on its way to Brisbane. A friend with long morse experience ‘sat with me at my house ‘listening-in ‘also. The signals were good, very clear, for the most part, late that night, and again Saturday morning the messages were clearly audible direct from the Southern Cross." "A number of messages transmitted from the ’plane were of a personal nature on Friday night; and Sydney radio received quite a continuous run of communications. "An amusing part of the transmission was where Ulm stated, amongst other things, that ‘the elements were playing mean tricks, and Smithy and he (Ulm) were wet through, but as soon as the moon comes up and blind flying ended for the night, they would have a "spot" of their emergency rations of whisky; he was too cold to send more then without gloves, but would send again later, cheerio.’ We'll get there O.K.," added Ulm. "On Saturday morning, 2FC, on short-vaye, reported that several stations in America (including WGY) ; also London, were picking up the signals clearly. They were relaying the broadcast from Brisbane through 21°C, ae

the latter transmitting On 40.) MeLres.The transmission from Brisbane through 2FC was splendid; with plenty of volume; and, of course, at loudspeaker strength, on three valves (short wave). "At one period whilst the onlookers were waiting for the arrival of the Southern Cross, one of the Brisbane aviators went up 7000 feet, but could not at that time (Saturday morning) sight the Southern Cross; the morning was fine with a crispness in the air. "Sydney, on Saturday morning, reported that the Southern Cross direct signals were not being received in either Brisbane or Sydney as these two districts were located within the "Skip" distance, meaning, the ‘plane was then too close; but Melbourne was receiving the signals O.K,, as also was New Zealand, of course. "Jt was well worth the trouble of sitting up late Friday."