AUTOMATIC ALARM

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 52, 13 July 1928, Page 3

AUTOMATIC ALARM

SOS FOR SHIPPING. NE of the latest features of wire less equipment for ships is aw automatic ealibell apparatus called the auto-alarm, which has recently beer perfected and passed by the naviga tion authorities. The apparatus is dex signed for use when the operator id off watch aboard ship. It is so desigued that it will pick up a pre-arranged signal, consisting of four dashes, eal of about one second’s duration. This operating alarm bell is in the wirelessroom, operator's sleeping quarters, and on the bridge, thus calling the operator, to receive the distress call. This pre« arranged signal is sent out preceding the usual SOS signal used by ships when in distress. Special safeguards are provided on the auto-alarm so that in the event of the valves burning out, or the batteries dropping below a safe minimum working voltage, the alarm belis are set ringing, thus ensuring the operator being called and the fault rectified. The auto-alarm responds only to the prearranged signal, disregarding ordinary signals sent by other stations. Auto-alarm sets have already been installed on the steamships Terndale and Fordsdale, by Amalgamated Wireless (A/asia), Ltd., and orders have been received for the steamships Min- deron and Gascoyne, of the West Aus tralian Steam Navigation Co., Ltd? Centaur, of the Ocean Steamship Co.; Ltd.; Changte and Taiping, of the Australian Oriental Line; Tanda, Arafura, and St. Albans, of the Eastern and Australian Steamship Company.