THE CROSSING OF THE TASMAN.

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 10, 21 September 1928, Page 6

THE CROSSING OF THE TASMAN.

RADIO listeners have had epic fare the past week. In last week’s issue we were just able to insert the announcement that the flight was under way and gave the news to midnight. The further course of the flight and its events are now history. Through radio, listeners were given all the news that was available and listeners know now that the absence of a greater number of messages was due to the conditions met on the voyage and the carrying away of part of the aerial by a lightning flash, and the attendant difficulties of restoring communication. For a spell of three hours no news of note was heard from the ’plane, and this long silence from 11 p.m. tll 2.34 occasioned some trepidation. But, fortunately, alarm was ill-founded, and hearts bounded up again when, just before 3 a.m., ‘word was flashed that all was well. Incidentally, at this point the generator hum of the "plane was put on the air as proof, and the ‘accuracy of this announcement has been questioned by a newspaper. This critic is, however, himself wrong, as a full technical explanation given elsewhere shows. THERE is no need to recapitulate the service rendered by the four stations. It was complete and satisfactory, and enabled listeners on that night to be in a select company possessed of knowledge denied the vast bulk of the balance of the community. Following on a number of delays, public interest had somewhat waned, and, as conditions were not reported to be of the best, the take-off on that Monday evening was unexpected. The result was that evening newspapers were without the news, and it was not till a little before 7 o'clock that 2YA, in the course of the children’s session, was able to announce that they would be passing over to 2BL to broadcast a description of the departure. As it happened, conditions in Wellington for trans-Tasman reception that evening were bad, static being viciously prevalent-Kingsford Smith’s encounter with a number of lightning storms supplying interesting evidence, by the way, of the origin of static and its prevalence in this area. In spite of _ the difficulties, however, full service was given from all stations, and with the actual arrival radio took its rightful place. After the unexpected entry of the Southern Cross into Wellington Harbour listeners were able to follow the flight down the coast till at Amberley she was met by the four Bristol *planes and escorted to Sockburn, where through the eyes of the announcer, listeners saw her make a perfect landing at 9.23.. And so the historic flight was over. In extending. congratulations to the aviators, listeners will be glad to have "listened-in" on their successful venture; and many will give a compassionate thought to that other long night in January last when first they watched and waited for the crossing of the Tasman. AS listeners through radio and its service in connection with the flight have a special interest in the commemoration of the event, we commend to their attention a proposal emanating from Christchurch that some move should be made by listeners to mark the occasion. A statement bearing on this is published elsewhere, and those interested are invited to communicate with the general manager of the Broadcasting Company.