Southern Cross Fliers

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 39, 12 April 1929, Page 27

Southern Cross Fliers

Widespread Interest ERY w...espread and g¢e..-ral interest is naturally being taken by all radio listeners in news concerning the fate of the Southern Cross fliers. All New Zealand stations, each evening that they are on the air, give out such news as is available, and in addition many listeners remain in direct touch with the Australian stations, who are naturally broadcasting every possible scrap of news, surmise or criticism concerning the position. Mr. R. Leslie Jones, of Lyall Bay, Wellington, has made a special point of keeping touch with Syduey stations up to a late hour each evening, in order to secure the latest adv:.es. As a result, he has heard much of interest that has not been published in the daily papers. For instance, a special article quoted from the "Sydney Sun" on Friday evening, entered into strong criticism of the aviation authorities in Australia in that there was available only one amphibian machine capable of undertaking search in such a case of emergency. Other amateurs working morse have also been in touch with amateurs in Australia on the same point. In discussing the position with one experienced amateur, the view was expressed by him that the absence of news from the fliers seemed to indieate disaster. Such an experienced radio man as Mr. T. H. McWilliams would speedily have been able, in the event of the plane landing without undue damage, to rig up in a very short space of time a transmitter based upon nothing more elaborate than a 45-volt B battery and an ordinary receiving valve. The aerial would not need to be more than 10 or 20 feet in height, and with such an impromptu equip-

ment it would be possible to get communication up to approximately 1600 miles. Assuming that the plane landed, the batteries would be available, and the foregoing course could have been followed. The uvsence of any such communication leads to the suspicion that the machine and men in landing may have been heavily flainaged. Every good wish will go out to the daring men who . successfully conquered the Pacific and Tasman, that they will speedily be found.