Air Route to India

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 45, 24 May 1929, Page 15

Air Route to India

The Wireless Organisation HB wireless organisation for the air mail service to India, which opened on Saturday (March 30), has been completed so that the aircraft engaged will be in touch with aerodrome ground stations throughout the 4700 air miles of the journey. All the aircraft are equipped with Marconi wireless apparatus of the latest type, and an inter-communicat-ing chain of ground stations has been arrangec. The first section of the route is the London-Basle flight, on which the present wireless organisation for continental aviation was employed. This consists of the powerful Marconi aerodrom station at Croydon, ‘French stations at Le Bourget and other intermediate places on the route, and the Marconi stations at Basle. The machines operating this section of the route are fitted with Marconi sets of 150 watts power, of the well-known type AD6, adapted for communication over distances of 200 to 300 miles either by telephony or telegraphy. From Basle the night train to Genou makes the connection with the second section of the air route, from Genoa to Alexandria, which is to be operated by three "Calcutta" flying boats fitted with the more powerful Marconi type AD8 sets. ‘These sets are also adaptable for telegraphy or telephony, enabling the pilots to keep in touch with Italian and British Air Ministry wireless stations until arrival at Alexandria. In addition, Imperial Airways, who are conducting the London-Kar-achi service, have stationed a depot ship at a point in the Greek Archipelago. This has been fitted with a Marconi valve transmitter of 34 kilowatt power (type U) and suitable receiving equipment (Marconi type RG 19 receiver), and will be capable of

communicating with Malta, Alexandria (Aboukir), and other stations com goerned with the service. . At Alexandria a change is made to aeroplanes again, to continue the ger. vice over the third and final section of the route, through Basrah and over the Persian Gulf to Karachi. Part of this section has already been in operation for some time, employing De Haviland aireraft fitted with Marconi AD6 apparatus and communicating with Royal Air Force stations; and a 3 kilowatt station at Rutbah Wells, which was supplied by the Marconi Company to the Irak Posts and Telegraphs Department, During the flight from Basrah to Karachi, the machines will be in touch with two Marconi stations in Persia, at Chabar and Bunda Abbas. Persian operators for these stations have been trained at the Marconi Company’s Works at Chelmsford, The terminal wireless station. at Karachi is one of the most powerful aerodrome stations installed at any air port, Many features of the Marconi apparatus for this service have been specially designed to meet the conditions existing on this new Hmpire route. The constant-speed windmill generator, which provides power for the wireless installation, will also supply current for the internal and external lighting of the aircraft. In the unlikely event of a forced landing being necessary, the same generator can be used to supply emergency power to the transmitter either by the use of the battery normally used for lighting or, if it is required to work for long periods, by means of a special coupling arrangement to the small petrol engine used for starting the main engines of ‘the aireraft. Thus, even if a machine were forced to land in the solitudes of the desert country, which is to be found along the route, wireless communication could be established with the nearest ground station and any required assistance could be obtained.