Wireless Telephony

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 11, 27 September 1929, Page 8

Wireless Telephony

Between Australia and and England

"HE notable feat that was accom plished recently by Mn &. TT. Fisk, managing director of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd. in earrying put wireless telephone conversations between Australia and Hngland, opens up a new era in Australia’s oversea communications. The possibility of speaking to England, and the means to attain it, have been uppermost in Mr. Fisk’s mind for some years, more especially since the ~ opening of the beam wireless service, . in May, 1927. A great deal of re- * search and experimental work has been carried out by Mr. Fisk, in association with the engineers of Amalgamated Wireless. In order to advance the work, special transmitting equipment was some two years ago designed and manufactured by the company, and installed at Pennant. Hills. This is the 20 kw. short-wave telephony, telegraphy, and overseas broadcasting transmitter -the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and one of the most modern transmitters in the world. Intensive experimenting resulted in telephonic communication being established with Java, Suva (Fiji), Amsterdam, Berlin, and U.S.A. . A successful demonstration of duplex, or two-way telephony, with the latter country was given in Sydney in November last, before a gathering of Sydney newspaper editors. It is especially fitting that the first duplex telephony between Australia and the Homeland should be effected by Mr. Fisk, to whom credit is due for the advocacy and establishment of the direct wireless service to England, and. who has been instrumental in pioneering every branch of Australian wireless in Australia and the Pacific. While the commercial possibilities of radio telephone service between Aus-~-tralia and England are not far distant, at the same time much research and experimental work has yet to be carried out and the most suitable frequency has to be determined. It has been found that certain frequencies prove to give better transmission in hours of daylight than in darkness, and vice versa. Factors of power and othe problems have yet to be solved a telephony service will be available that will give efficient commercial service under all conditions and at all times. The possibilities of such 4 service eannot be estimated. The establishment of the service would mean that one could speak by telephone from one’s home in a suburb of Sydney-in fact. in any part of the State-to a telephone subscriber in any part of England.