Radio and the Schneider Trophy

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 17, 8 November 1929, Page 12

Radio and the Schneider Trophy

An International Broadcast PROBABLY the most important event in the public eye in England this year was the Schneider Trophy race, and the plans necessary for its smoothly-working organisation were the culmination of six months’ continued labour and research, It is stated that without the highly-perfected condition of radio in Great Britain today, it would not haye been possible to hold the event at all. Radio was used in far more ways than the mere broadcasting of a running commentggnr though the latter was regarded by overseas listeners as the most impor® ant of all the various transmissions, Unon the roof of the Ryde Pier pavilion had been erected a hut for the accommodation of the official timekeeper, judges, commentators, broadcasting engineers, and apparatus. From a news interest point of view, and it might safely be stated that this was international, everything depended upon the engineers and the apparatus locat« ed in the hut. © The public-address system used for keeping the million-odd spectators around the course accurately informed. of the progress of events, was in itself a triumph of radio engineering. Though thé course was 31 miles in length, and though the public wer extended over an even greater distances yet it is reported that very few of the public were out of range of the eighteen loud-speakers which were installed at some eighteen different points around the course. A specially-reserved trunk-line care ried the commentary and the accompanying incidental noises direct: to Germany, where they were successfully re-broadeast from several stations. A short-wave transmission from 5S8W, Chelmsford, was also broadcast for the especial .benefit of overseas countries, and this was perfectly received in America, Europe, and Australia. Incidentally, a re-broadcast by 2YA, Wellington, of this international event was quite good, The complete radio installation was by far the largest ever carried out by the Marconiplione Co, Over 200 loudspeakers and 750 valves were used, 700 of the latter being of the super-power type! Low tension requirements alone made it necessary to use 280 accumulators, while fifteen miles of wire were needed for this gigantic broadcast. The smoothness with which the whole organisation worked was a splendid tribute to British engineers.