Yacht Racing with Radio

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 33, 28 February 1930, Page 8

Yacht Racing with Radio

aa ee Wellington Amateurs’ Success HE recent ocean yacht race conducted by the Royal Port ‘Nicholson Yacht Club over a course between Wellington and Port Underwood, across Cook Strait, marked the first occasion on which short-wave transmission was carried out on a Wellington yacht. Though it was unfortunately found necessary to abandon the race after part of the course had been completed, enough distance had been covered under racing conditions to determine if the radio equipment carried was working efficiently. This was installed on Mr. W. Mellar’s 32ft. cutter-rigged yacht Marangi, one of the competitors in the race. The enterprising achievement was due to Mr. Mellar, owner of the yacht, Messrs. ©. Liddell (ZL2BI) and S, Perkins (ZL2GK), the latter accompanying the craft and operating the equipment. Through this scheme the progress of the yacht was communicated through Mr. C. Liddell’s private station at the =

suburb of Lyall Bay (operated for the occasion by Mr. V. Roberts (ZL2AH), by land-line telephone to 2YA, Wellington, which station broadcast the progress reports. The equipment on the yacht, which was for. Morse transmission, comprised a short-wave transmitter with a six-volt semi-power radio frequency amplifier valve, and a six-volt valve as an oscillator, to maintain the stability of the wave-lengths used-40 metres and 80 metres. The aerial on the yacht, which had only one mast, consisted of 66ft. of ordinary 14-guage single copper wire, the lead-in of which was encased in rubber insulation. The aerial commenced halfway from the top of the mast to the tip of the bowsprit, and thence up to a position close to the top of the mast, down across the deck, being held about one foot away from three steel shrouds by.a short insulated stay, and thence down into the cabin. As it was not practicable to use the more desirable counterpoise required for short-wave work, an "earth" was obtained by means of the 5 tons of lead on the keel of the yacht. The Marangi was allotted the special eall-sign ZL2DZ, for the occasion. The necessary transmitting power was obtained from a 90-volt dry B battery, with ordinary six-volt accumulators for the valve filaments. A short-wave ordinary two-valve receiving set, with two pairs of headphones, completed the equipment. A spare broadcast wavelength coil was carried also, and by means of it the occupants of the yacht were able to obtain good reception of 2Y¥A, Wellington, and thus heard the news which had just previously been dispatched from the yacht, and which had been telephoned to 2YA by Mr. V.

Roberts from Mr. Liddell’s home.

The success of the installation on the yacht may be gauged from the fact that a it was heard clearly up in New Plymouth. ' Messages were dispatched from the yacht every half-hour from the time they had made a good start until the arrival back at the yacht’s moorings late at night. Unfortunately the yacht became becalmed in Cook Strait, off Lyall Bay, and as a special weather forecast by Dr. Kidson, Government Meteorologist, for the yacht, which was duly received, showed no promise of better conditions, the Marangi put about for home at 8.30 p.m. Altogether the enterprise demonstrated how successfully short-wave communication with the land could be maintained from a small yacht on the high seas, with only temporary .equipment. The event is a striking tribute to the skill and zeal of Messrs. C. Liddell and 8S. Perkins, two of Wellington’s prominent amateur radio transmitters,