Ingenious Television Devices

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 15, 24 October 1930, Page 8

Ingenious Television Devices

To Aid Navigation PIONEER work in television is proceeding steadily, and scientists are now discovering varied theoretical applications of this new science, in fields far removed from those of mere entertainment. For example, Dr. Robinson, a prominent English research worker, has already patented a method of transmitting directional bearings in visual form to a ‘vessel at sea. Thus, instead of depending upon the variation of signal strength in different directions as an indication.of the bearing of the incoming beacon signals, the ship carries a television set and receives the picture of a diagram repre--senting the various points of the compass. At. the point occupied by the ship, the scale is "gapped" or broken, F) owing to the directional effect of the frame aerial in reducing the received signal strength to zero. Thus the navigator is given a visible indication of his exact bearing. By using this method, the effect of interfering signals and atmospherics, which often seriously mask the critical minimum point in the usual type of wireless direction-finder, is substantially reduced. A still more ambitious application of the visual system is being developed in American to assist aviators to land at an aerodrome during fog. Here the position of the aviator is determined by direction-finding apparatus installed . at the aerodrome, and televised back to him as an-image of the aeroplane: superposed on a background showing the actual topography of the landing ground. In the received picture the image moves over the adjacent trees or other obstacles in exact ‘synchronism. with the passage of the aeroplane.