Antarctic Expedition

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 29, 30 January 1931, Page 4

Antarctic Expedition

] . Direction Finding Wireless REPORT by radio has reached Australia from Sir Douglas Mawson’s Antarctic Hxpedition, stating that the wireless operator on Mawson’s ship, the Discovery, succeeded in locating a whaling vessel by means of his wireless direction-finding appara-. tus when the expedition was in need of coal. The wireless equipment carried by Dr. Mawson’s ship was specially fitted with direction-finding apparatus for just such eventualities as this. There has been a notable movement lately in the direction of fitting vessels on the Australian coast with this type of gear, mainly in order that the commander of a ship at sea may always ascertain his exact position. The direc-tion-finder picks up the precise direction of a wireless signal, so that by taking two or more bearings from different radio stations (or ships) the captain. of a vessel can determine his position irrespective of fog, rain, or heavy weather, Last year it was agreed by the International Safety of Life at Sea Convention which met in London, that direction-finding gear should be made compulsory on passenger ships of over 5000 tons after July 1, 1933.