Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-07-19

tune. What IS meant Dy tune
can be illustrated in this way: DC
casionally one hears in parlor a
fork, key or other piece of meta
rattle or vibrate when certain notes
on the piano are sounded. Then in
a limited sense the piece of metal
and the keys are said to be IN tune.
So it is in sending wireless mes,
sage. The electrical waves that are
set in motion by sending instru-
ment can be recorded by any other
wireless instrument of the same key
or tune in that zone.
Constantly Changes "Tune" of Instru-
ment.
The writer noticed that the opera
tor was constantly sliding an at
tachment on one of the instruments
and on being asked why this was
done he stated that he was chang
ing the tune" of his instrument SO
as to be able to catch any message
or make response should he be call
ed by another vessel at sea. The
pitch or tune" of the instrument is
changed just as the vibrations or
sound of a violin string is effected
by changing the position of the fin
ger that presses the string.
Messages Sent Thousands of Miles.
On being asked what was the
greatest distance over which he had
sent message, the operator on the
Huron replied that he had never
sent one over several hundred miles
but had received one that was sent
1000 miles. About two years ago
while aboard a vessel in the Gulf
of Mexico this operator received a
message that was sent from a vessel
off Sandy Hook, near New York.
1t is on record that wireless mes
sages have been transmitted a dis
tance of 3,4oo miles. One can
scarcely believe that an individual
can communicate through space
with another individual who is more
than three thousand miles away.
Yet it is true. Surely the day of
miracles has not passed!
News Received at Sea,
The wireless operator on board d
vessel issues o bulletin every after
noon giving the news of the day in
abridged form, charging therefor the
sum of 10 cents. In that
way the base ball fans at sea can
keep posted as to he result of the
afternoons game. The spectators
can learn how the market
closed. The drouth-stricken far
mer can watch the dpings of the
weather man. Already, aside from
the inestimable value of the wireless
as means of summoning aid in
cases of emergency or disaster, the
wireless has become a necessity.
The business man can keep in touch
with his business hundreds of miles
away. The tourist can make hotel
reservations b f ore reaching
land. The steward can replenish
his pantry and cold-storage rooms
by wireless before he reaches port.
the merchandise being at the pier
ready for delivery when the boat
arrives.
Signal of Distress.
The practical use of the wire
less" in saving life at sea was first
brought to the notice of the world
several years ago when the now fa-
nous operator, Jack Binns, sum-
moned aid to a sinking steamship,
saving the lives of several hundred
persons. The call sent out by him
was Come quick, danger"-C. @.
D. For some time afterwards this
call was used in cases of distress,
but amateurs, in their practice
work, used the call so frequently
that it was discontinued by opera
tors on vessels. The one used now
is stop other SERVICES. o. S.
When an operator hears this call
other service or messages are stop
ped and the right of way given to
the message of the operator who is
in distress.
Constantly on Duty.
1t may be said that the wireless
operator is on duty the entire "a
hours of the day. He occupies an
ordinary state room as an office and
his instruments are within arms
reach even while he sleeps. Should
vessel at sea call for help during
the night the call would awake the
operator.
While the press party was en-
route to New York the Apache en-
tered a fog Monday night some time
after midnight and the blasts of the
fog horn, which sounded every
L