Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-05
WIRELESS STATIONS.
Atlantic Coast Service Of the United
States.
From Engineering Magazine.

From Engineering Magazine.
OF the fifty -four fully equipped wireless
stations on the Atlantic seaboard twenty
two are operated by the United States Navy,
seven by the army. sixteen by the United
Wireless Telegraph Company, seven by
the Marconi Company and two by the
United Fruit Company. In addition to
these the navy operates five stations in
the West Indies and Central America, the
United Wireless three and the United
Fruit Company six. While there are
other stations operated by other compa-
MES, the only one Of these in constant
commercial operation is that OF New
York newspaper situated at the Battery,
on the lower end of Manhattap Island.
The naval stations extend from Cape
Elizabeth, Ne, to Key West, Fla, with two
on the gulf coast-one at Pensacola and
the other at New Orleans. There is also
a high-power station at Guantanamo.
Cuba, the winter base of the Atlantic
feet, and there are two stations at the
isthmhs and Porto Bello. respectively. BY
relaying. a message may be sent from
one extreme OF the navy circuit to the
other without the slightest 6oubt that the
message will reach its destination.
oCS1OCS llouolluS Tic OAtSl0i OuoAASS
of the navy and keeping war vessels al
most constantly in touch with the de-
partment at Washington, the naval sta
lions send out a noontime signal each
weekday. followed by the weather report
from the vicinity in which the statiop is
located. and also, when storms are brew
ing, warnings received from the weather
bureau. Ships in distress can always
call these stations.
The Navy Department is gradually de-
veloping a standard transmitting unit
which will overcome some of the defects
Of transmitting with wide range OF
wave lengths. transmitter capable OF
a wide and quick change in wave lengths
is very desirable, for in case of war and
with the enemy trying to interrupt wire
less communication, the wave lengths
could by prearranged schedule be
changed until communication was estab-
lished In some Of the sets being tried
out ON shipboard this is done with a very
| loose coupling and by plugging in Sec
lions or individual turns on the closed
circuit helix.
| The Navy Department has now a stand
ard mast or tower for antenna suspen-
sion. and will gradually replace the old
wooden poles at all of the important
shore stations. 1t is constructed Of light
angle iron and built in the form OF a pyr-
amid being nine feet square at the base
| and tapering to two and one-half feet al
| the top. Shrmounttng the top Is q short
/ wooden mast, to which the antenna inSu-
lators are attached The mast from base
to extreme top, is 300 feet high and rests
on a wooden insulated platform The
recent equipment of the Newport station
with two Of these towers placed $50 feet
apart has made that station one of the
most important on the coast, and has
greatly extended It's range of operation
with a record of communication from
| Colon, Panama, a distance OF nearly 2OO(
miles.
| The new naval station now under con.
struction at Arlington. near Washington
| will have three towers, one 600 feet anG
the others $50 feet high. The equipment
of the station will be ideal in every re
spect, and, when completed, 1t will be on,
OF the most powerful in the world A
twenty -four-hour watch IL stationed a
all naval shore stations year in and yea
out. there being as rule four operators
with a chief operator In charge.