The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-01
TRYOUT
WIRELESS
First Step in circling Entire
Globe With Messages :
Proved Successful.

Washington, Nov. 1.-Crackling and
sputtering with life. the navy's new
wireless station at. Arlington. Va
the most powerful plant in the world
last night flung from tis lofty aer-
ials the first messages which signalized
the completion Of an important step
in the building of globe-girdling
wireless system which will keep every
ship Of the United States navy and
every insular possession within in
stant communication with the capital.
Wireless operators. professional and
amateur. on one side Of the globe,
probably had their Instruments at
their ears last night. straining to
catch the faint buzzes as the powerful
apparatus pputtered out, its calls for
Panama. Colon, and the Atlantic coast
navy sstations.
Down In the soundproof operating
room, windowless and protected by
double doors. some of the navys most
experienced operators. directed by
Lieutenant Woodworth. sent out the
first flashes. ....''..'
Results Of Test Noted.
n A x. n A X the, cali for Colon.
l,7S5 miles away. was sent hurtling
through the ether. At intervals the
call for Key West 975 miles off. No
of1cial messages we're sent. but the
results of the test were noted at all
stations on the Atlantic coast as well
as Key West and Colon: and reports
on the trials will be, made later.
The radius of the new plant will be
ABOUT 5000 miles when It Is in work.
ing order. This range. probably the
acme of. wireless operations. will be
attained gradually. and it may be
weeks before the big plant Is 'tuned
up to it's highest efficiency. Com
muntcation with the Pacific coast will
be attempted only. at night for the
present. but throughout the day the
secretary Of the navy, at his desk in
washington. will be within instan-
taneous communication with Key
West. Guantanamo. Colon. the naval
coaling stations, the winter maneuver
grounds. and all Atlantic stations.
System WIN Girdle Globe.
When the plant is working perfect
~ and the chain of stations is COM
pleted, washington will be in touch
with Hawaii, Samoa. Guam. the Phil
ippines. and Pearl Harbor. The COM
pleted system will cost about $1,000
900. The seas then no longer will be
The ships with weaker equipment
cannot communicate with the power:
full plant at Arlington. but they may
relay messages to the various stations
for transmission to. Washington.
Three huge steel towers on the
brow of the hill overlooking the Poto-
mac and dwarfing the Washington
monument hold the aerials which fling
their construction skilled ironworkers
who have braved death on many a
skyscraper declined to work at such
dizzy heights. One towers 600 feet
above the hill where its base rests.
and that is 200 feet above the river
The others measure $50 feet.
At the base Of the towers are the
soundproof work rooms. quarters for
marines who will guard the towers.
Within a year the towers are ex-
pected to be talking with the Philip
pines by relays through Guam and
Hawaii. Within the next few days the
station will attempt communication
with the powerful station at Clifden,
ireland. the nearest working plant on
the other side Of the Atlantic. oficers
are hopeful Of the outcome.
Constant communication now ia be-
Ing maintained BY q commercial COM
pany between Clifden and Cape Race,
Newfoundland. and other stations are
being constructed for tho purpose Of
bridging the Atlantic with aerial in
telligence. A commercial corporate
has virtually completed ths erection
Of a powerful plant At ssyvills. L l.,
which will have a. it's European ter.
minus a station Of similar design in
the vicinity Of Berlin Still another
near New York 10 projected. with its
sister plant in Norway.
Many Freak MeesaGep.
The Arlington station. however,
marks the most advanced step thus FAR
taken in the esta blishment OF regular
and steady communication by wireless
over long distances, although the
records Of the army and navy depart
mcnt disclose many freak" messages
sent and received over great spaces:
These. however. were exchanged un.
der the most favorable conditions.
and. for the most part are regarded
as Accidental
Reports to the navy department
have been frequent of messages caush;
and exchanged over remarkable dis
tances. as In the case Of all the Alas
kan stations reporting messages sent
out from the station at Key West
Fla. and Mare Island navy yard, out
side of San Francisco. has communi-
Gated with the station at Colon, on
tho Atlantic coast OF Panama.