The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-15
PLANE WIRELESS
KEEPS IN. TOUCH
Navy Gets Position of the
NC-4 and Sends 1t
Broadcast.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Navy De-
partment communicated with the sea-
plano NC-4 from Washington at 11:1s
A. NJ. to-day; received a reply from
Commander Read, and had sent broad
cast to Europe and to the west coast OF
the United States the planes position in
three minutes elapsed time. The COM
munication was accomplished without
previous notice TO any of the stations
involved. Z
In connection with the announcement
Of this record established in radio COM
| munication the Navy Department made
public the details OF the radio installa-
ton on the three seaplanes.
Each Of the planes Is equipped with
two transmitters one of which is
| mounted or the deck OF the plane near
the stern and has as its main element
streamline generator and accessory
Apparatus driven by the propeller. AL
though this complete set weighs only
| forty-five pounds IL can be used between
| the plane and shore stations for dis
tances up to $50 nautical miles.
The antennae used with this OUTFIT Is
a single wire about $50 feet long trailing
from the tail Of the plane. Since 1t is
driven by the propeller this transmitter
may only be used for communication
while the plano 10 in fight. 1t allows
the fiiers to send messages from time.
to time to shore stations or ships at sea-
regarding the progress of the flight,
these messages being relayed to the
Navy Department.
The second transmitter. which 10 used
mainly for communication between
planes and Is limited to radius of
about twenty miles. Is a combined tele-
| phone and radio telegraph transmitter
which operates on a small storage bat
! terry. The artennae are stretched on
the upper planes thus permitting use
while the machine Is in flight or at rest
with equal ease. This outfit Is used In
telephoning between planes while in
flight and enables the division COM
mander to direct the movements OF the
various units and to keep constantly in
touch with the ship commanders The
set is so arranged that either the radio
operators or the commanding officers
themselves may communicate while the
| planes are in flight.
| A special feature of the radio equip
ment used on the planes is the recently
perfected ani-noise microphone, which
is 40 constructed that the terrific engine
noise of the plane is not heard. This
apparatus alone. the navy radio experts
said. makes possible long distance trans
mission by telephone from air craft.
The receiving apparatus of the planes
permits OF reception OF messages from
land stations OF high power at distances
of several thousand miles. thereby al
lowing the seaplanes although nearly
across the Atlantic to receive orders and
other messages direct from the Navy
Department.
Weather conditions predicted for the
next twenty-four hours over the pro-
posed route from Trepassey Bay to the
Azores were reported at the Navy De-
partment late tonight as LEGS encorr
aging" This was not interpreted by
| officers. however, as precluding in any
way a decision by Commander Towers
TO postpone the departure of the planes.
The less encouraging weather con-
ditions were said to have been reported
over tho eastern portion OF the route,
or over tho portion of the route near
the Azores. BY the time the planes
could reach that region. II was said, the
unfavorable weather conditions probably
| viii have passed away.