Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1921-02-19
90 MILE TALK
OCEAN TO OCEAN
Steamer Off New York Has a
Wireless Talk With Catalina
Island, California.


operator stationed at Catalina Island,
off the coast of California, successfully
carried on conversation by land lines
and wireless telephone with wireless
operator on board ship nearly ninety
miles off this city. At the same time
another wireless operator on an oil
tanker one hundred miles southeast of
Ambrose Lightship inadvertently
caught the voices out of the ether and
spent an otherwise embarrassing Sun
day listening to the conversations. 1t
was through him that the details of
the experiment became known.
Oscar Foy, wireless operator on the
tanker Hisco, bound from Point Lobos,
Mexico, to New Hork, was the man
who had this novel experience. Foy
made record of what he heard,
which he repeated last night in an
interview.
"The weather last Sunday was clear
and COOL" he said. 81 was sitting in
my radio room upon the bridge deck
soloquizing about everything in gen.
eral, more particularly that would
have to stay on board another night
awaiting the arrival of the Quarantine
officers in the morning before could
go ashore. The tanker was about 100
miles away from Ambrose Lightship.
Suddenly | was startled by hear
ing voice saying Hello. there in
clear tone. II seemed to come from
the chart room, which is next to the
radio cabin.
Thought II Was Captains Voice.
81 thought at first it was Captain
Dobbins and i FASTENED to find out
what he wanted But there was no
one in the chart room. returned and
a moment later heard the voice
again and started search to find if
some one was trying to play prank
on me.
"When | returned this time picked
up my receiving instrument and dis
covered the source of the voices. And
this is what heard:
Hello, steamer Gloucester New
York calling. Hello, New York,
steamer Gloucester answering. can
hear you clearly. Can you hear me
good
'Then followed all sorts of tests for
audibility between the steamer and the
New York operator. When the two
: operators were satisfied that their
VOICES had reached the maximum
clearness, the New York man said
'I'll now call Pittsburgh. In few
minutes Pittsburgh answered and
talked with New York. TRY the
steamer Gloucester for audibility and
then we will call the roll to the coast
said New York. This was done salts
factorily.
'New York in rapid succession call
ed Chicago, Davenport, Iowa; Omaha,
Neb.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Salt Lake City,
Utah; Winnemucca, New. Los Angeles
and San Francisco. In each instance
tests were made with the Gloucester.
When the San Francisco operator an
swered, New York said: The steamer
Gloucester, forty-eight miles off Am
brose Light, will talk to you. If every
Ia &c a1a Nall
Talks To Catalina Operator.
"The Gloucester operator talked
with the California man bit and then
New York asked for Catalina Island.
/ could hear every word of the CONVEX
sation carried on between the steam
ship and the operator at Catalina.
"A final word of caution was issued
from New York to all repeater men on
the circuit to stand by. There was a
prolonged pause. Everything was still
and myself held my breath as list
ened. Then pleasant and kindly
voice began speaking. The audibility
was perfect and | heard every word
that Colonel Carly said and the re-
sponses he received. He called the roll
of cities and spoke to the Gloucester,
conducting conversation for several
minutes along the line. He listened
70 the ma operator talk with the
(, an IN tho ctaanaarr
said the Western operator later
layed several records on a talking
iachine for the entertainment of the
Gloucester operator. The music was
clear and distinct, he said. The expert
ment was conducted for a period of
more than an hour, he said.