New-York tribune., 1922-03-26
Radio Compass
Guides Vessels
Safely to Port
Stations Send Invisible
Flashes From ; Points
Around New York Which
Receivers on Ships Catch
Revolutionize Navigation
Many Lives Might Have Been
Saved if Simple Device
Had Been Known to Sea

seated at ease in your home listening
10 the golden notes of some we'll knowr
songbird floating along waves in tn,
ether from broadcasting station, JUS
try TO picture in your mind the other
waves that are reaching out to some
benighted vessel on the seas anc
reckoning it to safety through The
murE.
If you can picture this you VIII have
mentally visualized another form o1
sadio broadcasting; form that is ro
mantle in its very monotony, because
t has brought hone to the mariner anc
AIKEN from his troubled mind the
Heighty cares imposed by one of ths
oerils of the deep.
The story Of the radio compass /.
indeed romantic and it is history
1f another conquest over the forces oi
1ature by man in his forward progress
fact, the most important and humane
york Of radio is in connection with
ne wireless compass system that is
icing rapidly established along oul
lcean and great lake coasts. This sys'
EN- has already saved thousands OF
ives and eliminated days Of delay ii
ater navigation, by making it posi-
lie for steamship to continue or
ito the channel waters Of d port
Irrespective of weather conditions.
Three Stations Near New York
The manner in which it operates can
.yhaps be best explained by describ-
ag the stations in and about New York
arbor The other stations that are
be established along the coast and
sar the harbors Of the Great Lakes
i'll operate in q similar manner.
At the present time there arc three
ldio compass stations around New
ork Harbor performing the duties Of
,dio beacons. They are located on the
>nbrose Channel and Fire Island light
,ssels, and the Sea Girt On. j. Light
alton.
Now, these beacons operate in exactly
lc same manner as the ordinary light
)use, the only difference being that
iey send out invisible electro mag
.tic rays instead of rays of light
lighthouses about the coast are known
the mariner by the flashes they
nd out, and the radio beacons are
entitled in the same way. Perhaps
would be best at this stage to use
e language of George R. Putnam
,mmissioner of the bureau Of light
ouses of the Department of Com
cree, who was responsible for the
stallation of the system, in order to
plain its operation.
"The stations are identified by the
.aracteristics of the signals. Ambrose
Aannel sends one dash, Fire Island q
CUP of two dashes and Sea Girt &
cup OF three dashes, with brief IN
rvals between the groups. The par
cular station on which radio bear
is being taken in fog is by thi
cans Just as definitely known as i
g light on which sight bearing j
ken by the navigator of ship iden
led by it's order Of flashes or color
Signals in All Weather
"The signals are operated contlnu
sly during thick or foggy weather
d also at the present time they ar
Mt each day from 9 to 9:30 and from
to $3.50, so as to permit any vesse
.uipped with radio compass to TT!
this method and apparatus in clea
aather.
"To avoid continuous interference
tween the signals themselves the,
e sent on different time schedule
follows: Ambrose sends for twent!
econds, silent twenty seconds; Fir
land sends for twenty-five seconds
,cnt twenty-five seconds; Sea CIR
nds for sixty seconds, silent six MN
es. The signals are repeated rapidly
a Girt, for example, sending owe
rtv groups of dashes q minute.
"The transmitting apparatus now II
ia commercial panel type trans
ting set Of simple and rugged con
rnction of about one kilowatt power
addition to this set, special auto
attic motor driven timing switch to'
-oducine the desired signal at regu
r intervals is provided. The anten
: at the transmitting stations ar'
. same as used for ordinary radio
mmunication. The wave length use6
present is / 900 meters-the presen
tcrnational standard for such signals
20 range Of usefulness varies from
10 100 miles, depending upon tht
nstiveness OF the receiving appa
sus."
Loop Aerial is Secret
How does this system guide ship
% port? you we'll may ask. The
.swer to this lies in the. peculiar
onerties Of the "loop aerial" The
ter is a coil Of wire consisting OF
n turns Of copper wire wound around
;cuare frame. The frame is mounted
on a rod around which it can be
,ated in a complete circle. Now this
70 will only receive signals from a
.tion when one of its edges is
inted in a direct line toward the
ltion.
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