New-York tribune., 1922-03-26
Airrnen Adopt
Two-Way Radio
To Flying Plane
Solution of Problem Will
Make Possible Connection
Between City Exchanges
and Liners of Clouds
Dual Wave Lengths Used
Wind-Driven Generator in
Slip StreamCivesCurrent;
Rig Grounded on Engine

-
The possibility OF maintaining a two
wsy telephone conversation with an air
plane has just been demonstrated at
Kelly Field, Texas. with orc Of the air
planes OF the aoth Squadron. L. s. Air
Service, and the power radio-phone of
the 1st Wing. Sth Corps area In these
tests the voice was transmitted and
received on the sirplane at the same
TINE. In addition to this radio music
vas successfully transmitted from the
ground to the airplsne while the lat
Ter was at an altitude of 1000 feet
The details of these tests sre still
taturslly held secret for military DUR
'oses, and only the brief formal an
souncement Of their success has been
rsdc Despite this, however. gus
hccnt is known concerning them to
hov the possibilities o. the future,
specially when applied to aircraft CT.
gsrcd in commercial transit between
cites over land, or eventually in trans
scesnlc trans portStI ton.
They nave shown that it viii he ner-
!scty feasible to connect the radio
telephone system with the ordinary
telephone services and permit a sub
icHber 70 converse With passengers on
iircsaft from his Office or his home.
The subscriber and the passenger will
"lk over al ordinary telephone and
hear esch other speak over the regular
telephone receiver, In addition to this
!: vii. be quite possible 70 provide a
nuSical entertainment to while away
ne Teo'um Of the aerial voyage.
Brief Announcement Made
The announcement made by the I. S.
N Service regarding tAe tests was
as folIO*s; "One of the a:rplancs OF
sns 9Otn Squadron at Kelly Field has
bees specially equipped with radio,
Transmitting and receiving, together
Fish al SCE-73 anplider. Two cener-
itoTs are used with a special change
oTer switch. which eliminates severa!
articles as regularly installed WITH the
sa9riee SCE-7& set. Two antenn&e are
ased, one for trans mitting sid one for
receiving. Che system being known a.
dcp'e% radio, By which transmitting and
'eceiving can bc carried o. q. the same
instant. The ship has been tested with
tie new nigh power radio phone Of the
ls. Wing Win good results. although
]: has rot been possible to make dis
'ance tests yet. The ship is the Only
one OF It's kind in the Sth Corps area
at present. Radio music has been sue
cessfcliy transmitted from tho ground
20 the ship ct 1000 feet"
In smpIihcation of this Drief an
1ounccment the two antenne we're sua-
pended from The wings Of the aircraft,
sne from each side of the ship. A.
though the statement does not describe
The details, it is understood that diff
ferent wave lengths we're used for
transmission and reception.
The current TO operate the ti,2ments
o the transmitting tubes and to supply
she high voltages for the plate circuits
NJ the transraitters was obtained from
the wind-drircn generator fastened IN
t"e sip stream o. the airplane. A
separate WiEd-driven generator was
used to supply current TO the receiving
equipment. These generators are
equipped with spccia! regulatory de-
wees which keep the yoltagcs steady
irrespective Of the speed OF the air
plane.
In connection with these tests it will
De interesting to answer a question
hat has frequently been put to me by
radio noviccs. 1t is this: How do you
obtain ground connection on an air
plane ."
On aircraft ground connection is
obtained BY connecting a wire to the
engine. The aerial consists Of wire
which IS wound up on drum when the
machine is or the ground. AS soon as
sufficient altitude has been attained the
pilot releases the aerial and it bangles
below tho airplanc. The aerial has a
lead weight at the end to keep it taut,
although, due to the speed of the ma
chine, the aerial hangs below at an
angle.
1t is not necessary to have ground
In radio communication. Another bal
ancing-or countcrpoisc-ac aerial will
perform the same function as q ground,
aad this is what the engine of the air
plane does
One of the peculiarities of an air
plane aerial is that it is very direc-
uonal in its effects. Experience has
shown that with the hanging type Of
serial greater distances are obtained in
The direction in which the airplsne is
hying than arc obtained behind the ms
chine. This dircctional effect is very
pronounced, and with small powered
'fansmitting sets it is necessary FOR
'he airplane to turn around In some
cases and fly toward the receiving sta
lion In order to obtain results.
Ro1I~zS. T.IL NJ, VIVID