Evening star., 1923-09-30
Radio Signals Popular.

Radio SfEnnls POpuihr.
Public attention was recently di-
rected forcibly to the use of radio as
an aid to navigation when seven
naval destroyers, cruising in thick
fog went on the rocks OFF Point Ar
guelio. Calf. The squadron COM
mander did not accept as correct the
radio compass bearings sent him from
n naval compass station on shore.
The radio compass service is fairly
new and some shippers have not
heretofore placed enough confidence e
in the bearings furnished them. To
be sure. the bearings are not al
ways exact, varying some two de-
grees and being subject to local con-
ditions, but after the Point Arguello
disaster, when twenty-three lives
were lost and more than $4,000, 600
worth of naval property destroyed,
much more confidence will undoubt-
edly be placed in radio bearings.
Naval commanders and navigators
will certainly proceed with more eau
tion in the future when the bearings
furnished by radio stations do not
agree with their own reckonings.
They will undoubtedly ask for fur
ther bearings. especially when sim
gle station only is available. Sec
retary of the Navy Denby has or
dered special study made of radio
communication between ships and
shore stations. with particular re-
bearings. Already United States fleet
regulations provide that ships on a
coastwise run communicate with
available radio compass stations
every four hours for checking and
testing purposes, except in bad fog,
when other ships might need assist
ance or. directional aid.
There are two methods of securing
radio bearings. The system followed
at the fifty-two naval radio compass
a.. Co. htrxg 80 rn11 CT
ton asking for their bearings, which
are then given in relation to the sta
ton. Usually two or three stations
are called and the lines representing
their directions from the vessel are
plated on chart. The point OF in
tersection indicates the position of
the ship, subject to certain correc-
tions.
The other method. used in the
American lighthouse service and by
many merchant vessels, requires that
radio compass be located on each
ship, the skipper ascertaining his own
bearings from the stations called and
plating his own position. The shore
stations simply emit a radio wave for
him to observe and to measure it's
direction with his radio compass.
Favorable comment Is given on
both methods, as each Is of extreme
value to navigators off their courses,
lost in fog or proceeding in unfa-
miliar channels. The ship compass
system is quite expensive, but the op-
Grafton is strictly up to the skipper
and any errors are naturally his own.
Having his own compass enables him
to pick up any ship or station carry
ing radio and get its bearings regard
less of whether or not that ship or
station has a radio compass. The
naval system held as an essential war
service and believed more reliable by
many, is useful only to ships when a
radio compass station on shore can
be picked up and communication es-
tablished. Shippers whose vessels are
not provided with radio compasses find
the naval stations of epecial value
and will undoubtedly continue to call
them unles they install compasses of
their own.
During the fiscal year 1923 the
Navy's shore system supplied 120,523