Evening star., 1924-07-13
RADIO GOSSIP AND NEWS

submarine note he stops his watch
| or timepiece. The number OF sec
| onds which have elapsed between the
receipt of the radio signal and the
sound signal is directly proportional
to the dstance-that is, he knows
| the speed of sound in water in that
part of the ocean, so he multiplies
| seconds and has his distance in miles.
| Special clocks for this time check
| ing have been developed and record
| directly the distance in miles instead
| of time in seconds.
Preliminary tests with the sub
marine oscillator have shown quite
| audible signals up to sixty miles. and
it is hoped it may be perfected to
operate for greater distances.
| Successful operation, of course, re-
quires that ships desiring to partici
| pate in such a service must be equip
ped both with radio and sound oScilla-
| tory receivers, and preferably with
| radio compasses for securing the di-
| rectlon of the transmitting station.
| The system should be of exceptional
| value in tranatlantic navigation, as
Nantucket Shoals is turning point
| ana the distance of a vessel from this
| lightship Is a valuable aid to the
| mariner.
This system, while applicable to
several points on the coasts Of the
country, is not believed essential at
all the sixteen light vessels and sta
tons already equipped with radio fog
signals or where work is under way.
Probably it would be found useful at
points like Cape Blanco light, off
Oregon; Diamond Shoals. N. c.. and
possibly Point Arguello where a fog
signal Is projected, as these stations
are at important turning points in
coastwise and oceanic navigation.
Denmark has one lightship, the
Graadyb, which operates both a radio
FOG signal and a submarine bell
system for aScertaining distances. but
ITS operation is limited to twelve
nile The radio signal transmitted
Is 'G, two dashes and one dot This is
Followed by a Series of twelve dots
at intervals of 1-3 seconds, sent each
ed simultaneously with the dot of the
letter G. and the number of sue
ceedlng dots counted by the skipper
OF the vessel offshore before the sub
marine bell sound is received on the
Souhu ear phones is indicative of the
nautical miles he is distant from the
transmitting lightship Mas light
snip IN Holland has a similar system.
The first test Of the radio and
sound distance finding system in this
by the Navy in cooperation with the
lEhtshlp service, off Nantucket
enoals. IN 1917 an apparatus of this
general E,t type was installed on the
a6
pul IL uld not come into use as an aid
10 navigation and was discontinued
uhIii the work was recently revived
at Nantucket Shoals.
Radio TO Aid Ocean Survey.
Governmental scientific and mill
"a al pur eduS are now in conference
N III asnlhgton laying out an extern
survey of the waters of RI. aar.h
interest Is centered in an effort r..
prevent marine disasters, make for
better transportation and communi-
cation over the seven seas
although neither the route nor tho
ship and its personnel has been de-
clhed upon. one thing is already de-
termined: That the vessel will he
eGuiDped with the latest and most
eficient radio and sound apparatus
designed. The reasons for this arr
tWo1oid: Primarily it will enable
the scientists to keep in constant
touch with stations ashore, ascertain
their exact locations by radio com
signals essential to hydrographic
work; and second it will make ex-
haustive study of atmospheric dis
turbances possible, with regard to
communication interference. Static
Will be traced to it's lair if possible,
and its sources located
Through the combined efforts of
Army, Navy and other governmental
bureaus interested in radio, detailed
plans for tests in radio reception and
wherever the vessel goes on its
cruises which may. extend over a
period of several years. Into what
ever area the ship goes on first as
sgnment for thorough study of
currents. depths, weather, water life
and other scientific phases, radio will
be utilized both practically for COM
munication and scientifically for in
Z.
encountered as interference will be
Charted in an effort to learn where
static comes from and how it can
be avoided in long-distance communi-
cations Dead spots will be investi-
gated in a hope that these localities
may in some way be av, 'Hed or cir
cumnavigated in the establishment of
better transoceanic radio circuits.
The Sonic depth findig apparatus,
alf-brother itself. will also be used
on the cruises to map the ocean floors
as far as depths are concerned. and
also for fixing the ships position,
if shore stations are available.
1t is the hope Of Capt. Bassett
lish permanent scientific survey
system of the world, and that a
schedule of trips and areas to be
studied may be laid out soon, so that
appropriations may be secured and
the work undertaken within a year.
Prize Radio Contest.
Meyer Davis. head of one of the
largest orchestral organizations In
the country, has offered a prize of
500 to the radio fan who finds a
suitable word to take the place OF
Jazz" The contest will be an
nounced soon by broadcaSting sta
tions in every section of the United
States.
Jazz" according to Mr. Davis. is
undignified and misnomer and casts
discredit upon modern music. The
new word, he says, must avoid these
errors and must be at once both
dignified and comprehensiveiy de-
scriptive.