Evening star., 1925-07-01
RADIO ESSENTIAL
ARCTIC EQUIPMENT
Macmillan Equipped for
Thorough Contact With
Civilization on Trip.
BY CARL III. BUTMAN.

BY CARL Fl. BUTMAN.
Radio is taking a very essential
part in the operations of the Mac
MILAN Arctic expedition. So many
conflicting statements as to what
radio equipment was being taken and
to what purposes it Is to be put have
appeared, 1t may interest fans to know
the detailed plans for radio communi-
cation with the National Geographic
Society and the Navy Department,
co-sponsors for the expedition.
A joint agreement provides that the
BoWdOin, call WNP, will carry high
frequency or short-wave transmitter,
lowfrequency tube set and radio
compass, the latter chiefly for use in
following the airplanes when on
lights. giving Them their positt.ns.
The other vessel, the Peary, call WAP
mas Short-waVe set also. but has
been equipped with a standard Navy
5kW spark transplitter which uses
long wave lengths, suitable for reg
ular communication on 800 and 600
meters and for transmitting compass
bearings to the airplanes when they
are flying over the unknown lands of
the North. This set. the naval experts
hold, is essential for the safety of
the pilots and planes. as short-wave
operation either to or from planes in
the air is very Unreliable if practical.
Extra parts, batteries. tubes, etc, are
carried in large quantities.
Planes Fully Equipped.
Each of the three planes is equip.
ped for both long and short-w
transmission. but when they take off
on long exploration trips from their
| base. flying always in pairs, one
81
mltter. and the other long-wave
spark set of 4 XIV. power. This will
| save weight and space and yet guran-
| tee safe communication. This 4 XIV
spark set is the same type used on the
naval NC flying boats which crossed
the Atlantic several years ago. It's
transmission record is 1,2OO miles Be-
sides the transmitters, each plane will
be equipped both for long and short
wave reception, and each will carry a
portable radio compass for use in fog
or on the ice in case of forced land
ings. These compasses can be set up
on land or ice and bearings from the
base or ship taken. In the event of
forced landing the shortwave set would
be used for transmitting. since it op-
crates on batteries. whereas the
naval spark sets are impractical when
the aircraft are down. They get their
power from wind-driven generators
which operate a synchronious rotary
spark transmitter.
If the plane is down and it's engine
is dead there is no means of operating
the small generator 1t is planned
that by flying in pairs safety is in
sured; the other plane would transmit
VIA short waves, under conditions
which forced landings. When in the
alr tnere IS no tranSmitter more re-
| liable than the Navy spark set. how
ever, naval officers hold SO the plane
carrying the spark set would carry on
communications while flying. receiv-
Ing weather reports, instructions.
compass bearings, etc incidentally.
this type of set is easy to operate as
well as readily tuned in, essential fea-
| lures, because the aviation mechanics
who will have charge of these radio
| sets are not especially skilled radio
operators. Tube sets would be TOO
! complicated for practical used under
the circumstances, it is pointed out
Another essential point is the fact
that while short-wave operation is re-
markably good at times, it is unre-
ilaoie In the air; reception in a flying
/ boat is impossible. dut TO the inter.
terence of the engine spark Mugs ard
lgnatlon system when the engine is
iunctlonlng. Transmission while fiy-
ing Is almost impossible except for a
1ew miles, due to the vibration.
Guarantee of Safety.
Thus equipped and by exploring in
pairs. both the Geographic and naval
officials feel that the safety of the
alrplanes and the flying personnel is
guaranteed while in the air or landed
on Ice or water in the unexplored
polar tracts
So far only the ships short.waye
tranSmitter, operated by Reinsrtz and
Macdonald, have been heard in the
states. Messages on 81 meters have
been received by amateurs and the
naval Bellevue station NKF. near
Washington. Special receivers have
been installed by the Navy at Bar
Harbor, Me, and Cordova, Alaska
while Macmillan has distributed sew
eral receiving sets along the edges of
civilization in he northland.
Two methods of communication
with the expedition while 1t is explor-
ing the Arctic are planned. The first
is by schedule with the naval station
In washington. to be in force for day
and night transmission with the Bow
doin and Peary on 40 and IS meters.
The other plan is for communication
with United States amateurs, two
way work is loked for if practicable.
Reinartz will transmit on 81 meters
for amateurs both night and day, the
messages to be relayed to the National
Geographic Society at Washington
and there distributed to the press.
Amateurs who succeed in picking up
either VVNP or WAP should at once
advise the Geographic Society, ask
ing if they should telegraph the text
of the messages collect.
By advising the society first a great
amount of duplication will be elimi-
mated. as each message will probably
be copied by several amateurs, where
as only one copy is desired at Wash
ington.
Already two amateurs have forward
ed radio messages from the Macmillan
expedition - the first by Herman
Lehrer of New York City from the
Bowdoin and the other from the
Peary, picked up by E. Fl. Hooper of
Long Island. Several other amateurs
have reported hearing from the ex-
pedition, which is barely under way.