Evening star., 1925-09-13
method of communication could
In so rapidly
Dependability Proven.


Dependability Proven.
When plans were being developed
for the present Macmillan expedition
officials of the National Geographic
Society wanted a reliable method OF
carrying on daily communication be-
tween the expedition and the United
States. A survey of the possibilities
showed that dependence might be
like the explorer, was willing to work
long hours and endure discomfort for
the love of the game"
Amateurs in America successfully
talk with Argentina, with Indo-China,
with Japan, with New Zealand, with
Australia and with England.
IL such men were available and were
able to carry on nightly conversations
over such prodigious distances, they
were the men with whom the expedf-
ton must make its arrangements
Short waves and low power were the
logical methods of communicating
from the Far North.
Governmental regulation had given
the amateur the short-wave bands
where his skill and experiments de-
veloped a host of new radio theories.
The necessity of keeping hobby
within reasonable financial bounds
precluded the use of high power.
Maintained Daily Service.
With these facts In mind, officers of
the National Geographic Society and
of the American Radio Relay League
worked out plans with John l.. Rel
nartz, operator of the Bowdoin and
one of the outstanding exponents of
the new short-wave theories. 1t was
deciHad that ynan1har stations nf the
American Radio Relay League in the
United States and Canada, or other
countries. If necessary, would act as
receiving stations for all of the news
and scientific information sent back to
this country by the expedition. At the
same time messages between members
of the expedition and their families
and friends in the United States would
be handled by the amateur radio sta
tions
This plan has worked without inter
ruption throughout the stay of the
expedition in the Far North. Daily
schedules have been maintained.
News dispatches have been handled
with a speed that would delight the
most critical editor, and personal mes
sages have kept the morale of the ex-
ploring party and of the families at
home at a higher pitch than was ever
possible under old conditions.
From the standpoint of getting news
home, the radio accomplishments are
ideal. On recent occasion, when the
airplanes of the expedition started out
on an exploration trip at l0:47 in the
morning. word was sent out from the
Bowdoin at 1903 that the planes had
started on a three e-hour run.
News Is Flashed Here.
Received by A. A. Collins, radio sta
tion sCxX, at Cedar Rapids, Iowa
the dispatch was reIayed to the head
quarters of the National Geograph
Society in Washington at 11:56 and
Immediately released to the various
news services that cover the country.
So great was the speed with which
the entire transaction was accom-
plished that many papers were on the
streets of this country with the news
before the airplanes had returned to
their station with the schooner Bow.
doin.
A number of remarkable feats in ra-
dio were accomplished in the course
of the Summer. Long-distance relays
were handled in record time, extreme
ly long-distance reception was re-
corded. and many stations maintained
number of days at a time.
Bruce Stone of San Jose, Calf
owner and operator of station 6AMM
succeeded in carrying on two-way
communication with the expedition
when 1t was off the coast of Green
land, making a distance record for
two-way work. The record of great
est distance covered by a message from
the explorers goes to several dis
patches copied by /. II. O'Meara of
Gisbourne, New Zealand. OMeara
Was unable to make two-way work of
IL. however, due TO the extreme dis
tance.
Other members of the American
Radio Relay League who are recorded
as contributing to this remarkable
distance work are l.. Eldon Smith of
Whittier. Calf; r. Bartholomew of
Porto Rico: j. w. Newman of Mobile.
Ala, and John Barsola of ST. Peters
burg, Fla.
One set of messages covered a
unique patch, but succeeded in max
ing the journey within a day. The
expedition stations established contact
with J. A. Partridge of London, owner
of British amateur radio station 2KF.
Partridge took sheaf of MESA ges
and Immediately relayed them TO D.
y.
J. From Sarkisian's station to the
headquarters of the National Geo
graphic Society in Washington was
but a trif1e after that.
Others sharing honors with A. A.
Collins of Cedar Rapids. Iowa, are
Donald c. S. Comstock of East Hart
ford, Conn.,; C. H. Pinney of South
Manchester Conn: A. W. Everest of
Pittsfield, Mass; F. II. Keeper of Elm
hurst Manor, \. Y; F. B. Duvall of
Mount Rainier. Nd: J. NJ. Meyer of
Milwaukee, Wis, and Fred Link of
York. Pa. Comstock and Pinney. as
friends and neighbors of John Rel.
nartz, operator on the Bowdoin, whose
home is also in South Manchester,
hold enviable records for getting mes.
sages through from the Northland and
returning answers at the same sitting.
Throughout the time when the ex-
pedition was out of touch with all
other kinds of communication daily
news dispatches, messages to and
from the members of the party and
routine naval messages have had free
way on the short-wave transmitters