Evening star., 1927-11-27


radio room fast becoming inundated
by a sursing flood. rats climbing on
chairs and tables and brushing against
the radio operator In their scramble
to escape the rising waters, an as
sistant to the radiOman shooting at
them to frighten them aWay-this is
one picture of the night of November
), which suggests the invaluable ser
vices rendered by radios enthusiastic
amateurs during the New England
flood crisis.
The operator was Arthur l.. Bud
long of Hartford. Conn. assistant TO
II. r. Warner. the secretary of the
American Radio Relay League. away
at the time at Washington, where he
was attending the International Ra
diotelegraph Conference in the inter
ests of the amateurs of North Amer
ica and the world.
BudlOng, technical sergeant of the
11Sth Observation Squadron. Connect
cut National Guard. operates anna
teur station 1CNG, at Brainard
Field, Hartford. This is one of the
control stations of the United states
Army's network of $50 amateur sta
as reserve stations, with their youth
event OF war or emergency.
Upon telegrap phed orders from the
chief Of the Army Signal Corps at
Washington. Maj. Gen. Charles Mex.
SaltZman. Budlong was at his key to
get in touch with all other anna
teur stations in the food area to tell
them how to handle traffic where wires
were down or .OVerburdened. More
over, he was to instruct them to send
all possible flood news from their ter
ritory 10 1st Corps Area headquarters
at Boston.
Describes Experiences.
Budlong gives an impressionistic ac-
count of his experience through the
night in q personal report to Mr..
Warner at Washington. which he OBJ
viouslv didn't intend for publication.
But Mr.. Warner. proud Of his aides
achievement, made it public for pur-
poses Of suggesting the usefulness Of
Americas 10000 amateurs, mostly
youthful wireless Zealots. Not only
did they prove their worth during the
Mississippi flood, when they provided
the only means of contact with the
Army and Navy portable field sets and
with nearby cities in some of the be-
leaguered areas. but in the more re-
cent flood they again were true sol.
diers. says Mr. Warner.
Mr.. Warner says BudlonC is only
typical of the rest Of the amateurs.
BudlOng wrote after his night at
Brainard Field.
The flood is abatng gradually. The
field is going to be a mess. At its
highest point the water was four feet
deep over the floor of the administra-
tiOn building. 50 YOU can guess what it
WAS elsewhere. In connection with all
this. l must some time spin YOU a
yarn Briefly. it was like this:
"Nine-thrty Saturday night the
water was getting high. Wire receiy
ed at homo from Saltzmln asking
amateur help and instructions broad
cast on how to route traffic to LIST
Corps Area at Boston. etc. called
FEH. who was in bed, and he agreed
to go on. Started for field set with
Charlie Cain.
Water I'm Radio Room.
"Eowed from electric light company
to field; water a foot deep in ado
room. Field gang on duty moving
junk. FortY-meter receiver n. <.
Moved transmitter up to so without
assistance Of wave meter. lielluva
finally read onc-third of etcnth of
amp, Got bounced mile by high volt.
age while adjusting set with feet in
water. Put. board across chairs and
hikad back and forth on that Set
working about / 30. 90. lLMI. calls.
'Smak in the middle of band-E7 hr.
llray! Prepare broadcast and s"nd
every Is minutes. noting on log when
think of it. 1-CML rebroadCasts.
Work other stations Massachusetts.
eastern New York, Chicago. RI hr,
says Chi. Whoops' Line up stations
for Boston traffic and Vermont points.
Water rising. Two feet deep on
| floor. Block up chair and put feet on
| another one. Pitch dark outside .Aii'
! bubbling and curgiing from nm ict
! foor endlessly Trees, debris, etc. sill
! houctted on water between electric
| light company and W lndoW. Continue
! TO work stations.
Water still rising ORR while put
! board across seats Of two chairs. third
chair on board. a. me on third chair
! with feet on operatin, table. Sending
with glove on, as get jolted other way
at times. Much DIX and still sending
| broadcast.
Water three feet deep Rats swim
in door and try to climb out on table
chairs, me--everything Slim firing
at 'em continually from perch in ma
chine shop. Operating time now mum
bered in seconds, as water in switch
box on wall. Raise 3.CAB in Wash
inGton and refer him to 1-FL an(
ZACH at Boston. who are on-3-CAE
trying for half hour To raise f1oot
larea. 1-FL and ZACH both QSC
iarea. TnN and rag chew for while,