The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-06-18
Radio An1ate1t7" to Broadcast Storm
Signs From DYaa7y Greenland Site
Will Help Save Lives of Men
Crossing Ocean by
Ship, Air.
BY ISRAEL KLEIN
Radio Editor, NEA Service


Destined for a two-years' stay al
the coolest, dreaieSt and most
treacherous spot on the northern
hemisphere, young radio amateur
is on his way to help save the lives
of those crossing the Atlantic by sea
and air.
This is the great adventure I'M
dertaken by Paul G. Oscanyan, Jr.,
of New York, we'll known in amateur
radio circles.
He is bound for Greenland, at a
point where the winds come from
the south, congregate in a whirling
cold completely of storms and re-
turn southwark to do their worst.
North Pole of Winds
1t is because Of this feature that
the spot for which Oscanyan is
bound is called by scientists the
North Pole OF Winds" Romantic
and adventurous as this title is. it
is none the less an actual scientific
designation.
1t is to warn shipping and avia-
ton in the northeast Atlantic and
over Europe that Oscanyan is going
to set up his radio station and
broadcast the storm warnings two
days in advance of their arrival.
Such a warning, coming so far
in advance, might have saved the
lives of Nungesser and Coli. the dar-
ing French aviators who attempted
the flight from Paris to New York
with disastrous results.
Set Up Permanent Station
This is the contention of Prof.
William Herbert Hobbs, noted geol-
ogist of the University of Michigan,
who visited the Greenland ice cap
last year and is returning with OS-
canyan and others to set up more
permanent radio signal station at
the very center of the wind pole.
Hobbs will stay on flashing no.
tees that will tell aviators and sea-
men what weather to expect from
the north for two days following
each report.
This is far greater advance warn
ing than we have ever before re-
ceived. And it will be accurate, says
Hobbs.
How Winds Travel
1.-THE ice cap of Greenland" ex-
plains Prof. Hobbs, ''is the north
ern wind pole of our atmospheric
circulation.
along the equator is q great fur
mace where the heated air rises ano
flows off at high level northward
and southwark to be drawn down
again over the two refrigerators OF
Greenland and the Antarctic ano
returned along the surface to the
equator.
1T is because Of the spasmodiC
operation of both refrigerators that
the Greenland ice cap is the breed
ing place of northern storms.
THE ice cap of Greenland has
the shape of the back of watch
and is nearly two miles high. The
cold air slides outward with hurri-
cane velocity"
Station on Ice
DR.. Hobbs has therefore put up
radio and weather stations directly
on this treacherous ice cap and at
the edges of it, so that the return
ing cold winds could be detected
their direction and velocity noted
and the warnings sent out by radio
at least 48 hours before they are due
A few modern conveniences will
be provided to relieve Oscanyan OF
the long dreary nights he will spend
in this cold and stormy area. He
will have his radio equipment with
which he will listen in on American
programs. His hut will be equip
ped with electric lights from his own
small power plant and with other
electrical convenienceS.
Oscanyan is only q years old, but
he has had considerable radio eX-
perience. He was in the Greenland
expedition last year.