Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-06
GRAF ZEPPELIN
TO CARRY RADIO
Distance Seekers May Get in
Touch With Dirigible
During Night.

Radio distance seekers who under
stand code are in for a thrill when the
new German dirigible, Graf Zeppelin,
makes her fight from home shores to
the United States. The dirigible is
equipped with the latest type of radio
equipment for intermediate wave trans
mission and, under good conditions,
should be picked up shortly after she
takes off. She also has Short-wave
outfit that will be used primarily for
experimental work.
Because the fight will be purely
commercial venture. designed to prove
the feasibility of paSSenger-cargo trans
oceanic transportation by lighter-than-
air craft, the dirigible will endeavor to
keep in regular communication with
surface vessels and with the Radio Cor
poration of America. The naval COM
munication service will not contact with
the Zeppelin in so far as the flight pro-
resS is concerned, but will be on the
alert for distress signals. When the
dirigible prepares to land at the naval
base at Lakehurst, N. j., however, COM
munication will be had with that sta
ton.
The dirigible will use the general
maritime call wave of 143 kilocycles
(2,098 meterS) for ship and coast sta
tions No request has been made of
the Radio Corporation to keep in con-
tact with the dirigible, but should the
r. c. A. stations be called they will be
prepared to handle any traffic.
The Graf Zeppelin. which has the call
name DENNE, should be picked up
shortly after she takes off, according to
the r. C. A. This is in the light of eX-
periences with surface ships which can
communicate with the coastal stations
at Chatham, Mass. and Tuckerton, N. j.,
just after they pull out of European
ports The distance from Berlin to
New York is something over 1900 miles
and, based on estimates by naval aerol-
ogistS, the flight should consume about
so hours if unfavorable weather is not
encountered. This will give the DIX fan
ample opportunity to at least get buzz
from the dirigible, while the amateur
who has acquainted himself with the
code should find much over which to
gloat.
The wave lengths assigned the Graf
Zeppelin range from 100 kilocycles to
1853 kilocycleS (1,875 meters to 1921
meters) for communication with ships
which can relay kilograms to coast sta
tons; ISL kilocycles Q,987 meters)
sending wave for traffic with ship sta
tons; 143 kilocycles (2,098 meters) gen.
6Tdl Cdll wave 1OI Clip dLQ COdSG Otd-
tons, and 121 and 119 kilocycles CAST
and 1881 meters) emergency call wave
for European coast stations. In addi-
ton it has 2l4 and 333 kilocycles Q,400
and 900 meters) for traffic with other
aircraft.
It's main transmitter has a power of
40 watts and an "undampedp or con-
tinuouS wave range of $500 kilometerS
for telegraph and 400 kilometers for
telephone. A 70-watt emergency trans
mitter with telegraph range of $50
kilometers and telephone range of $50
kilometers makes up the transmitting
equipment. Both transmitters are ar
ranged for straight continuous wave as
well as for tuned sending and telephony.
The specially constructed receiver is ar
ranged in three steps, with wave ranges
from 1000 to 900 kilocycleS, $50 to rs
kilocycles, and 100 to IL kilocycles. The
radio compass outfit located in the radio
room has wave range of 1000 to rs
kilocycles 600 to 1000 meters).
(Copyright 1928. by Consolidated Press)