Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-03

stars are no more complicated than
sights on the sun. The time may come
when navigation may not depend SO
much on celestial observations and use
the radio instead, as is done to greater
extent now than formerly by navigatorS
on ships.
Few Radio Signals.
Our radio, however, proved to be very
nearly just so much dead weight. We
regarded the tranSmitter as more I'M
pcrtant than the receiver in the event
of an emergency. We sent signals on it
once or twice, once as we were nearing
Ireland, then again over the Aleutians,
but as far as l know, nobody heard
them
AS far as radio weather reports were
concerned, We didn't get any. Oh
course, we didn't have much time TO
listen. and en- large part OF our night.
the part where weather reports would
have been of most value, IL there were
any they were sent in Russian, ana we
wouldn't have been able to understand
them If we had got them. The weather
reports are usually sent out on long
waves and long-wave equipment wel@ns
too much at present to be desirable on
an airplane that is making long dis
IctIlCC IllkLlJ dhh OAA oAAANA WS~SNNe
TO be conserved as far as possible in
order to carry large stocks Of fuel.
We sent out some signals while we
were crossing the Atlantic, but haven't
heard Of any ships who caught them.
We listened in quite a bit when we
had time but heard no weather reports
1 doubt If we missed much that would
have enabled us to make any faster
time.
Tries Own Drift Indicator.
Because of our experience with the
radio, which has convinced us that air.
plane radios must be improved lot II
they are going to be of much use on
such flights, believe that We must look
to improved methods of navigation by
celestial navigation. In time, pc
lieve, this work will be virtually auto
matte Mathematical tables already
have eliminated much of the routine OF
calculation. but they can be improved
still further. There also Will be I'M
provements in sextants.
One personal satisfaction that l mao
in the trip was the opportunity IL gave
me to try out in very thorough fashlon
a ground speed indicator that nave
devised. 1t also indicates the drift, and
since our drift while crossing the At
lantic was at times as hlgn as ~ per
cent, the importance OF being able 10
measure it was great.
My device consists merely OF an enc,
less film, cut across by fine parallel
lines. The film is kept In motion at
speed synchronouS with that Oh the
movement of the plane over the ground
or the water. Observations are mace
by looking through at whatever we
happen to be passing over. A perlscope
near the instrument board enables TINS
to be done.
Predicts Commercial Line.
Ordinarily you have to make Two
observations for ground speed and dri1t.
I found my indicator satisfactory, put
there Is plenty of room on q nxeo
point in order to calculate for mprove-
ment in it as in other instruments
The watchword in navigation mstru,
ments always must be increased speed
and greater accuracy. -,
AS / look back over the nlgnl-a an
with so many things to do u seems IN
possible that it was only the Gay pe1
fore yesterday that we completea II
don't believe there was moment Wnsn
we doubted that we would make SUE us,
cess of 1t. OF course. there We're sew
,eral tight places. But, thanks, perhaps