WHAT WORLD IS DOING

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 10

WHAT WORLD IS DOING

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK

N.Z. EXPERIMENTS

lii view of the experiments now being made by the Post, ana Telegraph Department in connection with the establishment of radio telephone commercial services across the Tasman, it is interesting to review what has been and is being done in other parts of the world in the same direction. It will be seen, in the- brief historical survey which follows, that the whole world is being fast linked up by radio with its telephono systems, in a manner that holds out hopes of an even wider connection, but a vast deal of investigation in small details is necessary before tho widest sytsem can be made use of. FIRST BIG STRIDE. The first radio telephone service of any importance was tho trans-Atlantic, established between the United States and the United Kingdom. This was commenced as a long-wave radio telephone service early in 1927. On the British side tho transmitting station was at Rugby, and the receiving station at Cupar, in Scotland. The latter site was selected because it was more free of electrical disturbances than most other situations which offered equal advantages in other ways. It had a further advantage that whereas it was desired Ito signal'approximately in a westerly I direction, tho greatest amount of-elec-trical disturbance came from the oast and south-east. This fact favoured the installation of a directional receiving antenna which was very sympathetic to signals coming from the desiyed. direction, but practically deaf to signals coming from other directions. Ey this means one of the principal bugbears to long-wave radio telephone working was cut out, and the atmospheric disturbances were .very considerably reduced. The same principles were adopted on tho other side of the Atlantic, and in this way a very important link in the chain of telephone communication was established, London becoming tho switching centre of the United States and Canada -for the greater part of Europe. There are at the present time a large number of telephone cables across the English Channel connecting the United Kingdom and Europe; in fact, it is possible by this means to provide for-100 simultaneous conversations across the Channel. RAPIDLY GROWING USB. At first, the service between Britain and tho United States was limited to a few hours a day. The original charges were £15 for the first three minutes, and for every minute after that £5. In 1928 the rates wore reduced to a minimum charge of &Q for the first three minutes, and £3 for every minute after that. When the services were first established, there were only a few calls per day, but when the rates were reduced the calls increased to 20 per day, while during 1929 the average number of calls per day was 50, and tho greatest number transmitted on any one day was'l36. This illustrates the popularity of this additional means of communication. An interesting analysis of the calls mad? from the American side shows that during 1929 52 per cent, of the calls were for the United Kingdom, 32 per cent, for France, S per cent, for Germany, and S per cent, for other European countries. There is ■ a difference of five hours' time between New York and London, and it was natural that the greatest number of calls was during the overlapping business hours of the day, that is to say in the morning in New York, and the afternoon in Enlgaud. On the American side connection was given not only to the United States, but to Canada, Mexico, and Cuba. Practically all the countries in Europe are now linked,to London, and are able to participate in the transAtlantic telephone service. The calls between these countries across the Atlantic wero not confined to business matters, as tho analysis refered to above shows that in 1929 48 per cent, of the calls from the American side wero of a social character, 27 per cent, originated with bankers and brokers, _ and 4 per cent, with merchants, leaving 21 per' cent, of miscellaneous calls. The demand for speech between these widely-spread countries has led to tho installation of additional radio channels, and at the present moment it is possible to have four simultaneous conversations going on across the Atlantic. A WORLD NETWORK. It is an interesting fact that, of 35,000,000 telephones in the world today, about 25,000,000 can now be placed in telephonic communication by means of long-distance land lino toll circuits, j and the links provided by radio tele- i phone services. A number of other services are being carried out in this way by means of short wave systems in different parts of the world. For somo time past a radio telephone service has boon available between Holland and Java, and quite recently a short wave telephone channel was opened betwen Germany and Siam. Another important link in the chain of international communications has been established between Spain and Buenos Aires. On the South American-side that connects practically all the telephone stations in^ the big South American Eepublie and in Uruguay, and it is later proposed to include Chile and other South American republics. On the Spanish side connection is obtainable with countries such as France and England, and others in Europe with which Spain is in telephonic communication. : Spain is also connected by submarine cable with Morocco, and by this means the two great continents ( of South Africa and South America are now in telephonic communication. This channel between Spain and South America has double tho length of that between New York and London, or approximately 6400 miles. ' ■ SHORT WAVE BEST. It was soon found that thfc long wave channels, although comparatively reliable in operation, were more susceptible to atmospheric disturbances than the shorter waves, and at present three out of four channels are being carried on by means of short waves. ■By reason of the fact that short waves are subject to. a good deal of fluctuation during different periods of the day and the different seasons of the year, there [are five different wave lengths reserved for this purpose, and these wave lengths are used at the different times when it is found by experienco that they aro most effective. Another short wave service recently established is that between New York and Buenos Aires, and by this means North and South America are in daily telephonic communication. The trafSe on this channel is growing to such an extent that it is proposed at an early date to establish a second radio connection between these • two places. WHAT N.Z. IS DOING. A link in which New Zealand is vitajly interested was established between Eugby and Sydney. This is at present the longest radio telephone .system in the world, 11,000 miles, but during tho morning and evening a comparatively reliable short wave service is available between theso two countries. Experiments are being carried out by the Post, and Telegraph Department iieMvecii New Zealand andthoAusvialian Commonwealth with a view to

the establishment of a regular radio telophono service between New Zealand and Australia. The New Zealand station is located on Tinakori Hill and is operated by the Post and Telegraph' Department, while tho radio transmitting station in Sydney is situated at Pennant Hills, and is operated by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Ltd. In all these radio services the receiving station is situated at some distance from the sending station. At the Sydney end the receiving station is at La Perouse, and in Wellington at Mount Crawford, above Point Halswell. There is a great deal of experimental work to be done before the radio telephone service between New Zaland and Australia can be handed over for commercial operation, but the work is progressing very satisfactorily, and very eneotiraging results have so far been obtained. It does not follow that directly the radio telephone service has been opened with Australia New Zealand will immediately derive the benefits of a world-wide telephonic communication, but Syduy will serve New Zealand on the London telephone circuit, and London,- being the telephone switch for Europe and America, will eventually be in a position to connect New Zealand with most of the other countries mentioned above. There is no doubt that at a time riot very far distant world-wide telephone communication will'be established. In. the meantime the world must be patient. It does not know half of the difficulties that are daily being overcome, difficulties which vary in every country. .