RADIO RELAY CHAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 307, 28 December 1929, Page 17

RADIO RELAY CHAIN.

dominion-wide scheme. USE IN EMERGENCIES. PORTABLE TRANSMITTER NEEDED. • A radio relay chain is to be established early in New Year by the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters, who carried a resolution at their first annual convention, held at the Leys Institute- this morning, approving the principle of organised communication from one end of New Zealand to the other. 5 Mr. H. P. V. Brown, of Christchureh, who presided, said the time-was opportune, as the great need of a radio chain lad been demonstrated during the recent earthquakes in the South Island. If there had be6n a definite relay system the Association could have given valuable service to the devastated areas. In the opinion of the chairman what was needed was a complete chain of communication which could be established at short notice. This would necesijav'lv mean that watch schedules would have' to be kept and test messages sent. A very important adjunct would be an efficient portable transmitter, together with a collapsible antenna equipment which could be erected within a few minutes. With a little training an operator would soon be capable- of speedily establishing this portable station. Besides using the chain for the association's purposes, it could also be made available for the Post and Telegraph Department in time of interrupted communications through storms or other causes. The strength of the association was now 250* members, compared with 18 ■three years ago, and the nmnber was rapidly increasing. Details as to the number of days each week on which the relay chain would be established were discussed, and it was agreed that Sunday evening should be the principal night, as telegraph offices werfe then closed, and an alternative method for the transmission of urgent, messages was needed. , ~ , A finalised scheme was leit to a special committee. . The conference received the or a ballot, which resulted in the election of Mr T. R. Clarkson, as Dominion pre-, eident, and Mr. C. N. Edwards, of Auckland, as vice-president. the chairman announced that the conference headquarters next year would be Wellington.