COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL OMEGA SYSTEM HAS VALUABLE ROLE IN GLOBAL TRAINING

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31904, 4 February 1969, Page 14

COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL OMEGA SYSTEM HAS VALUABLE ROLE IN GLOBAL TRAINING

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, February 2.—Misgivings about the ultimate role of a possible Omega station in Canterbury have tended to cloua t'ne important educational and technological issues involved. This opinion is held in high diplomatic and departmental circles following the receipt of the United States report on the New Zealand sites. v.

The reports (there are two of them, covering different aspects of the problem) express in some detail the requirements, and the ways in which the New Zealand sites measure up to them. They are regarded in the Departments concerned as merely a start in the evaluation process. Reports Broken Up The reports are now being broken up and photo-copied, before going into the hands of top experts in a number of specialist Government Departments, including Scientific and Industrial Research, Electricity, Works, Post and Telegraph, Marine, Civil Aviation, and Transport. When the Government receives reports from these and other experts, and when these evaluations are correlated, it will know with some clarity whether the Omega system is worth while from a practical point of view. This overall appraisal by the best brains we have will bear on the negotiations which will follow.

An important point is that the Omega system generally is still under test. One of the reports now in New Zealand hands relates to the most recent trials, which are by no means conclusive. “The system gives promise of being a good one,” I learned from an official source. “It is the first global system which offers promise. These tests which have been made with existing stations make it clear that it will work for ships. “In relation to aircraft, much more work is needed. This, of course, is due simply to the fact that aircraft move so much more quickly. I should imagine that the problem would be even sharper, and further from solution, with guided missiles —if indeed it is intended that they should be included in this international navigation system.” “In The Picture” The main value of the proposition, to experts who will be studying the plans, is that inclusion as one of the eight Omega sites will place New Zealand in a special category as regards this type of global investigation. Omega is just one of a number of global schemes in which New Zealand has participated recently. It so happens that the tendency is for the South Island to become a site for stations in these schemes—but no significance other than that of geography is attributed to this.

The age of global systems may be said to have dawned with the communications satellites. In their wake have come a host of systems, relating to improvement of communications, a world watch on weather, careful surveying of the atmospheric jet streams, a checking of the ionosphere, and a dozen other highly-expert schemes and procedures requiring the use of the territory of various nations.

“Why is New Zealand given the opportunity to participate in these schemes,” a diplomatic authority was asked.

“It is a sign of our grow-ing-up,” he replied. “New Zealand has sizeable land masses located in the South Pacific area, a technically advanced population, and a stable Government. What other reason could there be?”

If New Zealand is asked to participate—and this will not be known for some months yet—acceptance would place New Zealand “in the club” concerning Omega operation and know-how. This would offer enlarged opportunties for New Zealand scientists and technicians. There has been some eagerness on the part of nations, notably France and Japan, to get into the “Omega club.” The reason is said to be the wish to be in the forefront of specialised knowledge on the subject. Present and future membership of the “Omega club” may be indicated by the sites of' present and projected stations, four of which are in the Northern Hemisphere, and four in the Southern. The present sites are in New York (soon to be moved to another United States location), Hawaii, Trinidad and Tobago, and Norway. Those intended to cover the Southern Hemisphere will be in the Western Pacific (Japan), the Indian Ocean (Reunion Island), Southern South America (ArgentinaChile), and the Tasman Sea. It will be noted that the “Omega club” will be a truly international one, with only two of the eight sites in United States territory. It will be noted also that there seems to be one emphasis only—on position. Otherwise the United Kingdom, with all its United States co-opera-tion and electronic knowhow, would surely have been included. Sites Evalued A two-man United States team (one civilian, one naval) visited New Zealand late last year after an initial examination of requirements, made by our SurveyorGeneral, had indicated ten sites as possibilities. The United States team examined some of these sites. Others they passed over, probably because, owing to the number put before them, they were able to make an initial elimination on the grounds of accessibility. In the United States system, the perfect site was given 14 points. Desirable sites were given an A rating. Here is a list of the seven best New Zealand sites and their ratings: Lake Pearson, 11.6, A. Anakona Bay, 11.2,”B. Lake Sumner, 10.1, A. Titirangi Bay, 9.8, C. Snowy George Creek, 9.7, C. Clova Bay, 9.4, C. Lake Tennyson, 8.7, C. The report discloses that

some sites were not insetted, or were inspected bat not further considered, because of their remoteness. It is suggested that, .if secrecy were a factor, remoteness would be an advantage rather than the

reverse. The Lake Pearson site, with a cost assessment of from $NZ3,122,000 to $NZ4,105,000, emerged a clear winner in the initial assessment, appafently because of the greater ease in setting up the installation. Possibly the local conditions of wind, exposure, etc., would have a bearing on this.

The object of running a lateral cable between two peaks, for instance, is stated to be the suspension of a vertical aerial. The plan for Lake Pearson shows provision for only three lateral cables, whereas the Lake Sumner site requires six. This is only part of the complex problem now being passed to the various experts in their fields. The rest will be dealt with in their evaluation. Limited Power-use Some general facts are known already. The installation would not take a great deal of electric power. With all systems operational, an Omega station would require 1000 kilowatts of electricity. This would include the domestic heating and lighting of the station. The aerial in full operation would require 170 kilowatts to produce a radiated power of only ten kilowatts. Much of the remainder is fed off into the air and ground. Whether or not this would produce significant ecological changes will be one of the fields of inquiry yet to be undertaken. Problems of manning are not considered to be significant. The total staff would be | between 8 and 12, and this 'would envisage a 24-hour manning schedule. It is suggested that there would not need to be living accommodation at either of the approved sites, as access would be fair and other accommodation is available nearby.

Reading problems are said to be minimal, though access to the Lake Sumner area is likely to be more costly than to the Lake Pearson site. Installation costs will have to be worked out In detail in each case, but officials of the Ministry of Works suggest that techniques worked out during construction work at Te Anau, Manapouri and in the Waitaki Basin could result in reduced expenditure on the Omega sites.