AUTOMATIC SOS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 85, 4 January 1930, Page 28

AUTOMATIC SOS

A SYDNEY INVENTION. An automatic radio signalling apparatus, invented by the engineers of Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia), Limited, will ensure greater safety for ships fitted with the device. The international agreement regarding the equipment of small vessels with wireless is not as strictly enforced in Australia as in many other countries. Hence, there are many passenger ships trading both intrastate and interstate which are not equipped with radio. It has been claimed that the earnings of such vessels would not justify the salary of a wireless operator or the cost of the equipment. , v It was to meet conditions of this kind that the apparatus was designed. The transmitter is sturdy in construction, and so simple to set in motion that the transmission of the S.O.S. and other signals can be sent out by any member of the. epew, even though he may be unable to transmit Morse signals in the ordinary way. The apparatus looks on first sight like a new kind of phonograph. Thebe, are knobs for the releasing of discs on which the signals to be transmitted are engraved. When these dises are set they are caused to rotate on a vertical axis by a spring-driven motor, which is wound by hand, as is that of a phonograph. The motor runs for about 16’ minutes for one winding. On one of the discs the international S.O.S. signal and the name of the ship are permanently engraved. A second disc ean be set iii three minutes, giving the latitude anc| longitude of the ship, or this can be altered to give the position of the vessel as shown on a special chart. The sigrials are transmitted automatically on a wavelength 'of 600 metres—that fixed by international law for.the transmission of S.O.S. signals by vessels at sea. After the first message, with its preliminary warning signal, has been sent out, the device automatically registers a delay period to permit vessels within receiving distance of the call to communicate with one another, and organise assistance. The distress calls are then repeated at regular intervals. Should the danger pass or a vessel have come to the rescue, another dise can be used to send the signal, “No further assistance is required.” Arrangements have been made for the iiistallniton of 120 of these transmitters on ships engaged in the Australian trade, and others are on order. This transmitter, as well as-the automatic receiver, which responds to the call of S.O.S. on 600 metres, was manufactured in the A.W.A. works in Sydney. The apparatus has been tested by the Navigation Department, and considered satisfactory.- The power for the transmitter is supplied from accumulator batteries, which, when fully charged, will last for ten hours. Thus the apparatus could be availed of were there to be a breakdown in the machinery of the vessel in distress. According to present arrangements, the device will be most in demand with the owners of vessels carrying no radio at present, or vessels having only ope operator. It could easily be used by another ineipber of the crew in the event qf the illness of the operator.