EXTENSIONS MADE TO ZLW

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 98, 20 January 1936, Page 8

EXTENSIONS MADE TO ZLW

Building on Mount Etako

CONSTANT CONTACT WITH PACIFIC ISLANDS

Additions have just been made to the commercial radio station ZLW on Mount Etako. Performing an essential service for New Zealand and the Southern Pacific islands, this station must have presented a question to many visitors to Wellington, for whereas the city’s other transmitting station lias its identity clearly shown all day and blazoned forth each evening, ZLW has nothing to" indicate exactly what it is, though it is the commanding skyline feature to the west. But ZLW is a most important institution.

The station's steel mast rises from Mount Etako, in the Tinakori Hills, its top being 1150 feet above sea level. The solid and compact stone building visible on the ridge was completed in 1912, but radio development since then lias demanded much more space, with the result that the original stone building is used solely to house the transmission apparatus, while lower down the hillside has appeared another building larger in size which has just been extended and now provides spacious and comfortable accommodation for the growing staff of the receiving and traffic-clearing section of the station. Station ZLW is one of the three maintained by the New Zealand Post Office as a national safety service rather than as a protit-making brand), because a balance-sheet prepared on commercial lines showed a loss in the last annual accounts of over £12,000. But against the monetary consideration is set the national service provided by the station, one of the busiest telegraphic centres of the Dominion, although little is known of its work by the general public. The Station’s Functions. It is staffed throughout the 24 hours of the day, and the arrangement of shifts closely resembles the watches on ship-board. Regular contact is maintained with the Southern Pacific islands and the Chatham Islands, the day’s schedule providing for 22 fixed times for calls, although no commercial traffic may be offering at the moment. Apia, for instance, at seven fixed times from 8.15 a.m. till 11.45 p.m. exchanges signals with Wellington, and New Zealand's other Pacific interest, Rarotonga, is similarly linked at four regular times, while the Dominion's nearest island possession, the Cbatbams, makes daily calls, except on Sundays, at 9.20 a.m., 11.20 a.m., 1.20 p.m., 3.50 p.m. and 6.55 p.m. Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga, has three regular schedule calls. Niue Island signals are received and acknowledged at least twice a day, and there is also a schedule exchange of signals with Papeete. 'While this comprehensive schedule of regular contracts, ranging far into the Pacific, is being maintained, the 600-metre listening service for ships goes on without intermission every minute of the 24 hours.