WIRELESS PROBLEMS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1930, Page 24

WIRELESS PROBLEMS

WEATHER AND RADIO

STATIC INTERFERENCE

Wireless enthusiasts and others found much to interest them in last night's meeting of the technological section of the Wellington Philosophical Societ}', which took place in the Dominion Museum. Two papers were read and discussed. That by Dr. E. Kidson was entitled "Weather and Wireless," Dr. M.. A. F. Barnett's contribution being a paper on "The Nature of Static or Atmospherics." In order that active discussion might be stimulated abstracts of the papers had been previously circulated, an idea which has much to commend it.

There were two aspects of the relationship between weather and wireless, Dr. Kidson pointed out. Radio could give much assistance to meteorology by the collection and dissemination of information, the other relationship being the dependence of communication by radio on conditions in the atmosphere. Wireless telegraphy was being increasingly used in meteorological work, its great advantage lying in the fact that emissions could be addressed to -any number of receivers. It was the only means of communicating with shipping, and reports from the sea were of great importance owing to the wide areas of ocean. Aircraft had continuously to adapt, themselves to weather changes, and depended upon an adequate -wireless weather service. In future meteorological disturbances would bo located and followed by means of radio observations, and weather reports and charts would be transmitted in facsimile.

The effects of atmospheric conditions on radio communication were fully dealt with, thunderstorms, solar radiation, air currents, and similar factors being 'considered in detail. The direct ray was the most reliable in its travel, hence it was used for broadcasting and for shipping, especially in S.O.S. work. The indirect wave travelled to higher levels. In world communication we had to depend mainly upon the indirect wave, and, since the variations ,in the ionisation of tho upper atmosphere were very great and rather irregular, there were many difficulties and complications. Investigations with different wave lengths would prove a powerful means of exploring the upper / atmosphere and elucidating its composition, physical state, and movements. Dr. Barnett's contribution consisted of a description of some of the fundamental research into the nature and general properties of atmospherics carried out by tho British Eadio Eesearch Board. He dealt with the form of atmospherics, which. were comparatively slow risings and' fallings in the electrical field; with the energy spectrum; and with directional observation. In discussing the effective disturbing range he said that experiments showed that many of the atmospherics causing interference with broadcast reception originated at points as far as 4000 miles from the receiver.