TRANSATLANTIC TELEPHONY

Evening Star, Issue 19454, 12 January 1927, Page 5

TRANSATLANTIC TELEPHONY

COMMUNICATION WITH CANADA SHORT-WAVE BEAM SYSTEM USED. Press Association— By Telegraph-Copyright. LONDON, January 10. The Marconi station at Bridgewater established telephonic communication with Montreal, using tho short-wave beam system. There were practically no atmospherics or fading after sunset as experienced in tho New York service.

The ‘ Daily Express ’ says that experts are recommending the beam system to ensure secrecy of transatlantic telephony, though they admit that a fan-shaped beam would create a fairly wide band of audibility at some points.

SERVICE TO AUSTRALIA,

TELEPHONY IN THE FUTURE

MR MARCONI’S EXPERIMENTS,

LONDON, January 10,

As a result of a three, days’ test of the Australian beam system during tho week-end tho Marconi Company maintained a speed of 300 words a minute. They are therefore dispensing with the seven-day tost, as was the case with Canada, and will hand over the system to the Post Office on Wednesday for a week’s test. If this is satisfactory tho service will open immediately. It is understood that there_ is no hope of a variation of the decision that the charges will be two-thirds of the cable rates at the time the contract is signed. It is understood also that Mr Marconi offered to begin wireless telephony tests to Australia within the space of a few weeks, but the Post Office wishes to concentrate on the perfection of wireless telegraphy firsthand also to profit by the experience of the complexities of telephony with America. For instance, yesterday, in the trial with Ottawa, tho London speaker’s words came back as an echo in his cars in a few seconds. The elimination of this, and also the achievement of complete secrecy, are problems to be solved. Records show that both South Africa and New Zealand heard the talks with America, but only isolated snatches of one voice. “ We are confident that a year hence telephony to Australia will bo in operation ns a commercial proposition. It may he erratic at times, but quite workable at certain period* of the day. Wo think that a short wave length will facilitate it. Furthermore, it is a hopeful sign that the short-wave service to Cairo goes on when the transatlantic service completely fades out.” This was the opinion expressed hy_ a. high official who is in daily touch with all experiments.