WIRELESS IN THE ANTARCTIC.

Evening Star, Issue 20317, 28 October 1929, Page 11

WIRELESS IN THE ANTARCTIC.

TO THF EDITOR Sir, —Permit me to point out an inaccuracy iu the article culled from tho Listener In ’ reprinted in your radio notes in Saturday’s issue. The point is stressed that Commander ilyro holds an immense advantage over his predecessors (including Mawson) in tho possession of wireless equipment. _ The tact has apparently been lost sight ol that Mawson was the pioneer ot wireless in Antarctic exploration. As it was impossible at that period (1911) to communicate direct from the Antarctic to Australian or New Zealand stations, the expedition maintained an mtennedi ate wireless station on Macquarie is land for re-laying purposes! Subs,, quent to Mawson’s return a suggestion was made that the Commonwealth and dominion Governments should continue to operate this station, as the weather reports sent out from that quarter were of considerable value; but nothing came of it. However, Mawson’s wireless mast still defies the elements on Macquarie Island.

To digress for a moment, it may in tercst the present generation to learn that Mawson also took the first aeroplane into the Antarctic, although it was never Down. This was a machine which had had a mishap near Adelaide, and Mawson conceived the idea of utilising it in constructing what he termed an aero sledge. The wings and wheels wore removed and runners attached to the undercarriage. _ It put up a pretty fair performance in hauling four loaded sledges over the ice at three miles per hour, but owitr' to en trine trouble, tine to lubricating ''"cul ties caused bv low temperature, it w.> eventually discarded. Mawson, how ever had ovo’vcd a method ol transport which was later to demonstrate its practical'utility, as tho passenger aero sleigh is now in uso during the winto: season in Russian cities.—l am, etc., Aurora. October 28.