WIRELESS WONDERS.

Grey River Argus, 11 April 1927, Page 5

WIRELESS WONDERS.

MARCONI’S AIMS. Beam to Suit Crystal Sets. (Received April 10 at 5.5 p.m.) London, April 9. An interesting exposition of the progiess made in Beam wireless was given in the Boardroom at Marconi House, in which was hung a page oi the Times in sections recently transmitted in afcsiniilc three-quarters oi' a mile by wireless. Signor Marconi strolled in smoking a cigarette, and he invited the guests to imitate him. He explained that tile Australian beam system could deal with 150,000 words daily, which is treble the present cable traffic. He said he would shortly test shorter wavelengths to Canada and Australia, in order to increase the working hours am! the carrying capacity, and to overcome the fading. The present experiments pointed to the probable abolition, or at any rate the certain diminution of the fading, and it was hoped to secure a twenty-four hours’ Anglo Australian service by adding one or

two wave lengths. Signor Marconi said that already they were working double the numbei of hours specified in the contract. The present capacity was sufficient for the existing business. It was possible to superimpose a telephone channel on the telegraphic services, thus enabling two telegraphic services and one telephonic service to work simultaneously. At the same time obviating separate stations and apparatus, for this new development. The apparatus is under construction. The privacy of the Australian telephonic communication, he said, would exceed that of American services, owing to the extra costliness of eavesdropping apparatus. Television and facsimile transmission were also possible, the latter facilitating long messages, owing to its being unnecessary to spell out each word, and this would mean the economising of the operational expenses. It is hoped shortly to establish Beam connection with the United States, Argentina, China, Japan and other countries.

The Beam system, said Signor Marconi, would not render Rugby obsolescent, as that station fulfilled a definite purpose, and broadcasting did not clash with directional wireless. The former Postmaster - General, Right Hon. F. G. Kellaway, recalled that the success of the Beam system was pre-eminently due to Messrs Hughes’ and Fisk’s determination not to submit to the weight of technical evidence in 1921 in favour of a relay systejm. Australia’s smallest townships, he said, would soon be linked up with the main beam, thus obviating the outback isolation. This was also applicable to India and other countries. Signor Marconi added that soon the Beam would enable concerts and speeches to be transmitted between Australia and England either way, and afterwards broadcasted, the listeners-m being able to pick up with crystal sets anywhere in the world. Picture transmission (when reliably-travelling w-ve.. were assured) would, ho stated, be as easy between England and Australia as between places only half ami e apart.