AIDS TO NAVIGATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23201, 27 May 1937, Page 7

AIDS TO NAVIGATION

RADIO DEACONS FOR COOK STRAIT EQUIPMENT DUE SHORTLY Equipment for three radio beacons in Cook Strait, the first of which is to be at Baring Head, is being shipped from England this month in the Port Bowen. The other radio directionfinding installations will be at Cape Campbell and Stephens Island. Steps are also to be taken (says the Dominion) to convert the lighthouses at these two places from oil to electricity. The Minister of Marine, Mr P. Fraser, said that the Marine Department was well forward with its preparations for the first direction-finding installation, which is to be at Baring Head, not far from the entrance to Wellington harbour. Workmen had begun to erect two steel masts, 70ft high, to carry the aerials. He had been advised by his officers that Baring Head radio beacon would begin to operate within a month of the electrical equipment reaching Wellington. Cape Campbell and Stephens Island would next be provided with radio beacons, and the opportunity was being taken of completely electrifying these lighthouses. The power plants were on order, and a certain amount of the equipment was being manufactured in New Zealand. The Minister explained that shipping using Cook Strait was to-day receiving a radio direction service of a limited character, signals being sent from the Post Office commercial station on Tinakori Hill, and from the Marine Department's lighthouse on Stephens Island The new radio beacons would provide a continuous series of signals, the period between them being considerably shortened when the weather was thick or foggy Shipping approaching Auckland was able to use the temporary radio beacon on Tiritin, but it was the Government's intention to provide radio beacons on Cuvier Inland and Moko Hinua, similar to that at Earing Head.