LISTENING TO WIRELESS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLV, Issue 12012, 15 March 1920, Page 5

LISTENING TO WIRELESS.

YOUNG SYDNEY MAN’S INSTALLATION. Sydney, Feb 15. ■ Years ago, when Marconi introduced wireless to an amazed world, a young Sydney man, Mr J A Pike, a Government servant, was fascinated by the discovery, and devoted himself to its study, He began to experiment. He bought some apparatus and made other parts, jand he had great success in “listening in.” His receivers were very effective. In 1910, he startled everybody by giving the text of messages sent out by H.M.S. Powerful, when at sea, far out on the other side of New Zealand.

Mr Pike was making ,progress as an amateur wireless man when the %var came, and Authority closed down on all amateur wireless operations. He kept in touch with wireless operations, and performed war service as a wireless operator. Later on, he was allowed to pat receiving apparatus into operation, but be was not allowed to send. Amateurs all over the world have since had that restriction removed, but in Australia they are still forbidden to send. However, Mr Pike makes np for it by doing some remarkably effective receiving. ~

Ont at hia home iu Epping suburb, he has a single wire stretching from the top of a gum tree to a flagpole in his garden. 'On this simple aerial he receives the wireless messages of the Whole world. Mr Pike and another enthusiast have developed a marvellous system of amplifying, so that the tiny tremor registered on their aerial is so magnified in their receiver that they can read the messages,. They are under a bond not to disclose what 'they hear, bat visitors are allowed to listen to the varying sounds made by the different sending stations. Nnuen, the great station near Berlin, is often heard. It generally starts up about 1.30 a.m., corresponding to afternpn in Germany. Another frequent talker is Cavite, in the Philippines, which is generally working with San Francisco about 9 a.m. The great station at Lyons, iu France, is often heard sending to New Brunswick, iu North America; while the busy operators at Funabashi, in Japan, may be heard at almost any time talking to San Diego, in California, or to South Africa, or India. Mr Pike also hears ail tne shipping for hundreds of miles round, talking to Australian and New Zealand stations.