SAFETY AT SEA

Southland Times, Issue 23377, 8 December 1937, Page 12

SAFETY AT SEA

CONTINUOUS RADIO LISTENING A POST OFFICE 24-HOUR DUTY In maintaining a continuous radio-

listening service at its Auckland, Wellington and Awarua commercial radio stations, the Post Office plays an important part in the organization of the great safety service for shipping. It is the responsibility of the Marine Department to see that the regulations regarding wireless equipment on ships are observed and that the radio watches are kept, and the Post Office completes the organization with its constant watch on operations. All calls associated with shipping are made on a wave-length of 600 metres although this medium wave band is not necessarily utilized for messages after communication has been established. There are radio operators at each of New Zealand’s three stations during the whole twenty-four hours’ listening on the 600-metre band recording particulars of all the calls heard. The air is so busy that even in this remote part of the world hardly a minute passes during which notes of some signals are not entered in the log. The daily record of any of these continuous listening stations will show entries indicating the names of ships calling each other or calling shore stations. Everything is briefly scheduled, and a

comparison of the logs of Auckland, Wellington and Awarua frequently shows that these stations all pick up the same message. An average daily log from Awarua, a particularly good listening point, fills 25 sheets each carrying about 35 entries. Distress signals have been recorded in New Zealand from ships in the China Seas, and the operators follow up such calls, however remote, to ascertain if they are acknowledged from a nearer station or a ship able to give prompt assistance. When the distress call is near at hand, Wellington, Auckland or Awarua sends out a warning to stop all transmission on the 600-metre band in order to clear the channel for communication by the ship in distress. There was a recent instance of a

steamer being on fire in the neighbourhood of New Guinea when all three New Zealand stations heard the SOS calls and the acknowledgments showing that rescue arrangements were proceeding. SILENT MINUTES OF THE HOUR There are silent moments in the ether on this busy medium wave band. From 15 minutes to 18 minutes, and from 45 to 48 minutes past each hour of Greenwich mean time all calling on this 600-metrc band is suspended. Only a ship in distress may use these periods for signalling. Therefore the call for help comes ■ out clearly to all radio operators who are waiting for the three minutes’ silent period to elapse before resuming normal working. If any operator breaks the rule of silence the official listening stations make a note of this fact and steps are taken to enforce the strict observance of an in-

ternational rule framed for the safeguarding of life at sea. | The majority of ships are not required to maintain a radio watch through- | out the 24 hours, but a distress signal | can secure attention from a number of| these vessels through the medium of a remarkable automatic radio alarm. In calling for assistance a ship first sends out by radio twelve dashes so spaced as to occupy one minute in transmission. Then follows the well-known SOS distress call and, if possible, an indication of the ship’s position and other information. The original twelve dashes will actuate the automatic alarm service of every ship so equipped, within range, ringing a bell in the radio office and also in the operator’s cabin.