EMERGENCY RADIO

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 497, 20 July 1932, Page 4

EMERGENCY RADIO

TESTS THROUGHOUT DOMINION WORK IN IMAGINARY DISASTER Tests were held on Sunday by the New Zealand Radio Emergency Corps, when messages from the centre of an imaginary disaster were transmitted throughout the Dominion by means of short-wave. Owing to the fact that the Taranaki section of the corps was only recently formed, and the complete equipment has not yet been obtained, the section did not tajse part in the tests.

The corps was formed as a result of the recent earthquake disaster in Hawke’s Ray and the tragedy in Harman Pass. The Taranaki section is under the leadership of Mr. L. E. Birch, New Plymouth, who operates station ZK2HL' Others are Messrs F. Huggard (2GB). C. Amhury (2LQ), B. Westwood (2LD), and F. Blackwood, technical adviser, all of New Plymouth, W. Boon (2DM), Stratford, de-puty-leader Guthrie (2LF). Stratford, and Landlord (2AI), Raetihi. The corps, which is a Dominion-wide organisation, has been allotted a special wave-length hand practically free from commercial and ordinary amateur traffic. Certain Auckland radio dealers have provided free equipment for portable sets. There are eleven sections, and each will have two portable sets weighing about 15 to 201 b. each. Although reception over long distances is possible, Sunday’s tests consisted of relays of four messages from every outpost to its zone base. The messages were then relayed by each base to their destination.

The Taranaki section has at, present a good transmitting and receiving set made by Mr. Blackwood, and it hopes to have obtained the other necessary apparatus in time to take part in the next tests. Other centres in which there are section of the corps are Auckland, Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Tauranga, Wellington, Christchurch, Ashburton, Dunedin and Invercargill.