Auckland Radio Man to Join Byrd Party

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 837, 4 December 1929, Page 11

Auckland Radio Man to Join Byrd Party

GOES SOUTH TONIGHT SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE To join Commander Richard Byrd’s Antarctic Expedition, the well-known Auckland wireless expert, Mr. R. J. Orbell, 8.E.. A.A.1.E.E., will make a rush trip South this evening. Mr. Orbell received the message asking him to join the expedition only this morning. His new position came about by chance. He was on holiday in Dunedin when wireless men of the Byrd Expedition were there and so became acquainted by the common interest of radio. Mr. Orbell’s invitation to join the Polar explorers was undoubtedly due to the eminent place he holds in wireless study and practice in New Zealand. He is well known as one of the first wireless experimenters to establish a two-way communication between New Zealand and England. His work in receiving Australian Mcrse on a crystal has also been highly praised.

For a time he was connected with the Radio Broadcasting Company, and, in the infancy of wireless development in the Dominion, was engaged in work at the old IYA station in the Strand Arcade, Queen Street. Today, Mr. Orbell possesses wide scientific knowledge of radio. He is technical editor to “New Zealand Radio,” and is a construction engineer for Radio, Limited, Auckland. The Aucklander's rush trip at short notice is necessary to link up with the expedition’s supply ship at Dunedin, Mr. Orbell, who lives at Devonpori, is a New Zealander by birth and has been in Auckland for many years. He expects to be in the Polar regions for about three months, returning in February.