RADIO.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 18084, 11 June 1924, Page 12

RADIO.

WHAT'AMATEURS HAVE DONE

FROAi 1900—1924,

AVitli the coming of Me twentieth century the world oegau to hear o) the wonderful discoveries of Guglielmu

Alarconi, who established wireless communication between Franco and England. At that time Air W. J. Huggins. (manager of Begg, and Co.), who wa§ a keen experimenter in all matters pertaining to electricity, became interested in the work that was being carried out by Alarconi. Air Huggins obtained what information lie could upon the subject of wireless and eventually used t) at knowledge to construct a receiving set, this probably being the first amateur outfit in the Dominion, ill 1901 Air Huggins made application to the Government for a permit to erect a wireless receiving station. His application was acceded to, and on June 29, 1904, he was granted the first w.reless receiving license issued in New Zealand. Thus began Radio in South Canterbury. in 190(3 Air Huggins's experiments aroused the interest of several boys, and shortly he was joined by L. Hitch, H. B. Courtis and A. Hathaway. These boys, aided by Air Huggins, and armed with information gleaned from divers periodicals, constructed receiving sets, using what was then known as the electrolytic detector. In 1908 this little band of pioneers was further strengthened by AV. A. Cooper, and H. Mayo, AVitli the rapid advance-

ment of wireless they improved their appliances by using the coherer detector, They were not successful in receiving signals with these outfits, "but gained a Jot of experience. In 1910 vague rumours were lieing heard of Jong distance reception Jiy experimenters using., mineral crystals, witli wliicli to detect tJie incoming signals. After a great deal of research 1 they constructed outfits wliicli would work. One can well imagine the delight of Mr Huggins and his boys when they were able to “log ” Morse signals from the. Government station at Macquarie Island. They also “lis- , i.ened-in” on the messages of the vari- j otis warships that happened to be in / New Zealand waters. After this achievement they discovered the util- ! Ity of a Ford ignition coil, as a means of spark transmission, and a year later Mr Cooper “worked” Mr .Jack Orbell (one of New Zealand’a most prominent amateurs), who then resided in Waimate. Air Orbell was using a valve set, which was then the most up-to-date method of reception known , to radio science. j In 1911, with the .suddenness of a j holt iron) the blue, liritain declared j war on Germany, with the result that j the nations of Europe mobilised their forces. All wireless licenses were withdrawn and gear confiscated. For tho next five years Ihere was no wireless in South Canterbury, Throughout the war, science was pitted against science, with the result that tho methods of . transmission and reception were revo- : lutionised. The invention of the threeelectrode valve rendered it. possible to receive communications from all parts of the globe. Tho invention of Dr Fee <le Forest, with his 1 raiynnitting valve for Jong distance work, was an astounding revelation. I On demobilisation in 1918, some of the original Tiniaru amateurs were soatlcred far and wide, and now Air , A. Hathaway is operator in charge of j the St. I.ncien radio station in the West Indies, while others are in dif- l ferent parts of the world. However, two of them Messrs Cooper and Courtis —are still in Tiniaru, as on- i thusiastie as ever. j Favlv in 1918. ILdpli Slade, then at i t lie Tiniaru Hoys’ -High School, was in- |

terested in electricity, and later, working in conjunction with Jack Lough, made up a small crystal set, with which ttiey obtained very good results. As these iwo progressed and became more converstaiit with their hobby tliey secured a valve, and with ir were so successful, iliac they shortly became noted for their efficient lung-distance reception. JJy the efforts of Messrs H. V. Firmayi, Slade, and Lough, the local amateurs were banded .together and ilio’ Tiniaru Radio Society was inaugurated, with a membership of 50. Tho met weekly, ui a room lent by Air Slade, senr. Code practices and lectures were given, while Air W. K. Bunco gave bi-weekly radiophone concerts, which wore very popular. For over a year I the Society flourished, and then owing to several of tho most prominent j members leaving the district the Society had to disband. AVitli the approach of winter in 1922, Air Ralph Slade, in view of his splendid reception of ship stations on (3UO metres and of European land stations, determined to endeavour to log i the American amateurs. He experi- , mented with all manner of circuits, i and at last returned to the standard two-coil regenerative hook-up. Using this circuit, in a home-made set, lie flogged tho ether night after night throughout tho winter months in search of the “Yanks,” on their 201) metre wave length. His endeavours w r ere unavailing, but he persevered, and at last, on November sth, 1922, lii.s long and patient search was rewarded and it was with a feeling of awe that ho read the piping note of “6 K.A.” calling another American amateur. His ambitions had materialised ; he had succeeded in bridging 7000 miles, over land and sea. After that night he never looked hack, and up to the time he left Timaru, he had logged over 90 amateurs. Nows of his wonderful reception spread throughout j I the country, and Government officials, ■ who were sceptical, were soon con- f winced that he had got through. Then I 'followed letters of verification. Thus J the world’s record for amateur long j distance reception fell to a South Can- ( terbury boy. Since then many other New Zealand amateurs have succeeded in “logging” their American cousins, I but wo Aiiust not forget that it was Ralph Slade, who showed them the way. and thus November 5, 1922, will always remain an epoch in the radio history of the Dominion.

Once the bridge to America was spanned, it was an every day event! to “liston-in” on the “Yanks,” but with the radiophone broadcasting erano, if, is tbo radiophone stations that are now so eagerly sought. Several of our amateurs —Messrs J L V. Firman, T. Paterson, E. Hnnan, AA r . A. Cooper. H. B. Courtis—enjoy concerts from the powerful American broadcasting stations. Apart from receptions it is noteworthv that in South Canterbury we have two amateurs with transmitting licenses—Mosses Courtis and Paterson. Tho former has a five-watt transmitter, with which ho has “worked” Air F. 801 l (1 A.A.) Palmerston _ South. Mr Paterson will soon have his outfit assein hldd. and it is to be hoped that we will hear something from him in Die way of lomr-disfmme transmission. Timarn was extremely fortunate in having a gentleman, such as ATr Huggins. who was ever willing to supplr information to assist his brother a male, u-s. Under his guidance a local bov accomplished a feat which caused the radio world to stand up and take not ice.