MESSAGES DELAYED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20204, 15 January 1934, Page 7

MESSAGES DELAYED.

Did Southern Cross Send Regularly? RADIO CONDITIONS BAD Progress reports from tlie Southern Cross during its trans-Tasman flight on Saturday were, it is stated, not received in New Zealand until some hours after the time to which they referred. It appears that 2YA, Wellington, failed to pick up or transmit as many messages direct from the plane as 3YA, Christchurch. 3YA had an operator at work transcribing reports received in Morse code from the plane, and on occasions, when no messages of that sort were being sent, listeners were treated to a broadcast of the sounds made by the machine as it whirred its way across the ocean. Official instructions to the Christchurch station were that the telegrams from Wellington should be sufficient for broadcasting purposes, but that individual discretion should be exercised if reports w’ere not coming to hand regularly. Messages from the plane were not received until the afternoon, and were then in the order in which they would have been sent in the morning. Only one report, sent for all stations, was received in the early afternoon, and at 3.15 p.m. 3YA picked up a report from the plane which indicated that strong head winds were holding back .the machine and that radio conditions were the worst experienced. Another message. received at 3.45 p.m., gave the position of the plane at 9 a.m. The Wellington station apparently failed to receive or broadcast some of these messages. Explanation from Wellington. A Wellington Press Association message, in explanafon of the delay, states that reports were received from the aeroplane timed at intervals during the flight, but they were not transmitted at those times. As an example of what occurred, it may be stated that at 7.30 p.m., when the Wellington station was called over to New Plymouth to describe the landing, a message was received from the Southern Cross stating that they had 690 miles to go, that consternation prevailed, and that .they were seriously considering making for Auckland. This message was timed noon on the Southern Cross, and reached the Broadcasting Board at 7.30 p.m., with other delayed messages. Messages from the Southern Cross during the flight stated that flares were dropped to enable drift readings to be made, but that all were “ duds.” Dawn broke with heavy storm clouds ahead. The wind was increasing from the south-east. When 350 miles out to sea visibility was good and the sea was smooth. The first sextant sight was taken by Captain Taylor at 6.10 a.m. The machine was ten feet from the water for about an hour, while the sight was being taken. It was impossible to get the radio aerial out. The crew breakfasted, “ But the milk in the coffee has gone sour. Bad luck. Heavy clouds, only peeps of the sun.” A further message, timed noon on the Southern Cross, said the weather was getting worse. “Consternation; 690 miles to go, only making' 70, and only eight hours’ gas. Must get an indication of the weather ahead if possible, as may have to make for Auckland if this strong westerly continues. Radio conditions bad.” The final message, received long after the landing, stated that strong head winds had held the machine back. Listeners Surprised. Per Press Association. GISBORNE, January 15. Surprise is expressed locally at the reported difficulty of the Broadcasting Board in securing messages from the Southern Cross during Saturday’s flight, since messages fro*.i the plane were received with the greatest clarity in the late afternoon. Having heard the Southern Cross intimate before seven o’clock that land had been* sighted, listeners here were amazed later to hear the broadcasting stations read the text of a message sent at noon stating that there was consternation aboard the plane. It is stated that when “Smithy” made this flight last year, radio amateurs voluntarily organised a service with a view to assisting the authorities, but when the reports were transmitted they were informed that no assistance was required. In view of this experience, no special action was taken this year, although detailed messages from the plane would have been available had the Broadcasting Board desired.