WIRELESS

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 11 April 1927, Page 6

WIRELESS

(Per Press Association—Copyright.)

LONDON, April 9

An interesting exposition of the progress made iu beam wireless, was given in the board room at the Marconi House, in which was hung a page of “The Times” in sections recently transmitted in facsimile, threequarters of a mile by wireless. Air Marconi strolled in smoking a cigarette, and invited his guests to imitate him. He explained that the Australian beam system could deal with 150,000 words daily, which was treble the present cable traffic. He would shortly test the shorter wave lengths to Canada, and Australia, in order to increase the working hours, carrying capacity, and overcome fading. The present experiments pointed to the probable nbolitino, or at any rate, the certain diminution of this, and it was hoped to secure a twentyfour hour Anglo-Australian service by adding one or two wave lengths.

Mr Marconi said that already they were working double the number of hours specified in the contract. The present capacity was sufficient for existing business. It was possible to superimpose a telephone channel -m the telegraph services, enabling two telegraphic and one telephonic services to work simultanously, thus obviating separate stations and apparatus. For this new development, the apparatus is under construction. The privacy of the Australian telephoniccommunication, would exceed that of the American, owing to the extra costliness of the eavesdropping apparatus. Television and facsimile transmission were possible later, thus facilitating long messages, owing to it being unnecessary to spell out each word. This would economise in operational expenses. It is hoped shortly to establish the beam connection with the United States, Argentina, China, Japan, and other countries. • The beam system, said Mr Marconi, would not render Rugby obsolescent, as that station fulfilled a definite and different purpose, and broadcasting did not clash with directional wireless. Mr Kellaway recalled that the success of the beam system was preeminently due to Mr Hughes, and to Mr Fisk’s determination not to submit to the weight of technical evidence in 1921 in favour of the relay system. Australia’s smallest townships would soon be linked up with the main beam, obviating all outback isolation. This would also be applicable to India and .other countries. Mr Marconi added that soon the beam would enable concerts and speeches to be transmitted between Australia and England, either way, and afterwards broadcasted, listenersiii being able to pick (up. with crystal sets, anywhere in the world. Bicture transmission (When reliably travelling waves were assured), would be as easy between England and Australia, as between places half a mile apart. MELBOURNE, April 9.

For the first day of the Beam wireless, about 35C0 words, were sent from Australia and twelve hundred from Britain. It is stated that tire service is working in a highly satisfactory manner although the traffic is heavier than anticipated.