Radio To Papua

Completing Pacific Network New A.W.A Station

THE opening of a new high speed wireless telegraph station at Port Moresby on March 10 by Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd. marked the establishment of direct communication between Sydney and Port Moresby, and the completion of another important unit in the wireless network, which now covers a large section of the Pacific Ocean.

The new station at Moresby is situated in the main street of the town, taking the place of the old station, which was located at Konedobu one and a quarter miles distant.

The equipment consists of a 5 kilowatt short wave Beam feeder trans-|| A glimpse of Port Moresby, the capital of Papua.||

mitter, a 5 kilowatt coastal radio transmitter, a 50 watt emergency long waveshort wave transmitter, also modern receiving apparatus. An idea of the power of the main transmitter is given by the fact that it is of the same strength as broadcasting station 2FC, Sydney, or 3LO, Melbourne.

Three 110 feet tubular steel masts have been erected to support the special directional Beam aerial for communication with Sydney over a distance of 1,750 miles.

The opening of the new Port Moresby radio station is in accordance with an arrangement made between Amalgamated Wireless and the Commonwealth Government, when Amalgamated Wireless took over the whole of the coastal stations of Australia, seventeen in number, also two in Papua and eight in the Mandated Territory.

In accordance with the agreement then entered upon, Amalgamated Wireless has modernised—and in the case of Port Moresby completely rebuilt and re-equipped-the whole of these stations.

Realising the development and im-portance of the various British island possessions in the Pacific and the en terprise manifested by other nations in establishing wireless stations on their island possessions there, Mr. E. T.

Fisk, managing director of A.W.A., suggested to the Right Hon. L. S Amery, then First Lord of the British Admiralty, that Amalgamated Wireless take over from the Imperial Government all the wireless stations in the Fijian group, with the object of modernising and operating them as units of the Pacific network already operated by the company.

An agreement was completed between the Imperial Government and the company, and to-day these stations are equipped in the most modern way.

The wireless stations controlled by Amalgamated Wireless maintain communication between Australia, New

Guinea, Papua, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, New Caledonia, New Hebrides and Hawaii.

The aim of Mr. Fisk in establishing a network of British radio stations in the Pacific is rapidly in course of realisation. and the new station at Port Moresby is a further link in making Australia the wireless centre of the Southern Pacific. ... ——— ... Interest in Canberra From Our Canberra Correspondent.

Much interest was taken here in the opening of the new wireless telegraph station at Port Moresby.

The Prime Minister, Mr. J. H. Scullin, regards it as of the very greatest importance, and says that it will greatly facilitate the operations of the Commonwealth in Papua and the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, whilst its importance from a commercial point of view cannot be over-emphasised.

This view is also shared by officials who have charge of the Islands section of the Prime Minister’s Department.

The Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, Sir Hubert Murray, who was prevented from being present in Sydney at the opening, was represented by his official secretary, Mr. Leonard Murray. ———