Nauru And Ocean Is.

Linked With New Wireless Equipment

A N important link in the wireless communications of Central Pacific has been strengthened by the British Phosphate Commission providing im proved j’adio telephone facilities at Ocean Island and at Nauru.

These places are visited regularly by the Commission’s vessels Triaster and Triona which carry large quantities of phosphate to Australia. Several years ago the B.P.C. installed A.W.A. radio-tele phones on both islands and on the Com mission’s ships. The older equipment at Nauru and Ocean Island has now been replaced with high-power modulation medium wave telephone transmitters and receivers. At Ocean Is. an additional unit has also been installed for operation on short waves.

The new equipment which was desig ned and manufactured by Amalgamated Wireless is proving of high value for communicating between the B.P.C.’s ves sels and the two islands. On the medium wave length vocal communication of good quality has been held for distances of over 1,000 miles, and with the use of the short wave telephone this range has been increased considerably.

The wireless equipment includes spec ial types of voice-operated relays by means of which the transmitter is brought into action immediately one commences to speak into the telephone.

The wave length change at Ocean Island is effected by press-button control, the

aerial system being 800 yards from the transmitter. Highly sensitive superhetero dyne receivers are used.

Bishop S. H. Davies, of Thursday Island, arrived in Sydney by the Merkur on September 25.

Commander J, C. Plante arrived in Sydney early in October by the Maioja to take command of the French Pacific Station sloop Rigault de Genouilly, which is well known in Central and Eastern Pacific. He has been in the French Navy since 1 913 and has lately been in the Naval War College in Pans.