Islands Radio

Network

How Dangers of Isolation Have Been Overcome

TEN years ago, when the “P.I.M ” was established, the radio stations in the Pacific Islands could he counted on the fingers. To-day, the Islands are linked in a vast radio network, which is thus described in a recent publication by Amalgamated Wireless ( A/asia ) Ltd.: EARLY in the history of A.W.A., the objective of making Australia the wireless centre of the Southern Pacific was visualised. To-day, an ex tensive wireless service affords direct communication between Australia and Fiji, Papua and New Guinea. About a million words a year are handled by this service, by means of which it is possible to reach the most outlying parts of the islands.

There are many stations at smaller islands centres, and these communicate with the nearest of the above-mentioned centres, which, in turn, communicate with Sydney.

Thus communication can be effected from any of the Pacific Island centres to Sydney for Australia and New Zealand, and for Great Britain, the Continent of Europe, and North and South America, by means of the Australian Beam Wire less Service.

The chief radio station in the Terri tory of New Guinea is at Rabaul, on the island of New Britain. Rabaul is in direct communication with Sydney, as as with stations at Wewak, Madang, Bulolo, Wau, Salamaua, Manus, Kavieng and Kieta (in New Guinea) and Truk (in the Caroline Islands). It also communicates with the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, through the station on Ocean Island, with Tulagi in the Solo mon Islands, with Vanikoro in the Santa Cruz Islands, and with the island of Nauru.

Sydney radio is also in daily com munication by wireless with Suva, Noumea, Port Moresby and Nauru. Suva station collects and distributes wireless traffic to and from almost all the Paci fic Islands provided with radio. Among these are Tutuila and Apia in Samoa, Noumea in New Caledonia, Vila in New Hebrides, Nukualofa in the Friendly Islands, Ocean Island and Wallis Island (Futuna Islands).

The radio station at Willis Island, about 300 miles east of Townsville, is maintained for the sole purpose of sup plying information to the weather bureaus at Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Warnings of tropical disturb ances sent from Willis Island have often been of great value to ships in the areas affected, and to coastal residents.

Settlers, missionaries, explorers, trad ers, prospectors and others in remote parts use A.W.A. teleradio sets to keep in touch with the A.W.A. stations and, through them, with the world. The teleradio is a small portable radio equip ment suitable for either telephony or telegraphy. About 180 of these are in use, and their owners send and receive messages both within the Islands and the outside world through the “mother” stations, in such centres as Port Moresby, Rabaul and Suva.