Palmerston Island “Off
p. 91 · Read in the full issue
The Air”
AN important link in the South Pacific meteorological net was out of service in September when Palmerston Island radio station went off the air.
I Palmerston is on the air-route be tween Samoa and Aitutaki and its Weather observations are important to Nadi, Fiji, in providing route forecasts for NAC and TEAL air praft on the Cook Islands and Tahiti iervices. Radio stations in the Cook Islands ire provided with twin transmitters, receivers and battery-charging plants o prevent failures, but both charging )lants became unserviceable on this Kxasion. The first plant failed icveral months ago and was brought o Rarotonga by the John Williams SI. Since then no ship has called at he Island. The second plant failed in September 4 and, although the adio staff in Rarotonga offered uggestions over the air towards re airing it, Palmerston’s batteries were [at by the following night and ignals ceased. A special trip will Tobably have to be made by local fading craft from Rarotonga.