THE CHINA MAIL, SEPTEMBER 18, 1937.
P.O. WAR ON WIRELESS NOISES 250 Detectives Track Down Interference
DENTAL DRILL
EVEN MAKES
RADIO HOWL
Stimulated by the growing number of com- plaints they have received recently, the British Post Office have declared war against radio inter- ference, writes a correspondent.
A staff of 250 detectives are now working at high pressure in all parts of the country. Their job is to track down and eliminate those annoying noises you hear on your receiver, and which many people think are "just atmospherics.”
An International Committee
now considering the problem and the Postmaster-General may intro- duce a Bill in Parliament which will compel people to see that all elec trical apparatus is fitted with non- interference devices.
£90,000 SPENT Last year $90,000 was spent by the Post Office on this detective force of the ether;
COM-
QUEEN BEE SHOT DOWN
Robot Machine Hit At 4,000 Feet
London Territorials, gunners of
Barricade near the Settlement in Shanghai.
AIR MAIL PLAN DIFFICULTY
Of the 14 European countries 4d if they wish their letters sent coming within the new air mail to Britain by air.
FURTHER EFFORTS scheme from England, Germany is the only one
ne which has extended re- The British Post Office's attempts to obtain reciprocal facilities have ciprocal facilities
Under the new scheme all letters so far failed. It is understood, how- per cent. were settled successfully. the 171st Battery, 61st Anti-Aircraft and postcards are despatched by lever, that efforts are to be renew-
I learned of some of the strange Brigade, R.A., formerly known as air without extra charge from Enged in the near future. things which are a common cause of the Finsbury Rifles, have won dis-land to: interference. Here are some of tinction in shooting down a "Queen Germany
plaints were received, of which 95
them, which have been tracked down Bee" aeroplane. to their source.
Austria
Latvia
Lithuania Poland
Rumania
Turkey
The Scandinavian countries, Nor- way, Sweden, Denmark and Fin- land, to which free air mail has been in operation since February, 1936; granted reciprocal facilities in the same way as Germany now does.
France, the nearest country
to England, now charges more than The postage is 22d for letters any other European nation for let- and 11⁄2d for postcards.
ters carried by air mail. The post- But with the exception of Ger-age was raised to a trifle over 4d many residents in all the countries as part of France's recent revenue- still have to pay the equivalent of raising measures.
Danzig Greece Hungary
The "Queen Bee" machines, pilot- Czechoslovakia Church organs, sausage machines,
less and controlled by wireless, are Bulgaria floor polishers, washing machines, adding machines, dental drills, fish-being used this year for Army tar-
get practice for the first time. frying machines, coffee grinders, ice-cream machines, incubators, A secret radio apparatus guides petrol pumps, traffic signals; electric the aeroplanes from take-off to land- signs, tramways and other ma-ing. chines
味
They were first seen "in action" "Most of these sources of inter-
in 1935 when they were used for ference can be eliminated by the addition of a simple device that target practice by the Navy when costs in the majority of cases very King George V. led his Fleet to sea little," said a Post Office official
TELEVISION AFFECTED
#
at the Silver Jubilee review.
Since then their value in anti- such "Television apparatus is partien- aircraft training has been larly sensitive to outside interfer- that the Air Ministry placed a big the ide ence," he added, "largely because contract for them with
Havilland company.
two
it works on a very short wave
“A passing motor-car will often When the "Queen Bee" was sent damage reception, and especially up from the practice camp,. electrical medical apparatus, used guns began potting at her. in diathermy and diatherapy. In- She was about 4,000 feet up and terference is at its most acute in a mile away from the guns when such districts as Harley-street and she was hit by the second volley Wimpole-street, W., and in the vicin-just behind the engine and render ity of a large hospital
ed helpless.
“As an instance, when the Wim- bledon Tennis Finals were televised, the reception was nearly ruined by mysterious interference.
On investigation it was found that between Wimbledon and Alex- andra Palace, from which the broadcast came, there was a hos pital using electrical apparatus. This was found to be the main cause of the interference.
AN ANXIOUS MOMENT
She lost altitude, spun and crash- ed into the Bristol Channel Efforts were at once made to retrieve her, but only the fuselage and portions. of her wings were salved. The rest, including her engine, sank
for
Immediately after the she there was an anxious mome the NOT COMPULSORY.
"Queen Bee," responding When a detective finds the source longer to wireless control, the complaint, he usually asks led to be falling towards the battery the owner of the machine cansing Earlier the brigade, con the interference whether he will gunners only 18 months ago, pay for having an elimination de-given an idea of their prowess.
fixed
Shooting at sleeve targets, which
If he will, everything is all right are pulled by aircraft, they register- If he will not, then the matter has led five hits in five shots.
"It was pretty good shooting for there were low clouds and visibility could have been much better. excellent finish to a fortnight's
to drop. Nothing can be done, and the interference goes on.
"We hope to make it compulsory of legislation. An ideal would be if all electrical camp.”*... ratus was fitted with such
This particular "Queen Bee" the first to be shot down this
USSR (South)
Jugoslavia
Cook
by
Gas