Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of WarTalbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
History
Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War
Talbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
Aeronautics, Military; Airplanes, Military -- History; Airships -- History; World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations
A wide variety of systems have been employed to meet these conditions.
There is the travelling automobile station, in which the installation
is mounted upon a motor-car. In this instance the whole equipment is
carried upon a single vehicle, while the antenna is stowed upon the roof
and can be raised or lowered within a few seconds. If motor traction is
unavailable, then animal haulage may be employed, but in this instance
the installation is divided between two vehicles, one carrying the
transmitting and receiving apparatus and the generating plant, the other
the fuel supplies and the aerial, together with spare parts.
The motive power is supplied by a small air cooled petrol or gasoline
motor developing eight horse-power, and coupled direct to a 2-kilo watt
alternator. At one end of the shaft of the latter the disk discharger is
mounted, its function being to break up the train of waves into groups
of waves, so as to impart a musical sound to the note produced in the
receiver. A flexible cable transmits the electric current from the
generator to the wagon containing the instruments. The aerial is built
up of masts carried in sections.
The Germans employ a mobile apparatus which is very similar, but in
this instance the mast is telescopic. When closed it occupies but little
space. By turning the winch handle the mast is extended, and can be
carried to any height up to a maximum of about 100 feet. The capacity
of these mobile stations varies within wide limits, the range of the
largest and most powerful installations being about 200 miles. The
disadvantage of these systems, however, is that they are condemned to
territories where the ground at the utmost is gently undulating, and
where there are roads on which four-wheeled vehicles can travel.
For operation in hilly districts, where only trails are to be found,
the Marconi Company, has perfected what may be described as "pack" and
"knapsack" installations respectively. In the first named the whole of
the installation is mounted upon the backs of four horses. The first
carries the generator set, the second the transmitting instruments, the
third the receiving equipment, and the fourth the detachable mast and
stays.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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