APPENDIX 9. REPORTS OF COMMITTEE ON OPERATION

FIRST MEETING, MAY 24, 1937

The meeting was opened at 4:30 p.m. under the chairmanship of Dr. JÄGER (Germany).

The CHAIRMAN thanked the assembly for his appointment. He would endeavor to successfully guide the work of the committee. He also thanked Mr. Erdöss, Vice Chairman, the rapporteurs, and the interpreters for their cooperation. He asked whether work might not be expedited by dispensing with the translations into English.

Colonel READ (Great Britain) preferred, for his colleagues and for himself, that these translations be made.

The CHAIRMAN stated that document 39 assigned to the Committee on Operations the study of questions 5, 6, 16, 17, and 18.

Among these, questions 6 and 18 especially concerned operation. On the other hand, questions 5, 16, and 17 referred to the effects of industrial parasites and to background noises and had no direct relationship with the operation of stations.

He proposed the initial study of questions 6 and 18, beginning with question 18.

The committee agreed.

The CHAIRMAN asked the interpreter to read the text of the question and the report of the centralizing administration (Denmark) (document 27).

The interpreter began a reading of this report.

The CHAIRMAN pointed out:

(a) That the reference to the General Radio Regulations (R.G.M.), at the beginning of the question, chiefly concerned numbers [1] to [120];

(b) That the words "without prior agreement" in subparagraph (b) of the question were quite essential;

(c) That the indicated wavebands satisfied the allocation mentioned in the R.G.M., numbers [112] and [115].

He warmly thanked the Danish administration for the important work which it had carried out, and he proposed that the reading of the report be continued.

The interpreter continued reading the report.

The CHAIRMAN summarized annex 1 and asked for comments.

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No comments being made, the interpreter continued reading the report.

The CHAIRMAN noted that the percentages of watches successfully made, as appearing in annexes 4 and 5 (intensity 3-5), could not give an accurate idea of the situation, since the distance separating the ship from the coast station was not always known.

Captain HOOPER (United States of America) expressed his appreciation for the work of the centralizing administration, which covered one of the most important points submitted for study to the C.C.I.R. He asked whether the percentage of the results obtained with reference to the number of watches really made might be known. In fact, certain operators might be busy during the listening periods and not be able to insure this service.

The CHAIRMAN called attention to the fact that this question was specially considered in the report of the French administration, in which it was shown that, at times, the operators of the Normandy had been unable to keep the watch, owing to the very large number of messages which this steamer had to transmit.

Captain HOOPER stated that, when the question was raised at Lisbon, the purpose of the study was the establishment of communications with ships when medium or intermediate waves could not be used. Now, the question had developed, owing to an increase of maritime connections on short waves. It was therefore desirable to continue the study, not only for the purpose set forth at Lisbon but also to reduce the time necessary for the connection.

The German administration stated, in its report, that the two calling-frequencies used during the tests (8,280 and 12,420 kc) would give good results in future research. The Delegation of the United States was of the same opinion; tests should therefore be continued for still another year or, at least, until the Cairo Conference.

The CHAIRMAN answered that it seemed desirable to simplify the tests to be made. The number of administrations participating therein should perhaps be limited to four; the time provided and the number of transmitting ships should also be reduced. Moreover, experiments should be based, in principle, on a national plan; thus, for instance, for the British line serving the Indies, one ship would transmit and two or three ships would watch. Moreover, nothing would prevent the other administrations from collaborating in the watch and from sending their results to the country concerned.

The CHAIRMAN then returned to the Danish report. He stated that Mr. Heegaard (Denmark) would present the charts.

Mr. HEEGAARD gave information on the symbols used in these charts. Colonel READ requested that a certain time be granted in order to examine the charts.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that in order that everybody might follow the explanations, 10 charts be distributed on the tables. Each chart would then be delivered to the delegation concerned.

This was agreed upon.

Mr. HEEGAARD completed his explanations. He specified that, while many ships had been able to hear the same coast station during a period, the coast station, during each period, had usually been able to hear only one ship-in exceptional cases, two.

The interpreter resumed his reading of the report.

The CHAIRMAN emphasized that the difficulties set forth arose chiefly from the method of procedure in the tests. The latter should therefore be simplified.

The meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m.

Approved:

The Chairman

JÄGER

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SECOND MEETING, MAY 25, 1937

The session opened at 4:30 p.m. under the chairmanship of Dr. JÄGER (Germany), assisted by Mr. ERDÖSS (Hungary), Vice Chairman. Since the report of the first meeting had not yet been distributed, it was decided to leave it for later approval.

The CHAIRMAN announced that document 48 was the supplementary report of the centralizing administration on question 18. The aggregate number of the listening results had notably increased.

Mr. HEEGAARD (Denmark) added that many of these results had arrived very late, even in February 1937. For this reason they could not be borne on the maps. The percentage of successful watches had rather decreased, according to the aggregate result (from 75 to 56 percent, for instance, in one case). Furthermore, the figures provided were approximate.

The CHAIRMAN thanked Mr. Heegaard.

Mr. JASKOLSKI (Poland) found the charts very interesting, even for countries other than those possessing watched transmitting stations. A printing of them in color would undoubtedly be very expensive; but the colors could be replaced by hatchings, and these could then be printed, so as to be included in the C.C.I.R. documents.

The CHAIRMAN pointed out that only one third of the total results had been entered on the maps. Could the Danish administration enter the other two thirds?

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Mr. HEEGAARD replied that this would involve considerable work. Nevertheless, he was ready to assure its execution if the C.C.I.R. found it useful.

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Colonel READ (Great Britain) also found the maps interesting, but particularly for the countries possessing the stations in question. view of the very high cost of the entire publication, he felt that it might be sufficient to send the maps to those administrations which might ask for them.

Mr. JASKOLSKI insisted upon a printing.

Captain HOOPER (United States of America) asked that the price of publication be also considered. He proposed that a small subcommittee-no. 1-come to an agreement on this subject with the Bureau of the Union.

The CHAIRMAN proposed that this subcommittee be made up as follows:

Chairman: Mr. Erdöss

Members: Messrs. Heegaard

Jaskolski
Read

It would have the following duties:

1. To reexamine the question of completing the charts;

2. To ask the Bureau of the Union the price of printing:

(a) Whether the circles appearing on these charts should be in color,

(b) Whether the circles should be in hatchings.

The proposals of the subcommittee would be submitted to the committee.

The CHAIRMAN added that he would like to finish questions 18 and 6 this week and, if possible, begin question 5 again. He asked that the reading of the report of the centralizing administration be con tinued.

The interpreter read the remainder of this report.

The CHAIRMAN indicated that two questions must be answered: 1. Was it necessary to continue the tests?

2. If so, should the use of the two calling-frequencies employed up to the present be maintained?

Everyone seemed to him to be in favor of continuing the experi

ments.

Colonel READ Would have favored continuing the tests if 18 months still remained before the Cairo Conference. However, during the short lapse of time which lay ahead no new progress could be made. He therefore concluded that it was unnecessary to continue the tests;

The CHAIRMAN felt that it was not yet necessary to discuss the question whether the results of the tests would be used for a possible modification of the General Radio Regulations. Even if this were to be the case, it would also be interesting to continue the tests after Cairo.

Mr. PICAULT (France) announced that the report of the French administration had pointed out certain difficulties not yet discussed in committee, which made the prospect of sufficient results before Cairo somewhat doubtful. The results of the tests were the function of numerous variables, of which the special part played by each could not be evidenced.

He could not entirely agree with Colonel Read, for, even if the goal was only reached a year or two after the Cairo Conference, the Fifth C.C.I.R. Meeting could then express an opinion recommending the continued use of the calling-frequencies provided for this purpose. At present, interferences in the mobile service bands were increasing, and effort was therefore necessary to reduce them.

Mr. JASKOLSKI also felt that it would be difficult to have results ready for Cairo. The radio conference to follow that of Cairo would profit from them. Should perhaps three or four calling-waves be contemplated?

Captain HOOPER recalled that originally question 18 was intended to indicate how two ships could make contact on short waves. The contact was later extended to include coast stations. At present, the latter contacts were rather well established. However, study of contacts between ships should be continued. The opinion to be adopted could resemble that proposed by the Delegation of the United States of America.

The CHAIRMAN concluded that the majority of the committee appeared to favor continuation of the tests.

Colonel READ replied that Great Britain would be ready to participate in the tests, but these would have to be restricted. Before giving a definite opinion on the continuation of the tests, he would therefore like to have their basis established. During this work, it might be found that the difficulties experienced in the establishment of contact between ships arose particularly from the instability of transmitters and disappeared with stabilized ports.

The CHAIRMAN again recommended simplification of the tests.

1. The number of administrations taking part would be diminished (4 or 6, for instance).

2. The duration of the watches would be reduced.

3. The number of ships participating in the experiments would be reduced.

Furthermore, other administrations could assure watches and send their reports to the centralizing administration.