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June 30, 1919.

From: Ensign H. C. Rodd, U.S.N.R.F.
To:   Commanding Officer, Seaplane NC-4.

Subject: Radio Report - Trans-Atlantic Flight.

1. The following report, compiled entirely from the radio log, is submitted in detail.

2. A notation was not made of the wavelength of each communication copied, but it may be generally understood that 1500 meters was used by the destroyers, except when requested to use 1200, 952 or 756, by the plane, in order to eliminate interference. 425 meters was the wavelength used by the plane.

3. All distances are given in nautical miles, and the time used is Greenwich mean time.

4. The times given for our passing the destroyers are those given in their broadcasts on 756 meters immediately after we flew over them. This information was then broadcasted on 425 meters by the plane. 

5. Radio Report - NC-4.

The radio installation on the NC-4 was the last to be completed at Rockaway, the finishing touches being applied about 3:30 A.M. of May 6, the day on which we were called at 4:30 A.M. to make ready for the start. Due to an unfavorable weather report the flight was delayed and consequently I was able to spend most of the day sitting in the plane, selecting vacuum tubes for both the amplifier and continuous wave transmitter, taking bearings on Norfolk during his afternoon schedule, to make sure that the fixed condensers in the radio compass control panel were adjusted to 1500 meters. This had been done with a wavemeter but no test had been made with a station.

No flights had been made to test the radio apparatus and it looked as though we would leave without knowing whether things functioned in the air, or not. The weather cleared, however, the afternoon of May 7th, and about 5 o'clock we were ready to make a test flight. Just as we were about to slip down the runway the Engineer Officer put his foot through the radio propeller, breaking both blades. The center tractor motor had been turning over and this caused the radio generator to run fast enough so as not to be seen. I told the Navigator that it would probably take fifteen minutes to change, so we left without effecting repairs, as it was growing dark.

I had an opportunity to test the continuous wave transmitter with Rockaway Station and it worked quite satisfactorily. The skid fin antenna was used and the buzzer signals were very readable in the air, although the telephone did not 

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