As I was scanning this thread I noted claims of mismatched antenna loading coils, various frequencies used- not used but virtually no mention of who set up the HF cobbled together direction finder on Howland. First my interest in this stems from the FACT that my parents in the 1930's knew Richard B Black who was more than a bit player. No conspiracy theory - but a few facts.
1) Black was a ham radio operator and a naval officer who went on the Byrd expedition to antartica in the early 30's. My folks had a card from him sent from the base re merry xmas.
2) After he left san francisco on his way- his wife got a serious infection in her face, and died. At the time they had a ~ 5 year old baby boy , and my parents were able to take care of him until his family could get to Livermore where he lived at the time - They were apparently in a nearby apartment in the same building..and also work related to my father . . . nuff of the related background..
3) Black was very much involved in using- preparing howland island for a landing place for earhart.
4) Around 1940- they saw him for a short time- and his comments re Earhart were that there were a lot of related issues that had never been made public at that time.
5) I've posted a few links- but the bottom line is that
a) the frequency used was NOT a common use for civilian traffic at that time- and was limited in range
b) Blacks beacon was battery powered and strictly HF
c) Earhart low freq ( 500kc) was unavailable to her re lack of ANTENNA-- or dropped -- or torn off during her last takeoff- pick one
d) Mr Black eventually retired as a rear admiral- and is buried in arlington
e) He also was in Naval intelligence along with being in dept of Interior
6) All of which goes to
a)she was headed for howland -
b) military was involved to a greater extent than known at the time.
Just my two cents
links
Richard Black
From 1933 to 1935, he was a civilian member of the Byrd II Expedition
. . . It was on Howland Island that Black supervised construction of the air strip for Amelia Earhart’s scheduled refueling stop. Black was in the radioroom of the USCG Itasca as he listened to Earhart’s last known radio transmission indicating that she was low on fuel and was searching for Howland island . . .
...In 1938, Black became a lieutenant in the US Naval Reserves, attending the Operative Training School of the Office of Naval Intelligence. A year later, Black was assigned to duty as the USAS base commander, East Base, U.S. Antarctic Expedition...
. . . Richard Black died at the age of 90 on August 11, 1992 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Black’s first wife, Ruth Slayberg, died in 1932. Black’s second wife of 55 years, Aviza Johnson Black, survived her husband. . . .
... Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Aviza Johnson Black of Washington and Woodbridge; their two daughters, Debra Jane Black of Washington and Carrie Elizabeth Black of San Francisco;
a son from his first marriage, Douglas F.B. Black of Beattyville, Ky.; and five grandchildren.
and for a related read -
https://earharttruth.wordpress.com/tag/howland-island/
Enjoy - I report- you decide
