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Author Topic: Earhart's statement of "WAIT" in radio communications log  (Read 13911 times)

Don Dollinger

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Earhart's statement of "WAIT" in radio communications log
« on: December 15, 2010, 03:30:42 PM »

One thing has always been troublesome to me is the word "WAIT" in her last transmission mainly because I don't understand the context in how it is being used.  In her last communications (as documented in the call log) she said that she would repeat on 6210 KCS "WAIT".

As I am not a pilot, would that have a common aviation usage, sorta like "STOP" used in telegrams (i.e., WILL MEET AT GILMORE HOTEL   STOP; CORNER OF 5TH AVE AND MAIN   STOP)?  My initial reaction is to treat it in the context that I understand meaning "hold on a minute I have more information to convey to you that I am just learning or an unexpected event is unfolding which will give me more information to give to you" and then silence. 

Why no more transmissions after that until post loss messages?  I know that no one can answer for sure, but to me it indicates something, even though it is only one word, of importance happened causing her to not transmit any longer or not have the ability to transmit any longer until landing at Niku.

Is that when the "crashed in the ocean proponents" believe that she crashed?

LTM

Don
« Last Edit: February 07, 2013, 12:40:55 PM by J. Nevill »
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Bill Lloyd

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Re: WAIT in radio communications log
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2010, 05:40:00 PM »

I think that wait meant standby. In other words, standby while I change frequencies. I have never heard wait used. My experience has been when ATC directed a frequency change, the proper response is "roger". When flying offshore, we used three radios, UFH, VHF and FM. When changing frequencies, the common lingo was simply "switching" to victor or uniform.
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Ric Gillespie

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Re: WAIT in radio communications log
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2010, 08:18:45 PM »

I recommend that you read the Research Bulletin entitled Last Words
in which I analyzed the last in-flight message heard by Itasca and concluded that the final transmission was received in two distinct parts separated by a seven minute gap.  The word "wait" comes at the end of the first part. When Earhart said "wait," I think she meant , as Don says, "Hold on a minute. I have more information to convey to you that I am just learning." 
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Don Dollinger

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Re: WAIT in radio communications log
« Reply #3 on: December 16, 2010, 09:07:46 AM »

Quote
I recommend that you read the Research Bulletin entitled Last Words

Thanx.  I now see that there were more xmissions after the WAIT.  It quickly becomes apparent that nearly every aspect of this case is pretty much open to interpretation.  Not much is cut and dried.  The more I get into the data the more I see the challenges you and the TIGHAR crew have faced in your 20+ years of investitating this case.

LTM

Don
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Bill Lloyd

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Re: WAIT in radio communications log
« Reply #4 on: December 16, 2010, 02:45:02 PM »

I recommend that you read the Research Bulletin entitled Last Words
in which I analyzed the last in-flight message heard by Itasca and concluded that the final transmission was received in two distinct parts separated by a seven minute gap.  The word "wait" comes at the end of the first part. When Earhart said "wait," I think she meant , as Don says, "Hold on a minute. I have more information to convey to you that I am just learning."  
What information do you think that AE had just learned that she wanted to convey when she said “wait”?

When she again transmitted at 08:55, she said “we are running on the line north and south” which is essentially what she said in her first transmission at 08:43, “We are on the line 157/337”. According to her transmission, her intention was to repeat her 08:43 message on 6210 which was never heard. Apparently she then came back to 3105 and said the same thing.  

Based on those transmissions it is difficult to deduct that AE meant “hold on a minute, I have more information------. If she had more information or had just received a new note from Fred, perhaps so or maybe she read the note and ignored it.
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