The Expedition relied on a two-way radio at the Umbakumba camp on Groote Eylandt, as the nearest short-wave station was 35 miles away at Angurugu River. Only three days after the camp was established on Groote Eylandt, Bassett-Smith found that the valves had been damaged during transport, and the only communication with the outside world was via an Aboriginal runner who could take messages to Angurugu. This was in itself fraught as it was necessary for the runners to cross fast-running streams and sometimes the messages would be washed away. Eventually Bassett-Smith was able to adjust the radio to receive messages, whilst awaiting further equipment to repair the radio for proper operation.

Peter Bassett-Smith interviewed in 2006 by Martin Thomas & Sally K. May, located at; National Library of Australia Oral History collection ORAL TRC 5655.