NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

field of radio engineering. He has been of inestimable value in the preparation of technical data for the prosecution of our aims and purposes before the United States delegates. And of even greater importance — he has before him a program for the collection of further data upon which must depend in large measure the future of our broadcasting structure. You will find Mr. MeNary an able and willing leader, but the burden is too great for any one man. He needs the com¬ plete cooperation of every one of you. ‘ ‘ Upon the success or failure of this line of attack depends whether broadcasting shall use frequencies, the propagation characteristics of which can justify the necessary investment of capital or whether broadcast stations shall become mere community phonograph stations. This must be so for broad¬ casters today are working in a band that is crowded. And within a few days duly appointed representatives of the United States will listen to the demands of Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Eica, and Salvador for a place in that band. Neither of these countries have a single exclusive frequency under any treaty or other agree¬ ment. We are not informed as to what their demands will be. We do know their demands will be backed by the pride of their nation — a factor which certainly does not introduce a minus sign in the equation. “The all important question is — How may their demands be complied with? Will the number of American broadcast stations be reduced so as to allow other countries a part of the frequencies in the existing band? Or will the broadcast band be enlarged to provide for the demands of other coun¬ tries? If the broadcast band is enlarged, will it be extended above 1500 k.c. or below 550 k.c.? ‘ ‘ If the band is extended below 550 k.c. it will be done over the protest of the government and private mobile interests. These interests, including the Navy and Army, Aeronautical Eadio, Inc., U. S. Shipping Board, U. S. Ship Owners’ Asso¬ ciation, Inc., Coast Guard and Marine radio operating com¬ panies, have been able to climax their activities against Amer¬ ican broadcasters, with a joint appeal to the Secretary of State, which, I am informed, bears the signatures of the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of Agriculture, the Postmaster General, and the Chairman of the U. S. Shipping Board. All of which may mean that broadcasters are just waifs in the storm. “These same interests have not opposed an extension of the broadcast band above 1500 k.c. to include 1640 k.c. “We have doggedly fought for the use of low frequencies for broadcasting. We have urged the responsible government officials to recognize the trends in Europe toward the use of low frequencies for broadcasting, and to make provision for the establishment of prior rights, in the United States, in the same low bands. We have endeavored to point out the lack of coordination of related government radio activities whose demands for channels are so great. We have chal¬ lenged the use by shipping interests and government depart¬ ments of equipment which, by reason of its antiquity and poor quality, requires a space in which to work that cannot be justified by the present state of the art. “We confidently believe we have built a record that cannot forever be ignored and upon which the industry can continue to build with an eye to the world convention in Cairo in 1937. The lack of adequate preparation spelled failure at Madrid in 1932. The decisions made at Madrid have been millstones in the preparation for the Conference at Mexico City. There is no reason to make the same mistake twice. I have every confidence that you can, and will give your best toward build¬ ing a record based on research that cannot fail to shape fu¬ ture policies of the government which affect broadcasting.” CHAIEMAN: “Gentlemen, this subject of the North Amer¬ ican Conference is now open for discussion. Everyone should realize its importance ; as Mr. Baldwin has pointed out its pur¬ poses have been more or less of a secret nature. His collec¬ tion of data has been without some of your knowledge. If you have any comments to make at this time or any ques¬ tions to ask, Mr. Baldwin will be glad to take care of them.” ME. FOSS: “I recognize the fact that we all have had the problem of being able to widen the band and I also rec¬ ognize the fact, and I guess you all do, that we would like to widen the band from 550 down, due to the fine propagation characteristic. I am wondering if the National Association wants the comments of this meeting to go on record. Per¬ sonally, I feel as though we should make some kind of a state¬ ment recommending that the Association do all in its power to widen the band and expand the number of channels even from 1500 up if necessary. I may be wrong and suppose the Association does not want an expression at this meeting at all. I would like to hear from someone else on the sub¬ ject. I feel that if we widen the band, or if we have a part in it, we are going at least to accomplish something which in 1937 at Cairo can perhaps be readjusted with the proper investigation Mr. Baldwin called for. I am not in favor of 1500 k.c. up, but I think it would be better than nothing.” ME. BALDWIN : “The Association is on record as oppos¬ ing frequencies above 1500 k.c. in lieu of frequencies in the band 550-1500 k.c. We have agreed that from an interference point of view there is no objection to extending the band to 1640 k.c. I think it would be an error for the National Asso¬ ciation of Broadcasters to agree to an expansion of the broad¬ cast band over 1640 k.c. because I think by doing that it would establish a precedent. You know it is impossible to use frequencies above 1500 k.c. in lieu of what we have and do it successfully. I think it would be a very dangerous precedent.” ME. FOSS : “I do not question that, but thought we would rather have 1500 k.c. than nothing. The one thing I am think¬ ing of is the very strong drive that is going to be made for 1650 k.c. by the other interests and we must recognize this fact. It is important to answer the question for the reaspn that no one to my knowledge has any idea what the North American countries want in the way of frequencies. If these facts were known, it would be possible to answer the ques¬ tion. If, for example, it were not for the noise level, we would be willing to use 1500 k.c. up, but, so far as American broadcasters using them for what they now use and which is to be given to the Eepublie of Mexico, then that is a much more serious question.” ME. BALDWIN : “I think perhaps you misunderstood me. I did not mean that we could not give up 1500 to 1650 and take from 1500 to 1000. I meant that the general band be widened at this conference, if possible. I think perhaps in¬ terests in our own country might protect us from giving these frequencies. I am taking exceptions, making statements — perhaps offering too much discussion on the subject.” ME. JANSKY: “I think some one who has had the op¬ portunity like I have to see the magnitude of the problem which is confronting the Association in connection with the North American Conference, ought to get up here and say something about the splendid work that Mr. Baldwin and Mr. MeNary have been doing on this subject. I am frank to state that there is not a single broadcaster who realizes the problem he is up against but that the headquarters at Washington are doing their very best to save the American broadcasting in¬ dustry from what may be a striking blow. I appreciate what this industry is up against from the standpoint of coming out at this North American Conference with a whole scalp. I am not going to comment upon the relative value of frequencies above or below; if the broadcast industry does not know by this time, that is too bad, but there are secret forces at work to prevent any widening of the broadcast band at this time. I do think that it is important that the industry appreciate that Mr. MeNary and Mr. Baldwin are doing the very bast they can without the support they ought to have from the broadcast industry in what is to be an extremely difficult situation. ’ ’ CHAIEMAN: “We had better go to the next subject. We have been discussing some value of frequencies and Dr. Dell¬ inger has some facts to give us. ’ ’ PROPAGATION CHARACTERISTICS By DE. J. H. DELLINGER DE. DELLINGEE: “Chairman and gentlemen, I will say a few words about the status of this subject. The subject is one of basic physical data. I think that the development of standards in your field is unavoidable because of the trernen