Radio age (May 1922-Dec 1923)

38 RADIO AGE— "THE MAGAZINE OF TRE HOUR" Pickups and Hookups {Continued from page 3^.) Chicago Radio Traffic Association, has written the following letter to Frank D. Pearne, technical editor of RADIO AGE, describing how he knocked off thirtythree stations at one sitting. Mr. Marco's letter follows: RADIO AGE, Gentlemen: While essentially a transmitting radio, amateur at heart, the writer has followed with a great deal of interest the progress of radio broadcasting, particularly through the columns of your paper, noting therein many of the records set by local receiving stations, especially on silent night. Thinking that possibly some of these records might be broken with the oncoming cold weather, last Monday, October 22, the writer prepared to better the previous record of twenty-six stations on a single silent night by carefully polishing the antenna wire, pepping up the "A" battery, and consulting the weather man, with the results as shown on the appended sheet. The weather man, however, suddenly changed his mind and after starting out nobly during the early part of the evening altered conditions about 8 :30, causing it to be a rather poor night. A careful log was kept of all stations heard, together with times and distances and is herewith presented for the edification of your readers. All work was done on a three-tube set without radio frequency amplification. All stations were audible on loud speaker and in every case except that of KPO, no antenna was used, the pickup device merely being a four-foot loop. The signals from KPO were audible on the loop but hardly strong enough for loud speaker work. The writer wishes to take this opportunity of expressing the appreciation of himself and the Chicago Radio Traffic Association for the assistance rendered in the recent Second National American Radio Relay League Convention in Chicago, for the cooperation you displayed in bringing our organization before the public eye through the medium of your publication. Cordially yours, FRED MARCO. Secretary Chicago Radio Traffic Association. Following is the log kept by this sharpshooting Mr. Marco: Location and Call Time Distance Philadelphia, WIP 5:28 700 Pittsburgh, KDKA 5:34 625 Pittsburgh, WCAE ....5:35-5:46 625 Buffalo, WGR._.._ 5:50 500 Detroit, WOX...„_ 6:12 250 Kansas City, Mo. WDAF 6:18 425 Philadelphia, WFI 6:28 700 Newark, WOR 6:33 750 Dallas, WFAA 6:56 800 Davenport, VVOC 6:59 175 Schenectady, WGY 7:07 750 Washington, D. C. 53 06 10 18 20 45 51 WRC._ __ 7:25 St. Louis, WCK. 7:47 Ft. Worth, Texas, WBAP 7 Cincinnati, WLW ._ 8 Columbus, 0., WBAV8 Atlanta, Ga., WSB ....8 Jefferson City, Mo., WOS 8 St. Louis, KSD._ ...8 Detroit, WWJ 8 Memphis, Tennessee, WMC 8:55 Troy, N. Y., WHAZ....9:25 New York City, WEAF._ 9:27 Omaha, WOAW 9:40 Minneapolis, WBAH ..9:55 Philadelphia, WDAR 10:07 Los Angeles, KFI 10:27 Denver, KFDL.. ...10:41 Los Angeles, WHJ 11:00 Waupaca, Wis., WPAH.... 11:30 Milboard, Kansas, KFKB 11:45 Calgary, Alberta, Can. CFCN 11:55 San Francisco, KPO ....12 midnight 650 300 800 300 300 600 350 300 250 500 750 750 450 350 700 1,800 950 1,800 200 600 1,400 1,800 Total miles 22,100 Off 12, midnight; a total of thirty-three stations. And then, again, here's a New York reader who has a word to say to one of our Kansas City readers: RADIO AGE, Gentlemen: Referring to S. A. Stevenson's letter on Page 17 of your October issue: I picked up practically all his stations and many more, from Luzerne, N. Y. (about 1,400 miles further east). This was accomplished on a modification of the Eria circuit published in a spring number (May) of RADIO AGE. With the exception of WFAA — which was received upon our outdoor aerial — I have heard all of them on an indoor antenna and mostly in August and .September. Very truly yours, PHILIP G. SCHERMERHORN. 67 West 52nd St., New York. The editor wishes to thank Mr. -Schermerhorn for his letter and for the suggestion accompanying it regarding certain changes in the complete list of broadcasting stations. Letters such as his prove that in trying to help the radio art along (and thereby pay for our own tubes) we haven't been on a dead spot. If your newsdealer has sold out his supply of RADIO AGE you are likely to miss just the hook-up that you have been looking for. To avoid any such chance fill out the coupon in this issue and send in your subscription. Then you will be safe. And don't forget that with each subscription at the special price of $2.00 a year, or $1.00 for six months, we send you free the popular Reinartz Radio booklet FREE. Address Radio Age, 500 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, 111. A Selective Type of Receiver {Continued from page 10.) of the rotor windings and connected td the set. These leads must be long enough to allow the rotor to be moved back and forth freely. The ends of the wires on the rotor as well as those on the stator can be anchored by drilling two small holes through the tube, and threading them through. All the turns of wire on both coils should be varnished with shellac, as this will, serve to keep them from coming loose. The method of connecting the taps from the stator A is plainly indicated in Figure 3 and if the coupler is correctly wired in circuit in conjunction with a variable condenser it will provide as good a tuner as can be desired. A good twenty-three plate variable condenser with a vernier should be purchased and is a necessary unit in future, more pretentions circuits which will naturally follow. A number of sensitive minerals are used for crystal detectors. Time given to selection of a good detector of this type is well spent, for it is the heart of the circuit. Sometimes high sensitivity discovered in mineral through patient testing permits of a receiving range comparable to that of a tube detector. It must be handled carefully and when a sensitive spot is found care should be taken not to disturb the adjustment. A Galena detector may be mounted in a glass tube. However, it may be desirable to purchase a good fixed crystal detector as there are a number of efficient types on the market. Making Phone Condenser A 'phone condenser can be easily constructed. Cut out two strips of tinfoil 3 inches wide and 2 feet long, and three strips of thin paraffined paper, 4 inches wide and 2 feet, 3 inches long. After pasting the tinfoil sheets on each side of one of the paper strips, sandwich the whole between the remaining two paper strips and roll it up, binding the roll with tape or cord. Connections are made to the two tinfoil sheets. The telephone receivers require no description. However, the ultimate success or failure of reception depends in a large measure upon the quality of the telephone receivers. A discriminating selection of dependable 'phones constitutes a wise investment. The units which comprise this receiver are mounted upon a bakelite panel, which may then be fastened to a small cabinet. Great care should be exercised in soldering. Use a paste flux, as a soldering liquid is liable to run and cause a short or special program on its own. Instruments should be spaced at about two inches, keeping leads as short as possible. A Schenectady woman, wife of a schoolteacher, asked WGY to broadcast a request for a flat. She described and specified the number of rooms she desired and the rent it was possible for her to pay and also mentioned the streets she preferred.