Television digest with electronic reports (Jan-Dec 1952)

12 Mobilization Notes: Electronics Production Board, re sponsible for over-all coordination of defense electronics production program, adds Marvin Hobbs, electronics adviser to Munitions Board chairman John Small, as member, succeeding C. W. Middleton, now working in field for Defense Dept. On Feb. 1, J. A. (Shine) Milling, RCA v.p. on leave, director of NPA Electronics Div., takes over board’s chairmanship, succeeding Edmund T. Morris Jr., who returns to Westinghouse (Vol. 8:2). Other members are Harry A. Ehle (International Resistance v.p.), consultant to Undersecretary of Army; Don. G. Mitchell (Sylvania president), consultant to Undersecretary of Air Force; Capt. F. R. Furth, director, Naval Research Lab; F. H. Warren, Atomic Energy Commission. * * * * Cathode ray tube industry isn’t being asked to switch from glass to metal cones, NPA Electronics Div. stressed this week in clarification of last week’s announcement of availability of extra amounts of chrome stainless steel (Vol. 8:2). Division had announced larger allotments of stainless would be available for uses where it could save scarce materials, citing fact that metal-cone tubes don’t require nickel-containing high-voltage lead-in buttons used on all-glass tubes. Electronics Div. statement this week said: “If all users of materials for which chrome stainless could be substituted would switch to its use, a shortage would develop in this material. While all possible savings of nickel should be given serious consideration, it does not follow that this indicates a switch from glass to [metal-cone] picture tubes. Experiments are under way to develop an alternate material for the buttons in glass CR tubes which requires no nickel. Members of the industry indicate that there is a real possibility that this can be worked out before the industry’s present supply of nickel alloy buttons is exhausted.” * * * * Selenium rectifier plants face shutdowns — some within 3 weeks — as result of selenium shortage, rectifier manufacturers told NPA Jan. 24. Some firms said they received no selenium allotment for January, while others reported receiving only 20% of amount requested. They recommended inventory limitation on selenium (Order M-91) be increased to 60 days from present 30. Represented at NPA meeting were Fansteel Metallurgical Corp., Federal Telephone & Radio Corp., GE, Kotron Rectifier Coi-p., Syntron Co., Radio Receptor Co., Sai-kes Tarzian, Vickers Inc., Westinghouse. Pentagon will relax security rules it imposed last Mai'ch (Vol. 7:10) and l'eturn to policy of making public full award infoimiation on unclassified military contracts in excess of $25,000 as aid to “businessmen who may want to become subcontractors.” The periodic lists of conti’act awards are available at Commerce Dept, field offices. Revised “list of essential activities,” issued by Commerce Dept, for guidance of draft boards, Defense Dept., etc. is substantially same as list issued last April (Vol. 7:14). All military electronics-communication pi-oduction is included. Like previous list, telecasting, broadcasting, civilian TV-i’adio manufacturing classifications are omitted. Aircraft electronics manufacturers will discuss production problems of curi’ent Air Force and Navy pi-ogi-ams at Jan. 30 Pentagon meeting called by Undei’secretary of Air Force R. L. Gilpatric and Assistant Secretary of Navy John F. Floberg. Lewyt Corp., Brooklyn vacuum cleaner manufacturer, plans to double military electronic production this year by addition of 45,000 sq. ft. of factoi’y space; plans to hire 400 additional employes and install $600,000 worth of machinery in next 6 months; has $50,000,000 in defense contracts. Trade Personals: Irving G. Rosenberg, mgr. of Du Mont cathode l'ay tube div., promoted to director of DuMont operations with headquarters at E. Paterson plant . . . Roger Brown promoted by Emerson Radio to national sales mgr., Stanley L. Abrams to director of purchasing, Irwin M. Koenigsberg to mgr. of purchasing div. . . . Albert Axelrod, ex-Loral Electronics Co., named senior engineer in advanced development laboratories of CBS-Columbia in expansion program preparatoi-y to moving its TVi-adio px-oduction to new plant in Long Island City . . . Harry Alter, Chicago Crosley distributor, reelected president of Electric Assn, of Chicago; John M. Price, AllenBradley Co., v.p.; A. II. Kahn, GE Supply Corp. district mgr., treas. . . . Walter J. Fitzpatrick promoted to central regional sales mgr., GE replacement tubes, Chicago, moving from district office in Los Angeles . . . Herbert F. Koether, Crosley radio sales section mgr., promoted to mgr. of refrigei-ation sales section, succeeding C. L. Stoup, now heading builder sales section . . . William Cole, ex-Admiral, Milwaukee, named Capehart-Farnsworth Detroit regional mgr., succeeding C. A. Bejma, now Chicago mgr.; John F. Conger, Northwest mgr., named Southwest sales regional mgr., headquartering in Dallas, succeeding W. H. Rickenbach, now special asst, to West Coast mgr. C. R. Ward . . . George Crane, from Portland bi'anch, named mgr. of new Ci-osley factox-y bi’anch at 1534 First Ave. So., Seattle, taking over territory formerly served by Commercial Appliance Co. . . . Richard A. Scott named Hoffman Sales Coi-p. gen. mgr. in San Francisco, Byron W. Brown sales mgr. . . . Donald A. Quarles, Bell Lab v.p., nominated for president of Amei’ican Institute of Electrical Engineers . . . John H. Bose, engineer associated with Maj. Edwin H. Armstrong, elected 1952 president of Radio Club of America; Ralph Batcher, RTMA, v.p. . . . Frank D. Langstroth, ex-Starrett, appointed v.p. in charge of operations, Video Products Corp. and its affiliated Sheraton Television Corp. Position of planets, not sunspots, causes most interference to shortwave communications, said RCA Communications’ John Nelson at Jan. 24 meeting of American Institute of Electrical Engineers in New York. He discounted long-held theory that sunspots are principal villains disrupting world-wide communications, put blame on certain angular relationships of planets. Nelson said 7-year study indicates 1952 will be bad year because of positions of Saturn, Neptune and Uranus. To get around interference, RCAC has set up new relay station at Tangiers, Noi’th Africa, to route traffic to Eui'ope dui'ing magnetic storms. RCA inaugurates TV sales clinics for dealers and salesmen, “believed to be the most intensive ever undei’taken,” to be conducted by its distributors Feb. 4, March 3 and March 31. Clinics were prepared with help of Amos Parrish & Co., New York merchandising consultants, were prompted by fact, RCA says, that: (1) Customei’s have become discriminating. (2) “Hidden qualities” of RCA sets need to be pointed out by well-schooled salesmen. “Prove It Yourself” is slogan of campaign which features $50,000 contest for salesmen. For Ford dealer convention in Atlantic City’s Traymore Hotel last week, RCA set up closed-cii-cuit TV and 20-ft. theatre-TV screen so that 1200 people could see demonsti’ations of new car, closeups, etc. Room with car wasn’t big enough for all to see, particularly close up, hence hiring of TV setup with crew. Course in TV-radio law, taught by Walter R. Barry, of Coudert law firm, stalls at New York U Feb. 6, running for 14 Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. Topics include: property rights in ideas, slogans, programs; defamation; contractual relationships; use of testimonials, photographs, music; giveaways & pi’emiums.