NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

Provision for carrying into execution of many of the resolutions adopted at the meeting was made by the NAB Board of Directors at its February meeting and the Managing Director stated that the NAB was Drepared to go ahead with all possible speed. He pointed out, however, that the success of these projects was dependent upon the cooperation of stations generally. Those who attended the meeting were: Ford Billings, KSTP, St. Paul, Minn.; Martin B. Campbell, WFAA, Dallas, Texas; H. K. Carpenter, WPTF, Raleigh, N. C.; Arthur B. Church, KMBC, Kansas City, Mo.; Ruth F. Crane, WJR, Detroit, Mich.; Norman Craig, Scott Howe Bowen, New York; Walter Davidson, WLS, Chicago, Ill.; Dietrich Dirks, KFAB, Lincoln, Nebr. ; J. E. Fetzer, WKZO, Kalamazoo, Mich.; E. Y. Flanigan, WSPD, Toledo, Ohio; J. Leslie Fox, WSM, Nashville, Tenn.; W. W. Gedge, WMBC, Detroit, Mich.; Elizabeth Gibbons, Buffalo, N. Y.; John J. Gillin, Jr., WOW, Omaha, Nebr.; L. C. Grace, Grace and Holliday, Detroit, Mich.; Bernard A. Grimes, Printers’ Ink, New York; Roy L. Har¬ low, Yankee Network, Boston, Mass.; Arthur Hull Hayes, Detroit, Mich.; Herman S. Hettinger, University of Pennsylvania, Phila¬ delphia, Pa.; Harry Howlett, WHK, Cleveland, Ohio; Mary Hum¬ phrey, WXYZ, Detroit, Mich.; E. J. Hunt, WMBC, Detroit, Mich.; C. M. Jansky, Jr., Jansky and Bailey, Washington, D. C.; J. 0. Maland, WOC-WHO, Des Moines, Iowa; Walter Myers, WBZWBZA, Boston, Mass.; Philip G. Loucks, Managing Director, NAB, Washington, D. C.; John F. Patt, WGAR, Cleveland, Ohio; Charles F. Phillips, WFBL, Syracuse, N. Y. ; Myron A. Reck, WSPD, Toledo, Ohio; Val. Schneider, WHBY, Green Bay, Wis. ; Ronald Smith, Detroit, Mich.; Oscar R. Strauss, Jr., Rich’s Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; Linus Travers, Yankee Network, Boston, Mass.; Rev. James A. Wagner, WHBY, Green Bay, Wis.; Georgia E. White, White Advertising Agency, Grand Rapids, Mich. ; William H. West, KSD, St. Louis, Mo.; Phil J. Meyer, KFYR, Bismarck, N. Dak.; Fred Weber, NBC, Chicago, Ill.; G. D. Frey, Des Moines, Iowa. ENGINEERING SECTION FAVORS STUDIES A resolution favoring full and complete study of the engineering considerations involved in the so-called horizontal power increase for local and regional stations was adopted at the second annual meet¬ ing of the NAB Engineering Section at the Hotel Sherman, Chicago, June 26. The meeting was held concurrently with the annual con¬ vention of the Institute of Radio Engineers. A second resolution was adoDted authorizing the appointment of one engineering repre¬ sentative in each zone to facilitate the collection of data and opinions from various parts of the country. The Committee of Five will be appointed by J. A. Chambers, Chairman, NAB Engineering Com¬ mittee, Philip G. Loucks, and J. C. McNary. It is hoped that the findings and recommendations of the En¬ gineering Section will be ready for presentation at the NAB Convention in October. The need for increased standardization in broadcasting practices was stressed by E. L. Nelson, of the Bell Telephone Laboratories. He pointed out the present deficiencies of radio receivers, and offered suggestions for improving broadcasting service to urban listener^ by proper design of radio receivers. The general progress of antenna design was outlined by R. N. Harmon, General Engineer, Westinghouse Electric & Mfg. Co. Mr. Harmon described developments in vertical radiators and in the field of directional antennas. Dr. C. B. Aiken, of Bell Telephone Laboratories, discussed recent developments in synchronized broadcasting. A system whereby a large metropolitan area may be served by a plurality of low-power stations operating synchronously, without bad quality areas be¬ tween stations, was described. Such operation was said to permit better service to the public than would be obtainable locally from a SO KW station, with the added advantage that the channel could be duplicated at some other city. The aspects of the North American Radio Conference were dis¬ cussed by James W. Baldwin, NAB special representative. Dr. J. H. Dellinger, of the Bureau of Standards, outlined recent evaluations of frequencies made by a committee preparing for the North American Conference. The discussion of the so-called horizontal power increases for local and regional stations was instituted by W. C. Bridges, of Station WEBC, Superior, Wis. The discussion of this proposal was general and the proposition was considered at some length, result¬ ing in the adoption of the resolutions favoring the study and the methods of obtaining the necessary information. Philip G. Loucks, NAB Managing Director, outlined the functions and limitations of the Engineering Section, stating that its findings could be recommendatory to the Board of Directors. Dr. C. B. Jolliffe, Chief Engineer of the Federal Radio Commission, gave assurance that any plan for providing power increases, or for re¬ vising interpretations of the Davis amendment in accord with sound engineering principles, would receive deserved consideration by the Engineering Department of the Federal Radio Commission. The meeting was well attended, the total number being 55, and the discussions were participated in by many of those present. J. A. Chambers, of WLW, presided. Fuller details of the discussions will be published in ensuing issues of NAB Reports. FIRST INDUSTRIAL CODE HEARINGS The first hearings under the new Industrial Recovery Act were held in the main auditorium of the new Department of Commerce building this week. They began on Tuesday and lasted during the entire week. On the first day of the hearing more than 800 interested parties attended the hearing. Succeeding days the crowd was not so large. Not only those interested in the cotton textile code — the subject of the first hearing — but lawyers and trade association executives from various industries were present to see how the new hearings were conducted. They were very informal. General Johnson, the Administrator of the Act, was present at most of the hearings, but W. C. Allen, a Deputy Administrator, was in direct charge of the hearings. He comes from the steel industry, thus bearing out what General Johnson has announced that anyone having any interest in the industry under discussion will not have charge of the hearings. It is reported that three or four other industries are ready to report their code of ethics but announcement of which industries they are has been withheld. SUMMER PLANS OF THE COMMISSION The last meeting of the full membership of the Radio Commission until some time in September was held on Friday. While the Com¬ mission will not be in adjournment by any manner of means, there will probably be no time when all of the Commissioners will be here due to vacations and other activities. It is planned that during the summer there will always be at least two members of the Commission in Washington and as often as possible a quorum, or three members. Commissioner Lafount left Washington today (July 1) for a six weeks’ inspection trip through his fifth zone. He is expected to return on August 9. Commissioner Hanley, who has been in Nebraska for a short time, returned here the latter part of this week. Commissioner Sykes leaves for Mexico City on July 4. Commissioner Starbuck will make an inspection trip the latter part of the summer of aviation radio. DELEGATES OFF TO MEXICO Members of the United States delegation to the North American Radio Conference to be held in Mexico City, Mexico, beginning July 10, with their technical advisers and other attaches, will leave Washington on July 4 and will arrive at Mexico City July 8. James W. Baldwin, who will represent NAB at the conference, will also arrive in Mexico next week. Offices of the American delegation will be at the Hotel Regis, where the delegates will stop, and the sessions of the conference will be held at the Pan American Institute of Geography. Members of the delegation believe that the conference will last about six weeks. RADIO COMMISSION TO MOVE AGAIN For the fourth time in its short existence of six years the Federal Radio Commission is being called upon to move its quarters from the Interior Department to the Architects Building, 18th and E Streets, Northwest, just one block south of its present location. The new quarters are located in a ten-story building, of which the Commission will occupy eight stories. The move will be made July 6. The Bureau of Mines is being transferred back from the Depart¬ ment of Commerce to the Interior Department and the space now used by the Radio Commission in the Interior Department is needed. The Radio Commission, when it was first organized in 1927, was located in the old Department of Commerce Building. It moved from there to the Interior Department, to the National Press Building, back to the Interior Deparment, and now to the Architects Building.