NAB reports (Mar-Dec 1933)

able condition. The coming of good superheterodyne sets has eliminated the fear of blanketing. Improvement in frequency stability and in the percentage of modulation of transmitters has eliminated the heterodyning from shared channels. Direc¬ tional radiating systems could be used to reduce cross-talk by shared channel stations. And finally, as cleared channel sta¬ tions have increased their power from 10 to 100 times, all other classes of stations should increase more or less propor¬ tionately to put them back on an equal footing. “It is our opinion that all regional stations should be al¬ lowed to increase their power output to 5 kilowatts night, and 12% kilowatts daytime. I also have another suggestion, which will be food for thought. Because of high levels of static during portions of the year, why should not regional stations be allowed to use a power of 12% kilowatts both night and day during the spring and summer. Let the listeners have interference-free reception from as many stations as possible, so they may select programs on their merit alone. Such practice could only work good for American broadcasting. “The movement for higher power for local and regional stations is yet young. Correspondence with numerous station owners and station managers has shown us that there is a general feeling that regional stations should be granted power increases. It is apparent that individual action will accom¬ plish but little. The Federal Radio Commission is not going to consider raising regional power levels unless they are first convinced that the regional stations want power increases. Action through the N.A.B. is one way of accomplishing this. Our intention this afternoon has been to present briefly a few facts on the general situation, cite a few of our experi¬ ences as a regional station, and to attempt to arouse interest in the problems of regional stations.” MR. FOSS: “This particular discussion rather puts me in a bad position and I have got to be careful. A couple of years ago I applied for and got a 5 k.w. transmitter for a station which I built in Portland, Maine, to operate on 1 k.w. At present we have 7 millivolts for the city. I would like to have 25 millivolts across the city. To get 25 to 75 milli¬ volts it looks like 25 to 75 k.w., which is more than Joe Cham¬ bers is getting experimentally. I don’t believe that we, as a group, realize how damn near we are to losing what we, have. I was hoping someone would give an expression that if we keep what we have in this coun¬ try we are going to be lucky. I recommend that we do everything in order to keep what we have. I think 2 milli¬ volts is a pretty good signal to have floating around and I am quite happy to use 500 microvolts when I can get it in. MR. BALDWIN : “In connection with the Davis Amend¬ ment, I think all of you, as engineers, know that the apparent meaning of Section 9 as amended is one which speaks of equality of transmission and reception facilities. “I believe that there isn’t one single thing that is more important for the N.A.B. to do than to undertake a real honest effort to have the Davis Amendment repealed at the next session of Congress. If there is any agreement with other countries that results in the listing of a single fre¬ quency as an exclusive channel for other countries you can put it down that there is going to be a general reaction of a number of stations in the United States. There is going to be a reaction in the face of the Davis Amendment. You gentlemen might not agree with the method of computing equality as set up by the Federal Radio Commission and you might object. “As some one has pointed out, a 500 watt station cannot be increased to a 1,000 watt station without interfering with quota charges, as compared with no increase in the charge to quota for a clear channel station of 5,000 watts increas¬ ing to 25,000 or 50,000 watts. “Do not forget that unless we consider these problems seri¬ ously, and offer something to the Federal Radio Commission, they never will be changed.” MR. BRIDGES: “I would like to offer a resolution: Whereas, It is the sense of the Engineering Section of the National Association of Broadcasters that power increases for local and regional stations merits study and investigation, “Be It Resolved, That the Engineering Committee is hereby instructed to investigate and report its findings to the annual convention. “I would like to ask Mr. Baldwin if he thinks the resolu¬ tion will accomplish something for us.” MR. BALDWIN : “I think it depends on how much you put into it. You are not going to get out of anything any more than you put into it.” CHAIRMAN : “I will ask that the resolution be read again.” A motion was made and seconded that the resolution be adopted. It was put to a vote, all in favor remaining seated and all opposed rising. The motion was carried. CHAIRMAN : “A committee will be appointed to study and investigate the power increases for local and regional stations.” MR. HOFFMAN : “Mr. Baldwin has brought out some good points and I would like to offer this resolution. “Whereas, It is the sense of the Engineering Section of the N.A.B. that the Davis Amendment to the Radio Act of 1927 is unsound from an engineering point of view and is con¬ trary to the laws and nature, be it resolved that we impress upon Congress the necessity for the repeal of this amendment and that, pending the repeal of the Davis Amendment, the Federal Radio Commission be impressed with the necessity for changing its present method of charging so as to allow in¬ creases in daytime power without increasing the charge.” CHAIRMAN : “That is rather a broad resolution and I think that should be open to some discussion. “The resolution would impose an obligation upon us and I think it should be carefully studied before we attempt to correct the commission in its ways with a far-reaching reso¬ lution. I think that we should study the matter very care¬ fully before attempting to set us any new standards.” MR. GROYE: “I should like to ask if any one of the members present could express himself on the horizontal in¬ crease of power, either daytime or nighttime, and whether it is technically possible from the standpoint of interference. I have been told that horizontal increase of power would cause no additional interference. I do not know and would like someone else to express himself.” CHAIRMAN : “The resolution just passed imposes on the committee the obligation of determining those facts very defi¬ nitely.” MR. FOSS: “We cannot make recommendations to the Commission unless they are backed up with definite facts. I do not think that any group of the N.A.B. today has enough facts to go on record for the whole association as recommend¬ ing that the system be changed. Probably we all object to it. I do, and everyone else does. We cannot put ourselves in a position to say something is wrong unless we can offer something that is better and make suggestions.” DR. JOLLIFFE: “I do not care what kind of resolutions the Engineering Section of the N.A.B. passes. I do think that the resolutions which the Engineering Section or any engi¬ neering section pass should be based on sound principles. There is one way of getting sound principles and that is studying facts which underly these principles. There has never been presented to the Commission any organized study of transmission data in connection with any case presented to it. Up to the last few months the only organization that has made or attempted to make a study of the engineering principles is the engineering division of the Federal Radio Commission under my direction. If an organization such as this believes those facts are wrong, we are willing to take it under discussion. However, I want to point out that the quota system under which we work was given a lot of con¬ sideration. It is not perfect. We know where it is weak probably better than the rest of you, but until we have some¬ thing better, I insist it is as good as anybody has proposed and we will continue to enforce it. However, if the Engi¬ neering Section of the N.A.B. will make an engineering study and present it to the F.R.C. I want to assure you that as long as I am in charge at the F.R.C. it will be given very careful consideration. However, any resolution which may be adopted on the spur of the moment without engineering facts and based on individual cases, I can assure you will be given very little consideration. These, gentlemen, are the facts as they stand to you. The Engineering Division of the Com . Page 170 .