Radio Digest (July 1924-Apr 1925)

August 9, 1924 RADIO DIGES T— Illustrated SEE NEED OF WORLD RADIO CONFERENCE INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS WAIT FOR SOLUTION Wave Length Reservations and Universal Language Adoption Are to Be Considered By W. B. Service WASHINGTON". — The need for an international conference on Radiophony, a universal language, more latitude for amateurs, and exclusive wave bands for distress and time signals is recommended in resolutions adopted by the preliminary conference for an international Radio agreement held at Geneva in April, and just received by the department of commerce. The preliminary conference, at which many European nations were officially represented, endorsed the belief that the London convention of 1912 and the Washington conference in 1920 were not adequate to meet the present needs of Radiophonic communications between nations. Urging that a new intergovernmental conference on Radiophony be called soon, the delegates look to the free development of this new means of communication for popular instruction, universal information and social art. Among the recommendations endorsed are the following: That certain bands of wave lengths be reserved exclusively for Radiophony, and that they be distinct from Radio telegraphy channels. Would Protect Amateurs Because of the contributions of amateurs to the art, that their rights be given consideration and that certain wave bands be reserved for their experiments. That the use of distress wave lengths should be exclusively limited to danger signals from ships and for time signals. It was pointed out at the conference that Radiophony spreads the human voice over all borders but encounters the use of many different languages, and that therefore a universal or auxiliary language is needed for foreign transmissions. Some station in America and abroad have already undertaken instruction in such a universal means of communications. It is recommended that Radiocast stations devote at least one evening a week to transmission in Ho. States and countries which have forbidden the use of Radio, were urged to reconsider their decisions in the interest of development, especially in the amateur field. STATION WSB HAS OWN CONVENTION Burlesque on One Held in Madison Square Garden, New York, Recently ATLANTA, GA. — A burlesque political convention at which the mythical American Radio party named its standard bearers for the presidential race was held in this city recently from Station WSB. Actual delegates, recruited from Atlanta Radio circles, assembled and elected temporary and permanent officers, offered resolutions, adopted a platform, conducted a balloting by roll call, staged demonstrations, fell into a deadlock and otherwise satirized the procedure familiar to millions of fans who "attended" the Madison Square Garden marathon. The successful candidates will wage an aerial campaign from WSB until the November elections. Bitter debate is prophesied concerning the wording of "static" and "spark" planks in the platform. Lambdin Kay, WSB director-announcer and Ernest Rogers, Atlanta Journal troubador-reporter, are running for the presidential and vicepresidential nominations. Numerous dark horses are in the running, however. "BILLY LAG" CROWS AS MANSION BURNS MINNEAPOLIS.— "Billy Lag," nationally famous rooster used by Radiocast WLAG, to sign off and on the air, lost his home by fire recently. He was heroically rescued by C. E. Dahlstrom, flew to the top of the fence, and crowed ecstatically while firemen extinguished the blaze. The personnel of WLAG is rejoicing at his escape with his life and all of his beautiful white tail feathers. PORTABLES NOT SO PORTABLE IN FRANCE PARIS. — When the people of the United States want to go on a vacation and take their Radio set along, they pack it up and move wherever they care to go. When a Frenchman decides to take his Radio set into the country for the summer, he must first go to the P. T. T. bureau and register his change of address for his set as well as for himself. This is a police precaution. COMPANY FOR LIFE GUARDS The young man sitting above is an ardent Badiophan. When lie started his job as life guard at Dreamland Park, Newark, IT. J., he brought his set along with, him. Daily he sits and listens in for the doings throughout the country while he is on duty. Pictorial Press Do Radiophans Want Organ Recitals? Tell It to WGR BUFFALO, N. Y. — The question is: Do the Radio audiences like organ recitals? Yes, or no. Do they or don't they? That is what the general manager of WGR wants to know. And also, Lawrence H. Montague, who is responsible for the Sunday afternoon organ recital from 4 to 5 o'clock on alternate weeks from WGR wants to know. Mr. Montague's request program recently, was the last one to be given before his vacation. Whether or not the organ programs by Mr. Montague will be continued after vacation will be determined by the Radio mail received. Prize Offered for Radio Plays; Open to Everyone LONDON. — An interesting prize has been offered by the British Broadcasting company, through the London Play company, 51 Piccadilly, London N. 1 It is 50 pounds sterling (about $225) for the best play written especially for Radiocasting purposes. The writer is to surrender all Radiocasting rights to the B. B. C. for one year. If at the end of that time the play is still being Radiocast from any one of the B. B. C stations, the author will receive a royalty of two guineas ($10) per performance until it stops. This contest is open to^ Britishers and all other nationalities. BUILDING LARGEST STATION AT RUGBY WORLD'S LARGEST PLANS 1000-KILOWATT POWER Is for Radio Telegraph Only — Towers So Big Special Transportation Is Required By A. C. Blackall LONDON. — The largest and most powerful Radio telegraph station in the world is now being erected at Hillmorton, a few miles south of Rugby, England. The great aerial — one and a half miles long and half a mile wide — will be supported on twelve steel masts, each 820 feet high, or more than twice the height of St. Paul's Cathedral and but little less than that of the Woolworth building. There are 30.0 tons of steelwork in each mast, and the London, Midland and Scottish railway, responsible for the transport of the material, have had to make special traffic arrangements for their conveyance. The sections of the masts are so huge as to be wider than the guage of the railway, so they have to be transported on Sundays or at nights, with adjoining tracks blocked to other train traffic. Inside the masts elevators to hold four men will be installed. To Beach Remote Corners of Earth The station is to be under the control of the government and it will be capable of maintaining communication with the most remote corners of the earth. Several of the masts are already in place on the 950-acre site of the station, and, section by section, are rising skywards. It is hoped that it will be possible to begin a Radio service from the station by the end of the year. Power for the station will be obtained from public supply mains, arranged to give a high tension direct current output of 1,000 kilowatts at any voltage between 4,000 and 18,000. ENLARGE KFNF STUDIO RANGE IS INCREASED Radiophans Surprised at Change in Volume and Clarity SHENANDOAH, IOWA. — Radiophans throughout the country were very much surprised recently when Station KFNF started Radiocasting with such volume that the fans were compelled to diminish the power that they were using. Letters started to pour into the studio asking what had taken place. Never before had KFNF come in with such clarity and volume. The Henry Field Seed company has at last divulged the cause. The studio has been enlarged to twice its size. The main object in doing this was to get better ventilation, to provide for larger programs, such as choruses, bands and orchestras, and to provide seating room for visitors in the back end of the room. It had the surprising result, however, of increasing the volume and quality of tone very much. The studio is of the ordinary type of construction, with padded walls, carpeted floors and draped ceiling. The microphone, piano, etc., being at the end, close to the wall. It has been estimated that the volume has been increased from two to four times, which does not seem at all reasonable or possible, as there has been no change whatever in the transmission. This is another of the many Radio mysteries yet to be cleared up. French Link Possessions PARIS. — A new Radio station is to be opened soon in Noumea (French New Caledonia) which will be used for direct relay from France to Tahiti. At present Noumea is receiving messages via the big station recently opened at Saigon. France is rapidly linking herself to her colonies by a great chain of powerful Radio stations. THE ANTENNA BROTHERS Spir L. and Lew P. Wanted — a Hindu