Radio Digest (July 1924-Apr 1925)

RADIO DIGES T— Illustrated ■ uOI U lary 7, 1925 SUN AFFECTS RADIO (Continued from page 1) of the Radio Corporation of America and many famous scientists following Radio tests carried out during the short interval that the sun recently hid behind the moon as the two traveled across the corner of the northeastern part of the United States and into Canada. And as a result, although no theories have been upset, scientists will "lock themselves up in a room after all the data are collected, and then some of the puzzles may be solved." Such was the statement made by Dr. Alfred N. Goldsmith, chief broadcast engineer for the Radio Corporation of America, who directed the eclipse tests made by the corporation. Static leaves with. Eclipse Both 75 and 3S0-meter wave length signals were sent out by WGY, Schenectady. These were received on a "fading recorder" in New York city by Dr. Goldsmith's staff. He said: "The short wave could not be heard until just before sunrise when it came faintly. As the sun appeared the waves grew stronger. As the short wave lengths increased the static increased. During totality the short wavt»was blotted out and conditions were exactly the same as before the sun rose. When the eclipse ceased the short waves and static returned as the sun appeared. " "The long 380-meter waves were irregular before the eclipse but became noticeably regular during totality. As the sun began to shine again the irregularity increased and the static returned." Dr. Goldsmith's only general conclusion was that the eclipse had proved Radio waves were notably affected by the pouring of the sun's light and energy into the atmosphere through which they traveled. WIP Crosses Atlantic in Daylight Short wave signals (on 75 to 100 meters) were intensified when sent at from 9 a. m. to 9:10 a. m. Eastern time from stations located in and beyond the path of the eclipse, according to bureau of standards observations made at Washington, D. C. The direction of the waves was also altered during this time. WIP, Gimbel Brothers store station in Philadelphia, added a touch of romance to the tests when it was learned that the Quaker city broadcaster had been heard in London, England, at 8:12 a. m., Eastern time, while sending a special eclipse test program. The reception was made known by cable from Station 2LO, London, and indicated the first successful 500-watt transatlantic daylight broadcast. Stations KDKA and WGY were also heard in London. CFCA Makes Discovery That the increased strength in Radio signals did not agree perfectly with the time of absolute totality, but lagged behind it sixty seconds, was found to be the case by officials in charge of Station CFCA, Toronto Star, Toronto, Canada. Dominion government officials confirmed the CFCA results. At Waterbury, Connecticut, where the Bristol company conducted Radio direction tests during the eclipse, results obtained by Dr. William H. Bristol and David Grimes proved conclusively that the direction of Radio waves changed as much as eight degrees to the west from normal. WDAR, Lit Brothers, Philadelphia, was the station listened for in an experiment which was one of four directed by Dr. G. W. Pickard, well-known Radio engineer of Boston. Other Broadcasters Report Results Results reported by a number of other broadcasters checked with the observations cited. During the eclipse their signals were received louder and over a greater distance. Some of the stations said that their fading had been less and static was less noticeable. Among the stations so reporting were CKAC, Montreal; WHAS, Louisville; WJAZ, Escanaba, Michigan; KYW, Chicago, and WGR, Buffalo. In practically every ^case local reports were unreliable because the eclipse did not make sufficient difference in local signal strength. Frank D. Urie, at Iron Mountain as observer for a watch company, was tuned into NAA's long wave signals during the eclipse and reported that while the moon wholly covered the sun's face, he detected a slight increase in NAA's clarity and volume. Airplane and Airship Aid Allied with Radio in aiding astronomers to make the tests were two other modern inventions, the airplane and the airship. The giant dirigible Los Angeles went ;>'oft one mile in the path of the eclipse while airplanes at many places carried observers above the clouds and a shade closer to the phenomenon. At Minneapolis WCCO rebroadcast a running story of the eclipse as told and broadcast from a plane 5,000 feet in the air. TJre plane carried a 5-watt Radiophone transmitter and was piloted by Lieut. G. M. Palmer who was assisted at microphone by Hugh McCartney, CO operator. In Argentina, when a broadcasting station interferes with governmental communication, its owner and operator are suspended. WM. BRADY WOULD PROTECT SHOWMEN I By William A. Brady AM a Radio bug. It is a joy and a comfort, but it is a business which threatens to encroach on another equally important one. One will willingly admit Radio as a wonderful boon to the wounded service men and other shutins, but I take it for granted that no one will dispute the fact that the theater and its people have done their part to help make life bearable for our soldiers. They have done much more, I have reason to believe, groups who talked more and Win. A. Brady than other did less. It is quite possible that the day is not far distant when even the press will have to take steps to protect its news and talents it pays for. I believe I am speaking truthfully when I say that the Associated Press has already sounded an alarm such as I have just done to the other men in my business. Recently a well-known American author was listening in, when much to his surprise, he heard one of his popular plays being acted, or rather, murdered — on the Radio. On inquiry he found no consent had been given. On his protest the Radio people said that it was not a public performance for profit — but a few million people more or less were hearing the play free. Hence my protest to arouse my brother managers to the necessity of a proper organization to protect our interests against the many serious business conditions that they are facing. LEE SHUBERT CANT SEE RADIO-THEATER I By Lee Shubert •M NEUTRAL on the topic of Radio. When we've tried it on some of our shows, we have found absolutely no effect. As a matter of fact, if anything, I believe it hurts the box office value. If we announce a Radio performance, people will sit home that evening to listen in. And, of course, if they aren't satisfied with the performance, we are the losers. A play can't be given to full advantage over the Radio, especially when just a part is given. It doesn't mean a thing to a Radio audience, and only proves detrimental. I am not in favor of it for the producer. Lee Shubert WAVE THEORY IS HIT (Continued from page 1) The angles and velocities were measured and found to agree with the quantum theory, a revival of the old Newton theory that light consists of minute streams of particles. "We found that the wave lengths of the scattered X-rays were what they should be if a quantum of radiation bounced from an electron," the professor said, "just as one billiard ball bounds from another." He said that while the wave theory probably will stand until another is found capable of explaining the things it has so well interpreted, "it is unable in its present form to account for the results of our experiments." CONTENTS Eadio Digest, Illustrated, Volume XII, Number 5, published Chicago, Illinois, February 7, 1925. Published weekly by Badio Digest Publishing Company, 510 N. Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois. Subscription rates, yearly. Five Dollars; Foreign Postage One Dollar additional; single copies Ten Cents. Entered as second class matter at the postofflce at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3, 1879. All the Live News of Radio ....1 to 8 WHO, the Bankers Life Insurance Station 5 Tuning in. Broadcasters on Their New Waves, by G. M. Raley 9 An Evening at Home with the Listener In, a popular chart showing when to listen in for your favorite station 12 Advance Programs for the Week at All the Larger Stations 13 to 18 Broadcast Listener's Reference Library, Part I — The Crystal Set with Various Circuits, by E. T. Jones 19 Editorial; Indi-Gest; Condensed by Dielectric 24 How to Make the Two Tube Knox Reflex, Part I — Analysis of Circuit and Winding of Spider Webs, by W. H. H. Knox 25 Construction of the Hetduogen; Some Questions and Their Answers 27 How to Construct Audio Frequency Transformers, by J. Poubert 29 Questions and Answers .'. 30 Radiophone Broadcasting Stations, Fart II 31 Looking Ahead Factors That Limit Range and Volume are pointed out by E. T. Jones in the next article of his series. Location, antennas and set construction are among these points which enable one fan to get "the coast regularly" and his neighbor to get locals only. The Reverse Feedback Reflex begun on page 25 this week is assembled next week by W. H. Knox. This issue explains the principles involved and the winding of the spider web coils so the second article will include panel and baseboard layouts. Did You Ever Tune in WFI, Philadelphia, and wonder what its studio and equipment look like? What is behind the station and who its staff members are? See WFI in next week's issue. Mr. Standiford's Article on Set Construction, which was scheduled prematurely for this issue, will appear next week. The little things that make a receiver either a DX success or an expensive_ disappointment should be read by novice and experienced fan alike. Newsstands Don't Always Have One Left WHEN YOU WANT Radio Digest YOU WANT IT! BE SURE OF YOUR WEEKLY COPY BY SUBSCRIBING NOW SEND IN THE BLANK TODAY Publisher Radio Digest. 510 N. Dearborn St.. Chicago, lllnoli. Please find enclosed cheek M. 0. fir Five Dollars (Six, Foreign) for One Year's Subsirlptltn to Radio Digest. Illustrated. Name _......_......„....-_„.. Address , City „ 8tate London, Madrid Newcastle, Aberdeen— thafsjust a few of them AGAIN Elgin Super-Rein■*• *• artz leads all others ! Every trans-Atlantic report investigated was found to be ABSOLUTELY authentic ! Many happy owners of Elgin sets again tuned in the European stations. . 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