Radio Digest (Oct 1923-July 1924)

RADIO DIGEST — Illustrated February 2, 192Jf ;adio Digest REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. ANO DOM. OF CANADA Published by the Radio Digest Publishing Company, Inc. 123 West Madison Street Telephone: State «43. -W44, 4845 Chicago, Illinois E. C. RAYNER, Publisher Cha» F. Smisor, Editor Evans E. Plummer. Managing Editor H. J. Marx. Technical Editor M. W. Thompson, Associate Editor Eastern Representative, Jacob MUler, Times Bid*., Times Square, New York; Telephone Bryant 4909 Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations 58 PUBLISHED WEEKLY SUBSCRIPTION RATES Yearly in U. S. and Possessions and Canada, $5.00. Foreign postage. SI. 00 additional. Single copies, 10 cents. Vol. Vffl Chicago, Saturday, February 2, 1924 No. 4 Science That Makes You Think You Must Study to Keep Up with Radio RADIO has done more to make young people think along scientific lines than has any other scientific device. It has impelled thousands of boys to go ahead independently and acquire a better knowledge of eleetricitv and a better notion of the nature and laws of matter than is possessed by the average college graduate. Otheranventions may be accepted and made use of mechanically with little thought. _ Eadio somehow arouses the imagination and stimulates thought and experiment. . Sets Used by Farmers Rural Districts Supplied with Entertainment A GOOD many farmers throughout this country have become interested in Eadio and have invested in equipment to enable them to take advantage of the broadcasting service that constantly is being carried on. To the farmer a Radio set is about in the same class as an automobile in that it is a combination of pleasure and profit, of amusement and utility. It is quite plain that the Radio is furnishing another a gene v of entertainment and mental recreation to relieve the dullness of farm life. To be able to tune in and hear music, lectures, sermons and travel talks means less of isolation, more of the sense of contact with the world, and represents an important contribution to the contentment of rural life. It is a good thing that so many farmers are making use of the Eadio, and very naturally the number who do so is bound to increase. Microphone Tests the Nerves First Appearance Causes Stage Fright BROADCASTIXG has developed a new test for the nerves, so say the managers of several Eadio broadcasting stations. Stage fright, movie nerves and buck fever are all well-known to the public, but the little microphone, the door to Eadioland, has sent terror to the hearts of many seasoned entertainers who have performed before packed houses without a tremor. Appearing for the first time before the microphone, the artists, almost without exception, ask: "How mainpeople will hear this? What tone of voice shall I use.' Do you think I have a good voice for this work1?" and many other* questions indicating nervousness. Having performed before the microphone, who is cold and unresponsive, the artists wait impatiently for letters from the invisible fans, :whose faces he could not read, to learn whether or not his act "went over." Unless he receives letters of applause, his fever is likely to rise until it becomes dangerous. Fish for What You Get No Promises Will Hold Good with a Radio Set THE newspapers, realizing the popularity of Radio, are eager to print anything concerning it. This is both fortunate and unfortunate. If someone hooks his receiving set to the bedspring and makes it work, the newspapers are very apt to announce that you can do away with an outside antenna. While it is entirely true that bedsprings can be used in some cases as an antenna, it is also true that they will not always work. Nor is it possible to walk up to a receiving set, press a button and get Atlanta, or press another button and get some other desired point. Yet this is the prevailing idea among the uninitiated. The new listener in will always a9k for some specific broadcasting station. The owner of a set may say he had that station last night, but tonight is a different thing. He may be able to get all the others on the list, but the one wanted will not come in. It is possible to get the station wanted at some time, but it is the element of uncertainty of the thing which makes it interesting. Never sell a set to a person telling him he can .get a certain station. Invite prospective buyers to hear a concert over the Radio, not promising any particular one; then they will not be disappointed. One of the joys of owning a set is the fascination of fishing for what you get. RADIO IND1-GEST Aha! Stebbins Souper Degenerative Improved Introducing the Souper Degenerative Reflects By ANN TENNA (Enhancing by manifold the untold disadvantayes of the notorious Stebbins Souper Degenerative Set, the unknown liadioknut, contributor of the following improvement, which nt once immediately converts the 8. S. I), set into o souper degenerative reflects circuit, has without a doubt undoubtedly made life much more miserable for man, woman and childkind. This (treat (?) Radio expert, Itaving accomplished the first unworthu Radio achievement in llLiJi, is therefore accorded the position of distinction, the top of our weakly column. Indi signing off. The speaker of the evening, Ann Tenna, will now bore p"u with the delectable bit of research he (or she?) has researched.) THIS is my own modification of the popular Stebbins Souper Degenerative Circuit. The first time I used this set the signals came in so strong they blew out all the windows. Parts for this circuit may be purchased at any up to date Pawn Shop, or mailed direct upon receipt of .005 in coin (no stamps). M.S. 2 Key to Diagram M. S. 1. — In the original hook-up a marcelled coil was specified, but I have found that a coil with a serpentine wave in it gives better results. M. S. 2. — 17.3 mfd. Wavemeter coil. 3. — Mirror, for reflects action. It is important that only the best quality obtainable be employed. 4 and 5. — Connections to 381 ohm D. C. generator with A. C. output. 6. — Variable condenser from a still. Necessary for quiet operation. 7. — Strainer. This is placed in the telephone line to keep out ex-strain-eous noises. 8. — Coffee percolator for grounds. 9. — Connection to rural party line. 10.— Pair D. C. C. Earmuffs. 11. — Campbell Souper Detector. 12. — Pass on D. L. & W. R. R., to by-pass the audiofrequency oscillations from the soup. 13. — Counter for counter poise (optional). 'The Rosary") My Radio (With apologies to, and sung to the tune of The bones I spend on the durn thing Would make a beggar of a king, I look it over, take each dial apart My Radio — My Radio! I gently place the wires where they should go, Connect them up as the Digest tells me to, Then sit and wait, my soul in anguish wrung, Hoping sweet music will soon be sung, But all I get is Br-r-r-r — I'm stung. My Radio — My Radio! Oh memories that grow and grow From stories Radiophans tell me sure are so. Pray tell me why, and tell me truly do— All I can get is Br-r-r-r My Radio— My Radio ! Ann Onimoss. A Religious Set, We Should Say Dear Indi : On a recent Tuesday evening I happened to be at the home of a Radio friend of mine. He is very enthusiastic about his set, and had .iust tuned in a .station putting some tine church music on the ether. I commented on the fine church music he was bringing in. He immediately grasped the opportunity of my comment to show the usual superiority of his "crack" set by replying, "Why. that station is so far away that it is only Sunday where it comes from." Some set he has, eh V Ray de Otan. A Little of Everything to Maggie (Clipped from the Toronto Star and rededicated.) Sweet are your lips like burdocks after rain. Soft is your voice like air brakes on a train. Trailer your eyes like beef steaks onion smothered. Milk white your hands like mushrooms newly gath'red. I must admire you; praise you every day. Lighten your burdens and increase your pay. Or you'll forsake me; go and leave me flat, (She is my cook, kind friend — so that is that). The Earthworm. Opportunity Pounds at Wisdom's Portals Dear Indi : Seeing you are a good fellow trying to help everyone, I will ask you" to try to help me loeate a good school to which I can send my set. I tuned in at 1 a. m. this morning and my set recited a good .speech (that is, as good as yon can expeet from speeches), but it was in Spanish and I don't savvy Spanish. Now what 1 want to do is send my set to a good school where it can be taught to "spick Inglis." The school should include in its curriculum Spanish, Mex, French and last but not least, the "Mushmouth" some of the announcers seem inclined to use. Principals of schools wishing to communicate with the undersigned to quote confidential terms, may do so by writing Indi-Gest, telling him to answer through his newspaper. Tell him to put right over the top of the article "Personal" so curious persons won't read it. W. X. X. Gone But Not Forgotten . Dear Indi: It's a cruel world sure. What has happened to our old friend at "Ki. Pee, Ki, Ai, East Pittsburgh?" Can it be that we will never hear him pronounce these words again? Death, where is thy sting V MtfrK RorATt.vDS. r Condensed By DIELECTRIC Mention has been made of the Columbia Graphophone Company increasing the demand for their records through — what? — broadcasting! Terrible, isn't it, to disillusion all those wise ones who foresaw the end of the phonographic business on the appearance of Radio broadcasting. We (more dull of comprehension) could see no such dire result to follow this new form of entertaining. But what of the advertised value of presenting your wares before thousands of Radio listeners? Well, it is only necessary to call attention to the several companies presenting musical features from the studios of some of the stations. There is the Astor House orchestra, Lucky Strike orchestra, Wrigley entertainers, Everready amusers, and others, whose names should easily bring to mind nationally known products. Do they seek commercial suicide by broadcasting? There are always enthusiasts in every sport who attempt Marathon records and now we have entered the era of endurance tests for Radio listeners in. Judging from the experience of the newly made champion in the listener class, a protracted period of logging stations may not produce any great number of real DX calls. Cleve Hoffman, of Elkhart, Ind., chums the world's record for endurance at Radio reception, his record being 28 hours of continuous listening. When not on test, this fan had heard the calls of stations at quite distant points, but during that long period of turning the dials he had caught only one such. This goes to show that in spite of the added improvements to apparatus — both transmitting and receiving — there i^ still the lure of bringing in the DX stuff, for no one is certain to get them night after night. I suppose my horns should be pulled in since the listeners' census taken by the Chicago stations a short time ago was made public, showing the largest percentage of listeners preferring "popular" music. My feeble efforts to popularize classical music through reception of symphonic, operatic and chamber music from the great concert halls of the country through broadcasting stations may bear no fruit; but the statement that much can be accomplished in that way cannot be successfully refuted. Another agency for educating the public to the point of appreciation is instanced at Columbus, Ohio, where a Grand Opera club was formed for this very purpose, broadcasted through station WEAO. Certain it is that many more symphony orchestras are being heard from time to time and fewer dials are being turned to bring in other features. Not long ago I was interested to see an ad appearing in one of our large magazines supposedly appealing to farmers to purchase Radio sets. To the great mass of soil tillers it would be anything but appealing. The set was a good one. description inviting, but the lack of understanding of modern farm conditions as revealed in the text would tend to embitter those who represent the backbone of our country. Incorporated in the annual report to Congress of the Secretary of Agriculture is an estimate of the number of deceiving sets now installed on farms, aggregating nearly a quarter of a million. Not only does the farmer of today accept Radio as a necessary supplement to his; trade papers, but looks to it for lectures, speeches and music unobtainable in rural districts except as brought through the ether. There can be no doubt as to the probability of Radio playing a large part in the political campaign which seems already to have taken on an appearance of life. Xo single audience can ever be so Targe as that addressed by Radio, -and the politicians know this. . It should assure a greater number of informed voters. though, of course, not necessarily wiser ones, as men of both parties expound the principles' inspir party's actions.