Radio Digest (Oct 1923-July 1924)

February 16, 1924 RADIO DIGEST — Illustrated PICK PUNTS NEAR PERFECT ON WAVES CAN BE USED TO BRING SETS UP TO SCRATCH Bureau of Standards Announces Interesting Data on Frequency Research WASHINGTON, D. C. — If every Radio transmitting station maintained exactly the wave frequency assigned to it, there would be available a standard frequency wave every time any station was in operation. However, at present this is the case only with certain stations, and because it is a matter of difficulty to maintain exactly the assigned frequency, and also because this is of great importance, the Bureau of Standards has been collecting some interesting data on the subject. As a result of these measurements it is possible to give out information from time to time on stations which maintain a sufficient accuracy to be useful as frequency standards. Several Plants Nearly Perfect Several stations, which use special means for maintaining constant frequency, have very nearly attained the goal of remaining within the limits of variation of 0.25 percent of the assigned kilocycles frequency, as recommended by *the Second National Radio Conference. At this time it is possible to give data on the following stations, the transmissions from which may be used in standardizing wavemeters and other apparatus, by the methods given in Bureau of Standards letter circular 92, "Radio Signals of Standard Frequency, and their Utilization." Data on other stations will be issued from time to time as the work progresses. Stations with Low Variance ma. Call Signal ■§§" 8„!3 gg(3 S3 and location — H tf WQL— Coram Hill. L. I.. New York. 16 1.2% NSS— Annapolis, Md. 80 0.5% WQK— Rocky Point, L. I., New York. ... 18.21 22 0.4% WGU — Tuckerton, No. 1, N. J ... 18.85 36 0.4% WSO— Marion, Mass. ... 25.80' 36 0.6% tVGY— Schenectady, N Y.790. 34 0.5% KDKA— E. Pittsburgh, Pa. 920. 30 0.6% 0.3% 0.2% 0.2% 0.1% 0.2% 0.2% 0.3% More Standard Broadcasters Besides broadcasters WGY and KDKA, a more recent announcement includes WW J, the Detroit News; WCAP, Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Co., Washington; WOS, State Marketing Bureau, Jefferson City, Mo., and WSB, Atlanta Journal, as reliable stations for calibrating Radio sets and apparatus. These stations have been tested as to accuracy of assigned frequencies transmitted, and found to be sufficiently constant to serve as standards for the setting of receiving apparatus and wavemeters. Assigned Average Frequency DeriaStation Owner Location Kilocycles tion WWJ, Detroit News, Detroit, Mich 580 .1% WCAP, Cliesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Washington, D. C 640 .1% WOS, Marketing Bureau, Jefferson City, Mo 680 .0% (VSB, The Atlanta .Journal. Atlanta, Qa. .700 .2% WGY, G. E. Co., Schenectady. N. Y 790 .1% KDKA. Westinghouse, Pittsburgh, Pa... 920 .1% Inventor Relates Rise from Serbian Herdsboy Prof. Michael Pupin Makes Radio Debut at WOR NEWARK, N. J.— Quite the feature of the last Wednesday evening program at WOR was the broadcasting debut of Michael Pupin, professor of electromechanics at an eastern university, once a Serbian herdsboy, who broadcast the highspots of his interesting career, "From Immigrant to Inventor." Professor Pupin was presented to the Radio audience in a WOC FINDS UNKNOWN FATHER OF DECEASED DAVENPORT, IA. — Unknown parents of a young man who died in a hospital at Maryville, Tenn., were located a few days ago by Station WOC when it broadcast a description of the deceased furnished by Dr. F. A. Zoller of Maryville. The father of the boy was identified by a WOC listener as L. O. Berg of Rockford, 111. HERE'S HOW THEY DO IT AT N.Y. EXCHANGE NEW YORK. — Jason Westerfleld, on Thursday evenings from WEAF, describes the workings of the New York Stock Exchange. Frequently than a million share change of ownership takes place in the course of a single day through trading on the floor. How this occurs is described in the talks. DIVA EXERCISES TO RADIO To be or not to be (a star) is a question that involves — for the operatic artist — other considerations than vocal perfection alone. Bodily vigor and suppleness are almost as important. Beautiful and gifted Cyrena Van Gordon realizes this, and so we see her here "tuning up" in the morning by tuning in the Westinghouse Station KYW lessons in physical culture. She is also a Radiophan in the ordinary sense. © U. & U. short address by Professor Robert Bridges. The present day Radio development owes much to the genius of Prof. Pupin. It is he who also invented the "Pupin Coil" which enables telephone talks across the continent. He was the first to obtain an X-ray photograph for the uses of surgery in America and is one of America's leading scientists. Although he has done much for Radio for many years, his WOR address was his first public microphone appearance. 2,000 Ask for Morse Code Copies After WOC Lesson DAVENPORT, la. — Deep interest was evinced, it was reported here recently, by listeners in to instructions broadcast Wednesday and Friday evenings by Station WOC, Palmer School of Chiropractic, this city, as to the international or continental Morse code. The station reported that it had received more than 2,000 requests by mail for copies of the printed code. WLW HAS NEW ONE IN BEAUTY CONTEST FIRST BROADCAST PULCHRITUDE SHOW FEB. 14 Listeners to Hear Beauties and All About Them — Must Send Votes by Prepaid Telegrams (See Center Picture, Pages 16-17) CINCINNATI.— Lavish descriptions of feminine pulchritude in close competition will crowd the ether about WLW when at 10 p. m. Central time, on Valentine's night, that illustrious station of the C ley Radio Corporation here stages • the first Radio Beauty Contest ever held in the world. While King Tut's sarcophagus is still being unchiseled it remains to be seen whether or not Tut had a broadcasting station to shout about the complexion of Cleopatra, but as far as 3,000 years later is concerned, WLW wins the medal of first class originality decorated with four blown 250-watt tubes and a short-circuited counterpoise. How is a beauty contest to be held without the aid of optics? Easy — Verbal Descriptions of Beauties In strange contrast to the beauty contests so familiar to all where the girls appear in person before the judges or where photographs are made the basis of the decisions, the young ladies participating in this first Radio Beauty Contest will be judged by persons living hundreds and perhaps thousands of miles away! They are to be described from the WLW studio, where they will be, and then each is to say a few words to the vast Radio audience. In this way every auditor will receive a very definite mental picture of just what the girls look like. How to Vote; Contestants' Names The exciting feature of the contest will be found in the fact that the voters are to voice their sentiments by telegraph. The telegraph company will have lines direct to the WLW studio and there receive the votes from all over the country. The telegrams are to be prepaid, and every telegram sent should bear the name and address of the sender. The contestants, picked arbitrarily, are Helen Hamilton, music student; Statira Childress, secretary; Hilda Brooks, advertising; and Mary Costello, millinery fashion girl. To make it interesting for the girls there will be a special theater party at the Grand Opera House, given by Thurston the Magician. Suitable presents also will be awarded. MARCOSSON TELLS OF GREAT MEN HE'S MET 'Dean of Interviewers" Talks from WBAP FORT WORTH, TEX. — Isaac F. Marcosson, famous writer and economist, recently made his first Radio talk from WBAP. He is in Texas, garnering material on the oil industry for a well-known weekly publication. "The oil 'game' is a misnomer," Marcosson stated, "as it is a great industry and one of the most important in the world today." Marcosson turned to the subject of great men he has interviewed. "It is easy to interview a great man," he said, "as he always has a vulnerable point in his armor. Once find out what his hobby is, his weak point, talk about that with him and the interview is easy." He characterized Lloyd George as the most interesting man in the world today; while Hugo Stinnes was named as the most powerful. Kemal Pasha, the "George Washington" of Turkey, was picked by this "dean of interviewers" as the most sensational success of the world today. The Lafayette station in France was built by the American Navy Department during the war, but was turned over to the French government in December, 1920. THE ANTENNA BROTHERS Spir L. and Lew P. Suffering Dragons!