Radio age (Jan-Dec 1925)

RADIO AGE for January, 1925 The Magazine of the Hour stations to be placed on the ninety-four channels, assuming that none of them obtains a separate wavelength and that all must divide time at least two ways. Because of the increase in new Class B stations mentioned above, it is necessary to give new consideration to the plan now in the hands of the supervisors and complete remodeling may be necessary. The fundamental difficulty is that stations are increasing so rapidly that no general plan can have anything like permanence. Department Swamped WASHINGTON, D. C, [Special] The Department of Commerce is so busy these days trying to fit half enough wavelengths to twice too many stations, that complaints of interference do not elicit very hearty or quick responses. This is unavoidable, officials say, so fans must content themselves with the fact that the Department radio chiefs are snowed under with requests for Class B wavelengths. With only fifty-three available wavelengths designated by the conference for about sixty stations, the government is now asked to allocate them to 110 B stations. There are sixty-four B Stations already operating, and fortysix either under construction or contemplated, making the application of the original allocation plan practically impossible. Despite difficulties in numbers, there are local situations to be met, and although four of the supervisory districts are apparently fixed up, other supervisors are having difficulties similar to the trouble at headquarters in Washington; too many Class B stations for a division of time on the available wavelengths. Either an entirely new plan will have to be developed, with less space between the channels used, or more wavelengths will have to be secured from other services. An alternative would be to have stations divide time three ways, which it is hoped may be avoided. Imagine if you can the howl at headquarters when the writer asked when the new list of wavelength allocations would be available. He is not permitted to quote the replies, but they varied all the way from six months to a year, with requests for a method of redistributing them. The Department is working on a new plan of allocating wavelengths, and expects to try the method out by tests fairly soon to see if the scheme is practical. It is hoped that by the first of the year that a satisfactory distribution will be in operation, but nothing definite can be said at this writing. With the coming of the Winter months, with better radio reception and more listening-in, Department of Commerce >fficials point out that super-sensitive sets which are not super-selective must be cured, if interference is to be avoided and trouble in reception minimized. The fans themselves can better reception, it is believed, by improving their sets and learning to operate them properly. Due to this fact, the Departmental supervisors and inspectors may be expected to refuse to consider complaints unless sets are described. There is nothing doing if poor receivers are used. If a receiver is like a sponge, absorbing everything, the Department could do nothing to relieve interference unless it caused all except one station to close. There are thousands of non-selective crystal sets on the market and in use, which are impractical for anything but local reception where one station only is on the air at a given time. If a set is not a two or more circuit set, it will probably pick up everything. Practically all crystal sets are of the single circuit variety. In this way many small sets pick up a lot of preventable interference, such as the so MORE STATIONS INCREASE POWER TC*OUR more Class "B" broadcasting stations which applied for ■* increased power up to 1,500 watts were licensed temporarily last month under the regulations providing that no additional interference shall be caused. Increased power has been authorized for KYW, the Westinghouse radiophone at Chicago; WBZ, owned by Westinghouse at Springfield, Mass. ; KFI, owned by Earl C. Anthony at Los Angeles, Calif. ; and WEAF, of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, at New York City. The first station so licensed was WTAM, at Cleveland, Ohio. This puts five of the Class "B" stations in a position to broadcast at an increased range. Many radio experts believe that this arrangement will result in better broadcasting, "if" it does not blanket neighboring stations. again a possibility of enactment of much needed radio legislation in the passage of the so-called White bill, named after Congressman Wallace H. White, Jr., of Maine. The bill, which was originally introduced by Mr. White in the first session last February, now includes the features of a Senate bill of slightly more limited scope. The bill has been favorably reported to the House by the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. During the last session, Congressman Greene of Massachusetts, chairman of that committee, requested from the House Rules committee a special rule which would make it in order for the House to consider the radio bill out of regular order and under limited debate, which would expedite action. In view of the urgency of the legislation, it is expected Mr. Greene will renew the request at this session and if so it is anticipated that the Rules committee may grant it. If this rule can be secured, proponents of the bill are confident it would pass by a comfortable majority. The measure would then go to conference for Senate action on the additions made by the House. M1 called man-made interference from legitimately operated and electrically driven machinery and apparatus. Many manufacturers using electric power and apparatus emitting electrical interference are trying to eliminate their radiations, so as to decrease the broadcast listener's troubles. But it often costs considerable money and is frequently unsuccessful. By the use of simple wave traps, considerable local interference from other stations and electrical devices may be eliminated, it is pointed out. So it is up to the fan to aid his brother fans and the Government by improving his own set. Some fans will find that by using a two-circuit set or a tuner that they can select either of two local stations operating simultaneously, with a reasonaisle separation between their wavelengths, as is used in the present wavelength assignment. Otherwise they will find it impossible to listen in when two or more stations are operating at once. Unless fans learn to tune their sets, they will get even the amateur stations on the short waves below 200 meters. Before you complain the next time, be sure your set is a reliable one and that it is operating properly, and that you have taken the usual precuations to prevent the necessity of writing to government inspectors. Radio Legislation With Congress in session, there is First "Supers" On Air IDDLE Western fans are now getting their first taste of "super-power" with the advent of WTAM, the Willard Battery Station at Cleveland, O., into the ranks of high-power broadcasters. WTAM came on the air about the first of December with increased wattage, presumably 1,500 watts. Fans living in the vicinity of Cleveland report that very close tuning was experienced with WTAM's new power, but others with weaker sets said they were unable to tune the station out. In many cases a wave trap helped to eliminate WTAM, depending on the position of the receiving aerial. In New York State and in the Chicago district, WTAM came in with loud speaker volume on three tubes in every instance, and most fans who were questioned reported that WTAM could be "heard all over the house," so strong was the apparatus. However, fans three hundred or more miles from WTAM reported it could be tuned out by turning the. dial three or four points, so no interference was caused in that respect. In Chicago it was found that WTAM could barely be heard when WEBH, on 370 meters, or WGN, on 360 meters, were broadcasting. WTAM has a 390 wavelength. From preliminary reports, then, it appears that small sets located near the super-power stations will be the ones to suffer most, and unless they adjust their sets or equip them with a wave trap, it is unlikely they will be able to tune out the strong broadcasters. The Government is watching initial experiments closely, in accordance with its promise that super-power will be abolished if interference is excessive.