Radio age research, manufacturing, communications, broadcasting, television (1941)

LEFT: FISH-POLE LIKE ANTENNAS RISE FROM THESE TANKS AWAITING ORDERS ON A JUNGLE ROAD IN THE SOUTH PACI- FIC, center: A JEEP HALTS DURING ITS RECONNAISSANCE WHILE A RADIO MAN REPORTS TO HEADQUARTERS. RIGHT: MER- RILL MUELLER (LEFT), NBC REPORTER, WATCHES AN ARMY OPERATION WITH GENERALS EISENHOWER AND BRADLEY. television broadcasting on a fre- quency so hiph in the radio spec- trum. Another achievement of RCA Laboratories is a highly efficient optical system for projecting televi- sion pictures. This will have impor- tant applications in home television receivers to produce brighter pic- tures as large as 18 by 24 inches. It also involves a remarkable devel- opment — that of molding lenses from plastic material to reduce costs and to make the system eco- nomically practicable for home re- ceivers. With respect to television, the Report recalled that in -January of this year the Federal Communica- tions Commission issued a report proposing the assignment to televi- sion of 12 channels below 300 mega- cycles for commercial operation and a large band of higher frequencies for experimental v.ork and future services. "The management of RCA," the U.S. Navy Pholo Report commented, "believes this proposal to be a constructive step toward the postwar development of television. It confirms the faith of RCA-NBC scientists and engineers that their years of television re- search and engineering have suc- ceeded in developing satisfactory and practical television, of tried and tested standards. If the pro- posal is adopted, it will make pos- sible the expansion of television as a service to the American people immediately upon the release of manpower and materials from war demands." FM Is Aided In order to stimulate the prog- ress of frequency modulation (FM) broadcasting, NBC announced in .January, 1914, that its regular net- work jtrograms would be made avail- able to the FM stations of its affili- ates, as new FM transmitting facili- ties become available. During 1944, NBC broadcast a record-breaking total of 2,173 pro- grams which originated in foreign countries. This was over 400 more than those broadcast in 1943. RCA Communications, during 1944, handled 1.50,000,000 words of radio traffic, largely related to the war. New direct circuits were es- tablished with India and Gambia, British West Africa. Direct serv- ice with Paris, interrupted since the German occupation of France, MASKED AGAINST HEAVY WEATHER, A NAVY GUN CREW GETS ITS ORDERS OVER THE SHIP'S COMMUNICATING SYSTEM. was resumed late in the year. At the request of United States mili- tary authorities, and in cooperation with them. RCAC established and operated its own stations at Naples, Rome, and in Southern France. Radiomarine Corporation of America continued in 1944 to main- tain its leadership in production of marine radio apparatus, and in equipping and servicing merchant vessels. Shipments of apparatus for use by the Army, Navy and Mer- chant Marine increased IT^'c over 1943. The Report recalled that on Feb- ruary 1, 1945, the RCA Interna- tional Division was created. This Division places RCA in a more ad- vantageous position to provide for anticipated expansion of the com- pany's activities in foreign trade, including export to and sale in for- eign countries of products manu- factured by RCA, as well as prod- ucts of non-affiliated companies which will be sold through RCA's foreign distribution channels. Special Courses Organized RCA Institutes ended the year with substantially increased enroll- ment. Many of the new students are veterans of the war, preparing for jobs as radiotelegraph opera- tors, technicians and maintenance men. A special course in television was attended by 300 engineers and employees of broadcasting stations. Reviewing the progress of RCA operations in 1944, the Annual Re- port said: "Five years of global warfare have intensified the de- mands upon radio communications [4 RADIO AGE ]