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

®K£UKi Congratulations . . . Congratulatory messages from Presi- dent Eisenhower, former President Herbert Hoover and Sir Winston Churchill headed a long list of anni- versary wires and cables received by NBC. Mr. Eisenhower said: "Con- gratulations to the National Broad- casting Company on the occasion of its 30th Anniversary. Over the past 30 years your company has contributed to the strength and pleasure of the national community by stretching an efficient and responsible network of radio stations across the land. Linking us with major cities around the world, you have widened the markets of commerce and increased an effective range of artists and information. I wish you continuing success as you serve the best interests of the listen- ing public." Most Powerful . . . The nation's first million-watt ultra high frequency (UHF) television sta- tion — WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — is putting in complete RCA live and film color-TV camera systems. The installation will make WBRE-TV the world's most powerful broadcast station with facilities for originating live local color TV shows. Tiny Light Cell . . . A tiny light-sensitive electronic de- vice that may be used to guide missiles by sunlight, spot the flashes of distant artillery, or enable blind telephone operators to find plug-in positions on a switchboard has been developed at the David Sarnoff Research Center, Princeton, New Jersey. A novel type of photocell no larger than the eraser on a lead pencil, the device is able to sense with a high degree of accuracy both the direction and intensity of a source of light. It can do many things that in the past have taken four separate conventional photo-cells. Drive-In Theatres . . . "Impac," the non-breakable, chip- proof, colorfast casing material used on RCA Victor portable radios, is now going into drive-in theatres. It is be- ing used on in-car speakers to meet the need for an instrument capable of holding its shape, color and overall appearance despite weather abuse and wear-and-tear of drive-in theatre op- erations. RCA will continue selling its "Starlight" speaker with die-cast alu- minum casing, too. Shan's 'Saint Joan' . . . A recording of George Bernard Shaw's "Saint Joan," done by the Cam- bridge Drama Festival's original cast, has been released by RCA Victor. The recording is the complete reading of the Shaw play as performed at the Phoenix Theatre in New York, with Siobhan McKenna in the starring role. Boating Equipment . . . New RCA "Radiomarine" equip- ment for pleasure boats and small commercial ships goes on display this month at the National Motor Boat Show in New York City. The new line includes a series of specially de- signed radiotelephone antennas and a six-channel VHF radiotelephone for large pleasure craft. Other features are a new direction finder with a spe- cial "sense" switch that enables users to determine more quickly whether bearing is correct, and electronic fish finders for both commercial fishermen and pleasure boat owners. Awards For Radar Men . . . RCA has set up proficiency awards for the Air Force's radar controllers, those ground-based specialists who keep a constant radar eye on the skies and advise intercept pilots on the location and movement of targets. The first RCA trophies were awarded to men scoring highest achievement in a weapons and gunnery meet recently at Vincent Air Force Base, Arizona. The trophies will be given each year. They are named in memory of Brig. General Clinton D. Vincent who was the second youngest general in Air Force history, receiving his star at the age of 29- 32 RADIO AGE