Radio broadcast .. (1922-30)

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The Factor That Limits LongDistance Reception Why the Most Sensitive and Selective Set Possible Cannot Hear Any Station Anywhere By A. J. HAYNES Vice-President, Haynes-Griffin Radio Service, Inc. WITH the advent of ultrasensitive receiving sets, such as the tuned radio-frequency and super-heterodyne circuits, radio fans are coming up against a new proposition in the way of longdistance reception. The general feeling seems to be that long-distance reception can always be attained provided the set is sensitive enough — that is, has sufficient radio-frequency amplification ahead of the detector tube. And of course, looking at the theory of radio-frequency amplification in an off-hand way, this would seem to be the case. A radio signal sent out from a transmitting station in the form of a wave has a diminishing progression, which, theoretically, will never reach absolute zero. In a way it is similar to the case of a man who starts to walk from New York to Boston, resting when he reaches half way. Then he starts on the remaining distance and rests when half of that is covered then he walks half the remaining distance again, and so on. Eventually, of course, he will reach Boston, but theoretically he will always have a remaining distance to go. Accordingly, the weakest radio impulse sent out by a broadcasting station theoretically continues forever. But there is a practical limit to the distance at which this impulse may be picked up. Just what this limiting factor is has been given little thought and certainly is not understood by the average broadcast listener. In his mind, the only limiting factor is, his receiving set. Increase the sensitiveness of the receiver and you increase your receiving range — that is the generally accepted theory. It sounds reasonable, doesn't it? Pick up any newspaper radio edition and you will see that the hunt is still on for the ultimate reversed, ingrowing circuit that will permit the user to tune-in San Francisco or Seattle, at will, from New York. THE MAN WHO WANTED EVERYTHING . . . RECENTLY, there was brought to my attention an incident which, if it were not for its pathetic side, would be extremely humorous. A well-to-do man living in New York City came to the conclusion that he wanted a radio installation. He couldn't use any ordinary form of antenna, or at least he refused to do so, but wanted a loop set of standard manufacture — the finest to be had. One of the best makes of receiving sets was put in, and the installation man was expressly instructed to stay with the owner that evening to show him how to operate the set, and if possible to pick up some distant stations, although the set was located in a house in the heart of New York City. "By a stroke of rare good fortune it so happened that he had a particularly fine location for loop reception. When the set was completely installed, the buyer started asking the installation man to bring in various stations, starting with Pittsburgh, Boston and then Chicago. Much to the operator's own surprise he complied with each of these requests in turn, and was highly elated at his phenomenal success. Then, following Chicago, came the blow. "Now, get me Los Angeles," said the purchaser of the set. The operator looked up with a smile on his face, taking the request as a joke. But the man was in earnest, and because Los Angeles could not be brought in at that minute, he ordered the set taken out and said that he was " through with this radio business," and " hoped that some day they would get it perfected." This may be an extreme case, but it indicates how unreasonable we often are and how