Radio Broadcast (Nov 1926-Apr 1927)

466 RADIO BROADCAST MARCH, 1927 formation that they do not know what station is causing the interference. With a little careful tuning, we were able to find out that the station in question was wcfl, operated by the Chicago Federation of Labor. The National Broadcasting Company cannot be blamed for avoiding a quarrel with the great labor organization, regardless of the motives which caused the latter to select that particular wavelength for its operation. The Chicago organization sought a broadcasting license after the ether channels were filled and probably felt indignation that the interests of a great monopoly had an exclusive channel. If petulancy animated their choice of wavelength, it has been visited fully as much upon the ranks of labor which enjoy weaf's programs as it has to the detriment of weaf. A political commission, fearing the alleged political influence of labor organizations, might be a little hesitant in applying the principles of priority and service to the listener in such a case. Remarkable Short-Wave Transmission CONTINUED use of high-frequency transmission must lead any serious investigator to the conclusion that we know nothing about how high frequency waves travel. The experience of station 2 nz, operated by a New Jersey amateur, using 300 watts power, indicates some of the strange vagaries of short wave transmission as observed by this operator. A station clearly audible at a certain distance north, may be inaudible at the same distance to the west. Forty-meter stations in New England are rarely heard in New York and stations fifty miles north of New York are seldom heard after 8 p. m. on this wavelength. Yet stations from the south can be heard at varying distances, depending largely upon the weather. Conditions to the west are even more uncertain. When West Coast stations come in well in New York, New York stations deliver a weak signal to them and vice versa. Foggy and drizzly nights, usually poor for broadcast reception, are good for shortwave transmission. When Brazilian stations come in loudly in New York, it is difficult to deliver an audible signal from powerful New York short wave transmitters. On the other hand, communication with Australia and New Zealand gives fairly constant signals. There is less variation in New Zealand reception in New York than there is in reception from middle western stations. The Month In Radio illMlumnnnnillinill nninimniihUM.m....nnirummmniiirmil.i..riiilfli.nii>minmiir nn.mnm: nun r ,n.uiiin mil THE U. S. Lighthouse Service is now operating 29 radio beacons, 13 of which are recent installations. The radio beacon emits a distinctive signal so that it is easy to identify. Its direction may be determined by means of a radio compass. A navigator, making for New York, first picks up and locates the ARTHUR WILLIAMS — 1 1 ™— New York City ■■ ■ Vice-President, Commercial Relations, The New York Edison Company. Especially written for Radio Broadcast: "A discarded radio set is of no use to anybody. It adds nothing to home life, in which it can he made an important adjunct, from the standpoint of education, entertainment, and general home attractiveness. Our own justification for supplying radio programs is primarily, if not entirely, based upon the fact that radios in use consume electric current, either from primary or charged batteries, or directly from the light circuit. I recently testified before the Public Service Commission that our increased revenue due to the use of radio was about a million dollars yearly. One of the significant results concerning the radio has been the seeming satisfaction of the consumers that the increase in their electric hills is justified with the extra use due to radio; possibly they are thinking -of their families, more contented to stay at home, or of the lessened drains on their purse for theater tickets, or for evening excursions, which in these days, especially, make very noticeable invasions upon one's bank account." Nantucket Shoals Lightship when he is some 300 or 400 miles out. Approaching nearer, he hears the Fire Island signal and finally the Ambrose Channel light vessel directs him to the mouth of the channel. A beacon is being installed in Long Island Sound for ships using the inner course. The active beacons are distributed at most of the dangerous points along the coast, nine on the Pacific, one on the Alaska coast, nine on the Atlantic, two on the Gulf and eight on the Great Lakes. 400 ships, flying the American flag, are now equipped with radio compasses. THE tremendous growth of the radio industry, one might believe, would reflect itself in increased consumption of copper. In his address before the American Mining Congress, Thomas D'Arcy Brophy stated that the radio industry absorbed from two to three million pounds of copper per year out of the total of 765,000,000 pounds used in the United States. Radio insignificance as a buyer of copper is indicated by the fact that the automotive industry uses 245,000,000 pounds, electric refrigeration about 45,000,000 pounds and lightning rods 1 5,000,000 pounds. HP HE Radio Market News Service has been * extended to station kfkx which serves a large area in the great plain states not heretofore reached by the Department of Agriculture's comprehensive radio service to farmers. The number of rural listeners is estimated to have passed the million mark and already half a million enrollment cards have been received by the United States Farm Radio School. Ninety broadcasting stations in every section of the country lend their facilities regularly for half an hour daily to the agricultural radio service. IN THE season of annual reports by cabinet f members, it is interesting to note the references to radio. Secretary Wilbur states that the fleet requires considerable modernization of its radio apparatus in order to avoid interference with radio broadcast entertainment. The Navy has developed high-frequency radio transmitters which give long range communication at low initial cost and maintenance. Both aircraft and submarine radio have benefited from research in radio during the past year. An extensive radio weather service for aircraft in flight in the New York— Washington-Norfolk area, is in operation and it is hoped to extend the system of radio communication and radio direction finding along other important air routes. Photographic records have been obtained, showing the time difference in the travel of radio waves between two points directly and by reflection from the Kennelly-Heaviside Layer, giving another check on its height above the earth. The Naval Research Laboratory has supplied the needs of several government departments for quartz oscillators, used as frequency standards in broadcasting stations. The naval radio intelligence system ashore now comprises 133 stations, including those for communication with the fleet, coastal stations for marine traffic, aircraft stations, harbor stations and radio compass transmitters. During the year, the Navy handled 14,362,987 words, of which half were for other departments of the Government. The increased use of high frequency transmission has contributed largely to the growth of the Navy's traffic. THE daylight ship to shore transmission record was broken when station kfs at San Francisco communicated with the S. S. President Wilson while that ship was 3120 miles west of that port. ACCORDING to figures issued by the Department of Commerce, the number of stations licensed since July 1 is 108; 34 changed locations; 126 increased power; 93 shifted wavelength; 102 stations are under construction; 63 are about to increase power, and 168 have advised that they are soon to apply for licenses. 22 of the stations licensed since the 1st of July are of more than 500 watts power and 24 of the old stations, licensed prior to July 1, have increased their power to 500 watts or more. Had not that fatal oversight been made in the last few moments of Congress's session last summer, which failed to make effective the joint resolution passed by both Houses prohibiting issuance of additional licenses, the 108 new stations, the 102 under construction and the 168 projected would not be in the problem to-day. The transatlantic telephone circuit opened successfully on January 7, with full hours of service, from 8:30 to 1 p. m., New York time. Perhaps an ambitious commercial broadcaster will employ it to send his program to European stations. The rate will be about twenty-five dollars a minute or only two and a half times weaf's toll rate.