Radio Broadcast (May 1928-Apr 1929)

SEPTEMBER, 1928 THE EMPTY POOL 255 A COIL TEST AT THE BUREAU OF STANDARDS The Radio Section of the United States Bureau of Standards is doing valuable work in determining stanards of accuracy and efficiency in all kinds of radio apparatus. H. B. DeGroot is shown testing a coil to determine the best shape for coil forms. right, accruing to special groups, whether based on population, geographical area, religious creed, political association, fraternal membership or foreign extraction, overlook the fact that the only sound basis for a broadcasting structure is the greatest service to the greatest number. The most effective distribution is based upon stations which do not represent any special interest, commercial, political or sectional, which give equal opportunity to all types of program material having public favor and which are of sufficient size and power to serve an area and radio population worthy of the channel space which they occupy. The Empty Pool THE Radio Manufacturers' Association announced that a reduction in the cost of radio sets is in prospect because its plan of patent pooling was ratified by its Convention in Chicago with only one dissenting vote. The plan provides for a free exchange of patents without license fee. That is, we note, free exchange of what are called "Class B" patents, "not displaying invention of high order." Class A patents, considered basic, are not a part of the plan. Its approval by the Convention means that the plan will now be submitted to the members, of whom a majority must approve to make it official. Even then, such favorable action does not bind individual members to contribute their patents to the free pool. Apparently, those who have no patents will contribute them to the pool for the benefit of those who do possess patents. The latter, however, will not be required to pool their patents. It was a good publicity story, anyway. Engineers in Quantity Production of Standards THE preliminary draft of the report of the Committee on Standardization for the Institute of Radio Engineers has been circulated for comment and indicates an amazing amount of work performed by an extensive committee of experts. The first and major part of the report consists of several hundred carefully worked out technical definitions, applying to every phase of radio communication. A few pages are devoted to standard graphic symbols for the principal radio circuit elements, which we hope will be put into general use by all publications. The remainder of the report is concerned principally with standard methods of measuring the characteristics of vacuum tubes and the performance of radio receiving sets and electroacoustic devices. It is obvious that the Institute's committee and every one of those who have contributed their time and services to its problems are deserving of whole-hearted praise for this comprehensive piece of work. Long Waves Needed in Transoceanic Service SO MUCH attention has been given to the possibilities of short-wave channels in international communication that it is interesting to recite the expert opinion of O. B. Blackwell, transmission development engineer of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company, who has been identified in technical phases of transatlantic telephony since the first experiments conducted several years ago. Three shortwave channels, approximately 16, 22, and 35 meters, have been found to complement each other providing a good signal level during the hours that the 5000-meter long-wave communication channel is at its minimum effectiveness. After relating in some detail experience with various frequencies and expressing the hope that the "reliability of short-wave channels can be made such as to some day eliminate altogether the necessity of the long-wave channel with its much more extensive plants. . . ." Mr. Blackwell continues: "So far, data available regarding short waves do not suggest that they ever will give a reliability of service comparable to that for similar distances over land wire circuits. It is our present expectation, therefore, that the giving of suitable service between America and Europe will require the continuation of the long waves, even though such waves demand a much more extensive and complicated plant than do the short waves." Although short-wave transmitters perform with amazing efficiency under ideal conditions, the total percentage of time which any highfrequency channel serves between any two given points is distinctly limited. Here and There SO LONG as broadcasting service is limited to tonal reception, its predominant function is musical entertainment. But even without means of transmitting graphic information through the eye, which is essential to the efficient distribution of specific facts and data, radio is already a valuable disseminator of education. According to L. R. Alderman of the Bureau of Education of the Department of Interior, more than 65 universities and colleges, enrolling over 5,000 students, have been using broadcasting for regular courses. Morse Salisbury, Chief of the Radio Service of the Department of Agriculture, says that 107 stations are broadcasting his market news service and 18 1 the weather reports. Ten thousand letters a month are the audience's response to these valuable services and, in the last year, 200,000 copies of a radio cook book have been distributed. The time is not far distant when Weather Bureau maps will be broadcast as a part of the weather forecasting service. A DECISION of interest to broadcast managements was rendered by Judge Valente in an opinion denying injunction to George Frame Brown against wor. It appears that George Frame Brown, while an employee of the station, appeared as a leading character in " Main Street Sketches." These sketches have been presented as a regular weekly feature with the same cast appearing in a new sketch each week. Mr. Brown, on leaving the cast, sought to prevent the continuance of the sketches with a new leading character. The court held that mimicry of the principal character "is no more the subject of exclusive appropriation than the method of portrayal of a new role in an opera by an artist who 'created it', in the sense of being the first to portray it." The obvious wisdom of this decision is generally agreed upon by all, with the possible exception of Mr. Brown. HP HE cost of broadcasting the Republican 1 National Convention through 42 stations amounted to $77,000., or a little over a dollar a minute, since the total time involved was 72,000 minutes. Forty-five thousand miles of telephone circuits were involved, which cost $1,650 an hour for 20 hours, or $33,000; rental of a special transcontinental circuit was $1,200 an hour, or $24,000; pick-up and input installation at Kansas City, $10,000; salary of technical and reporting personnel, $10,000. A LTHOUGH of rather limited circulation, a telegraphic questionnaire by wbbm of Chicago confirms the expression of Radio Broadcast readers that only eight or nine stations are wanted in Chicago, with the following receiving the predominant number of favor