Radio Broadcast (May 1928-Apr 1929)

RADIO BROADCAST 28 per cent, to classical, 10 per cent, to novelty and ballad, 4 per cent, band music, 2 per cent, radio drama, 14 per cent, to what is described as balanced features, involving orchestral music, artists, and featured speakers, that is, the typical commercial variety program, 8 per cent, religious, 6 per cent, educational, 6 per cent, women's programs, 4 per cent, health material, and a varying percentage, from 5 to 25 hours a week, to national events. The leading broadcasting systems in foreign countries employ a much larger percentage of their time in spoken and educational features. The tendency in the United States is to appeal to the entertainment demand of the radio public rather than to present the less broad appeal to the educational feature. THE final breakdown of the opposition of vaudeville business to broadcasting was accomplished when the Radio-Keith-Orpheum hours were inaugurated as regular N. B. C. features. An obvious broadening of radio's appeal is accomplished as a result of recent mergers of the theatrical and concert fields by the consolidation of Radio-Keith-Orpheum and Victor. This is the practical consummation of a trend predicted in past editorials. Circulating energy at radio frequency, when handled in large amounts, sometimes goes astray. The picture shows the result of an r. f. feedback flashing from the tank circuit of a 50,000-watt broadcast transmitter (WJZ). A GREAT deal of publicity attended the experiments of klcn of Blytheville, Ark., which transmitted special programs from one to four a. m. on 1290 kc, using only seven and a half watts power. At the particular hours involved, freak reception over great distances is possible. This, however, is so far short of reliable program service that it is of no great practical value. Short-wave amateur communication to all parts of the world on very small powers is in the same category. Reliable broadcast reception and reliable commercial radio communication must be successful not only under extraordinary conditions but must be of service value at all hours and seasons. It is to be hoped that the successful freak reception of a little Arkansas station in various parts of the country is not regarded as evidence that much lower powers in broadcasting are desirable. STATION kfab announces that it will broadcast a news service from 9 to 9:30 a. m. and from 6 to 6:30 p. m., the news to be gathered by its own reporters, stationed throughout the State of Nebraska and at neighboring points. Legislative news will be reported directly from the floor of the legislature. This is the first instance of a broadcasting station relying upon its own newsgathering force. THE resumption of international broadcasting on a much more advanced technical standard was offered as a surprise to the radio audience through the N. B. C. networks on February 1, when a program picked up from 5sw, the B. B. C. short-wave transmitter at Chelmsford, England, at Riverhead, Long Island, was put on the air through that broadcasting system. The noise level was high, but otherwise the experiment was entirely successfid and promises an increase of international program exchange. Amateur and Commercial Radio ARISTIDE BRIAND opened the first J\ direct radio telephonic communication between Paris and Buenos Aires early in February. This span of 6870 mUes represents the longest commercial radio telephone link, although this record will be exceeded when the New York-Buenos Aires link is put into final operation. AN INTERESTING instance of the use of transatlantic picture transmission occurred when sketches of a damaged rudder were sent from England to the United States. The cargo liner Silver Maple damaged in a storm and awaiting repairs in Bermuda, was saved more than a week's time, estimated at a value of §7000, because the transmission of the sketches by radio enabled a shipbuilding company in Pennsylvania to begin work on the needed parts that much sooner. ALTHOUGH the conference, held in Canada for the allocation of high frequencies to stations in the North American continent, did not reach a final conclusion, it was agreed that Canadian amateurs shall be permitted to exchange messages with amateurs of the United States and the Philippine Islands of a nature which woidd not normally be transmitted by any existing means of electrical communication and for which no tolls are charged, for communication with isolated points, having no regular means of message exchange, and for special transmissions of any essential character in emergencies and floods. This is strictly in accordance with the International Radio Telegraph Convention. THE Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company is soon to place in operation its transoceanic radio service, utilizing the re-conditioned station at Sayville, operated before the war by the Telefunken interests. Several transmitters have been installed, including one with power up to 100 kilowatts. At the time the announcement was made, the Mackay people were still waiting for a license from the Federal Radio Commission. THE rescue of the crew of the Florida by the America emphasizes again the value of the radio compass. Due to drift and the difficulty of determining bearings by navigating instruments under difficult conditions, those ships relying on the Florida's statement of position searched for it in vain. The America, radio-compass equipped, was successfully guided to the spot. Some consideration is being given to making compass equipment compulsory. GEORGE R. PUTNAM, Commissioner of Lighthouses, suggests that ships hearing SOS calls triangulate their compass readings so that the exact position of the distressed vessel may be determined more accurately than is possible .when bearings are taken from a single point. AlOO-watt radio transmitter, suited for installation on all types of aircraft, has been announced by the Radio Corporation of America. The standard equipment includes a wind-driven generator, although the transmitter may be powered from a dynamotor, energized from the usual 12-volt battery sys The above illustration shows the quality of pictures which are now being sent over telephone wires by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company. It is actually difficult to detect a difference between the original and the reproduction tern aboard the craft. It has a 150to 200-mile telephone range and a 500 to 800-mile range with continuous-wave transmission. The total weight is 89 pounds. Means are provided to use the amplifier for an inter-phone equipment. The Radiomarine Corporation has also developed a special beacon receiver, covering a range from 580 to 1100 meters. RADIO RETAILING'S annual survey of radio sales predicts a $650,000,000 business for industry during 1928. — E. H. F. AT THE January meeting of the Board of Directors of the Badio Manufacturers Association, Joseph L. Ray, General Sales Manager of the Radio Corporation of America, B. J. Grigsby, President of the GrigsbyGrunow Company, and Allan G. Messick, Chairman of the Board of the U. S. Badio and Television Corporation, were elected directors, succeeding three who had previously resigned. It was announced that the Trade Show at Chicago, starting on June 3, this year will embrace the Blackstone and Congress Hotels as well as the Stevens. This may prevent non-BMA members from securing exhibit space adjacent to the Stevens this season as has been customary in past years. An arrangement has been made for the sponsorship under RMA auspices of broadcasting features presented by certain members of the association. A tentative schedule for fourteen weeks of RMA programs has already been arranged for. Progress was reported on numerous other activities. • april, 1929 page 374 •