Radio mirror (Jan-Oct 1923)

RADIO DIGEST ILLUSTRATED HOUSE PASSES AIR BILL (Continued from page 1) minds that certain companies and interests have been endeavoring to establish a monopoly in Radio communication through control of the manufacture and sale of Radio instruments, through contractual arrangements giving exclusive privileges in the transmission and exchange of messages or through other means." The committee believed that the subject should be carefully investigated and appropriate action considered at an early date. But the committee was unanimously of the opinion that it was impossible during the life of this Congress to inform itself as to the facts involved. The bill is not, however, an antitrust statute. There are included in it several provisions which it is believed will have a restraining influence upon those who otherwise might disregard public right and interest. It is specifically provided that the Secretary of Commerce may refuse a license to any person or corporation -which in his judgment is monopolizing Radio communication. He is authorized with respect to licenses for stations transmitting to foreign countries to impose any terms, conditions, or restrictions which may be imposed with respect to cable landing licenses under the act of May 27, 1921. The Secretary is authorized to revoke the license of any person or company which the Interstate Commerce Commission finds has made any unjust and unreasonable regulation or practice with respect to the transmission of messages. The bill provides that the construction of a station shall not be begun -until a permit for its construction has been granted by the Secretary of Commerce. Besides these protective measures, of course, the amendment made by Senator Jones will aid in the prevention of a patent or communication monopoly, such as might be attempted, perhaps, by the Radio Corporation of America. Bill looks to Future In order to meet the expansion and development of Radio in the years to come, the framers of the bill sought to .give the Department of Commerce broad powers of supervision, regulation and control. The bill is limited in its scope; there are many phases of the subject which invite study and in the near future may require further legislation. Only vital proposals, unanimously agreed to by the committee, were embodied in the legislation. Briefly, the bill requires licenses for all transmitting stations other than governmental stations, and all except governmental operators. It directs the Secretary of , Commerce to classify licensed stations and make rules'and regulations for the prevention of interference. The President will assign wave lengths to Government stations. But If the Government stations, other than vessels at sea, are transmitting commercial messages, they are subject to the regulations for commercial stations and traffic. Other features of the bill give the President enlarged authority over all Radio stations in time of war, forbid aliens from owning Radio stations in this country, restrain the transfer of licenses, limit their duration and provide for revocation of licenses. The issuance of licenses rests with the discretion of the. Secretary of Commerce. More Waves for Amateurs The bill recognizies the privileged status accorded to amateurs by the Radio act of 1912. It strikes from existing law the words "200 meters," and provides that "the wave lengths for amateurs shall not be less than 150 meters or more than 275 meters." This change was desired by the amateurs and has the approval of the conference and of the committee. The amateur is the only user of Radio to whom a definite assignment of wave lengths ie made in the law itself. Other wave lengths are allocated by the Secretary of Commerce. The schedule of fees provided has been worked out to approximate in return the cost of the service to the Government No objection has been raised by any interest either to the classification or to the amount of the fees prescribed. $100 FLEWELLING PRIZE CONTEST RULES 1. Contest is open to all Radiophans, whether or not they are subscribers to Radio Digest, Illustrated. The contest is open now and will close February 24 at midnight. Awards will be announced in the March 17 issue of this publication. 2. The object is to locate and award prizes on a competitive basis for the best FleweUing circuit receiving set entered. 3. Prizes are: First, $40.00; Second, $25.00; Third, $10.00; Fourth to Eighth (five prizes) inclusive, $5.00 each. 4. In event of. a tie, equal prizes will be awarded each tying contestant. 5. Judges will be the Technical Staff of Radio Digest. C To enter the contest send working drawings and diagrams together with an article of from 1,500 to 2,500 words in length describing the making and operation of an actual FleweUing circuit receiving set. The article should tell: (a) how to make the set, (b) how to operate it, (c) helpful suggestions for getting maximum results, (d) actual airline broadcasting station receiving ranee using only one tube, first employing only an indoor aerial but no ground, second, using a ground but no aerial, and third, if available, using only a loop aerial. Other combinations and notations on the antenna system used win be considered in the award of prizes. 7. In sending material for consideration in the contest, exclusive publication rights are automatically given to Radio Digest, Illustrated. All articles published, but not awarded prizes, will be paid for at regular space rates. Unused manuscripts will be returned to contestants on request. 8. In deciding the winners of the contest the judges reserve the right to call for any set entered to be sent in for examination and test Tubes. A and B batteries and phones will not be required in sets sent in for testing. 9. Manuscripts will be judged from the standpoints of neatness, clarity of expression, completeness, and actual tried success of the set described. 10. Originality in the use of various parts of apparatus other than shown by. Radio Digest in the Flewelling circuit heretofore, is encouraged and even recommended. See Rule 6, however, for method to be used in determining the range. Fan Goes 3,576 Miles an Hour in "Radio Travels" NEEDHAM, MASS. — Robert H. Anthony of this town recently made a record of over 3,576 miles per hour, using a fourtube set. This speed was maintained over a period of six hours and ten minutes. Among the cities visited by Radio were San Francisco and Long Beach, Calif., Koswell, N. M., Colorado Springs, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and Havana, Cuba, besides such neighborly places as Milwaukee, St. Louis, Atlanta, Birmingham, Ala., and Chicago. There were some 45 broadcasting stations covered in his wanderings, with a grand total mileage of 39,345. This is claimed by Mr. Anthony to be a record for the new game of "Padio Golf." The latest result of Radiophony is the "Radio impresario." He is the gentleman who arranges for the artists and mechanical details in broadcast concerts. CONTENTS "Radio Digest. Illustrated. Volume 4. dumber 5. published Chicago. Illinois, JFebruary 10, 1923. Published weekly by Radio Digest Publishing Company. 123 West Madison Street, Chicago, Illinois. Subscription rates, yearly. Fiie Dollars: Foreign, Six Dollars; single copies, Ten Cents. Entered as second-class matter April 27, 1922, at the postoHiee at Chicago, Illinois, under the Act of March 3 1B79. ■. 3 "All the Live News of Radio" Ito6 Second FleweUing Prize Contest Rules 2 Receiving Records Contest, Complete to Date 4 For or Against Phone Clubs? A Discussion in Which Both Sides Are Considered 5 Book Reviews 6 Radiophonists' Mart, Descriptions of New Apparatus on the Market 7 Radiophone Broadcasting Stations, Part III, Including the State, City-Station Index 8 The "How" of the Simplified Super Circuit, Part II — Details Regarding the Component Parts, by E. T. FleweUing 9 Editorials; Condensed by Dielectric ; Indigest, Humor Column 10 A-B-C Lessons for Radio Beginners, Chapter VI, by Arthur G. Mohaupt 11 Mounting for Spider Web Coils; Five Other Kinks 12 Reinartz Panel Set Designed for Compactness, by H. J. Marx 13 The Reader's View 14 Questions and Answers 15 Radio Illustrated, a Page of Pictures 16 Radio Man Loses Life in Naval Plant Flames BAR HARBOR, ME. — Clinton W. Ward, of Longville, La., Radioman, first class, TJ. S. Navy, was burned to death January 19 in a fire that destroyed the recreation hall and garage of the navy Radio station at Otter Cliffs, five miles from here. All land wires were down so the news of the tragedy did not reach here until brought over snow-blocked roads. J. R. Dalton, another member of the Radio station staff, was severely burned but -will recover. Facilities for fighting the fire were lacking. The entire building and an adjoining garage were destroyed with a loss of $150,000. There are two Radio stations at Otter Cliff. One comprises a series of booths for receiving transcontinental messages, but there are no facilities for transmitting messages. Near the receiving station is a Radio compass station, which transmits compass bearings to ships at sea. The power house for the plants is at Seawall, 49 miles away. Looking Ahead FleweUing Tells "How" and makes many fans happy with his Super Flivver circuit. Read Part 111 of this exclusive series of articles next week. Contest Papers Submitted in the Flewelling Contest are being studied by the Digest Technical Staff. Have you turned in your paper? The first of these will be published in an early issue. Reinartz Tuners will be discussed by H. J. Marx again next week. He is going to tell about an improved Reinartz circuit in an early number. It's a "knockout." Watch for it. A-B-C Lessons for Radio Beginners, Chapter Seven, to appear next week will be a study of crystal detectors. Read the sixth chapter of Arthur G. Mohaupt's series. Turn to page 1 I . Station WMAQ and the Ideals Behind It will be described by Vera Brady Shipman next issue in an interesting illustrated article on the well known Chicago Daily News Fair Department Store plant. The Only Sure-Fire Radiophonist's Telephone Book, Part I, will appear again next -week. Looking Still Further Ahead, Benjamin F. Miessner and Thomas W. Benson, to say nothing of Letson Balliet, -will soon have some new "dope" for the Digest readers to digest. NAVY CHIEFS LAUD RADIO IN WAR USE GIVES NATION POWER TO STRIKE HARD All Prime Stations of Sea Force to Be Retained as Minor Plants Are Quitted By Carl H. Batman WASHINGTON. — The value of Radio in the U. S. Navy, both in peace and war, is testified to by four rear admirals and three captains in a report seeking, by the elimination of unimportant shore stations to increase the value of the navy afloat. These naval experts declare an efficient Radio service gives a nation that most important of all wax assets — the power to strike hard with its fighting forces. The abandonment or transfer of 27 minor naval Radio and compass stations was recommended recently by the special naval board on Shore Stations headed by Rear Admiral Hugh Rodman, and was forwarded to Congress by Secretary Denby with his approval. Disposal of these useless Radio shore stations will make for naval sea efficiency. "Every dollar saved through the elimination of the stations, whether In pay of operators or for maintenance, will be used to improve fleet communication and make for efficiency and mobility of the sea forces of the nation," said a naval Radio officer, explaining the board's recommendations. New Commercial Stations Anticipated Communication experts of the navy believe that when these naval Radio stations are closed, commercial interests now served by these stations will immediately establish new public stations equipped with modern apparatus, which will guarantee better service to the public and not interfere with broadcasting. Already the old Miami Station is leased to a commercial company -which plans complete new equipment. Most of the old stations were unnecessary from a marine point of view, and the navy could not afford to continue their operation. Many of the Radio transmitting stations, recommended for the scrap heap, were equipped with old spark sets which interfered -with telephonic broadcasting. Some of them had been maintained at a cost ten times the reUirn since the war, because no local public Radio service facilities were available. Navy to Give Up Ho Prime Stations All the high power naval Radio stations such as Arlington, Annapolis, Porto Rico, Canal Zone, Honolulu, Guam, and certain stations in Alaska, as well as the semihigh power stations in the navy yards at the twelve important naval bases, will be retained, together with a number of minor stations now in tise. Today there are 65 traffic stations and 33 compass stations in operation, requiring a personnel of 70 officers and 1,257 men. The elimination of 27 would leave 71 active stations. This will be sufficient to meet the navy's needs ashore The Board recommended that eight Radio stations on the Great Lakes and those at Buffalo and Cleveland, be abandoned or turned over to the army for operation. Nine located at Baltimore, Md., Mobile, Ala., Miami and St. Petersburg, Fla., Grand Isle, La.; Port Arthur, Texas; Seattle, "Washington; Navassa Is., West Indies, and Managua, Nicaragua, will probably be discontinued and abandoned. Radio compass stations at Detour Pass, White Fish Point, and Grand Morals, Michigan, -were recommended for transfer to another government, department or abandoned. The sites of two old and unused Radio stations at Siasconsett and South Wellfleet, Mass., were also recommended for disposal. It is said some of them might be operated by the navy if commercial and shipping interests would meet the cost of maintenance. TZ celebrated its first anniversary re Newsstands Don't Always Have One Left WHEN YOU WANT Radio Digest YOU WANT IT! BE SURE OF YOUR WEEKLY COPY BY SUBSCRIBING NOW SEND IN THE BLANK TODAY Publisher. 4-5 Radio Digest, Illustrated, 123 West Madison St., Chicago, Illinois. Please -find enclosed check M. 0. for Five Dollars (Six. Foreign) for One Year's Subscription to Radio Digest, Illustrated. WNAC Rigs Loud Speaker on Street Before Station BOSTON, MASS. — A special loud speaker has been rigged up on the Tremont street front of the Shepard Stores, connected with the broadcasting room on the eighth floor of Station WNAC, and every night a concert is given to passersby on Tremont street and to interested groups who stop to listen on the famous Common directly opposite. Hundreds of people, hearing the mysterious music issuing from some point high above their heads, crane their necks and locating it finally in surprise, stop to listen. Open New Manchester Plant MANCHESTER, N. H — A new broadcasting station of 100-watts, owned by Barton"s Department store here, and operating on 360 meters, was formally opened by Governor Brown of New Hampshire during the week of January 22. The station has a range of 1.S0O miles and will be the only one east of Boston giving regular programs. It will broadcast afternoon concerts and high class programs four evenings a week.