Radio mirror (Jan-Oct 1923)

RADIO DIGEST ILLUSTRATED Radio Digest Illustrated REG. U. S. PAT. OFF. Published by the Radio Digest Publishing Company, Inc. 123 West Madison Street Telephone State 4844-4845 Chicago, Illinois E. C. RAYNER, Publisher Cba*. F. Smisor, Editor Evans E. Plummet, Managing Editor Harry J. Marx, Technical Editor Eastern Representative, Jacob Miller, 2126 Broadway, New York Telephone Columbus 23S0 Pacific Coast Representatives E. J. Wood, 251 Kearny St., San Francisco Telephone Kearny 147Z H. M. Morris, 417 Western Mutual Life Building, Los Angeles Telephone 12011 tjgj> 58 PUBLISHED WEEKLY SUBSCRIPTION RATES Single Copies, 10 Cents Vol. rv Chicago, Saturday, March 10, 1923 No. 9 Influence of the Amateur Epoch-Making Invention Work of Experimenter THE American amateur, under the law of 1912, was given limitations as to power, wave length and decrement, which were considered by the framers of the law as placing the amateur under such a handicap that he would never be able to reach out far enough to make any trouble with commercial and military communication. The handicaps were considered sufficient to prevent his signals from reaching beyond the distance of a mile or two. Ten years of extensive study, patient research and epoch-making invention, he has today produced short wave Radio transmitting and receiving apparatus which enables him to reach into the thousands of miles to cover a continent where it was thought he would only cover a city square. Before the World War the American amateur had actually developed a Eadio relay system which extended across the American continent from coast to coast. At the time the war called him from his work he. had organized Jiis fellows and covered the entire country with a network of amateur lines. Messages ivere handled at the rate of several hundreds a night, and they reached into every state iii the Union. The contributions to the art made by the Eadio amateurs have not been fully told without reference to their far-reaching effect in other countries. European amateurs have not enjoyed liberal laws in the past. The exhibition made by American amateurs in the war, and the achievements made since the war, have awakened other countries to the value of the Eadio amateur. The result has been that the laws of Canada, England and France have been modified and regular international amateur communication is a thing of the immediate future. Composers Want Money Broadcasting Stations Face Invoices from Authors RADIO broadcasting has been running very smoothly, with the possible exception of the general commotion resulting from the lack of proper legislation to handle the phenomenal increase in the number of stations desiring to transmit. Out of the clear sky now comes a new obstacle to its progress. Authors of books and writers of popular songs are beginning to ask for royalties whenever their favorite successes' are sung over the Eadio, or passages from a literary success are read to the invisible audience. They propose to levy a fee, through their organization, on those stations which broadcast their music, literature and songs. It should be remembered that the various broadcasting stations throughout the country, for the most part, are maintained at considerable expense. The only return for the money invested is a certain amount of advertising. This same advertising is also received by all artists who perform at these stations and to all whose material is used. Common business sense ought to be applied to this situation. We are trying to recover from the effects of the war; business for none of us is what we would like it to be, and for one concern, set of men or association to deliberately carry out a plan that not only will wreck another industry, but at the same time seriously injure their own, is quite inconceivable. If the law is on the side of the artist, author or song writer to give them the right and power to drive, and if they elect to drive broadcasting out of business then all that can be done is to submit, take the loss in broadeasting investment, and pass it up. It can be done quickly. There is surely another way out of this trouble. It is suggested that broadcasting stations announce the name of the publisher, song writer or composer before and after the broadcasting of each number. While at present there is no compensation to broadcasting stations other than the advertising, every person should lend a hand and take advertising for pay in a like manner. There will be no loss from the artist, composer or song writer, for their work will become better known. There is no question of doubt but what this is good publicity for there are too many examples to prove the point. Recently a New York theatre, that had been running at a loss, broadcast a performance of their show and the next night the entire house was sold out. Condensed By DIELECTEIC The Cleveland Eadio Association has urged all listeners in to report any flagrant violation of the silent hour rule which was established to enable listeners in to hear broadcasting with the minimum of interference. This idea is worthy of experiment by other communities and should be much appreciated where practiced. In speaking of silent hours maintained by broadcasters themselves, it is of course fair to remember that crystal sets are still in use and that the majority of owners are new at the game. They should not be deprived of entertainment for the sake of DX fans. Yes, but look at the records made by some of these galenas! Precisely, but do they constitute the majority? I have been hammering away for ' ' silent periods ' ' and shall continue to do so in the hope that we may all benefit, even the crystal owner, for he may be encouraged to get a tube set, which is the ultimate in Eadio reception. Such are some of the utilitarian possibilities of broadcasting for the farmer. But one may well doubt if the service should be placed ahead of what broadcasting can do to make the farm a happier place in which to live. The cultural and spiritual possibilities of broadcasting are a gold mine that has been scarcely touched. None of us can expect to get away with a policy of limiting broadcasting to those features which happen to make a greater appeal than others. My favorite numbers on a program may be decidedly unattractive to the rest of you and vice versa. But for those who do not like grand opera music for instance, there are a great number who do and they are entitled to their enjoyment as well as the first group. So my reiterated plea for the spread of opera broadcasting is simply for the sake of adding something to the usual program, and not to eliminate other popular features. The number of letters received by WNAC upon transmitting the Chicago Opera performances, and at WTP in regard to the German operas, is a fair indication of the degree of interest in this particular music. Both the Boston and Philadelphia stations deserve to be commended for their recognition of Eadio opera audiences. If the White-Kellog Eadio bill has to lie over for possibly another year before becoming a law of the land, it will be a very unfortunate thing, for the benefits likely to accrue from such a measure as this are very much needed right now. We surely need regulation in the matter of broadcasting in order to lessen interference between stations transmitting on the same wave length, and we certainly need the Jones amendment to safeguard ourselves (the Eadio Public) from a too voracious appetite which is rapidly developing in some quarters of the industry. Thousands of sets are tuned in just waiting for the announcer to say that the White bill has become a law. You can hear 'em all with a receiving set nowadays, from the world's most famous boy movie actor to— to a United States Senator! Jackie Coogan complained of the heat in the studio of Station WOE, when he spoke there recently, though he was not addressing his Eadio audience. It was an ' ' aside ' ' remark that the microphone picked up. Just prior to that he told a Eadio joke. He said he had a Eadio receiving set and upon opening the window got chilly. Now that would be some record, and I'm inclined to think it would be a rather cold day when the average bug could get Chile. This little chap is more accustomed to warm receptions than to chilly ones, so naturally such an incident as he related would be novel. Iwould be willing to wager that the thrilling experience of listening to Jackie's voice by boys and girls — and grownups — would outweigh in enthusiasm the reception given to some men of broadcasting fame. It is just such unique features as I have alluded to which make Eadio take on fresh interest. While the broadcasting stations in this country are being improved and more powerful ones being built, other parts of the globe are aiming to attract attention to themselves. According to latest reports South Africa is to have the largest Eadio station in the world. Engineers report that the vicinity of Cape Town is ideal both for reception and transmission. When the station is completed it will add another and quite important one to the ever increasing number of Eadio stations in the British Empire. The French are responsible for the plan to open the Orient to occidental influences through establishing a series of Eadio stations, one of which is located at Beirut, Palestine. And so it goes; and so it will come eventually to cover the earth. When you wish to let your family or friends back home hear your voice, and any others who may care to listen, all you need do is hire a broadcasting studio for a few minutes. If the publicity of the thing is not objectionable to you, you may unburden yourself of some choice observations which it would be unhealthy to deliver were you face to face with the head of the house at home. No such thought as this prompted Alma Gluek to speak into the microphone at WPAL, during a visit in Columbus, Ohio; nor to Harriet Williams, who was heard on the program of PWX, Havana. The one was speaking that her children in New York might hear her voice; the other selecting the numbers her mother in Toledo, Ohio, was fond of. I merely suggest the possibilities protided through the use of a transmitter. What a difference in the manner of teaching code lessons exists among the various broadcasting stations. WGI, at Medf ord Hillside, Mass., seems to be going at the thing in a way to benefit the largest number of novices devoting some of their time to this interesting subject and it is a pleasure to be instructed by them. OOowwl| I in THROUGH /feC=s RADIO INDI-GEST (This column is open to all aspiring Radioknuts who tender suitable contributions. Try to "make" the column if you can. All unsuitable manuscripts are turned over to the Office Squirrel who does not guarantee their return or anything else for that matter. — Indi.) Willie Wonders Will He Win? "Willie," said Mrs. Fan, to their young offspring. "Daddy and I have arranged that he shall give you a dime every time he is caught swearing." "Gee, that's great!" cried the youngster. Then he added hopefully: "When are you going to tune the Eadio set, Daddy?" But the Waves Are Undamped The Director of Radio, or whatever his title may be, will have his hands full controlling the waves, it is pointed out by one fiend on history, who recalls that old King Canute got into difficulties some years ago and wet his feet terribly trying to do the same thing. You Can Listen in But Not Gash in "Have they arranged to send money by Radio yet?" ''Probably not. Too many people would 'pick it up The Current Raised and the Station Called A news item announces that a quartet had the place of honor in a Eadio program. We suppose some one's sense of humor selected that place for four of a kind. We Keep Tuned in for the Tiernans The Eadio gossiper should always bear in mind that there are a million and a half receivers now in American homes, and little receivers often have big ears. Hey! Trust, Listen in on This Dear Indi — If the Eadio Trust keeps on growing at the present rate we are going to take down our KU Elux Klantenna, capture this d 'hog in the manger, make a twenty-five turn honeycomb coil around his neck and string him up to the middle of a wheatstone bridge. We will then request Mr. Hoover to install a variable grid leak across his pituitary gland (or however you spell it) to stop his growth. We will then watch him oscillate and howl at audio frequency. When all oscillations cease and we are sure his B battery is completely exhausted we will take him down and send him to the Eadio museum at Arlington.— Go Getteh. Right on the Dot He Dashed Off A young woman arriving in New York from abroad received a Eadio code proposal of marriage. Her answer was "Yes." We hope the sender got the code signals straight. If he pounded out on da-di-da-da dit di-di-dit and it should have been da-dit di-dit da-di-di-da it might have caused an embarrassing situation. MM