Radio mirror (Jan-Oct 1923)

September -v. iu.\i RADIO DIG EST — Illustrated GIVE SCHEDULE FOR FREQUENCY SIGNALS OCTOBER. NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER LISTED Department of Commerce Announces New Opportunities for Check-up and Adjustment of Wavemeters By li. M. Lamm WASHINGTON, D. C. — The Department of Commerce has announced the schedule of standard frequency Radio signals to be transmitted by the Bureau of Standards for the months of October, November and December. These signals are of interest to all transmitting station operators in checking wavemeters and adjusting transmitting and receiving apparatus. Their accuracy is better than three-tenths of one percent. Commercial and ship operators should be especially interested in the transmission of October 20. The signals of November 20 cover approximately the same band as those of October 20.. The signals of November 5 cover the frequency band used by Class B broadcasting stations. The frequencies transmitted on December 5 cover those used by all broadcasting stations as •well as some used by amateurs. Some Plants OfC Assigned Waves Measurements made at the bureau of the frequencies on which broadcasting stations are operated indicate that some stations are not remaining on their assigned frequencies, and hence are causing interference with programs from their own as well as other broadcasting stations. The schedule followed in these transmissions will be slightly different from that followed in the past. All transmisi sions will be by unmodulated continuous wave telegraphy and no announcement will be made by voice. This considerably reduces the time of transmitting any one frequency. The signals will in other respects be similar to those transmitted in the past. A complete frequency transmission will include a "general call," a "standard frequency signal," and "announcements." The "general call" will be given at the beginning of the eight-minute period and will continue for about two minutes. This will include a statement of the frequency. The "standard frequency signal" will be a series of very long dashes with the call letters WWV intervening. This signal will continue for about four minutes. The "announcements" will be on the same frequency as the "standard frequency signal" just transmitted, and will contain a statement of the measured frequency. An announcement of the next frequency to be transmitted will then be given. There will then be a four-minute interval while the transmitting set is adjusted for the next frequency. Can Calibrate Wavemeter The complete schedule has been so planned that a wavemeter may be accurately calibrated over a range from 150 to 1,700 kilocycles, if all of the transmissions are received. 'With sensitive receiving apparatus it sh,ould be possible to receive these signals anywhere east of the Mississippi River. The complete schedule of standard frequency signals to be transmitted follows: Oct. 20 Nov. 5 Not. 20 Dec. 5 Eastern Time KILOCYCLES 166.5 500 150 500 11:00-11:08 p. m. (1800)* (600) (1999) (600) 220 580 190 700 11:12-11:20 p. m. (1363) (517) (1578) (438) 275 640 240 900 11:24-11:32 p. m. (1090) (468) (1249) (333) 315 700 290 1100 11:36-11:44 p. m. (952) (428) (1034) (273) 375 760 360 1300 11:18-11:56 p. m. (SOO) (394) (833) (231) 425 833 430 1500 12:00-12:08 a. m. (705) (360) (697) (200) 500 920 500 1600 12:12-12:20 a. m. (600) (326) (600) (187) 666 1000 570 1700 12:24-12:32 a. m. (450) (300) (526) (176) *V\ave lec^tli in meters is given in parentheses. Oil Fleet Uses Radio Compass PORTLAND, ORE. — Radio compasses are to be installed on all vessels of the Standard Oil Company's tanker fleet, according to word received here recently by the local agency of the Federal Telegraph Company. Orders for twelve compasses for the purpose have been given, it is said. "PERSONAL" BY RADIO FINDS VET'S BUDDY SALEM, mass, i;. V. Griffin, serl in the World War. recently i his own name come from Station Will. The Boston Red Cross was anxious (o get in touch with hint in behalf of a former comRoy Nan Steenburge o«f Portland, 'Me As a result of the broadcast Van Steenburge secured affidavits needed to obtain compensation for an injury received during the war. OFFERS BLOOD ON BROADCAST APPEAL LONDON. — A broadcast appeal for b] I 1 im n fusion has resulted in a :i\in^r half a pint of her blood to another woman in a hospital here. The operation was successful. Appeals of this kind are no longer unique in England. One for volunteers for transfusion to a patient in King's College hospital was answered by over a score of people willing to give blood. MILADY AND HER BOUDOIR SET M iss Jean To li ey has ideas about how a lady's set should appear, especially if placed in one's boudoir. The receivers resemble a morning bandeau, wrapped purple and orchid velvet wers. The other disguise hides loud speaker © K. & H. LAKES SERVICE TAKEN UP BY INTER-CITY FIRM Concern Plans to Open New Shore Stations CLEVELAND. — The Radio service on the Great Lakes handled recently by the United States Navy Department stations has been taken over by the Intercity Radio Telegraph Company, of No. 949 Broadway, New York. The Cleveland station, WTK, is located in Hotel Cleveland. It uses a twokilowatt quenched spark navy type set, built by Emil J. Simon, and operates continuously during the twenty-four hours on a 1,800-meter wave, under license of the Department of Commerce. Other shore stations will shortly be opened by this company, to extend the service to the most important lake cities, and the stations will also be used for ordinary telegrams between cities. The intercity stations at Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland have a wide range and hold several records for distance transmission. This development of a point-topoint Radio telegraph system in conjunction with the lake service is believed to be an important factor in U. S. internal communications. New Radio Station for Mexico WASHINGTON. — The General Electric Company has representatives at Caracas, Mexico, who are preparing a contract for the construction of a large Radio transmitting station there, it is understood. FANS BUSY ON PLAYS FOR $500 CONTEST WGY LISTS RULES FOR AIR DRAMA WRITERS Announcement of Prize Awards Brings Hundreds of Letters from Listeners In SCHENECTADY, N. Y.— The announcement by WGY, the General Electric Company station here, of a prize offer of $500 for the best Radio drama submitted during the three months' period ending November 30, has brought hundreds of letters of inquiry and there is every evidence that many contributions will be received. Additional prizes in varying sums up to $100 will be awarded for other plays deemed suitable for Radio production. The offer of WGY is made for the purpose of stimulating interest in the writing and the development of a new form of drama, a play which reaches its fullest appreciation through the ear, the mind and the imagination. Plays will be considered that fall under any of the following classes: drama, melodrama, comedy drama, comedy and farce comedy. Manuscripts must be original and accompanied by the written permission of the author (or, if copyrighted, by the person or persons controlling the copyright, giving the General Electric Company exclusive right to produce the play by Radio. Rights for use other than Radio may be reserved by the author. Two copies of each play must be forwarded and should be sent by registered mail. The author should retain a complete copy. More Conditions of Contest The author's name must not appear on any manuscript offered in competition. Instead, the manuscript should be signed with a nom de plume which must also be written on a sealed envelope containing the contestant's real name, address and permission granting exclusive right to produce the play by Radio. This envelope should be enclosed with the manuscript and will not be opened until the award has been made. A synopsis of the play must be attached to each manuscript. A play requiring one and a half hours for performance is desirable. In any case the time should not exceed two hours. Small cast plays, employing five or six characters are best adapted to Radio, as they permit quick comprehension of the plot and give rise to no confusion in distinguishing characters. Plots must be clean with no attempt at questionable situations. SEATTLE PLANTS ON BOOM WITH AUTUMN Pioneer in Washington State Still Retains Lead with Four Stations SEATTLE, WASH. — Radio is on the boom in Seattle again. This city was the pioneer in the State of Washington in broadcasting, beginning early in 1922, and still retains the lead. There are four large' stations in operation in the city, all but one of which have been put into commission within the past two weeks. KFJC, under the auspices of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, opened a splendid Class A station with an auspicious program recently. The Post-Intelligencer operated the first broadcasting station in the state. KFC, but this was discontinued in January, after a long run of service. The service has been resumed, however, on a much larger scale than before. KFJC operates on a 233-meter wave length. KDZE recently opened a 500-watt broadcasting station under the direction of the Rhodes Company, local department store, and the Kilbourne-Clarke Company, Radio manufacturers. They are operating a splendid Class B station with good results. KFIY is the call of the Star Electric Company broadcasting station, another recent addition to the Seattle broadcasters. THE ANTENNA BROTHERS Spir L. and Lew P. An Easy Way to Get There