Television digest and FM reports (Sept-Dec 1945)

US they expire in 1950. But since civilian FM was frozen for the duration, he and other inventors in like situation (who dedicated their inventions royalty-free to war production) may get some relief in bills now before Congress due for consideration next session. Essence of these bills (H.R. 3069, Rep. Grant, Ind. ; H.R. 718, Rep. Elston, 0. ; H.R. 1190, Rep O'Hara, Minn. ; H.R. 2043, Rep. Rowan, 111. ; S. 840, Sen. Capehart , Ind.) is that inventor gets extended rights if he can prove war interrupted commercial exploitation of his patents. Prof. Armstrong’s personal’ fortune, largely derived from his superhet invention, is said to be largely sunk in FM, with a particularly large Investment in his Alpine station. LOFTY ASPIBATIOHS: That fantastic "skyhook transmitter" which the WestinghouseGlenn L. Martin people imfolded before an agape audience in New York a few weeks ago has no bugs in it — on paper. At least, so Westinghouse and Martin technical chiefs aver. And they say they've calculated young Engineer Nobles' Stratovision idea from every angle, and are willing to stake their faith and prestige that it will work. They're bolstered in their conviction by knowledge of radar effects, heretofore secret, on which they both worked for the Government, In scientific circles certain tests in "spraying" signals down to earth from the stratosphere to cover wide radii are well known. As for the economics of the scheme, whereby 14 specially designed stratospheric "radio planes," flying fixed oval courses at 30,000 feet, could serve 51% of the area and 78% of the population of the U.S. v/ith 4 TV and 5 FIjI programs each, with relays to one another for network service, Westinghouse officials say candidly they "don't know the answers. " Nor do they know where their own company, long , active in commercial broadcasting, would fit into a plan involving such limited ■ 'licensing. That's a problem for the FCC v/hich presumably, if the thing works in actuality, would have to secure authority from Congress to handle the relatively few license issues on a public utility franchise basis. Moreover, neither Westinghouse nor Martin has any patent on the idea for it is not an invention, only an idea. But v/ith the atomic bomb story breaking af about the same time, making fantasy a reality. Chairman Robertson's statement anent Stratovision seems particularly pat: "Show the possibility, and somehov/ the v/ay will be found to make it work in our economy." Skepticism marked some of the expert and press reactions to the plan , with disagreement on the |1, 000-an-hour estimated operating cost of each "skyhook." It was said that, though initial cost of coaxial cables runs high, their maintenance and operational cost would be a fraction of keeping up fleets of planes. From social viewpoint, the question was raised whether the high cost wouldn't keep all but a few of the biggest, best-heeled corporations out of the national TV-FM fields. Stratovision might so blanket the regional and national markets that there would be no chance for the little local fellow, especially in light of expected' high cost of TV operation. But everybody is willing to be shown, and so .... Westinghouse-Martin are going ahead with plans for actual flight experimentations. These may take a year or two. Meanwhile, though the scheme — on paper does seem to furnish the readiest answer to rural' and remote h.f. coverage, the FCC does not intend to hold up CP and license issues for TV and FM to those who qualify for present line-of-sight transmissions . (Note; Before the supply is exhausted, write to C. M. Meehan, publicity V representative, Westinghouse Electric Corp., 2519 Wilkens Ave., Baltimore 3, Md. , for a copy of the Westinghouse-Martin graphic presentation of Stratovision. Ask also for texts of the original press statements; they're well worth reading.)