Television digest with AM-FM reports (Jan-Dec 1951)

13 Mobilization Notes: a $135,000,000 program to expand electronics industry for defense is under way, with tax aid from Uncle Sam. There’ll be more to come, but as of July 31 DPA and its predecessor NSRB had issued certificates of necessity authorizing 6-year tax write-offs for 147 new or expanded electronic plants. These have been reported in this section as issued. The $135,000,000 for electronics represents only 1.6% of total $8.65 billion in expansion of all military and defense-supporting production authorized since tax aid program began last October. It’s in addition to something less than $10,000,000 in DPA-approved direct govt, loans for electronic plant expansion. Bulk of expansion is for production of military end equipment — -radar, communications radio, loran, electronic fire control devices and fuses — and specialized electronic tubes for military equipment. Here’s rough breakdown of certificates granted and dollar value of expansion they represent: End equipment, 44 certificates, $64,246,000; tubes, 33 certificates, $49,439,000; components (resistors, capacitors, transformers, etc.), 39 certificates, $8,418,000; miscellaneous parts, 31 certificates, $12,110,000. Actually, only about 74% of dollar value of the authorized electronic expansion is subject to rapid amortization. Percentage varies, DPA says, according to “type of facility, post-emergency usefulness of plant to owner and degree of [aid] necessary to encourage expansion.” Biggest electronic expansion programs authorized by DPA are those planned by Westinghouse and General Electric. Westing-house got go-ahead for $23,500,000 in new plant facilities — $12,000,000 for Pittsburgh tube plant and $11,500,000 for end equipment production at Baltimore. GE will spend $15,778,000 for plant at Binghamton to manufacture radio compasses, other military end products. Many firms outside TV-radio industry are among those receiving certificates for expansion of electronic production facilities. Following Westinghouse and GE in cost of programs are: Cutler-Hammer, $7,700,000, switches & contacts; Hughes Aircraft, $7,200,000, guided missiles; Arma Corp., $6,100,000, radar computers. These tube firms are among electronic industry’s top beneficiaries of tax aid program: Sylvania, $5,773,000; Lansdale (Philco), $4,000,000 (for proposed plant in Frederick, Md., plans for which were recently cancelled — see Vol. 7:34); Hytron, $3,400,000; Varian Assoc., $2,400,000. * * * » “Most complete mobile TV station ever built” was delivered this week to Signal Corps’ Ft. Monmouth (N. J.) laboratories by RCA, consists of 4 special 10-ton trucks, each 31 ft. long. Two trucks contain complete TV transmitting and monitoring equipment, 3 field cameras, 10 receivers, large-screen TV projector and radio intercom system. Other 2 trucks contain power generators. “TV caravan” will be used “to explore feasability of TV for field instruction and to develop instructional techniques via TV,” according to Signal Corps. One suggested use is refereeing and observing field maneuvers. “Caravan” will use microwave or coaxial cable to pipe pictures to military classrooms or standard TV stations. Mica substitutes are far more plentiful and satisfactory than they were during World War II, mica industry and NPA jointly have announced. Many high-quality substitutes, however, are still in experimental stage, and industry expressed confidence they’ll be usable soon. Manufacturers’ inventories of mica, used in capacitors and for other insulating purposes, were reported adequate, but deteriorating quality of imports from India, chief source of supply, is becoming increasingly serious. New plant construction in fourth quaiter will be limited to expansion of metals-producing capacity and important military production, DPA said this week in announcing allotments of structural steel. These firms manufacturing electronic and related items received fourth quarter steel allotments for expansion programs for Armed Forces: Greeneville Cabinet ('o. (Magnavox), electronic equipment; Webster Electric Co., telephone, telegraph & electronic equipment; Arma Corp., fire control & electronic equipment; Amperex Electronic Corp., electronic equipment; Weston Electric Instru.ment Co., precision instruments; The Baldwin Co., electronics; General Electric, research electronics; Bendix Aviation, aircraft accessories; General Precision Laboratory Inc., electronic equipment; Northrop Aircraft, guided missiles; Hartman Electrical Mfg. Co., aircraft electronic controls. Some of these firms have already started construction; much of the expansion is being aided by Govt, through rapid tax amortization. First TV-radio case before NPA Appeals Board was settled with grant of some additional steel to PackardBell. Los Angeles manufacturer asked 17% increase in base period steel quota under consumer durables order M-47A. It claimed this period (first-half 1950) was abnormal one for company, and many employes would have to be laid off if civilian production couldn’t be maintained until defense orders pick up. In decision, board concluded: “There was no persuasive showing of improper discrimination or sufficient public interest to warrant a grant, but strict compliance with the order would v/ork an unreasonable hardship.” Partial grant — amount undisclosed — was made Aug. 28. Chicago electronic plants are devoting about 25% of their production to military items, says Sept. 6 New York Journal of Commerce which notes that production of electronic equipment other than home TV-radio “is running at a record rate” in Chicago. Article quotes Motorola exv.p. Walter H. Stellner as saying 15-20% of firm’s output is going into military production, but bulk of Motorola’s defense orders won’t be in production stage until late this year and first quarter of 1952. Sperry Corp. reportedly has received $10,000,000 Navj' contract for guided missiles, has formed subsidiary, SperryFarragut Corp., to fill order in new plant to be built by Govt, on 35-acre tract near Bristol, Tenn., to employ 1500. Complete listings of 1500 radio-electronics manufactui-ers, with their products, feature September Tele-Tech, published by Caldwell-Clements Inc., 480 Lexington Ave., N. Y. How to get business from Army, Navy & Air Force is also described. Industrial TV, despite its tremendous possibilities, isn’t being fully exploited by industry or by standard TV equipment manufacturers, says article in September Fortune Magazine. Govt, agencies, it says, are principal users — in ordnance plants, arsenals, atomic installations, etc. In peacetime industry. Fortune states, only electric utilities have any sizeable number — about 100 installations. Only 11 other ITV set-ups are in existence in private industry, according to article — 5 in steel industry, 2 each in auto and photographic industries, one each in coal and motion picture industries (Camera Vision Productions Inc., which rents TV-monitored film cameras to movie studios). Article says Diamond Power Specialty Co., Lancaster, 0., “has been selling rings around everyone else in the industrial TV business” with its inexpensive “Utiliscope” system developed jointly with Capehart-Farnsworth engineers (Vol. 5:19,36). The 100 power plant installations, worth some $400,000, were practically all supplied by Diamond Power, says article, which observes that DuMont, RCA, Remington-Rand combined haven’t sold that many.