New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-06
HERTZ WAVE INTERFERENCE.

Two ingenious boys IN Newport were the in
nocent cause of perplexity. not to say anxiety.
at the naval station there the other day. They
were exchanging wireless telegraphic messages
with apparatus constructed by themselves for
their own amusement. But some Of these
reached the receiver Of the government opera
tor also, and 1t happened that his instrument
simultaneously actuated by impulses from
another source One communication blurred the
other, and both were unintellgibe. The re-
sulting inconvenience in this instance was prob
ably small but the occurrence, like numerous
others which have been reported in the last
three or four years, was unpleasanty sug-
gestive Of embarra ssments which might prove
less trivial. Hertz wave telegraphy is much
more susceptible TO accidental malicious in
reference than is the Morse system. Moreover,
If meddling were Intentional and If the med
dler tried TO conceal himself detection would
| be difficult If not impossible The interests OF
the naval service demand therefore, the adop-
ton of measures which will mitigate, If they
do not entirely avert the evil.
At one time great things were predicted re-
garding the effect of tuning a transmirter
so that 1t would send off waves Of particu-
lar frequency, and of adjusting the receiver So
that 1t would respond more readily to waves of
that frequency than to any other. A number
of different methods of conducting the opera
World" thinks that If ANY of them is eff
"fective Its owner should pack up his kit and
head for Newport" That periodical remarks.
further that ''if there is any such thing a
"syntonic system it is high time that Uncle
"Sam hunted it up" 1t is already obvious that
the protection afforded by tuning would not
be absolute. Apparatus has been invented for
measuring the length of waves, when 1t is not
known the result of a previous agreement
|
act frequency being used by an enemy In war.
| The secret having thus been learned, 1t would
| be a simple matter to adjust a generator and
| transmitter to that rate and to produce the
| effect which those boys in Newport did. Still
| other limitations of the value of tuning have
been pointed out by the technical press. but II
does not follow that the system is not worth
| adopting. The advice which 1.-The Electrical
| World" gives TO the government-to investigate
the matter carefully-is excellent.
| But whether the Navy Department resorts to
syntony not there is distinct need Of official
regulation of the practice Of wireless telegraphy
| by individuals and commercial corporations in
| the United States. From suitable supervision
| great benefits might be expected, but 1t should
| be conducted in such way to do the most
| good and the least harm. The government did
not originate wireless telegraphy, and hence
| has no right TO the exclusive use of II. What
| ever may be thought OF municipal ownership
of public utilities, the people of this country
| do not fancy national ownership of such things.
A federal monopoly Of the new system Of
communication would be extremely undesira-
| BILE What most Americans would like TO see
is the adoption of safeguards to prevent or
minimize abuses, both in time OF peace and
| in time Of war; without discouraging Industrial
enterprise. These would probably be afforded
by legislation providing for the granting of
| licenses TO operate under prescribed conditions
and severely furnishing operations without
| license Finally, licenses should be revocable
| If their holders violate the governments rules
| This plan has been adopted in England, and
| II we are not mistaken. elsewhere In Europe
and seems 10 work well. II Congress were
asked to authorize 1t here there should be no
hesitation about complying with the request.