The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-13
Making Friends
Through the Air
the Pastime of
Radio Amateurs
UT ICK. tick, tick-tick. tick"
went the boys pencil On the
table.

SSTICK. tick, tick-tick. tick"
went the boys pencil On the
table.
"Do stop that noise!" exclaimed the
father impatiently; "at least Will,
visitors are here"
IL am doing my home work" re-.
piled the boy.
"Home work! Do you want to b.
smart in company"
1T is my home work" persisted N.
boy. II I'M practising my code lee.
son for tomorrow. Were talking 10
wireless"
"Wireless!" growled the father
what next! Anything more useles.
for the average boy? They'll take up
Eskimo grammar next
The visitor, however, showed inter.
est.
1T doesn't seem likely ever to be
of use to you," he suggested. fter the
father had gone out.
II am not expecting to be an oper.
ator,' replied the hoy. a New York
high school pupil. "We're not taking
It up especially for that aim. its
social accomplishment"
"A new drawing room fad" de-
manded the visitor i~ncredulous'y
mo-" continued the boy seriously:
"but it's more fun thar baseball \
friend Of mine has a station next door,
up in the garnet, where noboi,
bothers us. We spend the evenings
there-and were always meeting new
people"
You hold gatherings there
mo. only we two are in the g,rro'
but it's more social than a club house
III take you up. II you're Interested
The visitor was. so the two went
through the back garden into the next
house. From the top floor they
climbed up a ladder into the carr 4,
Another boy. slightly older, was ST.
ting at a table. on which Wy. ar.
ranged a number of instruments. with
what appeared to be a tel, phone ~.
ceiver to his ear. After the boy hal
introduced the visitor, they turned -
the apparatus.
ITS pretty simple; the whol" ,I'd'
only cost me about sl1 explained III
older boy. "Of course. | cant send
out a message more than ten miles
but l can receive them from ds lar
away as Florida
But I thought you had 10 have
license to operate a wireless stl'..a'
so you do. but that's as simple as
the rest. You pass a free examination
at the navy yard, and they slVe u O.
you. There are nearly 800 amateurs
within our circle"
within your circle; is IL a ..l''.
mo; most OF us nave nrvr- me-,
/ mean within the ten mi.r radius
That's about the limit Of an amateur
apparatus"
There must be a horrible blhh.-
when all are going at once
You can't hear them al. a. once
each talks in a different key, ana you
focus the receiving apparatus TO ,hs
one o want TO hear. Listen
The visitor put one of thu r.. y.t'rs
to his ear. For a moment there Wa,
silence as the boy focused the appl
ratus, then came a quick, angry HcN.
ing.
That's the navy yard, -l.l 'ao
boy, amateurs seldom 20 a. ii-' a,
that"
The ticking went on some m.uI'-s
whats HI saying" II" boy W.
laughing.
Hes nagging us again Hen n'.e'
sptdh I u any u US 4llb1N .|. .
he jumps on the lot Of Us 0w.' -
fierce at times-trying to h""r .ri"r
Gee, he's mad now Wan'- Hs &
shorten up our waves " Z y
didn't roll all over the coils am-r.' A.
times. I'd like 10 sass .w no <
sometimes"
The boy shifted the f.cg-l'-
ticking continued, but lH % 81. -''
different key.
That's Sayville now .."'." ''"
boy. The German s'i'... i"
shifted again. Gee. You ',Ir '.'
c. p. d. That's the Br.,t~' NH'-. -
off the Hook. They're ho't.r- iI'
ley, but it's all ciph.r-,th' "'.'
them out. Ever since The Nlt A."
we've heard them mp and dN
coast. Now you hear thar -''"
tick, like a clock; that's WIr..'-
! the observatory chrouou. ''r s.
it'll buzz, to give Us '"" Pol.
time"
"And you make the 1.N..' .t"
of the other amateurs
ayes, Of course. that's O.. n
Each has a set Of thrr" -'''"'' '
signed him, but We ku. 't..
by the key and the g'ncrt| -.'
commercials of course. Will .... '''
TO us. But sometimes ! So ."
till midnight talking a. ID
friends. whom I've never 'r. ..
with some I've mad" app
and we've come together
Tell about Jessie" sue
younger boy.
What is there 10 tell'' s'
older boy. and his face va
both boys laughed toge,h''
rather sheepishly,
"Romance?' questioned
joining in the laugh
They've worked out a CO..
sisted TIE younger boy IT.
What is Jessie like
the visitor. his CURIOSITY
better Of his sense OF dt'."
shes one ~ those I've
replied the older boy r'I.'.