The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-24
Topeka CAN help
Local Wireless Stations Would
Be of Use in War.
More Than Thirty Complete
Apparatuses Are Here.
WASHBURN PLANT OF VALUE
College Station Can Talk With
Other Points Easily.
Possibility That Other Towers
Would Be Sealed.
NASHBURN PLANT OF Value

In case of the actual outbreak OF
war with Germany, the United states
government will require all amateur
wireless operators to make report OF
their location and the power OF their
plants to the war department. The
government is suspicious of amateur
Wireless plants, and while in case OF
var a great number of ready trained
operators would be ready for service
If needed, the authorities frown upon
the experimenting OF youthful Mar
conis.
The question has thus been raised
turnout the United States and is
arousing interest in Topeka as to the
usefulness of comm ercial and amateur
wireless equipment in case OF war
There are perhaps thirty more or less
efficient wireless stations in service in
Topeka.
Prof. Edison Petit of the physics
DEPARTMENT at Washburn college and
an expert wireless operator, doubts
their military value. About the first
thing the government would do. said
Professor Petit, lis to shut up these
innumerable amateur stations. Most
of the plants in Topeka can receive
from pretty long distances, but their
sending apparatus will only flash mes
sages about thirty miles
Restrictions on Amateurs Now.
The government places severe re-
strictions on amateur and commercial
wireless to prevent it's interfering with
the army and naval communication.
Amateurs are not allowed to talk
across the state line. No wireless sta
ton is allowed within thirty miles of
the state line. No amateur station is
allowed within five miles of a United
States government station, if the power
of its sender exceeds one-half kilo-
watt There is a bill before congress
now which -contemplateS even more
stringent restrictions upon private use.
Commercial operators complain that
the plan is to sacrifice the future
growth and progress of the science to
military uses.
Undoubtedly all private operators
along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
will receive short orders. if war breaks
out, as they tend to interfere with
naval communication. The entire Uni
ted States and all its possessions form
a vast network with continuous COM
munication between all points
= In the case of hostilities the only To-
cal plant which would be of value as
a government station is the one at
Washburn. 1t can at all times COM
municate with Leavenworth, FIT. Riley,
Kansas City and can without diff
Guilty talk with any station in Kansas
The other local plants would undoubt-
eddy be sealed up
The station at Washburn is the
two kilowatt transformer which is
good for sending messages 200 miles.
Professor Petit has talked with Chi
cago. This can be done only under
special weather conditions.
Talks in Snow Storm.
The first time l talked with Chi
cago." said Prof. Petit, was in a
snowsto M But the next time l tried
to talk with Chicago under similar
conditions it might not work at all.
That is the peculiar thing about wire
less. We know that we can do bet
ter on some days than others, but we
don't yet know why, and often what
ought to be a good talking day is
quite the reverse. That is one of the
unexplored fields which science will
some day open up
The great advantage of the wire
less over the telegraph is that on the
telegraph only one message can be
sent at one time, while with the wire
less as many people can talk at once
as desire To talk with a government
station. it is necessary to tune your
instrument to the wave length of the
government sender. None of the anna
teurs in the city are in a position to
do this"