The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-02
II RADIO STATIONS
ARE WORLDS LIMIT
AIR Path Will Not Carry More
Waves without Their
Conflicting.
SOON TO ENCIRCLE GLOBE
DR.. Alexanderson Sees Com
munication With China
and Australia.
SOON TO ENCIRCLE GLOBE

The development Of wireless teleg-
raphy to point where communication
setween Australia and Canada or New
York and Pekin will be as usual as
telephone messages between New York
and Brooklyn is by no means merely
matter Of erecting powerful stations.
Ernst f. w. Alexanderson. consulting
engineer OF the General Electric Com
many and one of the foremost radio en-
aneers in the United States, made this
elear last night in an address before
members Of the American Institute of
Electrical Engineers and the Institute
Of Radio Engineers In the Engineering
societies Building. at 20 West Thirty
ninth street.
Or. Alexanderson was optimistic con-
esrning the final development of radio
communication to point where this
means of communication will be world
vide and world encompassing, but
merely pointed out that. there are prob
lem sin the way which must be solved
BY the engineers of to-day. The very
growth of the radio during the war and
esbecially of the long distance radio,
has complicated it's use. since space in
the ether" is not inexhaustible, and in
deed for long distance messages already
has been taken UP.
ut has already become generally
known that a new highway for world
traffic has been opened up through the
development of transoceanic radio COM
munication," Ne said. ut is now a mat
tar Of history that radio was largely used
for communication between the United
States and armies in Europe, and that
the great war was brought to a close
by negotiations conducted by radio,
which led to the armistice. Now we are
ready for an international commerce of
unprecedented scope, but lack adequate
means for communication"
Service Is Reliable.
The war demonstrated that trans
oceanic communication, wonderful as 1t
was considered a few years ago. was
thoroughly reliable every day in the
year and practically every hour in the
day he pointed out. But the question
which now engrosses the radio experts
Is what volume of traffic can be carried
with the present means at the worlds
disposal, and what may be demanded OF
radio communication in the great world
traffic Of the future.
Experience has shown that the wave
lengths which are most suited for trans
900 and 1900 meters" he said. This
space In the ether has already been
taken up by five first class transmitting
stations, which, during the war period
and up to the present time have been
in continuous service for transatlantic
communication. OF these stations two
are in the United States, one in England,
one In France and one in Germany BY
extending the range Of wave lengths
down to 10000 and UP to 10000 meters,
and following the same system of inter
walls, there would be room for about
seven more stations or a total of twelve
first class transmitting stations"
Reduced to non-technical language, a
first-class wireless station, that is one
having such radiating or sending power
that its message cam be received in all
parts of the world, must have the right
Of way" through the other. Any other
station using the same wave length for
sending would conflict with the first
station and its messages would be un-
Ineligible.
Twelve stations Is Limit.
Thus, IL we look at the matter
pessimistically, without allowance for
the Improvements that further engineer
ing Developments are likely to bring, II
would look as If the capacity of the
world for first-class radio stations
would be about twelve. The rate of
transmission at the present time from
these stations is about twenty words a
minute and 1t would thus be easy to
figure out that the capacity of radio
for handling any considerable portion
OF world communication would be
totally inadequate"
Three methods of combating this
problem are pointed out by DR.. Alexan-
derson: increase in speed of transmits
sion Of messages, improved methods OF
directing the wave to prevent 1t from
conflicting with waves of similar length,
and a finer or closer spacing Of wave
lengths.
The producing speed of the future will
average 100 words a minute. he de-
clared. as experiments have shown such
speed possible. The improved wave di'
rection will multiply by five the number
OF stations which use the same wave
length, and the better spacing Of wave
lengths will result in wave lengths
within / per cent. of each other. instead
Of per cent. as is the case now. Thu:
these prospects In combination will give
a possible capacity for transmitting