The Washington herald., 1920-04-03
|N0MANTELLS
OFRAlIOLURE
Amateur Operator IN Essay
Describes Fascination
OF Wireless. /.
ENTERED IN CONTEST
Great Change in Communi-
cation Expected During
Next Decade.

Margaret B. Carroll, Sne of the
young women amateur radio opera
tors who entered The Washington
Herald's Radio Contest to win one
Of the sixty-nine awards, aggregat-
ing $1,000 in cash and radio appa-
ratus, has, given The Washington
Herald permission to print her essay.
Miss Carroll lives at 1s47 Lamont
street northwest.
Her essay follows,
RADIO = That mystic word In
deed typifes a deep mystery to
many of US. Yet we casually accept
this wonderful invention as we have
accepted all Of the great inventions
and discoveries Of this age OF won
ders. And we will, in the future,
accept just as calmly the achieve
ments of coming years. a.l
From the time when Hertz be-
gan to discover things about wire-
less waves until the present time.
amateurs have played an important
part. in the development and per-
fection Of radio apparatus. 1t is
onee diversion in which anyone can
ind pleasure, and instruction. Any
amateur. whether rich or poor,
young or old. can erect a station
which will receive signals.
Amateurs Make Improyements.
'.At the present time, the simplest
form OF radio receiver will sufice
for amateurs in the vicinity of ra-
dio stations. From the young boy
with his coil. phones and crystal
to the amateur with his latest type
Of transmitter and multiple-step am
plifying receiver with which he Is
enabled to listen In on transatlantic
stations. everyone tries to increase
the efficiency of his apparatus ac-
cording to the time and money he
Is able to devote to this most in
teresting of hobbies. This accounts
for the long list of improvements
in radio which are credited to the
amateur. ...-- ... .
"The mere receiving. Of signals is
not the only use of radio. Almost
any amateur operator knows that
Il is possible 10 receive radio tele-
phone messages on an ordinary
wireless telegraph receiver, and the
contemplated installation of teie-
phone apparatus all over the United
States will render doubly attractive
the practice of amateur radio. Tho
radio compass 10 another invention,
which, to quote Rear Admiral Bull
lard of the United States navy, will
eventually render unnecessary the
use of navigation instruments on
shipboard. ..r .
Radio Innesseiy Popular.
Amateur radio is Immensely pop
ular. as any radio Inspector will
testify. The radio inspectors posi-
ton Is not exactly an enviable one.
as he Is Kept ina state OF continual
activity in hunting down amateurs
who, through ignorance or careless
ness. send a prohibited wave. The
numerous amateur radio clubs and
organizations throughout the coun-
try testify to the popularity and ap-
peal of radio. ... ~ -,
There are many publications ex-
tant which are very helpful to the
amateur in giving information re-
garding the installation of new sIa-
lions, schedules of various stations,
the LATEST inventions and helpful
hints concerning radio apparatus
and the news of the various anna
teur organizations and clubs.
We have merely scratched he
surface In our knowledge of radio.
The next ten or twenty years Will
undoubtedly bring forth many new
and startling discoveries IN this in
tsresting Held Of endeavor. One
problem which Is most attractive to
radio experimenters is that of inter-
planetary. communication. 1t is a
very difficult one. but is surely de-
serving of consideration.
This age IS one of rapid advance
ment and we wonld Ind it as hard
= credit the discoveries of the next
twenty years, as the people who
lived twenty years ago would to
accept the accomplishments of to-
day. There Is every reason to be-
lieve that, as in the past, amateur
radio operators, will have their full
share in the discoveries and in
ventions TO come ~
=