The New York herald., 1922-04-16
SUMMER CAMPERS
TO CARRY RADIO
New Source of Demand for
Portable Sets Confronts
Manufacturers.
CRYSTAL DETECTORS POOR
Not Suited to the Country
Vacuum Tube Detect0rs
Would Insure Results.

With the rescue OF the first swimmer
seized with cramps in Coney's surf
the increase in the demand for cough
and cold medicines and the appearance
OF the first robin in print. manufacturers
OF radio sets find themselves confronted
with a new source of demand for their
products
This is the summer camp, with which
the whole United States, and particu-
larly the East, is studded during the
summer months. Last year the campers
packed monographs to their favorite
happy resting grounds. but this year
the portable radio set seems likely to be
regarded as just as essential as a tent or
fishing rod.
The demand OF campers will probably
do much toward improving the present
radio receiving sets. which many ex-
perts regard as somewhat too heavy
bulky and wasteful OF current. Many of
the present sets, however. may be classi-
fled as almost as portable as the or
dfnary phonograph and it's records. Con-
sidering its versatility in extracting jazz,
OPERA news. lectures ard weather re-
ports out of the air. the extra weight of
the radio set is not considered by most
campers as too great disadvantage.
Flag Poles and Trees.
The demand of campers for sets Is as
varied as the camps to which they are
going, ranging from the Adirondack
camp" which looks like a young and
thriving city. to the one blanket and
skillet affair affected by the veteran.
The largest number of vacationists, how
ever, are looking for fairly small out
At which will connect them with the
nearest broadcasting station.
A number of big camps which are run
year after year intend to install receiv-
ing sets with several stages OF amplifi-
cation and with loud speakers. These
sets will supplant the story teller around
the blazing camp fire after the sports
of the day are over. They have the
merit that they can be shut off when the
audience feels too sleepy to listen longer.
The matter of an aerial ordinarily pre-
sents much less difficulty at camp
than in the city. The camp flag pole, II
It is of reasonable height, and tree
that towers over it's fellows nearby.
make good points between which to
stretch an antenna. The higher the
aerial the better. A single strand OF $50
feet of copper wire makes a perfect an
tenna for broadcast listening. The
ground is rather more of a problem than
in a city full Of water pipes and gas
lines, but a pipe driven deep into moist
ground will do to hook the ground wire
to. AS in town, a lightning switch should
be installed for safety's sake.
The Gypsy Radio.
Due to the fact that the broadcasting
station is likely to be further from camp
than from city residences. the crystal
detector sets will not give as good re-
suits as they do in town. A vacuum
tube detector will give much better re-
suits. The batteries needed with 1t viii
be considered worth their salt. Static
must be combated during the summer
months.
In addition to campers. good many
vacationists who lead gypsy life on
motor boat or automobile during the
warm weather, are planning to instan
sets. Radio design has progressed so far
that even those who travel by canoe
need not despair of getting little music
and information in the midst of the
wilds, but their results will not be as
good as obtained at more permanent
stations. Amateurs building their own
set, with portability as their aim
have a shining mark OF shoot at In
Alfred G. Rinehart. 10 year old radio
expert of Elizabeth. N. j., who recently
completed set which he wore like
ring. and of which the longest dimension
was one inch. Young Rhinehart dem
onstrated this as the ultimate In camp
ing or tramping sets by using an UNI
brella for an aerial and a screw driver
for q ground.