New-York tribune., 1922-10-15
Selecsivity in
Receivers Is
Badly Needed
Future of Broadcasting De.
pendent Upon Ability oil
Radio Sets 10 Cut Out
Stations on Close Waves
Many Sets Used Are Poor
Program Diversity Requires
Success With 800 and
40O-Meter Wave Scheme

Can order be restored out OF the
chaos that now exists in Che ether I?
The United States government.
through the Department of Commerce,
which has control over radio matters,
has tried to do this by assigning a
A00-meter wave length to a certain
class of broadcasting stations through
out the country. The object is to per-
nit two stations to operate simuita-
neousiy IN a congested district without
interference with each other, while at
the same time giving di erent pro-
grams of radio entertainment.
The first real, practical test of this
scheme occurred during the worlds
series baseball games between the two
New York teams. Through IAN arrange
ment with all of the interests involved,
these games were broadcast direct
from the playing field over two tele-
graph wires of the Western Union
Company to the Westinghouse Com
pany's station, WIZ, at Newark. This
station, although qualified to operate
on 400-meter wave length, elected
to remain on the 360-meter wave. All
Of the other stations operating on $50
meters within the metropolitan area
voluntarily agreed to remain quiet dur
ing the period of the worlds series
games.
Plain Sailing Expected
With this arrangement specifically
made, it was concluded that everything
would be plain sailing for perfect
reproduction of the most important
series in the national game, the first
time that such an undertaking had
been attempted in the annals of the
sport.
The very first day, however, showed
that these conclusions We're absolutely
incorrect. In the city of Newark there
10 station lWOR), which is working
on the 400-meter wave. This station
is first class broadcasting station in
every respect, and it was naturally con-
cluded that it could operate at the
sant time as WIZ with difference
of 40 meters between the two stations,
representing on those wave lengths a
frequency difference of $4,000 cycles
second, which theoretically should
eliminate any clash between the two
waves on receiving apparatus. -
The schedule of W0R was so ar
ranged, in accordance with the ruling
of the local radio inspector, that he
was on the "ar'' at the time the worlds
series broadcasting actually began.
Within the next half hour hundreds Of
infuriated fans called up WOR and
complained bitterly of the interference
he was causing to the worlds series
story. s4h
Fans Were Furious
Such was the situation on the first
real, serious test of the 36O-4O0-meter
scheme! Let us analyze it carefully:
The fans who called up WOR were
quite convinced in their own minds
that that station was in the wrong
and was committing deliberate act
of interference.
Now if we consider all things care
fully We must, in plain justice, con-
vince these fans that such was not the
fact; and moreover, the fault lay not
with WOR, but with the fans them
selves.
The reason for this lies in the re-
ceiving apparatus that they are using.
of course, the radio fans are not alto
Eether responsible for that. A lot of
the blame rests upon the shoulders of
manufacturers who turned out inferior
equipment during the frenzied rush
carly this year, in order to make quick
profits before the "craze," as they
called it, died down.
Receivers Not Selective
This apparatus has no selectivity
whatsoever, and will respond to almost
anything within wide band of wave
lengths.
Now. in order to make broadcasting
really successful and in order to get a
diversity of programs. it will be abso-
juteiy necessary for two broadcasting
stations to operate in the same locality
simultaneously, and the only way in
winch they can do it is along the lines
suggested in the government scheme.
The radio fan, therefore, must do
everything In his power to help make
TINS success, and not unjustly criti-
cize the transmitting end, when the
Iauit lies really at the receiving end.
he should take steps, as soon as nossi-
bic, to turn his receiver into double
circuit set, SO as to permit him to pet
the closest possible tuning.
IL he already has a double circuit re-
ceiver, then it is only his own fault if
there is any interference from the 3eo-
fuo meter stations, as careful tuning
will completely eliminate one and
bring in the other.
Those new radio fans who are about
TO install receiving sets in their homes
should make point of getting dem.
onstratton with a complete set in order
TO test its selectivity as between those
TWO wave lengths before they install
a set.
If careful attention is paid TO tunino
the receiving sets the scheme of oner.
ating $50 and 400 meter stations will he
successful.
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