The Washington herald., 1922-06-02
Rainy Atlnos sphere
Aids Radio Signals
Receiving Made Easier, Due to
Reduction in Static
Interference. 4.

Last night was an. ideal night
for listening-in. A cool. cloudy
day cleared the. air somewhat of
the usual static or atmospherics.
A point very much In favor Of
radio is Its serviceableness on
rainy nights when other amuse-
ment is out of the question. This
Is not always. the case. but radio
signals are more likely to be re-
ceived without static interference
on nights when the atmosphere Is
cool and has not been pierced all
day with hot sun rays.
On the other hand, rainy nights
are not desirable for transmitting.
With aerial wires and insulators
dripping wet. radiation is reduced
and losses due to discharges across
insulators cut down the eficiency
of the transmitter considerably.
Short circuits occur between set
and ground.
Aboard ship. radio operators at
times wipe of insulators and
lead-in just previous to Opening
up" Otherwise sharp fiashins.
called "splashing" of electricity.
will occur with each contact OF
the transmitter key. This not only
wastes power which should he
radiated from the aerial. but
causes a troublesome noise and 10
dangerous to operator and crew.
The atmosphere seems to be of
lower potential on a rainy night.
This does not occur. however. un-
less the rain Is OF considerable
duration. In the tropics where
frequent showers relieve the tense
heat of the air. static Is very Sc
we're. 1t is continuously of high
potential. and except after long
periods Of rain there is practically
no relief from II.
In copying radio messages under
these conditions. the operator
usually sacrifices strength Of sig
nal for partial elimination OF
static. That Is. he may tune sew
eral meters away from the trans
mitted wave length to a point
where the static seems less severe.
In tuning away from the trans
mitted wave. length. the signal
strength Is considerably reduced
but NAV be more readable. An
other trick of the trade practiced
IL static Is not too severe Is TO
concentrate on the particular note
OF the signals being sent 1t Is not
unusual to enter the radio room
and hear nothing but static through
the phones while the operator Is
copying regularly. He has deaf
ened his ear to anything but the
particular signals he desires to
copy
Concentration solves many DIM
culties for the radio operator. NO
excuse Is permitted the operator
for not receiving a certain mes
sage word for word. Correctly op-
Grating, he will get through" the
desired messages in spite Of inter-
ference.
When a ship approaches a harhor
the radio receivers are filled with
many messages at all speeds. b"-
cause Of the proximity OF the ap.
preaching ship to the transmt'ins
stations. the strength OF these se-
nails In Increased many times
unless he concentrated. and tuned
sharply. II would he impossible TOT
an operator to clear his tramc'
Static Is but one form OF tnterS
ference. IT Is more ohiectionabie on
III. radiophone set because persons
do mot COPY what the speaker Is
saving hence cannot piece to-
gether his broken sentences.
From the transmitter END. one
way to avoid static Is to increase
power or wave length. TO srise
above the disturbances, though this
{. not practicable on the average
radiophone transmitter.
NJ d. M.