The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-09-19
RADIO STATION
is INTERESTING
Mysterious Place From Which
Performers Entertain Unseen
Audiences of Thousands.
OUTSIDE NOISES SHUT OUT
Furnishings and Hangnos Selected
With View to Making BroadcastInq
Free From Echoes and
Interruptions.


Chicago.-Everyone who has listened
| to a program broadcast by radio has
formed some mental picture of the in
terror of the station from which the
| songs and speeches come. He mag
ines, perhaps, room full of apparatus
black panels, polished dials, delicate
measuring instruments and the glow
of vacuum tubes-as the setting where
stands the evenings prima donna
Were he to enter an actual Studio"
however, he would find nothing In it's
| soft carpet and attractive furnishings
| to suggest radio, except a small panel
on the wall carrying few signal
lamps and push buttons, and on a ped
estal a graceful metal object which
he is told is the broadcasting micro
phone.
A well-designed studio begins with
room whose walls are soundproof
and which will accommodate comfort
ably a chorus or an orchestra of 20
persons. Usually its walls are draped
with some heavy fabric to prevent
echoes, and for the same reason It's
grand piano, photograph and tables
are kept covered when not in use.
Where Artists Perform.
Since solOiStS are used to standing
on the hard floor Of the stage, low
wooden platform is provided to make
them feel at ease, and for the further
purpose of discOuraging them from
moving about the room while singing.
This is a common tendency among
artists of strong dramatic instinct, but
1t Is undesirable because it carries
them away from the micrOphone that
is to pick up their voices.
This platform is only one of the
many little details that are provided
for the comfort of the artists in q
wellrun station. The studio itself is
best located where 1t is easily reached
from the street On their arrival the
performers are greeted in an ante
room by a courteous attendant, and
made to feel at home while they wait
their turn to ''go on" Shortly before
each program the studio manager ex-
plains the few simple points to be OBJ
served-such as remaining from four
to eight feet from the transmitter,
enunciating clearly and maintaining
perfect quiet while the microphone is
ION the air. III
: AT laSL Tile IuOIl0uI COIucS TO DRRlu.
In the studio q lamp flashes, telling
the manager that the electrical equip
ment Is ready. With a last glance to
be sure that everyone is in place, the
manager throws a switch which con-
meets the microphone through the set
to the antenna, and in a strong, clear
voice Announces, This is Station
PDQ broadcasting; we will have
solo by Miss B, entitled -" The
pianist begins the accompaniment and
the "show" is on.
Great Invisible Audience.
The curtain has now risen on an In
visible audience of many thousand |
people, but aside from q bright blue
pilot light on the wall, nothing has :
changed In the studio 1t is hard for |
performers to realize that they are not |
merely rehearsing; and sometimes to |
the chagrtn of the manager, they In |
terruptA themselves with = question |
about their singing or. some other In |
congruous remark. One manager re
lates with glee how, one day listening I
At the radio station to \ tenor solo at |
another local station, he heard the (
singer inquire at the conclusion:
"How do you shut this - thing on,
anyffow7. - esg5s Mos, sei3og
Such situations must the studio I
ma i1aGer handle ION the minute and /
yet diplomatically, for he is dealing +
with all sorts OF compartments, from
the high-strung artist to the busy man I
OF politics or affairs. He must put on
one I number after another without
stage waits and his resourcefulness
must be equal to filling in gaps az II
nothing had gone wrong. 80
Often rehearsals are held, during !
which the electrical equipment is con-
nected to dummy antenna. This
permits various groupings of perform
ers to be tried without disturbing
other stations. During these tests and
during the performance itself the sta
lion operator must give close attention
10 Instruments which show, the per- |
formance of the microphone. the /.
power which its circuit delivers to
he transmitting apparatus and the
power radiated into space. The quail
ty OF the transmitted speech is OBJ
served by listening in with a receiving
;et. These precautions, coupled with
IN experienced station operator and |
irst-class radio equipment, are de-
irable to make sure that you as a
ado amateur will hear a program
hat will repay you for listening in.
Light on the Cat
tod boo |