New-York tribune., 1922-12-17
Transatlantic
/ Amateur Tests
In Full Swing
American Canadian Stations
Vying With Each Other
to Span the Ocean With
Low Power Transmitiers
Trials Last Twenty Days
European Amateurs Try to
Cross Ocean First Time in
HistOryof Communication
%ES@M
A:dAA

The greatest organized effort in the
history Of communication ~ now IN ei-
feet for the third annual trans-Atlantic
amateur wireless telegraph tests, which
promise this year 20 be more success
ful than ever before, in that Il IS ex-
pected amateurs on this side OF the
ocean will for the first time receive
signals from their confreTes IN Eng-
land and France.
The arrangements for the tests in
all three countries are practically per-
feet and constitute an absolute model
OF complete detailed preparation The
test extends over period Of twenty
days, which begin on Tuesday, Decem-
Der l2. The first ten days are set
aside for specially chosen American
amateurs to transmit messages 10
Europe. The last ten days viii be re-
served for French and British amateur
transmitting stations.
In this country the fortunate ANA.
teurs who will transmit were selected
through their organizatio ion--the Ameri-
can Radio Relay League--after a
process Of preliminary tests. DURING
these tests 3lS privately owned trans
mitting sets succeeded In meeting the
rigid requirements OF transmitting q
minimum Of 200 miles over land.
An interesting feature Of these pre-
liminary tests is the fact that specially
selected British receiving stations
heard more than fifty Of the American
and Canadian amateurs while they
were In progress.
viii Test Receiver Types
One Of the most important aspects
of the tests will be the results oD-
talned from the receiving apparatus,
aa the British amateur mas speeiallzeo
more upon radio-frequency ampllnea-
tion than his American colleague. Inc
majority Of the highly sensitive re-
ceiving sets that will be employed here
40 listen for the British and frencn
stations will be based on the super
heterodype. One amateur is planning
20 use a special receiver consisting OF
three stages Of raido-frequency amph'
Aeation ahead Of his super-heterooyne,
or, In other words, set with t"eiVe
An idea Of the remarkable planning
which has been made for these tests
osn be obtained from an outline OF the
British arrangements. Over there
special station located near bona0n
cent out a series of tests eGeb nsgs
from November % until December a
on wave lengths ranging from ZOO 70
2ab meters. The lowest possible power
was utilized for this purpose, so that
the supersensitive receivers throughout
the cSantry could be tuned IN under
Approximate conditions prevailing when
the American amateurs are sending. !,
In this country the stations selected
were approved during the regular
cross-eountry relay work which Is done
every hight under the auspices OF the
Amefiear Radio Relay League. Each
station had 10 be heard "A distance OF
AT least / 200 miles direct over land -
a condition which approximates the
possibility Of transmitting across the
Atlantic. One amateur located at On
tario. Calf, not only crossed the con-
tinent, but was easily heard in Eng
land.
How Schedule Works
Until December 22 the amateurs on
this side Of the ocean will continue
their transmission tests, starting at
o'clock In the evening and lasting until
i o'clock in the morning. The FIRST
two and half hours Of this period Is
a "free for all" while the remaining
three and half hours each evening is
devoted 10 individual signaling. Prac-
tieally every amateur throughout the
country has pledged himself TO remain
quiet during these periods, unless the
schedule permits him TO transmit.
While the amateurs Of this country
are having their fling at shooting ether
cal waves across the turbulent Allan
tic, their plans call for nightly re-
ports from the big high powered trans
Atlantic stations through the co-opera.
ton OF Marconi's Wireless Telegraph
Company and the Radio Corporation OF
America.
Every morning at 2 o'clock Eastern
standard time, the big station at Car
narvOn, Wales (MUU), operating on {
wave length Of ii,200 meters, will re-
port every American amateur who has
been heard in England. He will senC
this information az the rate Of twelve
words a minute. Five minutes after
wards the station at New Brunswick
N J. (WID will repeat the report. Re
ceptiOn In France will be reported in 2
similar manner by Sainte Assise al
2;l0 a. m. +. s. T., on 5000 meters
and his report will be repeated by
Marion, Mass.
This year the British government
has authorized a transmitting station
Of amateur construction az Manchester
England, with one kilowatt Of power
MS tNaAAul VIII DC the CENTER oA Aut
European transmission to this country
which begins on December %. Many
French stations have also been per-
mltted 20 increase their power for the
tests. Daily reports Of success OF
failure will be sent by the big trans
Atlantic stations during the phase OF
the experiment, but in this case OF
course the reports will originate in
this country.
The most careful arrangements POS
sible have been made. The periods OF
Transmission here have been allotted
20 the various radio districts Of the
country, and all other stations have
pledged themselves 20 remain quiet
In England, where broadcasting has
just begun, the British have a feeling
Of horror against radiation Of receiv-
ing sets, and efforts have even beer
made to have all regeneratiye receivers
closed down during the period when
the American amateurs are sending.
Last year tweuty-seven American
amateur stations were heard in Eng
land, the first time amateur station.
crossed the Atlantic. This record hal
already been passed during the pre-
iminaries. How far the latter will bs
exceeded the next few days will tell.