The Washington herald., 1922-06-18
RADIO OPERATORS
BY TESTING SETS
CAUSE NUISANCE
Interference Can Only
Be Overcome by Care
Of Transmitters.
LAW INSUFFICIENT
Unnecessary Disturbances
Prove Annoying to All
Listeners-in.
LAW INSUFFICIENT

Congress has delayed enforcing
laws and providing the necessary
officials for the regulation Of radio
traffic. In Washington. as IN other
stiles, there IL need for an exercise
u fair play on the part of trans
mitting operators. Consideration
Tor other broadcasting stations
will be the only solution of the
problem Of interference. regardless
Of the number Of radio traffic laws
eventually enacted and enforced.
Transmitting stations are licensed
BY the Department. OF Commerce to
operate on certain wave lengths
and with q definite power output.
There Is assigned to each trans
hitting station a schedule of hours
when that station is free to send.
The wave length assigned and the
stations call are published in the
Radio Call Book. This data, to-
gether with the hours scheduled
tor transmission are published in
he daily papers. Everyone, there
,ore. may know who is scheduled
10 transmit.
Testing Il Blamed.
Spark and low-power c. W. sta
lions are licensed to test for ex-
perimental purposes at nearly any
iour OF the day or night. 1t is be-
:ause of the laxity of the law con-
.erning these smaller stations that
much of the interference in the air
Is due. The larger stations are
ikewise to blame at times for their
prolonged testing periods. All
transmitting operators have the
temptation. IL not the habit, OF
opening up regularly without nrst
Pistening-in to learn II anyone hap
pens to be transmitting a regular
schedule or a message of impor-
lance.
The need. therefore. Is not for a
aw book with detailed accounts of
low and when TO operate the radio
:ransmitter. but rather the culti-
ration on the part of radio opera
.ors of the habit of listeningin
previous to opening up. II no one
Else is broadcastinC, or II no i'm
oortant transmission Is going on.
hen II is proper to open up on low
power and announce a test period.
! duch of the interference today is
;aused by operators who test too
much, who keep up an incessant
vhistling or talking. This disturb
InCe aggravates the peFCeful lis
ener-in. who is in the majority to-
'oicing his displeasure through
pace.
Each Must Await Turn.
must await their turn at street
:rossings that traffic may proceed
InObstructed. So must the air be
iept reasonably clear for the bene-
1t OF other operators, who have a
light to transmit, and for the lis
ener-in. 1t is annoying in a movie
o have a person read the picture
tiles aloud. Most persons prefer
o watch and read for themselves.
-he same is true of the listener-in.
1e prefers to keep his thought on
me subject or musical selection so
onC as possible. Interruptions of
half dozen meaningless conversa-
ions are unwarranted. Static is
preferable to such noises, for at
east everyone is interested in
tatic, and everyone knows static is
Unavoidable interference.
Must Play Fair.
Better times are coming to ease
If the present disturbed condition
Il the atmosphere. Radio enthusi-
Gsts are going to play fair and CEN
ure the air intruder. There will
,e a sto7page Of the noise nuisance
~ action OF the operators them
] elves. Congress will enact suf-
icient laws to properly regulate
adio traffic. The possibilities of
he new Armstrong circuit and
'thers which may be developed to
make available the lower wave
engths will help the situation
,reatly. For the present, how
,ver. the public must play fair.
'perators must restrict their pri-
rate conversations to a minimum.
70 the majority of persons who to-
lay form the large class of listen
Irs-in may secure the utmost en-
oyment from their radio receiving
Iets.