Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-06-27
CHAPTER vi
The WireIess Dictagranh

The wireless Dictagraph
wireless dictagraph?
Bully! exclaimed Garrick.
I'VE could use that little
mechanical eavesdropper. Where, is
it?"
"In my laboratory"
Garrick's face fell. He glanced
at his watch and then at the sun.
Eyes. j.. I think we can make
it We must"
Two hours later found them in
Dicks own wireless workshop. It
was the boathouse on his estate
where he had done some remarkable
things with wireless. It was true
that Defoe had some wonderful
equipment but all the equipment in
the world would not have awaited
him if he had not had that spark Of
inventive genius inherited from his
famous father.
Outside he had a big aerial from
two steel towers. Garrick looked
with admiration at the completeness
of the workshop inside, the hack
saws, mitre saws, cross-cut saws,
frames, chisels, gouges, files, vises.
There were drills, hands, breast,
geared and twist, pliers with all
sorts of noses. There was wire, cop
per, aluminium, plain and insulated,
of all sizes, flexible insulated wire
cord, enough for supply store.
Fiber board and bakelite, porcelain
insulators, tubing, sheet brass, sheet
copper, everything at the very fin
gertips of the young invetor.
Interested though he would have
been at any other time, Garrick
urged haste. Dick led him proudly
to table on which was his appa-
ratuS.
$50 this is the Defoe Wireless
Dictagraph," complimented Garrick,
picking up the familiar little round
transmitter like that which he had
used so many times on the wired
machine.
AS he packed the parts Dick hast
lily enumerated them, his sending
set, batteries, coils Of wire, small
portable antennae, and the receiving
set.
They at last had everything
strapped in on the rear Of Garrick's
car and as they swung up toward
the turnpike they stopped for a mo-
ment at the Nonowantuc club.
AS Dick hoped out, followed by
Guy, there was suspicious silence
on the club porch as often happens
when the friends of an interesting
factor of the preceding conversation
draw nigh. Silence is Freudian.
Dick winked at Garrick.
A buxom old lady, trembling for
gossip, was actually shortbreathed
to get to Garrick before a group of
flappers, Ruth's friends, reached
him.
"Mr. Enthusiastically Gar.
rick
The flappers won out. They near
ly always do these days. 'Hey-
Dick! Where's Ruth? Guy,
have you heard how badly she was
hurt? For heavens sake,
get her back here. The place is
dead without Ruth"
The old lady pumped down in a
nearby chair to listen, actually with
mouth open.
With smile on his face, Profess
sor Vario of the Radio Central at
Rock Ledge, crossed over to them
to make friendly inquiries.
Going intotown?" inquired Vario
when Garrick returned with a small
handbag from his rooms.
Eyes," observing how Vario was
| dressed-"are you?"
81 was waiting for the club bus
to take me up to the station. Yes,
to the Radio show at the Seventy
first Regiment armory. I'm to give
lecture and demonstration tonight
| of my new wave meter"
well, jump in
The professor was eager to assist
them in every way as far as they
| chose to take him into their conf
dence. Garrick had met him many
times at the club and Dick and
Vario had had much in common in
their work. He seemed particularly
interested in keeping Ruth out of
further harm and very sympathetic
toward Mrs. Walden in her trouble
However, Garrick did not propose
to discuss much with even Vario
and on the way he and Dick fell into
discussion of their hobby, espe-
cially on Vario's lecture on his new
wave meter.
$50 many amateurs" explained
Vario, 'have difficulty in finding
the wave length of the broadcasting
stations that have concluded that
some simple method of tuning and
celebrating the set would clear
things up. especially for those who
are some distance away from the
sending stations. They have weak
signals to begin with and must
listen in on very nearly the proper
tune If they are to get any signals
at ALL"
II see," nodded Dick. "For that
purpose a wave meter is needed. It's
to the radio what pitch pipe is to
piano tuner"
Eyes. Mine is simply a calibrat-
ed, oscillating circuit and is one Of
the simplest circuits to build" The
professor launched into descrip-
ton of his small coil, variable con-
denser, valvemeter phones and gen
eral hook-up.
In town Garrick called up Nita
Walden at her apartments on Park
avenue. She had got ahead of any,
one else and had had Ruth's car
towed to a garage. They stopped
there a moment and Professor
Vario's solicitude for Mrs. Walden
seemed to offer Garrick the oppor-
tuity to get rid Of him, for they
certainly did not want any
strangers about in what they were
going to do.
But the show" demonstrated
Mrs. Walden as Vario offered to
stay and do anything he could to
relieve her anxiety.
I'll telephone them that I'm de-
layed. They can postpone my stunt
until later in the evening"" he in
sisted. And, Mrs. Walden, don't