The Adair County news., 1922-09-19
RADIO STATION
is INTERESTING
Mysterious Place From Which
Performers Entertain Unseen
Audiences of Thousands.
OUTSIDE NOISES SHUT OUT
Furnishings and Hangings Selected
With View to Making 5roadeasting
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 imag-
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 In its
soft carpet and attractive furnishings
to suggest radio, except a small panel
on the wall carrying a few signal
lamps and push buttons, and on 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 its
grand piano, phonograph 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, a low
wooden platform is provided to make
them feel at ease, and for the further
purpose of diseouraging 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 a
welLrun station. The studio itself is
best located where it 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."
At last the moment comes to begin.
In the studio a 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 a
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 a 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 chagrin of the manager, they in
terrupt themselves with a question
about their singing or some other in
cOngruOus remark. One manager re
lates with glee how, one day listening
at the radio station to a tenor solo al
another local station, he heard the
singer inquire at the conclusion
How do you shut this - thing off
anyhow"
Such situations must the studio
manager handle ION the minute" anC
Yet automatically, for he is dealine
with all. sorts of temperamentS, from
the high-strung artist to the busy maj
of politics or affairs. He must put OF
one number after another withOu
'stage waits and his resourcefulness
must be equal to filling in gaps as il
nothing had gone wrong.
Often rehearsals are held, durins
which the electrical equipment is con
| nected ts 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
tion operator must give close attention
to instruments which show the per-
formanee of the microphOne, the
power which its circuit delivers to
the transmitting apparatus and the
power radiated into space. The quail
ity of the transmitted speech is OBJ
served by listening in with receiving
set. These precautions, coupled with
an experienced station operator and
frst-class radio equipment, are de-
sirable to make sure that you as a
radio amateur will hear program
| that will repay you for listening in.