The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-10-01
AMATEUR SYSTEM BEING EXTENDED
 ID PORTO RICO
Latest Success by American Radio Relay League of Its Nationwide System En-
 phasizeS Efficiency
By JACK BINNs

Night by night, throughout the breadth of the land, there takes place a series of communications under the most efficient organization ever pro- duced by voluntary methods. The de- velopment and operation of this sys- tenn Is the work of the average American radio amateur. under the executive guidance of his national in- stitution-the American Radio Relay league.
 The work of this organization has to certain extent been obscured in the phenomenal advance of public in- terest in radio due to the advent of broadcasting, and only occasionally does an inkling of it's achievements appear. Under the circumstances. therefore, an outline of its operation will be timely. particularly in view of its latest success.
 Before outlining this, however, it should be pointed out that the anna teur owning q transmitting station is restricted to a maximum output of one kilowatt of power by the gov ernment. Many of the amateurs are still further restricted by the exi- gencies of their financial standing, but they make up in enthusiasm what they lack in funds.
 Must Not Exceed 200 Meters
 To still further understand the contribution of the American anna teur to the development of radio as a means of communicative, 1t should be stated that he also is compelled to work on 200-meter wave length as a maximum, where the frequency of the oscillating current is so tremen- dously high that 1t offers almost un- surmountable difficulties.
 Despite these obstacles, he has suc- ceeded in communicating across the Atlantic ocean with less than one ki1owatt of power, where under the same conditions the big transatlantic wireless stations are compelled to use 200 kilowatts This is unoues- tionably his crowning triumph.
 Day by day he maintains net work of communications across the country which has already proved It's worth in cases of emergency and which is becoming more efficient ev- cry day. In addition he also main tains daily communication be- tween the Pacific coast and the Hawaiian Islands with the low power allowed him by the government.
 Communicates With Porto Rico
 Now his latest triumph comes with the establishment of communication between this country and Porto Rico His successes have so impressed the British government that the author ities in London have lowered the rigid bars for British amateurs and a two-way transatlantic test will be tried in December for the first time
 Not content with this the American Radio Relay league is considering the possibility of extending its service to frte hxrx. 70 st. dies and South America. The possi- .bility of worldwide amateur com munication looms larger every day.
 The important thing in the devel- opment of this remarkable system is the efficiency that has been attained under the rigid restrictions imposed by the government. Necessity has been the mother of invention with the amateur and as a result of the restrictions some of the most impor- tant radio inventions have been made by amateurs. These all reflect themselves in the more important in ternational wireless communication systems.
 The latest success of the league Is contained in the following report, which F. H. Schnell, traffic manager of the league. sends me:
 First Message From Porto Rico
 "For the first time in the history of amateur radio, members of the American Radio Relay league are in communication with their members in Porto Rico. The first message to reach the mainland was addressed to the American Radio Relay league. and was relayed from San Juan, Porto Rico, to AFT, Atlanta, Ga, thence to 4BX at Wilmington, N C., and finally to 1oP, J., l.. Reniartz, South Manchester, Conn. The mes- sage was started Tuesday night and was received by Mir 'Reinartz Wednesday night. The message rsad San Juan. P. R.. September 19. 1922.
 Ok. 12.
 American Radio Relay League,
 Hartford, Conn.
 First radio greetings to the A. R. R. L., from the amateurs of Porto Rico.
 PORTO. RICO RADIO CLUB"
 .sThe Porto Rico Radio club is an affiliated society of the A. R. R. L., and for some time an effort has been made to work the mainland, since the amateurs of Porto Rico copied sig nals from some of our stations dur ing the transatlantic tests.
 League members are being in structed to accept messages for Porto Rico beginning at once, as regular communication will be maintained whenever the weather permits.
 Mir. Hiram Percy Maxim. president of the American Radio Relay league. was highly enthusiastic in learning