Evening star., 1924-11-09


left with the idea that everything
was settled and that new wave lengths
Tor broadcasting would be issued
forthwith, but Secretary Hoover's
radio aides have had a terrible time
working out the practical details of
an equable distribution of the So wave
lengths among the 81 class B stations
now in existence.
After trying out several plans of
allocating wave lengths by zones and
cities where the larger and more pow
erful broadcasters are located a ten
tatiNe system based on distance be-
tween the broadcast stations has
been sent to all radio supervisors
with instructions to confer with local
operators and secure their approval.
Out of nine national districts. only
one supervisor has reported a gen
eral agreement to the changes in
wave lengths suggested.
Supervisor X. Y. Cadmus Of the
third district, having headquarters at
Baltimore. reports that all ma jor sta
ton owners agree to the wave
lengths assigned. Under this district
plan, Washington will get wave
length of 491.5 meters. time on which
will have to be divided by Stations
WRC and WCAP. Philadelphia,
which has four stations, will have
two wave lengths. 394.5 and 1854 me-
ters; while Atlantic City will have a
single wave length of 2ss.a meters
The general plan of subdividing the
wave band between ESQ and 545 me-
ters among the class Il stations, pro-
vfdeS for a separation of from 10 to
so kilocycles. Stations in the same
city will be approximately so kilo-
cycles or about 80 meters apart
which should prevent serious inter
ference when both are on the air. A
recent test in Washington, however
when WRC broadcast on 4S9 and
WCAP on 435 meters, brought a num-
her Of complains Of bad interference,
| chiefly from crystal set owners. In
reports tabulated by the Department
of Commerce, 25 per cent OF the fans
claimed it was impossible to separate
the two programs. which caused the
abandonment and of dual broadcasts
| on election night. In many other
| cities, such as in New York, Phila-
, delphia and Chicago it is understood
! fans have little difficulty in selecting
| the station desired during Simultane-
! Gus broadcasting.
! Stations distant from each other so
| to 200 miles will use wave lengths
separated by 80 kilocycles: those from
| 200 to 500 miles apart will have a
! 20-kilocyclss separation and those
| over 500 miles apart will operate on
| wave lengths differing by ten kilo-
! cycles.
Before the ALLEGATION of the Glass B
! wave lengths is put into effect II will
| be necessary to reassign new wave
! lengths to the present Class A stations
in the new band between 200 and 27S me
| tiers. as provided in the general con-
! ference plan, and also to get the SO
active Glass c stations to transfer to
| Glass A or B, or quit so as to release
| the 360-meter wave length. No Class
| g station licenses will be renewed
| after November Is. The new alloca-
tions probably will not be finally
checked and assigned until about
| January !, but all supervisors are
! completing their local surveys as
fast as possible. In some cities where
| there are but two channels for three
| or more broadcasting stations diff
| culties are being met, as each station
! wants separate wave length. The
! fact that 26 new Glass B stations are
/ anticipated-l2 planning to transfer
! from their present status and II be-
! ing new stations under construction
hinders progress. All told, this makes
! it necessary for the Commerce De-
partment to divide SO wave lengths
; among SO stations, and although 10
of the wave lengths used on the East
( Coast may be repeated on hte West
Coast. satisfactory assignment is
! found difficult.
lille Secretary Hoover has made no
. statement as to the departments ac-
/ ceptance of the conference resolu-
tions, practical applications indicate
| that some of the plans cannot be car
ried out. For example, the remaining
of broa adcasting stations by numeri-
cal designations. which, of course,
! makes little difference to the fans
. anyhow, is impossible. 1t looks as if
, the higher powered stations. known
as Glass r, would continue under that
name, while remaining stations Will
be classed as A stations. The sug-
gested designations as Classes l, 2
and 3 will not be practical, since
, existing legislation provides that
Glass l stations are public service
| stations, Glass 4 technical and train
ing and Glasses ), and amateur
stations.
Furthermore, the department is
said not to favor grouping all the
lower powered present A stations,
numbering nearly half the present
stations, into Glass and trying to
satisfy them all with only five oper-
ating channels. The band for these
stations assigned by the conference
was between 202 and 207 meters-all
very low wave lengths and not capa-
BILE of being picked up on many types
of sets. All Class A stations, there
| fore, it is understood, will be as
signed wave lengths between 200 and
$50 meters, the more powerful having
the higher wave lengths between 233
and 27S meters. Supervisors are also
testing the broadcasting stations and
marking their transmitters for fu-
ture adjustment on the new waves
thus preparing for the final transfer
when all details are worked out.
Apply for German Patents.
The announcement by the Navv
Department that a number of G.
man radio patents were to be Of
fered to American radio manufacture
ers on a new cross-licensing plan. ha:
resulted in applications from many
houses interested in radio apparatus.
! Under the law existing in 1920, th'
Secretary of Navy licensed the 1nterna
tionaI Radio Telegraph Co, to use the
German patents, seized by the alter
property custodian, including the IA
nous reflex circuit of Schloemilcf
and Won Bront, with the understand
ing that the Westinghouse Company
could make and sell such apparatus
Since that date, however, other firms
have applied for licenses under the
same patents, and the Attorney Gen
eral recently ruled that the Nava
Secretary might issue general non
exclusive, non-transferable but revoc
able licenses. This may put severa
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