Evening star., 1924-06-15

on the basis of the results Of this
trlaI. Early in 1920 the bureau
broadcast music experimentally, but
o on an announced schedule. Later in
music and news on large scale was
lnaugurated by the Westing ghouse
company at station KDKA.
Inc extremely practical Importance
OF sclentlhc work on standards is IL
lustrated by radio interference Dr
Dillinger said, adding that much has
peen done to solve this great prob
lem. Instead of the common atti-
tuoe or complaint whenever a code
message or other noise disturbs re-
ceptlon' an attitude of wonder and
praise over the relative absence of
interference would be more appropri
ate, he feels. There are each night
several hundred radio messages si-
multaneously going through the ether
from as many stations. Yet each
reaches ITS hearers. There would be
much conflict and pandemonium if
each of these stations was not kent
on, or very near, the assigned wave
Sength- This close adjustment of
the station frequencies requires very
accurate standards Of frequency and
constant vigilance to keep the sta
tlons and the measuring instruments
In harmony with established stand
ards
The bureaus scientific work has
neen OF direct value and service to
the general public in the radio
beacon system. Certain of the bu-
reaus researches on antennas led to
the development of a very simple
and efficient radio direction finder.
BY rotating the direction finder
th Mnlie listening to a radio message,
the direction of the transmitting sta
equipped with direction finder can
steer TO a ship which is sending
out distress call, or it can locate
us own position by means Of radio
bureau developed Automatic radio
transmitting apparatus to send out
such signals from lighthouses, and
the united States lighthouse service
mas installed a number of these radio
beacons which serve the same pur-
pose as the lighthouse lights except
that they reach over greater distances
and penetrate fog. The direction
hnder and beacon have been found of
service also in aerial navigation.
S special types of radio beacons have
been developed to keep an aircraft
on its course. Incidentally, this
work is leading toward the solution
OF the problem of projecting radio
waves in desired direction. When
aircraft are developed commercially
tney Will depend greatly on radio
as means of navigation. Another
radio development for aircraft by the
bureau is a distant control device.
This device, direct product of funda-
mental research on electron tubes,
gives a means of control for a
pilotless airplane by radio. The same
device has been found useful in
operating a radio Transmitting sta
tlon from distance and, in other
instances. Of remote, control Of ma
Some OF the bureaus research work
Is directed toward the large problem
OF wave transmission variations, fad
ing and atmospheric disturbances.
These are seen as large problems,
the ultimate solution of which re-
Qulres much more extended knowl-
edge Of the actual behavior of the
waves than now exists. The bureau
is engaged in studying methods and
apparatus for such observations,
working In cooperation with other
laboratories. The results of the
bureau Of standards radio work are
embodied in publications, many of
which are available to the public.
The bureau of standards Is not, and
could not possibly be, a radio ques-
tion-and-answe er bureau. it was ex-
plalped. Many -Ds0pla have the