Evening star., 1924-05-04
RADIO GOSSIP AND NEWS

RADIO GOSSI.
The advent of radio has added ap-
nroximately 5000 words to the Eng
lish language, according to statistics
Just compiled by DR.. Frank H Vize-
telli,editor of the New Standard Die
tionary, since 1891.
'.Radio not only has precipitated
the change of ideas" said DR.. Vize-
telli, but it also mas enriched o"r
snecch with vocabul.ry it.d1Sp ensa-
BILE tn those that would understand
the mechanism. Who. ten years ago,
gave a thought 20 radio receiving ap-
paratus? Who concerned themselves
with radio frequency problems? Who
today would neglect to tune in and
get his favorite station? We may
have known of atoms, of electrons,
of protons and of triodes, but we now
have a knowledge of inductance, of
crystal detectors. of tuning coils, of
variometers, of triode detectors and
of autodyneS, heterodynes and super
dyneS. Audion and potentiometer
were once Greek to most of us, and
the amplifers, radio amplification
and radio triodes were little less than
Il dead letter.
To-day the radio world has en-
riCbed US by contributing not merely
the working knowledge of these
terms but, definitions of the terms
lexicography has placed on record.
Thus the modern dictionary has be-
come a code book of radio"
Two hundred of the new words.
says DR.. Vizetelli, have the. prefix
radio" and cover a page of the die
tionary.
} The English dictionary has been
growing at the rate of 5000 words a
year. Certain yehrS the increase Is
less Other years it grows with
leaps and bounds as a direct result
of some world event like radio or the
war.
Wireless Practical in Mines.
Experiments with line radio and
carrier currents in mines indicate
that this method is feasible for two
way conversations between miners
below the surface and the mouths OF
mines. both for ry-day use and In
emergencies, according TO the bureau
of mines 1t has greater advantages
than the use of pure radio, being SIM
pier to install and more reliable.
The difficult problem of commune
cation with underground work kerS and
surface stations of mines, especially
after severe disturbances or acci-
dents have taken place, will be solved,
according to Assistant Engineer j. j.
JakoSky of the Interior Department,
wireless" telephone, utilizing existing
carriers" such as trolley wires, mine
tracks, water and compressed air
pipes and cables. In tests which he
supervised at the Pittsburgh expert
mental mine no difficulty was expert
enced on the surface in receiving ra-
do messages from a transmitting set
on a mine locomotive 400 feet below
the surface as long as the apparatus
was near any metallic carriers. 1t
was demonstrated that the transmit
ting radius of a radio set in the
average coal mine is only a few hun
dred feet when no conductor is pres
ent, but becomes several thousand
feet when operating in proximity to
metallic carriers. Even when broken,
such conductors do not completely
stop communication, as would be the
: Ease with the ordinary mine telephone
line. Disasters, such as fires, floods |
explosions and falls, which might |
cause one or more breaks in the con-
ductors, would not completely destroy
them, and communication with the
surface could probably be established, |
the investigator believes.
The installation of a line radio tele- |
phone system is simple, the bureau of
mines points out. and it's general
adoption by the industry as a poten-
tial means of communication in rhine |
rescue work hinges upon it's avail |
ability for everyday operation. This
would make it part of the operating
l.
men would become familiar and re-
move it from emergency equipment |
Mr.. JakoSky says that it is only
necessary in installing this method to |
lay a wire twenty-five to fifty feet
long on the ground or stretch it along
a wall or roof in a direction approx |
mately parallel with the carrier or |
to directly couple the set to such con-
6uctorS with suitable capacities or in I
ductaHCCS. 1t could be installed much |
quicker of
mine telephone. with its connecting |
wires. The apparatus itself, however, |
iS more complicated than the tele-
phcne, and will have a higher up
keep expense, but it may eliminate
the telephone and at least one wire.
Practically any conductor, insulated
sufficiently for the economic trans
mission of power or lighting current,
will act efficiently as d .high-fre-
duency carrier without interfering
with the power supply if properly
Uttered and coupled. The telephone
circuit itself has been used for su-
perposing the high-frequency current
Efforts to utilize radio in mines in
the interest of humanity have been
many. and experiments have been
undertaken in Illinois. Pennsylvania
Arizona. Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Michi-
gan, Wyoming, Kentucky, New York
and Connecticut, as well as in Eng
land, Germany, Italy and France.
Messages from surface radio sta
in mines tunnels and below water
which is of considerable value, but
the method was not simple Usually,
Il is stated procedure has been to
take receiving sets of various degrees
Of senSitivity underground and listen
TO broadcaStS from powerful stations
on the surface. These are valuable
and interesting experiments. but have
been one-way tests. and would be
practical only in sending messages to
entomhed miners as to progress of
the reScuerS or carry ing directions to
the unfortunate men.
Transmission from within the mine
in event of accidents is of far greater
Importance. If a reliable means of
voice transmission to the surface
could be placed at the disposal of the
Imprisoned men, they could inform
rescuers of their location. number,
names and local conditions. No re-
ports Of satisfactory pure radio trans
mission from within a mine to the
surface have come to the attention
of the bureau, probably because of
the impracticability of establishing
transmitting sets and antennas in
mines at available points or carving
portable sets about
The application of line radio in
mine operation after itssdevelopment,
il is admitted by the bureau experts,
ditions prevailing in individual mines.
Details of recent tests with wired
wireless" will shortly be published
by the bureau in a technical circular.
Improved Set for Infantry.
The most difficult problem of the
Army Signal Corps has always been
to keep headquarters in close contact
with the troops advancing in the field