The Washington times., 1924-02-06
|ROrnping Around
Radio Dial
BOB CARBAUH,
BY Listner-In-
KBKA-KFKx+ -KYw.

Our head phones hardened last
night to a bit of impromptu radio
drama played by the Westinghouse
tT1umvirate and embracing three
cornered conversation in the air be-
tween KDKA, xxx and KYW.
The situation was q thrilling one.
Chicago cut off from wire commu.
nication to the East and West and
Pittsburgh and Hastings reaching
out through the air to force
through their important messages.
Act one was played by KDKA at
about o'clock in the evening.
Music was stopped and speakers
sileneed as the Pittsburgh member
OF the cast took over the micro
phone and called through the air
to Chicago.
"Win anyone in Chicago hearing
this announcement please inform
station KYW that Pittsburgh
wishes to establish communication?
We will transmit on q wave length
OF 1900 meters" he declared.
We .tumbled the dials around to
where an answer should have
sounded from Chicago, but there
was only silence.
Quite by accident we arrived In
Hastings at 11:45 o'clock, where
the second act had just begun.
Again there was that cry to Chi
cago, and also one to Pittsburgh.
We have heard KDKA attempt
Ing to reach Chicago" read the an.
nouncer. xxx wishes to estab.
lish communication with KYW and
with KDKA. Please reply if this
announcement is heard"
Back again to. KYW and there.
after a moments pause, came the
voice or Chicago, no longer isolated.
stating that "The announcement
or xxx has been heard and we
VIII stand by for further messages.
Go ahead and send on an I. C. 8.
wave.'
Fifteen minutes later KDKA
stopped the Queen City Orchestra
to announce that the messages
OF both xxx and KYW had been
received and that the threecornered
communication had been estab-
The play was over for US. but
Just commencing for the three
Westinghouse stations.
The SqueaIers' Win.
What we had expected to be an
energetic romp around the dial last
night was converted early in the
evening into a poorly run obstacle
With tho local stations silenced.
every "squealer" and evary
"squawker" in the District seemed
to be bringing out his set and
hownng away in an effort to get
through to st. Louis or Oakland on
a "one-lunger."
Pleasure vanished before the dis
treSsing condition Of the air and
after few futile ATTEMPTS to hear
at least two consecutive sentences
OF The speeches at the Philadelphia
dinner or the American Association
OF Electrical Engineers, we threw
the switch and letsthe howlers howl
At 1890 we tuned back in and
round the waves much better and
Areer OF the distorting interference.
UnannOuncing Announcers.
Not content with having turned
all the "squawkers'' loose to mar
our evenings pleasure, fate seemed
also to have conspired with the an.
nouncers union to trouble us fur.
Many announcers give their sigma.
ture only occasionally, but last night
they. must have been tongue-tied.
IN almost every station that we en-.
tered, we were forced to wait for
several numbers before ascertaining
where we were.
One program--that, by the wav
was very good--eannot be credited
We hung on through seven mum.
bers and then gave up. There was
no signature. Among the 1 tunes
played were '"The Parade Of the
Wooden Soldiers" 'Dreany Mel.
ody," "Old-Fashioned Love" and
Mama Loves Papa
StOpOvers.
WAX was offering some wonder.
full harmony in negro melodies early
in the evening. 4G
= Ted Weerns and his Cafe L'Aiglon
Orchestra, broadcasting from WIFE.
maintained a tuneful barrage for
hours from UP Philadelphia way.
n.