Evening star., 1925-04-26
RADIO STATIONS
At HIGHER POWER
Increase of 80 Above 500
Watts Declared to Have
Proved Satisfactory.
ny CARL II. RITMAN.

few. On the whole, the increased
power seems satisfactory, and prob
ably before the Summer is over more
high powered stations will be operat-
ing.
When the question of increased
broadcasting power was raised during
the national radio conference. some
of the smaller station owners and
many fans expressed the fear that
hundreds OF stations would be blanket
ed or that receivers would only De
able to pick up the high-powered sta
tions. This has not proven to be the
case. On the contrary, broadcastinS
seems to have improved, in that more
distant stations are available to listen
ers, some even tune sharper. than be-
fore the increase in power. tnterfer-
ence from static has been decreased.
fading is less pronounced and daylight
reception is better. Even the fans
situated near the higher-powered sta
tions have not complained, nor have
the regular A and B stations objected,
Ordinary Limit, Glass B.
An examination of the list of -
stations using over 900 watts. which
is the ordinary limit set for class E
stations. shows that four are using
1000 watts, and nine, l.500 watts.
Most of the fans know the calls OF
these stations by heart, which indi-
Gates that they come in we'll almost
anywhere in the country on good re-
ceiving sets. The four 2-kilowstt
stations are: WEAF, American Tele-
phone and Telegraph Co, New York
WLW, Crosley. Harrison, Ohio; kGO,
General Electric Co., Oakland, Calf,
and KFI, Earle c. Anthony, Los
Angeles, Calf. Those using 1900
watts, or LIZ kilowats, are: kYW.
Chicago; WBZ, Springfield; xxx,
Hastings; WGY, Schenectady; WTAM
Cleveland; woo, Davenport; WCCO,
Anoko, Mimi; WCBD, Zion, and kOA,
Denver.
They are all pretty we'll distributed.
They are owned by private organiZa-
tions except that three are General
Electric Co. stations and three are
owned by the Westinghouse Electric
operates one, the others being owned
by radio manufacturers and other
organizations. 1t does not seem 10
indicate a radio monopoly. The Radio
Corporation is not represented di-
rectly, although two large electric
manufacturing companies control six
stations together. There is, of course,
another high-power station, but II
operates under rather unique
license: 1t is the broadcasting develop
ment station KDKA at Pittsburgh
This station, owned by the Westing
house Co., is licensed to use varying
power up to 10 kilowatts, but ordi-
narily it is understood to operate with
about kilowatts, except when con
Quoting special tests, usually when
other stations are silent. 1t is never
complained of. but on the other hand
Is heard nearly everywhere.
None of Superpower Grade.
None OF these stations is really a
superpower station, which was de
cried as impractical and undesirable
when mentioned at the last radio con
ference. Before many months, how
ever, it Is expected that the Radio
Corporation will open a very high
powered station somewhere outside
New York for national broadcasting
Originally II was intended that 1t be
a 50-kilowatt station, but the depart
ment has never officially stated that
this power would be authorized. 1t is
likely that the new r. c. A. station
may be licensed at 6ilowatts or pos
sibly 10 kiloWattS until Ii is tested out,
Practically all the above stations
are situated some distance from the
radio congested lin1its-that is, several
miles beyond the limits of large cities
where several broadcasters are in
operation. BY remote control from
their municipal studios these broad
casters are enabled to function with
out blanketing local stations. This is
one of the conditions imposed when
high power is authorized by the De
partment of Commerce; Ii Is believed
that the distance outside cities should
be from ] 5 to 20 miles for satisfactory
operation without undue interference
in congested districts. Another stipu
lation is that If interference Is in
creased. the station must decrease its
power or desist. So far no complaints
received have been considered serious
enough to warrant holding the power
increases down. Eventually they will
get to the present limit, 5 kilowatts
but they may only increase their pow.
er in steps of 500 watts a a time until
tested out thoroughly.
Aim Of the Department.
The radio officials of the department
are looking forward to a study of the
effect and reliability of these stations
during the Summer static sea son
which starts soon. They anticipate
That by June several of the existing
high-powered transmitters will have
increase their power further to see
If they can overcome the static, and
carry to greater distances. Reports
indicate about 10 other stations are
contemplating the use of increased
power.
Some radio experts consider that the
granting of higher power-that is, over
1000 Watts-is a definite step in ad
2vance in radio broadcast progress
They anticipate all-year-round trans
mission with satisfactory daylight re
thrnIIOhnIf
country.
The power bugaboo which 1t was
feared would hold back radio develop
ment work has apparently disap
peared, for although thousands oil
fans protested against the increase il
advance, scarcely a dozen have Oh
jected to the increases authorized.
In the ranks of the regular licensed
B stations, there are 10 stations using
1000 watts, and operating with 75t
watts-all potential high-powered sta
tions, it is believed. The 900 waiter.
include: kJR, Seattle; WBAP, For
Worth; WEAR, Cleveland; WEBB
Chicago: WGN, Chicago; WY, New
York; KSL, Salt Lake; WKRC, Gin
cinati; WNYC, New York and WTAS
Elgin. The 750-watt stations are
KFMX. Northfield, Mimi; KJS, Lo!
Angeles; KOB, State College, N. NJ.
KSD, st. Louis; KTW,, Seattle, anC
WGR, Buffalo.
1t is probable that with the delivery
of new 5-kilowatt transmitters, practi
Cally all 80 of these stations operating
at over 500 watts will apply for addi
tional power. and that before many
months we shall have a group of 81
major of national broadcasters on tn,
air, in 15 different States. OF these 81
stations New York and Illinois have
each, Ohio has Al, California 3, Mime
sofa and Washington 2 each. and tn,
other 8 States 1 apiece, showing
fairly general distribution, which