Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-09
HOOVER REVIEWS
RADIO SITUATION

uuOVv It'll 1uh VHs"S
RADIO SITUATION
Washington, Feb. SIN view OF
the very rapid changes in rad!o
Technology within the last six months
and to give greater clarity to De-
partmental policies, it seems 70 me
desirable. to review tue situation
says Secretary Hoover.
"There can be but one point OF
view in the consideration OF raoio
regulation and development. That IS
to assure increasing service to tne
listener. The radio is steadily en-
riching our homes. More particu-
Iarlv to our farmer folks II Is bring
ing more Of those contacts that the
town populations have alone enjoyed
IN TO this time. The road TO progress
is to stimulate the development OF
the art; to prevent interference WIN
and between broadcasting statioIs
through maintained competitions "
secure greater perfection OF recep-
ton, increase in the NUMBER OF alter
native programs and better programs
The Situation in 5roadeast'ns
Stations
There are today SOS bl oadcasting
stations either in opera ton or under
construction. OF these 4o3 are Class
A COZ 500 watts power or less) any !.
1os are Glass r cover 500 watts). 1t
Is generally believed that CLASS a
stations have a. radius OF good prac-
tical reception of not more than 20
mr. so miles, while Glass = stations
with their larger and increasing
-, mower have n much wider radius. by
practical reception | do not inciude
the reception which radio listeners
are able to secure by playing raolo
golf. Gut the effective, serviceable: re-
liable reception Of programs "hlch
must be the real purpose oil radio.
The recent policy It the Depart
ment of allowing the increase IN
mower toward a possible maximum
of 5000 watts will mean that tne
radius Of serviceable reception VIII pc
greatly increased and the reception
itself within the present RADIUS wiz
he very much more reliable. rms -
of particular importance TO our asrl.
cultural per Pile especially in summer
and during daytime The present
njnn in this particular is to permit
advance in power use in stages OF 5oo
watts. resting at each stage TO de-
termine what interference with other
stations results. Probably 20 or ~
Class u stations are how increasing
or planning to increase their power.
1t is quite possible that good service
able reception will be obtained for a
radius of several hundred miles from
such stations. thus inct easing the al
tentative programs to listeners. This
advance toward 5000 watt stations
has no relation to the so-called
super power" $4,000 watt stations.
Wave Length Distribution
The most difficult problem in radio
regulation and development is the
distribution of wave length use DO
as to prevent interference between
stations. There are in all Sc different
wave lengths available If we keep the
stations ten kilocycles apart and
stagger the assignment of wave
lengths geographically SO as to pre-
vent overlap in the area of effective
reception. The recent experiment. of
! the Department in attempting to in
crease the number of wave lengths
! by decreasing the difference to seven
kilocycles proved unsuccessful with
the present development Of instru-
ments.
Glass a stations $500 watts or less
power) were assigned the wave length
of 27S meters and below by recon-
mendation of the radio conference
and there are in this area 80 possible
/ wave lengths. Owing to their limited
radius and the irregular character OF
their programme largely churches.
educational institutions. otc.) Class
A stations have not presented SO
many difficulties in wave length as
signment and interference as Glass
r stations although there are 45o or
them.
Glass b stations present far more
serious situation because of their
wider radius and their regular per-
Torrance. There are AZ wave length
to be divided over Total OF l0S sta
tons now operating or under con-
struction. That Is, there is now an
average of less than one wave length
for each two stations. which means
that they must divide their time OF
operation. The Glass stations are
the ones which furnish most of the
regular programs AMI from which
the public receives it's most effective
service. Most of them naturally de-
sire and need to operate continuous
~ as the cost of overhead is much
increased by dividing time.
The Department has asked Tor
a ppropria tons with which to carry
out an investigation to determine
accurately the effective sefvice area
of different stations and different de-
grees of power. Such an investiga-
ton may disclose possibilities OF a
better basis of wave length distrlbu-
lions.
Physical Limitation on Number Of
Stations
One of the great difficulties in the
distribution OF wave lengths arises
from the tendency of stations to con-
gest in large centers of population.
The worst conditions are at Chicago
and New York. AT Chicago five
wave lengths are available for 10
operating Class E stations and there
are several others in .ouIse of con-
six wave lengths available for 8
Class Il stations and more are under
constructions.
1t is practically impossible to in
crease the number of wave lengths
available to these cities because they
are all in use in othe" communities
and because it is absolutely necessary
to maintain wide kilocyCle separa-
ton between stations so close to-
gether. Otherwise they will destroy
each other. Such multiplication as
mas already occurred in these CenterS
gives no better service to the public
and if further division IN time is
forced it will decrease the value and
efficiency of the established stations.
Neither under the present law nor I'M
der the provisions of the White bill
was there any limitation OF the num-
her of stations. 1t is highly impor-
tant that those who contemplate en-
tering the broadcastins field should