The Winslow mail., 1925-02-13

In view of the very rapid changes
an radio technology within the last
six months and to give greater
clarity to departmental policies, it
seems to me desirable to review
the situation.
There can be but one point in
the consideration of radio regula-
tion and development That is to
assure increasing service to the
listener The radio is steadily en-
riching our homes. More particul-
ularIy to our farmer folks it is
bringing more of those contacts
Ndhat the town populations have
alone enjoyed up to this time. The
road Of progress is to stimulate the
development Of the art; to prevent
interference with and between
broadcasting stations through main
tained competition; to secure great
er perfection of reception, increase
in the number of alternative pro-
grams and better programs.
There are today 563 broadcasting
stations either in operation or un-
der construction. Of these 455 are
class A (of 500 watts power or
less) and 108 are class B (over 500
watts). 1t is generally believed
that class A stations have a radius
of good practical reception of not
more than 25 or so miles, while
class B stations with their larger
and increasing power have a much
wider radius. By practical recep-
tion l do not include the reception
which radio listeners are able to
secure by playing radio golf, but
the effective, ~.serviceable, reliable
reception of programs which must
be the real purpose of radio.
The recent policy of the depart
ment of allowing the increase in
power toward possible maximum
of 5000 watts will mean that the
radius of serviceable reception will
be greatly increased and the recep-
tion itself within the present radius
will become very much more re-
liable. This is of particular i'm
portance to our agricultural peo-
pie especially in summer and dur
ing daytime. The present plan in
this particular is to permit advance
in power use in stages of 500 watts.
resting at each stage to determine
what interference with other sta
tions results. Probably 20 or 80
class B stations are now increasing
or planning to Increase their pow
er. 1t is quite possible that good
seryiceable reception will be OBJ
tained for radius of several hun
dlred miles from such stations, thus
increasing the alternative programs
to listeners. This advance toward
5000 watt stations has no relation
to the so-called ''super power" So,
900 watt stations.
The most difficult problem in
radio regulation and development
is the distribution of wave length
use so as to prevent interference
between stations. There are in all
sc different wave lengths available
if We keep the stations ten kelo-
cycles apart and stagger the assign
ment of wave lengths geographical
ly so as to prevent overlap in the.
recent experiment of the depart
ment in attempting to increase the
number of wave lengths by decreas-
ing the difference to seven kilocy-
cles proved unsuccessful with the
present development of instru-
ments.
Glass A stations 600 watts or
less power) were assigned the wave
length of 278 meters and below by
recommendation of the radio con-
ference and there are in this area
80 possible wave lengths. Owing
to their limited radius and the ir-
regular character of their program
dargely churches, educational in
;stitutions, etc. Glass A stations
have not presented SO many diff