Evening star., 1926-03-10
RADIO DAYS
IN VIEW FOR FANS
Reduced Interference and
improved "PoIicing" Feature
Of Pending Legislation.

Better radio days are coming! Radio
fans throughout the country may an.
ticipate further reduction In interfer.
ence and better policing of the ether
lanes after July 1, although broad.
casters and other station owners may
have to watch their steps more care
fully II the present House appropria-
ton bill passes Congress.
The money allotted for the super.
vision of radio by the Commerce De-
partment for 1926.?1 IL increased by
$4,000 over appropriations for the
current year. although $4,000 was
cut from the budget estimates. More
inspectors, additional suboff1ces and
three radio testing trucks are assured
If the bill passes this week as pro.
posed.
The total figure now stands at
$685. 900, but it may be increased Oh
decreased by the Senate before it be.
CONS a law.
Commerce Department Explains.
Unfortunately there seems to have
been a misunderstanding for about a
year in the House committee as to
merce was authorized to do in the
the recent hearings, however, the de-
partment representatives explained
that it's radio supervisors and in
,pectors had nothing to do with the
inspection OF receiving apparatus.
Chairman Madden insists that no
money be made available for the
supervision of individual receiving
sets and that inspection be confined
to sending or transmitting stations.
This Ia agreed to, but 1t is believed
that the understa ndinc lost the de.
partment its request last Fall for
money to buy and equip several radio
testing trucks. This year an item OF
$500 is included in the bill for the
purchase Of three new radio testing
trucks, one for use in New York.
one In Chicago and the third on the
Pacific Coast.
The single radio truck now owned
by the department and detailed to the
Detroit district headquarters has
proved Of great service in running
down many types Of Interference. II
has only been used few months, but
in that time has been of service In five
States. visiting SO cities. where "A
land stations and u ships have been
inspected and tested. at cost OF
travelling cost of over 5000 had the
truck not been available.
Many Economies Possible.
The operation of these trucks. it is
said. will effect many economies and
enable the inspectors to cover more
territory. They may gradually get
up to date on complaints. only a frac-
ton OF per cent of which can now
he investigated. Eventually a mobile
testing station for each of the nine
districts Is desired by the radio Sec
ton.
The present multiplicity of detailed
inspection required in practically
every city, due to the increasing in
terest and use of radio in several
forms, requires additional suboffices
the testimony before the appropria.
tions committee showed. In addition
TO it's nine main district offices at Bos.
ton, New York, Baltimore. Atlanta,
New Orleans. San Francisco. Seattle,
Detroit and Chicago. the department
now needs suboffices in Dallas. Mem
phis. Los Angeles, Portlan nd. Pitts.
bursh, Buffalo. Denver. ST. Louis.
Minnea polls and Omaha. where n
new assistant inspector and a clerk
are required These salaries would
amount TO about $4,000 at each sub.
station.
The department also requires an ad
dltional assistant inspector at about
s., 100 per year in each district Office
for night work. when much of the
testing and listening in has to he done
These inspectors would serve between
2 and 12 at night. relieving the day
men, who have frequently been forced
to work overtime at night. Under the
new appropriations it Is possible that
there will also be assigned assistant
inspectors at the main offices in Bos
ton, New York. Baltimore. Atlanta
San Francisco, Seattle and Chicag
and two at Detroit, where the inspec
ton OF shore and ship stations is heav
lest. Additional clerks are required
in the present suboffices at Norfolk
Philadelphia and Savannah, and al
main offices at New Orleans and Seat
tie. Repairs to present Instrument
and allotments for new instrument.
,, are estimated at about $1,000.
The reduction In the amount allotted
to radio. as the hill stands, will have
To be trimmed from various OF thu
MANY items as the department see'
At. No specific items appear to have
been rejected by the committee. whose
action was very favorable to better
radio supervision facilities and in
creased personnel.