Evening star., 1926-02-20

Continued from First PageJ
New York station. whose signals We're
rebroadcast through WRC.
Simultaneous operation of Arling-
ton and other local stations, Mr..
Robinson said, causes no inter
ference except in poorly designed re
ceivers, or in those receivers which
are inexpertly handled. | am in
formed that the Arlington station
compares favorably with the other
local stations in regard to the width
of the frequency band 1t occupies
and that local congestion from broad
casting stations in this vicinity is in
no wise compa rable to that obtaining
in many other large cities
Thinks Station Justified.
Except for the Arlington station
the radio broadcasting TO the public
found necessary by various Govern
ment agencie. might become imprac-
ticable owing to the possible high
rental Of commercial facilities. I am,
therefore, of the opinion that it's con
tinued existen as a facility. for Gov
eminent communicate ton Is fully JUS
titled.
Time signals are broadcast from
NAA at 9:55 o'clock every evening, fol
lowed Immediately by the Weather
Bureau report and forecast for the
District of Columbia, and many States
east of the Mississippi River.
Charles F. Marvin. chief Of the
Weather Bureau, defended the use of
the 434meter wave length and the
hour on which the bureau broadca SITS
it's weather forecasts several days ago
in letter addressed to Capt. Ridley
Mclean. chief of the Navy Depart
ment Bureau of Communications.
He said the Weather Bureau is not
disposed to debate the statement of
Secretary Hoover that great major
ity OF people are not interested in the
weather broadcasts. but said that
nevertheless. vast numbers are seri-
ously concerned in obtaining the
weather forecasts and warnings as
promptly as possible in the conduct OF
their business affairs. which some
times involves hazards to life. He
quoted letters from ship captains,
farmers and industrial leaders re-
ferring TO the value of the weather
forecasts.
Time Held Unsuitable.
Mr.. Marvin said in reply to Mr..
Hoover's suggestion that the reports
might be broadcast at or IL pm;
that the Weather Bureau would be
glad to conform to the O'Clock
suggestion, but that inasmuch as the
forecasts are has on observations
taken at pm. and require some
time for ira nsmission. they cannot
he radiocast before 10 pm. "Th.
Weather Bureau has duty. under
the law, TO disseminate the informa
tion just as quickly and effectively
as ii is possible To do so. and II
would not he willing to take the re
sponstbility Of unnecessarily with
holding or delaying their promulga-
ton"
Facilities in Washington whereby
the Weath Buresu shall have ample
and efficient radio service is, not only
desirable, but necessary. 1t seems
logical that a. Government owned and
operated station should be utilized for
this and other Government needs. Alb.
soluts dependence on stations opera ted
by individuals or corporations for such
service, however gracious may be
their attitude of cooperation, have
serious drawba cks.'
The Marvin letter pointed out that
the public has the benefit of enter.
tainment programs for several hours
every evening and that the weather
broadcasts seldom occupy as much a.
10 minutes. and the average is scarce
ly minutes. He suggested that those
listeners who cannot tune out NAA
equip their sets with wavetraps.