San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-01-31
PALMER HEARS
j. s. STATIONS
At SEA
By ERIC II. PALMER

S. s. DE GRASSE. Jan. 3d.
Through the cabin portfolio a thin in
sulated wire runs. II extends up thu
side Of the ship TO the upper deck
bends over a life boat and then spans
the width Of the boat in front of thu
tunnels a total length of 40 feet Of
serviceable copper strand.
No one tuning in on the ocean fo'
broadcast entertainment has an &C
curate idea in advance as to what
the results will be.
At home one knows BY experience
that certain dial settings will bring
in stations $50 and So with occa.
sional surprises and disappointment
but out on the broad Atlantic, where
there are no steel buildings, power
lines and bloopers to interfere with
your reception. everything in the was
of extraordinary reception. theoretic.
ally. is possible. under favorable al
mospheric conditions.
Let US narrate the results OF the
first day Of listening in on the
French liner De Grasse on the way tC
Europe. By US is meant yours truly, in
front of the set. and more or less
admiring audience composed Of Mrs
Palmer, Mr.. and Mrs. Thornton Fish.
or, Mss Mildred Fisher. and Philip
van Dorm Stern.
..... SIX.TUBE. SET, ..-.
Fresh in our minds, as we sat bl
the six-tube receiver. were stories
heard from veteran travellers Of mar
yelous reception and also declarations
Of scOffers that nothing really excep
tional would turn up.
1t was in the afternoon. with tn
sun shining, and We really did moi
anticipate hearing much If anythin:
until evening shadows welcomed bert
zian waves. But almost in a roar re
sounded a familiar voice through tn
headpbOnes with volume that made
switching to the loud speaker not only
desirable but necessary TO prevent
deafness.
Out into the corridor OF the sbiT
reverberated the tones Of Governor
Alfred z. Smith ad iressing the Leg
islature OF the State Of New York in
the capitol. at Albany. sent out b.
WIZ in Bound Brook. y. J. To al n
tents and purposes the governor was
right in the room.
Therefore, we were not surpr1set
at Immediately hearing music upol
resuming reception at Z O'Clock. Trutf
to tell. we secretly hoped that a faint
whisper would reach our ears to th'
effect that 2LO was on the air from
London. but the first greeting CAM
| from Ernie GOlden's deep basso, an
1ouncing numbers his orchestra wa
playing through WMCA. at the Hote
McAlpin. New York City.
GETS PITTSBURGH.
A few minutes later We were IN
formed that the four borsemen 0
Peoria were before WTAM'S micro
phone away out in Cleveland. kDhf
was easily recognized. even louder Wa
the snappy playing Of Lady j
Good" and the singing Of Remember
from a station we previously ba
never heard, "WLSI-Providence I
s. A." .
In quick succession ve brought j
! WIS. CNRO. WLW. WILD, WIZ
! GWGY, WGR. WEAF, WIZ
WLIB, KYW and WSAL
We then switched 10 the wsy
/ length o. our CoulDern iafoIlpe
WSB-and sure enough, We caugb
the Atlantic Bntmore orchestra play
ing, Poor Little Rich Girl" Lamb
kin Kay's familiar drawl told US So
WTAM and WMCA came in aneT
with increased vim. Most Of the sta
tions were heard better than on terri
| firma.
1t was fair reception, a. far as dis
lance was concerned, and decidedly al
enjoyable experience from the enter
tainment angle. but as midnight ST
rived we 1.-THE editorial we this time
we're not satisfied. We decided TO wal
/ developments.
Moving the antenns control just
notch away from WIN we detecte'
inviting strains from a band-Kanss
City WDAF was our guess, eighteel
hundred air line miles away.
The announcement arrived rathe
surprising. 1t was not in English
foreign ststion--and il was not one o
the Canadian stations where French L
spoken. Spanish was used. then cam
the translation, in English: "CIB
Mexico"