Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-28
HOW SIGNAL CORPS
SPENDS RADIO FUND
Gen. SaItzman Explains Use
of 5000, coo Appropriation
Given Army.
BY CARL III. BUTMAN.


The question, What is the Signal
Corps going to do with approximately
100000, which it now appears the
Army appropriation bill will carry for
radio2" recently asked of Maj. Gen.
Charles Nick. Saltzman, chief signal
officer of the Army. brought details of
what radio equipment, maintenance
and development cost the Army a
year
1t is a little difficult to separate
radio funds from the other items, as
some are grouped Tor communications
ana include telegraph and telephone
services" Gen. SaitZman began. The
largest item goes fof new radio equip
ment for the Signal Corps and other
units OF the Army" the chief eX-
planned
The total equipment monies amount
70 $414,OO0, of which $4,000 is for
radio equipment for several arms of
the service and $2S0,000 is for new air
plane sets. About $17 900 covers new
radio installations and improvements
in the present radio net of stations,
while $4,000 covers radiograms han
died for the Government. Something
like $1,000 is allocated for radio re-
search and development work or the
Army in general This work covers
short-wave work direction finding,
air-beacon systems and the design of
Iteld radio equipment for the several
arms of the service.
Cost of Using Patents.
1t costs considerable money to run
q system like the Army Signal Corps
Communication Service, even in time
Df peace. Royalties alone amount to
~ oh InHN IN
the use of radio patents. For batteries
an amount approXimating $S1 900 is
needed each year, to purchase $4,000
dry batteries and 5000 storage bat
teries. Ten thousand tubes require an
allotment of about $4,000. OF these
5000 are solely for the use of the Air
Service planes and ground stations.
Out Of the $4,000 allowed to the scien-
titic side OF the service many types of
: apparatus have to be purchased; some
receiving sets are bought only to be
tested torn apart and modified to
meet military requirements. This
branch of the service is devoted chiefly
to trying to find out what commercial
radio inventions and new pieces of APP
paratus are adaptable to the needs of
the Army, and it takes lot of re-
search work.
Part of the appropriations cover
ship Delwood with new radio trans
rnitter at an estimated cost of $4,000,
and 5000 for equipping two Coast Ar
tllery mine planters with radio APP
paratus suitable to their needs.
Sets for Air Service.
This year the Air Service radio
equipment is the big job of the Signal
Corps. It requires the construction
and installation of 80 medium wave
transmitting and receiving sets for as
many new observation planes, 40 of a
longer range type for 40 bomberS and
80 ground sets to handle radio COM
munications from the planes. These
plane sets will have a range OF around
25 miles for radio-phone conversation
and $50 miles for radio telegraph code
work. 1t is expected that these COM
plete and modern radio sets VIII I'M
prove present airplane ground COM
munication considerably and make for
effective reliable service at all times,
even when planes are flying at altl-
tudes about a mile high. Such appara-
tus is expensive, the equipment or a
single plane costing about $l,2OO. Spe-
cial types of transmitting sets ana
their receivers are also to be provided
for other arms of the military service
such as Infantry divisions, Cavalry
and Coast Artillery regiments and
schools. A few new sets will go to
Army troops on duty in the Philip
Dimes. Hawaii and Panama.
For the maintenance and supplies
at the Army Signal School at Fort
Monmouth, n. j., $68,O00 is provided.
Al this school, until recently known
as Camp Alfred Vail. 4S Army officers
and 1853 men are now studying radio
end other forms of communication.
Three other Army officers are taxing
special courses in communication.
Three otht. Army officers are taxing
special courses in communication at
yale, the Signal Corps paying their
suitiOn'