Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-18
RADIO WOBB[|NG
ST|RS Commission
Stations Which Fail to Keep
Assigned Frequencies to
Be Investigated.

More than half the radio stations
in the United States are broadcasting
OFF their assigned frequcncies, and
| therein lies the root of much of the
| heterodyning that is still confusing
| reception. Startling facts concerning
the wave cOnstancy-or INCONSISTENCY
of several hundred stations
! throughout the country are revealed
| in reports that have been submitted
to the Federal Radio Commission by
the radio supervisors of the Depart
ment of Commerce in the field.
Their chec!<-ups reveal an APP
parent compete disregard for the
commissions recent order that all
stations must equip themselves with
crystal or other controls in order not
to ''wobble" more than 500 cycles, or
One-half kilocycle, either way from
their assigned frequency. Instead,
they are roaming around in the
program broadcast spectrum any
where from a high fraction of a kilO-
cycle to 25 kilocycles away from
their assisnments-in most cases
| causing annoying disturbances on
other waves.
Strict enforcement of the order is
contemplated by the commission,
whose chairman, Admiral Billiard,
lation when all of the members are
back in Washington, in about a
week 1t is pointed out that the
broadcasters still have ample oppor-
tunity to install the crystals, which
maintain an absolute constancy and
which, are inexpensive and plentiful
on the market, though they were
scarce at one time.
Meters which ring a bell-to signal
deviation from the wave may be in
stalled in lieu of crystals; in fact, the
commission does not Stipulate
exactly what kind of control shall
be used, only that there shall be
definite control of the frequency.
The office of the commission today
announced the scheduling on August
of q hearing for Station kOW, OF
Denver, formerly KFVR. which seeks
to increase it's power from ESQ to $500
watts on $50 kilocycles, on which the
following stations are now operating:
WSB, Atlanta, 1000 watts; WAS.
Burlington, Iowa, $50 watts, and VITO,
Hartford, Conn, 500 watts. 1t was
also announced that station WIKI,
Cleveland. has withdrawn it's appl
cation for a change of frequency and
increase in power scheduled to be
heard August ,.
Verdi's opera la Traviata" and the
regular weekly program by Roxy"
and His Gang" are listed as the
features of the broadcast tonight of
WRC.
The opera will be sung as usual by
the National Grand Opera Co. Like
most of Verdi's works, this opera is
melodious and contains many pas
sages of beauty. Adele Vassa, colora-
tura soprano, will be the individual
star of the Roxy" program. She will
be supported by other vocalists and in
strumentalists in addition to the many
organizations which Roxy" has at
his command.
The chief attraction of local origin
will be the outdoor concert of the
Navy Band on the plaza of the
Capitol. The concert will begin at 8
o'clock with Lieut.. Charles Benter
conducting.
Among WRC's other attractions
are another of the series of debates
between Drs. Hall Quest and Harry
Hibschman, and concerts by the Wal
dorf- Astoria and Pafais dor orches-
tras. -.
Dialing for distant stations last
night was decidedly unproductive
The wave lengths were unresponslVe
and even most of the stations that
could be heard after careful ADJUST
ments were off1icted with fading. Re'
ception also was further marred by
static, which cracked and sputtered
wherever the diaIs were turned.