Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-04
HOWL PRODUCERS
| ATTACKS RENEWED
New Year Brings Reopening
l. of Battle to Abolish Re-
k generative Sets.


there also was born renewed attach
on probably the most serious of al
sources of radio interfcrence-the re
generatiVe receiver.
For many months now the once
bitter agitation for the elimination OF
So intensely annoying howl pro
duoer' has been dormant. the fans
hoping confidently that some day the
owners of such sets would learn Il
tune them property Instead of inn
proving, the situation has gradually
become worse. Either there has been
a material increase in the number ri
regenerative sets in Washington OF
those who own them toy with them
at night with utter disregard for other
radio fans in their neightDrhood.
The noise in the ether already Dor
ders on the intolerable due 10 atmos-
pherics. heterodyne whistles, har-
monies and occasional code. But 10
this din is added the terrifying hoWts
of hundreds of regeneratiVe receivers.
Twenty-one complaints against this
unnecessary interference from the re-
senerative sets have come 10 the radio
department of The Star I'm the last
several days. Every section of the
District was represented in these
criticisms. clearly indicative Of the
fact that the disturbance is wide
spread and not confined to one par
ticulaT neighborhood.
Typical of all these letters is one
written by Philias II. Girouard. 1909
Florida avenue northeast. who. in
spite Of the apparent difficulty he has
in enjoying a program. sounded a
note of appreciation for the local sta.
5ions and the high caliber of their
entertainment. He wrote;
Some little while ago 7 read a
letter 10 The Evening Star telling
us of the very few letters that radio
stations receive relative to the pro-
grams they broadcast. The blame
for this was put upon poor atmos-
pheric conditions. in particular. a bug
Zing, cracking noise that has at
times filled the air during the last
several months. This Disguised radio
fans and silence was proof OF their
displeasure.
With this partial statement of the
case l am in entire accord, but | al
ways wonder why trivial and infre-
Quent disturbances are stressed so
often while certain more persistent
nuisances are overlooked. ! have in
mind at present the hundreds of re-
generative radio sets whose operators
have no regard at all for the desire
other people have to get good pro-
grams out of the air. The whistles.
squeals, howls and means sent out by
these sets are to me a source of far
greater annoyance than static or
heterodyning of stations that ramble
away from their own wave length. 1t
is possible to have many static.free
nights. 1t is always possible to find
other stations than our local ones
where there is no interference from
other stations. But it would he a
pleasure to me to be able to listen to
outside" programs for a few min
utes from any station without having
this entertainment completely ruined
by some queer folks who are trying
10 operate a loud speaker on distant
programs via a. set using one or two
WD-11 tubes. Add this to our friends
buZzing and cracking noises and
cease to wonder why many lose pa
thence with radio.
THE existence of such regenera-
tive annoyances is, l believe, due to
several causes. The offenders are so
numerous that to them the offence
seems trivial. 1t does not seem as
though some people care at all about
the happiness of their neighbors
Many operators far overrate their
sets. this, in many cases being due
to too great claims for their sets on
the part of radio dealers. They try
to make the set do what it can't.
And, finally, there are, perhaps. a
Few who really do not know what q,
nuisance they create when they
force" regenerative radio set.
Yet. in spite of all such troubles.
the radio enthusiast has always the
hne programs of our local stations to
enjoy. And / want to take this on.
portunity to commend our stations.
especially WRC. on the high caliber
entertainment they provide the peo.
pie OF this section of these United
States"
The first Eveready Hour of the
New Year will be broadcast tonight
by WRC. A variety program will be
presented, made up of selections by
the orchestra and solos by members
OF the Eveready Group, including
Betsy Ayres, soprano; Barbara
Maurel, contralto, and the Male
Quartet. Three stations in the South.
WHAS. Louisville; WSM, Nashville.
and WSB. Atlanta, will be added to
Vthe National Broadcasting Co. s
chain for this feature.
DNop4NI 1dtitCG vi static OH VIZ
tually all of the wave lengths. DIX re-
ception last night was what a vet
eran radio listener would describe
as "middlin' fair" Those stations
that could be tuned in between
crashes of static seemed to lack their
usual volume. but the signals were
sharp and distinct. and that is a real
asset in these days OF congestion in
the ether and wave-length pirating.
OF the stations closer to Washing
ton, WIZ. in New York, and VIDAL,
in Baltimore, made known their
presence throughout the evening. In
spite of the superpower of WIZ, its
signals faded. This was noticea BILE
especially during the broadcasting OF
the dance music from the Country
Club Fair, in Greenwich Village.
Listeners who dialed after 1890
O'clock We're able to hear KNOX, st.
Louis: WSUI, Iowa City: WFBM.
Indianapolis; WSAI. Cincinnati, and
WSB, Atlanta. Earlier in the evening
WEBB, New York; WAX. Jackson
vile and WHAD, Troy, N Y, got
their signals into Washington with
out interference.