Evening star., 1927-05-15
RADIO TECHN|C|ANS.
HAVE RIGID ROUTINE
Workers Behind the Scenes
Are Little Known to
Listening Fans.

Unseen and unSunG, the radio tech
nicians who handle the input appa
ratus at WEAF and WIZ, the scene
shifters and stage hands of the Ma.
tional Broadcasting Co.'S network, fol
low a rigid, eXacting routine. Their
work is interesting because it is prac.
ticalIy unknown. Like all oehind-th"-
scenes workers. they are faced with
tn knowledge that the better they ac-
complish their tasks. the less limelight
they will attract to their efforts.
These technical men are divided into
two main watches, one watch being
occupied with program features broad
cast from 6:45 am. until noon, the
other taking care of network events
from 4 pm. until midnight. Sub.
division of the watches, however, pro
vides that some men will be on duty
during the middle of the day. Mem
bers of both tours of duty are shifted
from week TO week.
The crew which is to handle the de-
tails of program arrives in every in
d stance one hour before the feature s
to begin, in order that every portion
of the apparatus, from the micro
phones which are to be used down to
the special circuits which are to carry
III music and speech to the various
( network stations, may be thoroughly
tested.
This work includes talk and music
tests of the microphones in the studio
or at outside points, checking the con-
tinuity of lines from the control board
to the microphones and making sure
that all special circuits are being pro
vided with proper amplification at all
frequencies. In addition, incoming and
outgoing special circuits must be bal
anced so that the same degree of
amplification prevails throughout the
system. The smallest details of this
testing and checking must be carried
out with the greatest care, necessitat-
ing that the work progress slowly.
Telegraph Line Groups.
Men are assigned to handle the tele-
graph lines which are used for COM
munication between the control rooms
of WEAF and WJZsand the network
stations. For convenience III nan
ding messages, the various telegraph
transmitters in this system are COM
bined into six separate groups, each
/; one providing connection with par
ticular group of stations.
The engineers assigned to the tele-
graph lines check their watches
against those of the operators of the
various network stations, making
sure that all the timerieces in use
are showing the absolutely correct
time. This is necessary in order that
every network station may be able to
time it's program in order to fit in
features from WEAF' or WIZ exactly
when they start.
Communication is carried on be-
tween the network stations as the
testing of circuits continues, and when
! a program is ready to be sent out a
system of cues is transmitted which
enables the correct chain of stations to
begin transmitting the network fea-
! ture simultaneously.
Each separate network feature is
"stage.managed" by different an
nouncer, through an intricate but
positive system of control devised by
! O. B. Hanson, manager of operations
and engineering of the National
Broadcasting Co. The announcer pre-.
I sides over a control box in one of
the studios, operating various buttons
! which automatically connect the
proper special circuits with the micro
+. phones which are being used. and
| through a system of lights an oper-
ator in the control room is enabled to
keep an accurate check on the manner
, in which the announcer is handling
: the program.
oy tIcdltIIS CdCu SCp1L ollC AiClNOAh
feature as unit, it is possible to ham
die several different programs at the
ssame time. On one recent occasion five
program features were being handled
at once in the control room of WEAF,
when three separate network pro-
| grams were being sent to various COM
binations of stations, and tests were
being made on two remote-control
broadcasts preliminary to their trans
mission. This involved the services of
five announcers and five operators.
Double Check Maintained.
When the testing has been COM
pleted, few minutes before the next
feature is due to be heard, the entire
s1ayout, including outgoing special cir
cults which will carry the program
to the network stations, and in the
case Of a remote-control broadcast the
.incoming special circuits as well, is
turned over to the announcer. At
this time the operators must be sure
that every portion of the apparatus
and the circuits is electrically correct.
Throughout the program the OPP
orator in charge Of the transmission
monitors the outgoing music and
speech by means Of a meter and regu-
lates the volume. In addition, he
listens to the feature on loud.
speaker attached to a. receiver which
is picking up the program from
WEAF or WIZ. In this manner a
double check is obtained throughout
the course of every feature.
Telegraphic connection is main.
tained with the network stations while
the feature is on the air, opera tors
at the various stations communicating
with those at WEAF and WIZ at
regular intervals with reports Of re-
ception, condition of the special cir
cults and other details governing the
success of their transmission.
An accuate log is kept Of the exact
time at which various stations begin
and end their transmissions of. Ma
tional Broadcasting Co. features, and
on this log are also noted comments
regarding various conditions Of incom-
ing and outgoing special circuits,
periods during which the stations are
off the air because of delays and the
reasons for the breaks.
And so the routine goes on. it is
exacting, arduous work that is done
behind the scenes in the studios of
WEAF and WJZ-work that requires
the strictest attention to every detail
and that holds out as its only reward
the inner knowledge of a job well
done.