Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-11
LABOR OFFERS AID
IN AIR CONGESTION
Chicago Federation Would
Open New Channels for
Broadcasting.

The Chicago Federation of Labor
which owns and operates VIGIL, has
offered to solve the present problem
OF relieving congestion In the ether
with plan to open up the wave
channels between 200 and 100 meters
for the radiophone station. now re-
served TO amateur. aircraft and relay
hroadcaSting.
Literature sent out recently by the
organization explains that the change
would not decrease the usefulness of
present broadcasting sets. since such
sets are already overloaded with
broadcast reception. On the other
hand, il SAYS that the new wave
lengths could be heard on present
sets by the addition of simple aux
Hilary devices of receiving sets using
The same batteries and antenna
equipment employed TO, reception on
the present wave lengths which run
from 200 to 600 meters.
when broadcasting first started
in 1921" the organization points out.
"the Department of Commerce allotted
the wave length of 800 meters for
this purpose, this being almost eX-
actly in the center of the open spaces
between the amateur 200meter band
and the ship waves of 900 meters
and up.
"kDKA was about the first broad
caster, but others soon joined them
on 800 meters. In the Spring of 1923.
the Department of Commerce, acting
on the suggestion of the second radio
conference, opened up the wave
lengths to 400 meters, and the exist
ing broadcast stations scattered them
selves over the new zone. Many re-
Ceiving sets were built to cover the
new tuning range and it never oc-
Cured at the time that the broadcast
range might be extended still further
to include wave lengths which those
$50 to 400 meter receivers could not
hear
Extension of the wave band was
exactly what happened about a year
later, and many receiving sets were
rebuilt or retired in favor of sets
which could hear all the way from
200 to 900 meters. Comes 1927 and
again the radio wave band is crowded
and new fields most be sought
Practically all the leading radio ex-
pertS of the country agree that the
broadcast wave band must be ex-
tended down to 100 meters and the
existing stations redistributed over
the new range to diminish interior
ence."
The federation has figured out that
down to 200 meters, one and one half
times as many stations could be ac-
commodated on the air. or the existing
stations could be distributed over the
new ALLEGATION with an equivalent de-
crease in interference
Henry Ford's old-fashioned dance
orchestra will provide one of the fea.
lures of WRC's program tonight, All
of ifs nIln1hnrS will he foJ
airs of the old-time fiddler and win
include waltzes, plain quadrilles, two.
steps and polkas.
The Eveready Hour, another WRC
attraction, will present the Flonzaley
quartet and Ernest Hutchinson. Aus.
trallan pianist-composer Originated
In Europe in 1920, the quartet is re-
garded as one of the most famous
ensembles of it's kind.
An early feature on WRC's bill will
De half-hour piano recital nv
Gertrude Smallwood, whose noon
organ recitals have made her popular
at this station.
strong signals severely twisted and
chopped by outbursts of static de-
scrlbes the reception last night of the
out-of-town. Stations. 1t was lust an
other one of those unusual radio
s-.S, o~"ItoiiS cdil De brought
IN with clarity and volume with every
turn OF the dial, only to have atmos-
pherics play havoc with the pro.
grams.
amid 1t all, however it was possible
TO catch Snatches of music here and
there, and an occasional call letter.
FOR instance, we heard, despite the
static, KNOX, ST. Louis; WJBL, De
catur, ILL.,; WPG. Atlantic CITY.
WABC, New York; WHO, Des Moines'
Iowa, and WSB, Atlanta.