Evening star., 1927-12-09
fOURSTAT|ONSASK
FOR SHORT WAVES.
Desire to Be Placed on
Graveyard" EndUf Band
Held Significant.

A significant trend in radio broad.
casting is seen by O. II. Caldwell of
the Federal Radio Commission in the
voluntary applications of certain sta
tions to be placed on wave lengths
in the extreme lower end of the
broadcast band, generally regarded as
radios graveyard" At least four
such applications are on hand, each
station manager expressing willing
ness to operate between 1,400 and
$500 kilocycles t214.2 to 1899 metersl
II allotted power output of 5000 watts
or more, according to Commissioner
Caldwell.
The commissioner from New York
attributes this voluntary action not
merely to the desire to attain higher
powers but to q conviction on the part
of the broadcasters that they can get
their signals out" to substantial
listening range even on the lower
channels. He said that he agrees
with the station managers that most
sets can pick up the lower waves.
Three-fourths of the receiving sets
now in use, he declared. have been
purchased within the last two years,
when manufacturers almost invariably
cAlibrated them to be able to tune TO
these channels.
Perhaps the most noteworthy re-
quest is that of WTFF of Mount
Vernon Hills. Va, near Washington,
station operated by the Fellowship
Forum. Using only so watts today on
1.4S0 kilocycles t202.6 meters). this
station, a comparative newcomer to
the field of broadcasting, has been
issued a construction permit which
will enable it to operate when rebuilt
with 10000 watts. It's operators ex-
press perfect willingness to remain on
this frequency, which is in the part of
the spectrum where most stations
balk at being assigned. if they can
obtain a later construction permit to
go up to $4,000 watts. This would
rank it as one of the four highest
powered stations in the country, for
only three now have SO kilowatts--
WIZ. WGY and kDkA.
Assigned to divide time with WTFF
1s WHBN of Gainesville, Fla, which
also was willing to stay on the ,4S0-
kilocycle frequency if granted 5000
watts power. This power assignment
was granted, and the station is being
reconstructed to resume operations
next May. The only other station on
that frequency is XVI, Seattle. using
only 100 watts. While interference
Another such application is from
WKBW, Buffalo. now on 1880 kilo.
cycles t217.3 meters). but willing to
go anywhere from l 400 to 1,580 if
assigned a power of 5000 watts. The
fourth application, and probably the
most significant one, is from WCSH,
Portland, Me-, now on $40 kilocycles
1855 meters) and using 500 watts
power. According to Mr. Caldwell,
this station would willingly go to
1.400 kilocycles t214.2 meters) il it
could obtain power of 5000 watts.
Although the lower wave lengths
have been crowded with the bulk of
the stations. especially since the re.
moval of so many from the mon
heterodyning band" Commissioner
Caldwell thinks that ultimately the
whole range OF frequencies can be
made equally valuable. Today the
middle frequencies are undoubtedly
the most desirable. More than I25
stations are crowded on the IL chan.
nels in the band from 1,40O to 1,50O
kilocycles.
Fanny Brice, the leading comedienne
on the American stage, and former
Ziegfeld star. will make her radio
debut tonight as the guest artist in
the Palmolive hour, one of WRC's out
standing attractions. Supporting her
will be the Palmolive Musical Stock
Co., under the direction of Gus Haen-
schen.
The Cities Service Orchestra and
Cavaliers and the Whittall Anglo Per-
slams are the other featured attrac-
tions. The Cities Service Orchestra
will feature the second movement
from the symphony Pathetique," by
Tschaikowsky, and saXophone solos
by Lucien Schmit. The Anglo Per-
SLAMS will play principally the compo-
sitions of Dvorak, Grieg, Delibes and
Wolf Ferrari.
The Arthur Jordan Music Forum.
the principal attraction tonight OF
WMAL. will present John Charles
Thomas, famous American baritone,
and Eric Zardo, concert pianist.
Mr.. Thomas will sing many of
his numbers which have become so
popular on his monograph records.
These include ''Smilin' Through"
INA Little BANJO" Mother O. Mine"
'Dannie Dever," and Leoncavalio's
prologue to Il Pagiacci." Mr.. Zardo
will play Rachmaninoff's prelude c
Sharp Minor" LISTS "Rhapsodie
Hongroise No. 12," and "Eventide."
The Harmonious Quartet, composed
Of J. Stabley Brooks, Russell w.
White, Jarrett B. Lee and Louise c.
Minor and Horace Walker and his
orchestra will provide WMALS other
musical attractions. There also will
be 15-minute program by Burt Glib
son and Mac" McGregor, the Milo
Boys"
WRHF, which has just passed from
the control of the Washington Radio
Hospital Fund Committee to the
newly formed American Broadcasting
Co, Inc, has scheduled a varied pro-
gram this evening. Starting at $3.50
O'Clock with the tri-weekly children's
period, conducted by Miss Evelyn
Reichard. the subsequent features in
clude a Duo-Ar concert, the weekly
I theatrical forecast of Harold Phillips
and a music memory contest.
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