Evening star., 1927-04-29
BETTERMENT SEEN
IN AIR CHANNELS
Federal Radio Commission
Anticipates Improvement
in Big CenterS.

radio situation in New York and Chi
caro centers of the largest number
Of stations and sources of the greatest
amount Of interference, is anticipated
bv the Federal Radio Commission as
q result OF the new alignment of
frequencies and powers.
The commission expects to see this
in1provement reflected in radio condl-
tions throughout most of the country.
Under the temporary permits. how
ever. the whole arrangement is merely
makeshift and certainly far from per
fection In fact. many listeners find
heterodyning as prevalent as ever.
These are explained by the physical
limitations upon the commission in
that il has only 81 available wave
lengths and more than zoo stations
TO place on them. At best. the i'm
provement generally under the permit
arrangement was expected to be no
more than about % per cent.
46 in Gotham.
New York's stations now number
as and SO far about so operating per
mits have been granted in the Chicago
area. These totals represent reduc-
tions, in New Yorks case the re-
duction being IA stations. The cut
in numbers in the metropolitan areas
was wholly voluntary on the part of
the operators. Some merged and
others quit altogether.
In handling the New York and
Chicago situations the commission re
quired many stations TO double up"
on wave lengths. The compleXity Of
the commissions problem is illustrated
in an experience of Commissioner
Caldwell in attempting to allocate
stations equitably in New York.
Every Ingenuity Exercised.
"When it became evident" he
stated. that an absolute shortage
Of wave lengths would have TO be
faced in the New York district every
ingenuity was exercised to try to open
up new channels for New York use
zone New York City channel that
would be otherwise possible was
found to be blocked for use Of even
a medium power station in New York
by a 10o-watt Massachusetts coast sta
ton which, besides its broadcasting
service, plays an important part in
the daily life and work of the large
fishing fleet which puts out from its
home port. The fishermen depend
upon this station for news and enter
tainment. Also, upon the market
prices received by radio, they deter
mine from day to day whether to put
back to port and sell their catch, or
continue fishing.
Difficulty Is Solved.
Here was a unique service, DOS
sible only by radio, that should not
be interferred with by some powerful
New York station broadcasting prin-
cipally entertainment. Search was
therefore made for some channel on
which to plant the f1shing-fieet sta
tion, but none could be found, and
the situation for hours looked as if
two New York broadcasters would
have to take reserve seats down in
the lower register
Late Saturday, however, the trans
fer Of a big Middle West corn belt
station to a still different frequency
cleared a good channel on which the
fishing fleet station could be operated.
This in turn opened up the 1atter's
channel, New. York, and Immediately
kilograms were dispatched to two New
York stations, assigning them to share
this channel"
The press and radio as mediums
of enlightening voters on current
issues will be discussed at dinner of
the National League of Women
Voters tonight at the Mayfiower
Hotel. The proceedings will be broad
cast by WRC.
Henry A. Bellows, Federal radio
commissioner; Merlin II. Aylesworth,
president of the National Broadcast
1rl
! United Press Association, and Rruce
Bliven of the editorial board of the
New Republic, win be the speakers.
WRC's musical attractions include
concerts by the Goldman Band, the
Whittall Anglo-Persians, the National
Quartet, the Hawaiian Melody BOYS
and the Burlington Trio.
A 15-minute verbal picture of con-
ditions in the flood regions of the
Mississippi Valley will be broadcast
by Secretary Of Commerce Hoover to-
morrow night through a huge chain
of stations which viii include WRC.
Mr.. Hoover viii speak over a direct
wire from Memphis TO the National
Broadcasting Co.'S distributing panel
in New York, from which point his
message will be radiated to all Sec
tions Of the country
Arrang gements also have been made
to have Al Jolson, who is in Chicago
follow Mr.. Hoover on the air with
special flood relief appeal.
Mr.. Hoover. who has been in the
very heart Of the flood region since
Monday, will give graphic account
of the disaster as he has viewed it.
while AL Jolson, who has never been
heard before on radio, has promised
TO sing a few of the songs which
made him famous.
Broadcasting stations from Canada
to Cuba and the Atlantic seaboard to
the Middle West We're responsive to
careful dialing last night, but the un.
interrupted cracking and rumbllng Of
static made it exceedingly difficult to
catch but mere snatches Of their pro-
grams. Reception conditions were
particularly unfavorahle shortly after
10 o'clock, when a dot-and-dash out
burst and several radiating receivers
added their disturbance to the already
noisy din.
The signals were available in great
numbers. however, and could be tuned
with good volume. But the noise that
came in with them was enough to dis
lodge the diaphragm of any good loud.
SDeake