Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-09
SIGNALS GOVERNED
BY TEMPERATURE
Radio Tests Show Oversee
Messages Stronger in
Cold Weather.

study Of more than two years
OF the variation in strength of signals
from transatlantic radio stations at
Tuckerton and Brunswick, n. j., con-
Quoted by DR.. l.. W. Austin and Miss
I. J. Wymore of the Bureau of Stand
ards, it was announced today, appears
TO nrove that there is some kind OF
inverse relationship between signal
strength and local temperature. In
other words. when temperature is low,
signals are strong. and when the tenn
perature is high, signals are weak.
A curYo plotted to show monthly
averages Of temperature and signal
strength brings ont this conclusion
very strikingly. The average signals
of February are more than twice as
strong as those of July. The day-by-
dav relationship is less marked, vary
ing from fairly clear in the Winter
months to obscure in midsummer.
The commonly accepted ideas re-
garding the earth'S atmosphere 1nh-
cate that there should he no connec-
ton between the weather near the
ground and conditions at heights OF
SO miles or more, where the main
variations in radio signal intensity are
supposed to he produced However,
the bureaus investigations show that
the variations in signal strength are
actually produced in the upper atmos-
phere and not in the portion of the
wave travelling along the ground. be-
cause in the region involved there
is no definite change in intensity as
result of long continued rains or
droughts or because of the presence
or absence of snow. at least for wave
lengths over l. 900 meters. In addition,
IL is hardly conceivable that the rapid
intensity changes observed during cold
waves can be due to the penetration of
frost into the ground. because this is
of necessity a gradual process.
In this investigation the bureau
found it advisable to conflne its studies
to transmissions from stations at mod
crate distances, 120 to $40 miles. In
the case of more distant stations,
weather conditions cannot be expected
to be uniform over the entire signal
path, while for distances less than
100 miles the variations in signal
strength for the usual transatlantic
wave lengths may become too small
for profitable study.
1t isn't reasonable to expect every
part of any program to appeal. and
even the experts cannot predict
with any degree of certainty just what
particular spots of a given program
are going to be best. To avoid missing
the good spots, and being annoyed
with the other kind, why not leave
the set operating soto vOce? Pick
up a book, or converse. When the
right part comes along it will register
Immediately, and only the twisting
of a rheostat knob is needed to bring
in the program fun force.
From Brazil to Scandinavia and
back again to America is the musical
tour which the Davis Saxophone Octet
will offer radio listeners tonight
through WRC and associated stations.
The saXophonists will bring from
Brazil "Dengozo," a maXixe tango.
From the home Of Grieg will come his
sprightly "Anitra's Dance" the third
movement of the popular Peer Gynt
suite. America viii be represented
by the exquisite ITO a Wild Rose
Dear Old Girl" military march,
special saxophone solo by Clyde Doerr,
and two dance numbers.
WRC will draw from New York, in
addition to the program of the Saxo.
phone Octet, the weekly offerings of
the Ipana TroubadourS and the Smith
Brothers, and an operetta by the
WEAF Light Opera Co. Edward
Audran's La Poupee" has been
chosen for tonightS production. The
soloists will be Adele Parkhurst, So
prano; Frances Paperete, contralto;
Harvey Hindermyer, tenor; George
O'Brien, tenor; Theodore Webb, bari
tone, and Jack Oakley, basso. The
operetta consists Of three acts and a
prologue.
The new moon, somewhat haZy in
its first quarter, came back into the
western sky last night, but it's effect
on radio signals was apparently negli-
gible. Reception was fair from the
North, South and West. While vol
ume and audibility were good, static
of the cracking variety did it's best
to interrupt the programs, and in
some cases succeeded.
The atmospherics were mild at the
outset of our dialing activities, but
increased in intensity and frequency
as the night wore on. woo, Daven-
port, was heard distinctly and without
any interference whatever about 1880
o'clock, but it was impossible to bring
in this station with satisfaction two
hours later because of the static
blasts. A number Of other stations
were similarly affected.