Evening star., 1927-12-15
GOO 0AMATEUR RADIO
OPERATORS REPORT
Conclusions Expected to Have
Force With Commission in
Considering Policies.

Responding to the request of the
Federal Radio Commission. more than
600 amateur radio operators living in
all parts of the country have reported
on results observerd since the recent
clearing of certain ether channels in
the interest of better long-distance
reception. All OF them being more or
less expert on the subject of radio,
their conclusions are expected to have
considerable force with the commits
sion when its members meet again
next month to decide on further poll
Cies and courses of action.
The secretary of the Federal Radio
Commission. Carl II. Butman, says
that the amateurs in general seem to
have found reception vastly improved
on the p channels that were cleared
io avoid simultaneous broadcastinS
on Identical wave lengths and conse'
aIent heterodyning. Unlike the en-
uherance evident in thousands of let
ters that have come in from listeners.
most of whom seem highly delighted
TO he able 10 tune in clearly at least
a few more stations each night, the
amateurs reports are cool and dis
cerning criticisms of the existing
situation, says Mr.. Butman.
Conditions of reception of the same
stations vary in various localities. so
lnaI lNF IeItoIiS dlE VullE SS1tiOlici 1H
their nature Some of the amateurs
have suggested that the broadcasters
themselves are not keeping their trans
mitters properly tuned for good recep-
ton that wave length deviations are
still occurring. and that audible beat
notes are evident on some of the
channels supposed to he cleared. Few
do not tell Of general improvement,
however.
The greatest banes of good recep-
ton. especially of distant programs.
are still fading and static. Much of
the interference that is attributed To
static. however. is said to be of the
homemade sort that can be eliminated
by proper precautions. Here is where
the youthful radio expert often serves
his greatest purpose in communities
where entire neishborhoods suffer dis
turbances that may he traced to
motor noises, thermostatic controls.
bad contacts and power leaks, such
as those listed by Robert ]. Casey in
the manual he has prepared for the
Radio Manufacturers Association of
New York City for distribution among
set owners.
Government officials are without
authority to inspect receiving sets.
Recent efforts of members of Congress
to get the radio inspection cars of the
Department of Commerce to visit
their communities have been without
avail. for the reason that the radio
law permits the Federal Radio Com
mission and the Department of Com
merce to regulate and to check up
only on the sources of radio transmits
sion-that is. the stations themselves.
1t is not by any means upon the
radio amateur nor upon the radio
=
radio experts and the radio industry
urge listeners to rely for the elimina-
tion of man-made interferences.
Technical experts are usually avail
able through local broadcasting sta
tions or through local dealers who can
trace the sources of man-made inter-
ferences and prescribe the cures. This
is particularly true in the larger cities,
where most receiving sets are con-
centrated and where most of the dis
turbances are likely to occur.
veritable industry is growing up
around the proper upkeep and safe
guarding of radio sets.
Henri L. Leroy. internationally
famous clarinetist. will be the guest
artist of the United States Army Band
in its radio concert tonight which will
be broadcast by WRC and the blue
network stations Of the National
Broadcasting Co. His accompanist
will be Kurt Hetzel symphony con-
ductor and pianist of note.
Leroy is prize winner of the Paris
Conservato toire and was soloist with
the Garde Republican Band of Paris.
the New York Symphony Orchestra
and many other such organizations.
His contribution to the bands pro-
gram will be two solos, ''Concertino.
by Weber, and Chopin's Waltz, Opus
Ga"
The initial Dodge Brothers radio
presentation which WRC will broad.
cast from to $50 o'clock in coniunc-
tion with an extensive hook-up of
stations is made up of novel vocal
and instrumental selections. The
Hoover Sentinels. another attraction.
will feature the bright tunes from
present and past Broadway successes.
The regular weekly concerts of
Dersch's Doughboys and the Town
Club Hawaiians are the principal
musical attractions tonight of WMAL
in addition there will be a recital by
Anne Smith, pianist, and joint recital
by Portia Clifford Bailey, mezzo-so-
prano, and Donald Brown, pianist.
The scientific talk prepared by Sci.
ence Service, which WMAL will broad
cast at o'clock, concerns the oceans
canyons"
WRTTF extended its activities today
by augmenting its program with two
additional hours of music, which will
keep it on the air continuously every
morning from 3 o'clock to noon. Here
tofore the stations morning programs
have been Of only one hours duration
from 10 to II. The extension was made
primarily to give local radio fans an