Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-19
RADIO BUG KILLERS
PUT UNDERCONTROL
Fruit Growers Must Obtain
u. S. Licenses, Following
Fans Protests.
By MARTIN CODEL.

bug machines" will no longer disturb
radio reception out in the Wenatchee
and Cashmere Valleys of the State of
Washington. Federal officialdom has
ruled that these odd machines used for
discriminating insect pests on fruit
trees, are in the class of radio stations,
and, therefore, require Government
license for operation.
The use of low frequency radio for
this purpose rivals in uniqueneSS any
thing that is being done with the high
frequencies. better known as the short
waves. Harold A. Lafount. member of
the Federal Radio Commission for the
Far Western zone, has just wired tenn
porary authority 10 Herbert z. Smith
Of Seattle to operate two of the strange
machines from TO 10 am. daily. en-
ploying the frequency OF 100 kilocycles
5000 meters).
Fans Complain.
Throughout nearly a whole fruit sea-
son. two of the bug machines" have
been operated In orchards of the val
Ieys by Norman Tichenal, who. with Mr..
Smith, is promoting the device. An
noyed radio listeners complained to OF
to r.. Redfern, United States supervisor
OF radio for the seventh district. with
headquarters at Seattle, saying that
radio reception in the valleys was being
bIanketed by the heavy field strength
radiated by the machines.
Investigation revealed that Tichenal
was unaware that the Radne Post ex-
terminators were creating 50 much dis
turbance. He also was surprised 10
. learn that the low frequency emana-
tions virtually amounted To bootleg
ging'' time on the air because the ma
chimes we're virtually power broadcast
ing stations. He forthwith made appli-
cation TO the Radio Commission for the
! right to operate during early morning
| hours when radio sets were not In use,
| declaring that the machines were prov
| ing highly successful In combating fruit
| tree pests and that IL was his desire to
work in accord with the Laws and on
| friendly terms with his neighbJrs.
In fact. he would be quite satisfied tn
| have assigned TO him only one hour Of
| operation just before dawn each day
! because the machines are most efficient
about that time. Commissioner Lafount
was impressed and allowed the siX-honr
uerjod, Nov the promoters of the de-
| vice are satisfied and 50 are the com
nunities. where. 1000 radio receiving
sets are said To be In use.
Heard 1000 Miles.
Describing the bug machines" Sup
ervfsor Redfern reported To Mr.. La
found that each consists OF kilowati
sfep-up transformer, a condenser, a
non -synchronous rotary spark gap and
large helix, one end Of the helix
being grounded and the other beine
connected to the system Of overhead
wires. The antennae are stretched
To s feet over the tops Of the trees II
the orchard and radiate 30 and Al
amps. with death dealing effects upon
the parasites.
Merle I.anpherde, Wenatchee radio
engineer. wrote 10 Mr. Redfern thai
the apparatus steps up 220 A G X
$50 900 volts. He described it AZ simpl,
large spark transmitter using al
oscuiating circuit The charge is g
great. said ne. that q spark plug teste
can be III any place around the orchart
by touching the finger tips 10 tree
when n spark Of about one eighth Incl
viii lump out. Tiehenai told an IL
vesfigator that code signals be trans
| rnitted in tif1kering with one Of tn
high powered machines had beer
picked up by a ship rsdioman ZOO
miles out on the Pacific.
copyright, 1923. by North American News
paper Alliance.