New Britain herald., 1928-03-10
Through he Static

night It was the heaviest in months and there's no kidding about that. Early in the evening it was com paratlVely heavy, but we didn't know what was in store for us. lt was the same old story of the noise becoming heavier as the evening ad- Vanced. We didn't believe it was pos si5le for it to get any heavier, but we didn't suspect an eighth of the true circumstances. In spite of the static several stations forced their way through, so We reached the con- clusion that volume must have been excellent.
 NNAXAThis is statXXxxXxxy and operxxXXNXXxXXccc Broadcasting Co, at xxxxxxx NewXxyXccccc. The zzzzZ zzz Boys, xxXxxXxx and Ernest XxNc offer half XxXxxXXxxxx offer a half zzzzzzzzzzz through xxNcxXesy of the XXXxXXzzzzzzzzZzXXx That's a sam pie of reception last night Sort Of q fill in the missing word' idea, only there was no prize for the winner.
 An sos call took WEAF and WIZ off the air for a considerable period some time after o'clock. It deyel- oped that the call came from the Robert E. Lee' a Boston New York steamer, aground on Mary Ann reef off Cape Cod. The New York stations shut up shop right away and We imagine that other coastwise stations did the same Sev- eral listeners wondered why WTIC at Hartford did not sign off for the call, but telephone call elicited the information that WTIC is regarded as an inland station. It was explain , ed that the Hartford broadcaster does not have to shut down unless given instructions to do so by the navy department. The operators up there listen in and if a message is received to the effect that the trans hitter must go off the air, off the air it goes.
 A coincidence occurred in t1ie course of the program by the Hap piness Boys, from WEAF. One of their mum bers was When The Rob ert E. Lee Comes to Town" Billy and Ernie were up to their usual stunts and we derived a great deal of pleasure from their half hour. Ernie sang a new one, Roll Off My Green" a number dedicated to the golfers. and their name is legion. Must You Wear That Mustache?' was another, and Billy sang Was It a Dream?" The wise cracks were bright and sparkling, as usual, and the crowd at the restaurant where the boys were entertaining. seemed to get bigger kick than usual out of their antics. The announcer, Ed mund Ruffner, came in for his share of it, too, since the boys, in endear- ing tones, whispered Good night. Edmund" just before they signed off WEAF didn't act especially well, fading considerably and adopting muffled tone that became if not. i Pink would have looked much bet 1 ter.
 WJR. Detroit, came through ex tremely loud, else the call letters wouldn't be set down here today The station broadcast the Sparkers program from the NEG studios in New York
 4 rour-saxophone interpretation of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in i Blue was heard in the course of the program from WEAF-WT1C, over which Phil Carhn had control. In fact, it's the only regular pro- gram during which Phil is heard now-a- days. Last night he was his usual self wisecracking to beat the cars. AS we were saying. the saxo- phone quartet presented the fla nous Gershwin number, not in it's entirety. to be sure, since they lett out some of the piano solo parts. But it was a remarkable demonstration of saXophone manipulation. The tone was delightful to the ear. One of the best things on the air , is that eerie selection which brings 1 the program by the Anglo -Persians ! to a close each week. It's beautiful number. That first, long, high note is decidedly weird.
 Tenor solo. Brown Bird Singing, WBZ, Springfield; Anglo-Persians, WTAM, Cleveland: scrap Book, "ask me another questions WSA1, Cincinnati; orchestra. Let's Misbe- have" KDkA. Pittsburgh; Portion of speech by Charles Evans Hughes, WIZ, New York.
 There's one consolation. There won't be many nights as bad as the one just passed and we'll bet our celluloid collar on that.
 When Jack Sharkey and Johnny Risko face each other ill the ring al Madison Square Garden on Monday evening next in one of Tex KICK ards series of elimination bouts leading up to q match with Gene Tunney in June, for the heavyweight championship of the world, Graham pl,t : liYtC. NJ t