Evening star., 1928-12-07
SEEK HIGH POWER
FOR REMOTE FANS
Heavy Wattage Proponents
to Base Claims on Needs
of Rural RadioiteS.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Protagonists of high power broadcast
ing find their chief argument in the
necessity of serving rural and remote
radio audiences. This will be their re-
ply to the structures being heaped upon
the use of superpower during the pres
ent session of Congress. In addition.
they will answer opposition with engin-
eering evidence showing that power
output can be controlled so that the dial
spread of superpower stations Will not
be great.
Although some sweep of the dials may
be expected in the immediate vicinity OF
transmitters emitting heavy wattage. it
is contended that the high powered
stations on the 40 cleared channels are
spaced sufficiently far apart under the
reallocation to prevent interference with
each other or with the lower powered
stations on neighboring channels.
All these involve engineering consid-
erations, which embrace technical de-
tails very difficult for the average radio
fan to understand.
Complain of Spreading.
The fact remains that legislators like
Senator Dill and Representative Davis
have their own experiences and that
of many compliments to prove that
high powered stations are spreading
their programs over many points of
the dial, either blanketing out other
reception or holding their programs
family in the background of those COM
ing in on different wave lengths.
Leading radio engineers seem to be
Of one accord in favoring high power
on the cleared and exclusive channels
This often has been attributed to the
fact that they are frequently retained
tot 1ta.@ e. F.1.s
the interests operating the high pow
cred stations. Such a charge. however,
cannot be held against DR.. j. H. DELL
niger, radio chief of the Bureau of
Standards and chief engineer of the
Federal Radio Commission, or Capt
Guy Hill, an active Army Signal Corps
officer temporarily detailed to aid the
commission in its broadcaSting prob
'nnls. Both favor high power and say
it can be controlled within reasonable
limits.
There are now only four stations in
the superpower class, that is. using 50,-
600 watts. They are KDKA, Pitts
burgh; WGY, Schenectady; WEAF, New
York. and WLW, Cincinnati. Seven
others have obtained construction per-
nitS from the Federal Radio Commits
sion to build $4,000 watt stations. They
are VITO, Hartford; WBAP, Fort
Worth: WFAA, Dallas; VIGIL, Chicago:
WSM, Nashville; KNOX, st. Louis, and
KFI, Los Angeles; station WENR, Chi
cago, is built for $4,000 watts, but has
not been authorized to go up The next
highest powered station in the country
is WIZ, New York
On the Radio Commission, the chief
"dvocates of high power are the two
engineer commissioners, o. H. Caldwell
If the first zone, and H A. Lafount of
he fifth. The commission as a whole,
however, is more or less committed to
'igher power. The only limit it has
7er imposed fixes $4,000 watts as
'Hximum. with exceptions for expert
rental purposes. But the exceptions
, to $4,000 watts promise to become
n rule.
One member of the commission
'7nds out as a consistent opponent of
ch power Chairman Robinson is on
'le side of those opposing power of
'ore than 5000 watts. And he win
II the members of Congress SO when
= is called at the public hearings soon
be held on radio. He has invariably
9ted against all construction permits
r licenses authorizing power in excess
7 the limit he proposes.
In addition 70 the new so 900 waters.
he commission within the year has au-
.horized many other stations to boost
heir power or issue construction per-
nits to build higher powered stations.
Notable among these are three of $4,000
watts-WGN, Chicago: WBBM-WJBT.
Chicago, and WFBM, Indianapolis.
Station VIVID. Mooseheart, Ill, recent
y was granted 10000 watts; WCCO.
minneapolis, $4,000; WTAZ, Richmond,
10 600; KOA, Denver. 12,500.
The stations Of 10000 watts authoriz-
Il to be built, or already licensed. are
WSB, Atlanta; WHAS. Louisville:
WOWO, Fort Wayne; WJSV, Washing
on. D. C.; WBT, Charlotte N. c.;
WPTF, Raleigh, N. c.. KSTP, st. Paul;
kOB. Station College, N. M; KRLD,
Dallas.
Copyright, 1928. by North American News
paper Alliance