Evening star., 1928-11-19

The modern dog in the manger" is
the owner of regenerative ''blooper''
radio receiving set who doesn't want to
enjoy a station program himself and
won't let any one else enjoy it.
Recent reallocation of stations in the
broadcasting spectrum seems to have
driven the owners of regenerative sets
almost mad. Day and night they have
been causing their sets to oscillate," in
mad attempt to bring in distant sta
tionS.
This has resulted in the craziest COM
bination of howls, squeals, rumblings
and clicks and clacks being broadcast
by such sets, since tubes working be-
yond the proper point become trans
mitters as well as receivers.
The writer here has been a radio
fan" for the past five years. but in
all that time has never made much
headway in coming to an understand
ing of the mysteries of the great art
and science.
No doubt thousands of persons find
themselves similarly at loss to explain
the workings of their sets. They simply
accept them as one of the miracles of
practical science.
So we are unable to explain just
exactly what happens when a regenera-
tive set begins to "bloop," as the popu
lar slang phrase has it. What such
set does, however is familiar to every
one.
Those terrible sounds coming from
your loud speaker upon occasion, re-
sembling the last walls of lost souls
and which some persons innocently cG1
static" are caused by some thought .ess
or Indifferent person in your neigtoor-
hood who lacks consideration foE the
rights of others.
X X X *
If the Federal Radio Commission
really wants to do something for pop
ular radio broadcasting, it should take
up the problem presented by the mis-
handled regenerative receiving set.
This type of receiver was csle of the
basic steps in radio progress. 1t holds,
and properly tremendously important
place in the electrical and inventive
side of the business.
There are many who believe that a
regenerative set. properly handled, will
bring in" more distant stations than
any other type of receiver. This sort
of receiver demands that the power Of
the set be increased by the expedient
of bringing the machine to the point of
oscillation" by means of 'tickler COLL
or other device.
In attempting to get particular sta
ton with such a set, the "tickler' is
moved until the set begins to squeal
then moved back to a position just be-
low this boiling point"
If this point is exceeded tremendous
howls and shrieks will be emitted when
the tuning dial is moved as the con-
densers bring the set more or less lin
tune" for station.
This explanation may not be very sci
entif1c, but it gets at the main point at
issue here, i.e., the noise, and the cause
Of it.
The terrible groans, gurgles, and SIM
liar sounds that are given off not only
reach the ears of the misguided per-
son operating-or trying to operate
the set; they also reach the ears of
every 'fan" in radius of many blocks
The sounds thus transmitted by the
miniature transmitting stations-Whiclr
every regenerative set thus becomes by
poor manipulation-may be sent as far
as 2 miles, according to investigation
made several years ago when this nui-
sance was at its height
X X X X
Increase in the popularity of tuned
radio frequency and neutrodyne re-
ceivers neither of which permits oscilla-
tions to radiate. temporarily put The
regenerative receivers in the back
ground.