The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1929-01-25
GREAT FALLS RADIO
FANS TO GUST STATIC
Power Company Engineer Tells Oh
Many Causes, Explains How Ills
Firm Is Assisting in Elimination
of Trouble.

The following article taken from
the Great Falls Tribune will be OF IN
terest to the owners of radios In Plenr
tywood and other parts of Sheridan
county who are bothered by various
forms of interference:
AS a result of an address given by
Earl Van Denburg, engineer for the
Montana Power company, on thel
cause and possible cure of radio in
reference in Great Falls, the Great
Falls chapted of the United CONNER
cial Travellers of America, at its
weekly luncheon meeting in the Park
hotel Saturday noon voted to sponsor
the organization of a city radio club.
!. A motion was made and passed in
wiling all radio dealers of Great Falls
to the meeting next Saturday noon
when Mr.. Van Denburg will again ex-
plain the sources of interference and
at that time the club will lay its
plans before the dealers and encour-
age their cooperation in the forma-
! ton of an organization of radio fans.
7 Lamps Cause Trouble
0 Mr.. Van Denburg declared the
D greatest offender of radio in Great
e Falls at the present time is the or
binary electric lamp. When this globe
e is Jared or when it becomes old, il
a disintegrates and causes vibrating
d sound which makes click in the ra-
r dio. There were 100000 of these
lamps sold in Great Falls in 1928, OF
an average of $50 a day, he said.
Presenting that half of the daily
consumption burned out and half &C
cidentally were broken, the static
- would be immense.
j The electric heating pad was givel
as the second greatest source of in
reference, there being now NOR
81 than 100 in use in the city, replacing
nc the old hot water bottle. Mr.. VA
A. Denburg said he had yet to find
pad that would not cause interference
and the older they get the worse the,
IS become, running radio. reception 70
Ve blocks. He explained this by the fac
We that the heat of the pad is regulate
e through thermostat, which expand
n or contracts continually and each tim
II throwing off a buzzing sound.
Il Electric Irons Also
IL Electric irons used by 1000 fami
- lies in the city also cause interefeI
ence. A survey made by the powe
nc company two years ago showed tina
re 80 per cent of the ironing was don
~ in the evenings and that so per cen
lie of the irons in use year or more ha
We a loosened contact which seriously e1
h'' fected radio reception.
H. Flash lamps and changeable sign
~ were also listed as possible sources Q
70 interference by Mr.. Van Denburg.
w While the large signs used by tn
oe theatres and other concerns are opel
ny ated by an Individual system, Their
I'm are large number of small flashin
ey signs that materially effect radios, h
* said.
ad Tn s,,,,,ou roodo bu tho oo,onor,,
year ago, it was found that 8 pc
cent of the complaints made wei
10 traeeable to the lines of the compan
ng and that 81 per cent was from otht
on sources. A total of 48 per cent
l'h this 81 per cent was gone when tt
Yes company Inspector made the invest
ak cation.
on Some Shun Complaints
ne "Most of the large power companit
of the country will have nothing I
70 do with radio cmplaints," Mr.. Va
IN Denburg said. "All such work
handled by the radio companies then
gn selves or through a radio club
OF "Great Falls should have a rad
me club to take care of the work no
IN handled by the power company whit
would do away with these expense,
surveys. Each investigation has co
ort the company between $50. and SIS
ged While the radio fans of the city ha,
Inn co-operated with us in this work, Il
ost radio dealers would not cooperate
mo any extent"
DIS Mr. VanDenburg told of a ca
neart the Tribune building last We
and in which the circuit to the Tribul
building was cut off entirely for
short time to determine if the stat
or interference originated from thel
m. AS this had no effect on the stat
!. the wires to each residence for tv
90 blocks were cut end when near t