Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-21
SEEK AGREEMENT
FOR WAVES SPLIT
Voluntary Adjustment of
Channels Probable at Con-
ference in Ottawa.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Efforts will be made to keep the
matter of short waves out of the devious
channels of diplomacy at the conference
of radio officials of North American
countries in Ottawa this week. A VOL
untary "gentlemen's agreement" rather
than a treaty, is - be sought through
mutually satisfactory division of the
continental short waves among the
United States, Canada, Newfoundland,
Mexico and Cuba.
Unless more soreness develops over
broadcaSting, which is confined to an
entirely different band of wave lengths,
there is every prospect of an amicable
agreement. There is an element in
Canada, however, which is vigorously
denouncing this countryS presumption
that an allotment of only of the Sc
broadcaSting channels for Canada's eX
elusive use and IL for shared use is
sufficient for the Dominion,
The United States delegation now in
Ottawa will seek to keep broadcaSting
out of the parley and ID devote all con-
-sideration to splitting up the short
waves between 5000 and $500 kilo-
cycles GOO to so meters). Canadas
radio officials, 1t is understood, are in
clined to go along, particularly in view
OF the fact that Canadian commission
is now studying the broadcasting struc-
ture OF Europe. and in March will study
that of the United States in order to
recommend a more stable h-oadcast
organization in Canada.
Problems Are Different.
When it is explained that the road
casting. band extends from $500 to $50
kilocycles 900 to 555 meters) and that
the SO widely spaced channels therein
are disable only for program radio, it
Is apparent how it presents an entirely
different problem from the short waves.
The broadcast wave lengths comprise a
so-called intermediate band of frequen-
cieS. These are more widely spaced
than the short waves to make allow
anceS for voice and instrumental modu-
lation.
The short waves, or high frequencies,
to be divided at Ottawa are essentially
Geographic waves, although some may
be used for radio-telephony. With the
agreed upon separation, they aggregate
639. The Federal Radio Commission
recently assumed SO of these frequen-
cieS for exclusive use within the United
States, allocating 40 to the Universal
Wireless Communications Co., 20 to the
press and to a California State farm
service.
On the basis of the known technical
values OF the several groups of chan
nels and of the limitations of the in
ternational acknowledgement treaty,
signed by about 80 countries at Washt
ington in 1927, the American commits!
sion recently designated 1893 frequen-
cies to be shared among all the North
American countries. These include 100
for visual broadcaSting, or television:
70 for ship and coastal stations, 81 for
aircraft and landing fields, for porta-
BILE stations for geophysical prospecting,
police and fire signaling and the like, S
for railroads and 4 for miscellaneous
experimentation.
The technicians are understood to be
about agreed upon the mutual use of
these channels where no interference
results, although Mexican and Cuban
experts have yet to pass Judgment on
the mutual bands.
Assumes Rights to Sixty three.
OF the remaining 246 frequencies that
are to be divided by the several coun-
tries the United States has already as
sumed the rights to the So aforemen-
TONED. This leaves 1873 to be divided.
Out OF these the governments will
doubtless take some for their own Joint
ana exclusive services. The rest will
be made available for their respective
international commercial services. de-
pending upon the policy of each
country.
The Federal Radio Commission is
oennltely committed to a policy of par
ceiling out available frequencies to pub
Tic utility acknowledgement service by yir-
TTNiHnfco1
It has not agreed with Canadas Sugges-
ton that the short waves shall not be
used to duplicate existing land wire
services. Canada'S reasons for this
principle obviously are that she intends
using the precious channels to commu-
nlcate with the many isolated and
sparsely settled parts of the broad
Dominion.
1t is doubtful whether the broad
principle proposed by the United States
and unaccepted by Canada will GAUGE
any deadlock in the conference. The
exclusive channels will probably be left
TO each country to do with as it pleases.
The TACT that the United States intends
using them to supplement wire services
may however, conStrain the Canadians
TO insist upon getting at least so per
cent Of the exclusive channels for her
manifold needs. They have indicated
this as their purpose.
The wireless interests of the United
states will watch the progress of the
parleyS with more than ordinary inter-
est. Whether the Radio Corporation of
American and the Mackay radio sys-
TENS get the waves they want for do
nestle radio-telegaph networks for
intercity service and for feeders" to
their transoceanic circuits depends all
most entirely upon the number of addi-
tional exclusive lengths the Americans
are able to procure at the parley.
Copyright. 1929. by North American
Newspaper Alliance)