Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-06
HIGH-POWER RADIO
COMES INTO VOGUE
Many Stations Apply for Increase
to Subdue Static and Over.
come Fading.

Slowly but persistently high-power
broadcasting is finding its place in ra-
dio. With radio receiving sets empha-
sizing power detection more and more,
some of the old prejudice against high
power is disappearing.
Nearly all stations on the cleared
channels and many on spare channels
seem to have ambitions to graduate to
the high-power ranks in order to broad
cast their programs with sufficient sig
nal strength to subdue static, overcome
fading and cover large areas.
That high power brings in stronger
and clearer signals, making for quality
reproduction at the receiving end, is
the chief claim made for it by the engi-
neers. 1t is also claimed that the higher
the power the easier it is to serve dis
tant areas, although it is commonly
known fact that the increase in service
range is not commensurate with the
higher graduations of power.
WABC Seeks Power Increase.
Seeking an equal rating with. its rival
chain keys" in the New York metro
politan area, station WABC, where the
programs of the Columbia Broadcasting
System originate, has applied to the
Federal Radio Commission for an in
crease in power from 5000 to $4,000
watts. Sam Pickard, Columbia's vice
president and a former member Of the
commission, is in Washington this week
to submit the formal application.
This would be the first maximum
power station on the Columbia chain
which now numbers more than so sta
tions. The prospects favor the WABC
request, although at least one member
of the commission is a vigorous oppo-
f1oYaf nf hiCh .pnu-ar hrca ctip0 Other
attacks upon high power, especially for
chain stations, are frequently voiced In
Congress. The common argument Is
that it blankets out reception on ada
cent channels.
The latest high-power applicant to be
issued a construction permit Is KNX
Los Angeles, which was authorized this
week to proceed with the erection Of q
new 50000-watt transmitter.
Several other such permits have beer
issued so that maximum power broad
casting may soon be expected from
WTAM, Cleveland: KNOX, st. Louis;
WFAA-WBAP. Dallas; WOAI, San An.
tonic, and KYW, Chicago.
WIS Asks $4,000 Watts.
Station WIS, Chicago, has also ap'
piled for $4,000 watts. Stations KOB
State College, New Mex, and KWKH
shreveport, Lid, IldNC ICCil dutApOA AoCA W
build for 10000 watts.
Station KYW. recently moved, car
produce a 5O,000-watt signal at any
time, but it is now using only 10000
ifty-thousand-watters now in opera
tion are WEAF. New York; WGY, Sche.
nectady; KDKA, Pittsburgh; WLW
Cincinnati; WENR, Chicago, and VITO
Hartford.
The station at Pittsburgh Is being re-
built to have a capacity of 100000 watts
and it is said that new tubes developed
by Westinghouse may enable 1t to q
up to 500 600 watts If the time come:
when such super-power will be author
lied.
Station WGY has experimental aftel
midnight with transmissionS on 0,00(
and 2O0,0 watts with good results.
The American trend toward higher
powers is matched in Europe, where
although there are now no stations o.
as great power as the large American
stations, plans have been made to 81
even higher.
(Copyright, 1929, By North American News
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