Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-21
AIR POLICEMEN"
SOON TO OPERATE
Monitoring Station, to Detect
Straying, Nearing Compile
ton in Nebraska.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Broadcasting stations which are still
persistent offenders against Government
regulations concerning deviations from
their wave lengths will soon come under
the surveillance of a coterie of police
men," whose ears" will be as nearly
infallible as the mechanical ingenuity
OF man can fashion them.
Monitoring the ether lanes to detect
radio stations Straying from their as
signed frequencies is regarded by Will
liam D. Terrell, chief of the radio divi-
sion of the Department of Commerce,
as the most important task devolving
upon the Governments radio inspection
service. The Federal Radio Commission
proposes rules and regulations, now fire.
quently ignored, but 1t falls to the lot
of Mr.. Terrell's men to dispose of the
offenders.
Completing MOnitoring Stations.
Accordingly a constant frequency
monitoring station, capable of taking
measurements throughout the entire ra-
dio spectrum, is being completed by the
Department of Commerce at Grand
Island, Nebr. which is about the geo.
graphical center of the United States.
In his annual report, Just issued, Mr..
Terrell describes this master radio ''po-
Icing" station in technical detail.
pointing out that 1t will be of such de-
racy of one part in a million.
experimenting this station, whose
sensitive ear is expected to be able to
tune-in practically any radio station in
the world, whether voice or telegraph,
a set of so-called secondary standards
for closer observations will be estab-
lished in each of the nine radio inspec-
ton districts. Six more SUCH sub
stations will be installed also on the six
radio test cars of the department that
operate out Of district headquarters at
Baltimore, Atlanta, Dallas, San Fran
cisco. Detroit and Kansas City.
During the last year the inspection
service took measurements on more
than half of the country's broadcasting
stations. About 10 per cent of the
measurements revealed deviationS of
more than 500 cycles, or one-half a
kilocycle, which is the extreme limit OF
such wabbling" fixed by the Federal
Radio Commission.
Found Many Deviations.
There were many deviations Of kilo-
cycles or more and some that exceeded
10 kilocycles. This gives an indication
OF the source of some of the interfer-
ence that still exists in broadcasting.
Mr. Terrell's 1929 report, as do most
OF his previous annual reports takes
occasion again to praise the work of
lIIe dlIldltulS' VI NIIOlIl lllclS we've lp'oGS
holding licenses at the end of the fiscal
year. The pioneering work done by the
army of hams" on the short waves,
especially in the 10-meter band Of late,
is highly praised. Mr.. Terrell also looks
forward to advances in long-distance
telephony as the result of anna
teur experiments.
While other countries" he states.
"are worrying over the problem of con-
trolling. taxing and discouraging the
few surviving amateurs they have, this
country is constantly endeavoring to
Seep this large and useful group of eX-
perimenters engaged in useful and in
teresting work.
The amateur again demonstrated his
great value as means of emergency co
his great value as means of emergency
communication in storm-stricken COM
munities during the West Indian hurri-
cane in September. 1928. In addition &c
emergency work, amateurs have afforded
home contact with many exploring and
scientific expeditions"
Copyright. 1929 by North American News
paper Alliance