Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-05
DR.. TAYLOR STUDIES
WAVE PROPAGATION
New Head of Radio Institute
Conducting Researches Into
~ Antics of Ceiling"
BY MARTIN CODEL.

Or. A. Hoyt Taylor's election as presi-
dent of the Institute of Radio Engi-
neers found him so deeply absorbed in
his studies of radio wave propagation
that he was unable to be present at the
New York meeting which elected him.
The honor came by way of high tribute
from his fellow radio technicians few
days after hts fiftieth birthday ami
verSary, for he was born in Chicago
January l, 1879.
Visited at the Naval Research Labor
atory. on the outskirts Of Washington,
where he is in charge of radio work,
Dr.. Taylor was found engaged In study
ing the antics of the much-discusSed
Kennelly-H eaviside layer in collabora-
ton with DR.. Edward o. Hubert and
DR.. Leo c. Young, who, like himself,
are civilian scientists attached TO the
Nays important engineering research
plant.
The Kennelly-Heaviside layer so
called for Prof. A. E. Kennedy of Har-
ward and the late Sir Oliver Heaviside
of England holds out little fascination
for the layman, but its current cyclic
variations are of great moment to the
world of radio. 1t is the ionized layer
in the upper atmosphere from which
radio waves are reflected or refracted
back 10 earth. 1t accounts for fading
and skip-distance effects, but relatively
little is known about it.
The latest theory is that this radio
ceiling" is lowering, due to sunspot
variations The present SunSpot cycle
Is being studied with view of learning
more about its effects upon radio. par
ticularly upon the high frequencieS or
short waves. which are known to bound
end rebound from the layer and travel
as many as eight times around the
world in one second.
At Lowest Limit.
DR. Taylor believes that the layer has
fallen to its lowest limit, which is about
SIS miles above the earth's surface. The
highest ever measured is 700 miles, but
this is extreme. Height variations are
diurnal and seasonal, and differ with
different frequencies. The sunspot va
riations must be observed at least five
years more before pure science can
draw definite conclusions.
DR.. Taylor regards as his most i'm
portant contribution to the radio art
the long series of experiments dealing
with the theory of short-wave trans
mission. A report that he would soon
leave the Naval Laboratory to affiliate
with a newly forming domestic radio
telegraph company he denied unquali-
fledly. He said he might be engaged in
a consulting capacity with the Univer-
sal Wireless Communications Co., but
asserted that it has no contract with
him and has not acquired by assign
n1ent or license any of his patents.
Civilians attached to the laboratory
are permitted to do outside consulting
work and to dispose of their patents
as they wish, with the sole proviso that
the Government shall have the free use
of such patents. DR.. Taylor has in
vented and patented q or more devices
pertaining to radio and has patents
pending on many more. Most of his
patents have been acquired by Wired
Radio, Inc, the public utility subsidi-
airy now planning to introduce radio
into homes via power wires
Commander i'm Reserve.
DR.. Taylor received his science de-
gree from Northwestern University and
his doctors degree at Gottingen Uni
versity, Germany. He specialized in
applied electricity, mathematics and
mathematical physics and taught at
Michigan State College, the University
of Wisconsin and the University of
North Dakota before turning his at
tention to radio, in 1910. He was
the Navy during the war, with opera
tive control over all high-power sta
tons on the Atlantic Coast, rising to
the rank of commander in the Naval
Reserve, rank he continues to hold
on inactive duty.
DR.. Taylor has paid particular atten-
Won to aircraft radio development first
at the Hampton Roads operating base
and then at the Anacostia Naval Air
Station. He was made superintendent
OF the radio division of the Naval Re-
search Laboratory in 1923. His more
important inventions and publications
deal with system for multiple radio
transmission and reception, automatic
recording. high-freQuency transmitters,
static reduction on long waves, fire.
quency multiplication systems and re-
ceptlon on subterranean and submarine
antennaes and loops.
DR.. Taylor last year won the Morris
1iebmann Prize for his contributions
To the radio art. His election as presi-
dent of the Institute of Radio Engi-
neers for 1929 was accompanied by the
election Of another famous research
scientist, Dr. Alexander Meissner of the
German Telefunken Co. as vice presi-
dent. the first foreigner to hold Office
in the institute.
Directors elected were Prof. c. M.
Jonski jr., University of Minnesota;
Arthur Batcheller. Federal radio super
visor at New York Dr.. r. H. Marriott,
engineering consultant: L. E. White
more of the Bell Laboratories and Lewis
M. Hull of the Radio Frequency Labor
atOries. Boonton. N j.
Copyright, 1920, by North American
Newspaper Alance)
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PAL MIST Ic iAIIED