Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-12
STATIONS OPPOSE
SYNCHRON|zAT|ON
Tests Convince IoWans That
Radio Ills Cannot Be
Cured by Method.

experimentation, which long has beer
regarded as the cure-all for radios
numerous ills, Is proving itself Just an
other quack remedy.
After four months of experimental
operation, Stations WHO, at Des Moines
and VOC, at Davenport, Iowa, are
ready to throw up the sponge. They
have been operating together on the
same channel with the aim of giving
full-time service to listeners Of both
cities and their environS, whereas be-
fore they had been forced to operate on
alternate days, dividing time on the
same channel.
But these stations are satisfied that
Immensely improved service with no
greater expense can be given the public
with one 5c,000-watt station centrally
located, rather than with two $500
watt stations tied together on the same
channel. So they have Joined the
laundering herd of cleared channel sta
tions which are beseeching the Federal
Radio Commission to permit the
maximum power on all 40 of the cleared
channels, rather than restrict it to one
half that number.
Other Experiences Cited.
The Iowa case is analogous to the
experience Of the Westinghouse Electric
D. Manufacturing Co., which for five
years has synchronized Stations WBz.
at Springfield, Mass, and WBZA, at
Boston, but wants to give 1t up as a
hopeless job, and one that Is tremend-
ously expensive. Westinghouse, too, has
applied for one high-powered station to
displace the two stations tied together
by wire.
Thus the only two comprehensive
synchronization experiments yet at
tempted have been given up as futile.
It had been hoped that If synchroniza-
ton proved successful It would solve the
problem Of congestion Of the broadcast
band. With stations operating in COM
plete harmony on the same channel
with high power, It would be possible to
"double-up" assignments, and thereby
make more space available.
The commission heard this latest de-
pressing story from officials OF the
Central Broadcasting Co., operating the
two Iowa stations.
Expense Called Excessive.
DR.. Frank w. Elliott, vice president
and general manager Of the company,
told the commission that the results OF
the synchronization tests do not justify
the expense. An area of more than
5000 square miles about midway be-
tween the TWO SCaClonS gets pracblcally
no service from the synchronized sta
lions because IL Is in what he described
as the "mush region" Of the stimuli
taneous operations Of the transmitters.
This means that 1,750,000 people are
deprived of service. With 50,000-watt
transmitter, however, he said, it would
not cost the company any more than
the present layout and many more
people would be served consistently.
One by one the cleared channel sta
tions of the Middle West are making
out their cases for high power before
the commission. Station WMAG, at
Chicago, operated by the Chicago Daily
News and one Of the most popular
stations in the country, claimed, through
its president, william s. Hedges, that
with $4,000 watts it would be enabled
to serve between 10000, 900 and 30,O00.-
600 listeners during evening hours and
some IL ,000, 900 during daylight. Now,
although It Is heard In virtually every
State at some time or other, its regular
audience is about 5000, 900, Mr.. Hedges
said. Since WMAQ was established in
1922 the station has lost more than
100000 in its, operation, but, Mr..
Hedges asserted, 1T Is money well spent"
for the entertainment Of the public.
tcopyright, 1890. by the Consolidated Press)