Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-21
SEVEN BIC RADIO
STATIONS URGED
One Means of Giving Nation
Thorough Coverage, Says
U. S. Engineer.

Seven gigantic long-wave broadcast
ing stations, properly located at as
many different points in the United
States and each radiating power be-
tween 100000 and 10000, 900 watts, are
pictured as one means for furnishing
this country with thorough Nationwide
radio coverage, in an article in the
June Proceedings of the Institute of
Radio Engineers by Lieut. William H,
Wenstrom, Army Signal Corps radio
engineer, stationed at Fort Mon
mouth, N. J.
Lieut.. Wenstrom's observations, while
theoretical and based on the aSsump-
ton that the wave lengths around 200
kilocycles q 500 meters) could be made
available for broadcasting purposes, are
peculiarly apropos at this time, when
inSistent demands for more program
channels or better representation on
existing channels are being made by
interests ranging from American educa-
tors to the sovereign governments OF
other North American countries.
$5,0OO,OOO Q Year Power.
It would cost $1,000 900 q year to
powerize each station requiring power
Of 10,0o0,000 watts, assuming the power
cost at cent per kilowatt hour for
1s hours each day, according to Lieut.
Wenstrom. The power bill for q
900 ,O0o-watt station would amount to
$500, 900 a year; for a 100, 000- waiter
$50 900. To obtain the required signal
level over q 400-mile radius from each
station, he estimates, the powers would
vary according to typographical, at
moSpheric and other conditions peculiar
to the particular section being served
by each transmitter.
The transmitters, Lieut.. Wenstrom
suggests. would be located, respectively
in a central position in the following
sections: Northeast, Southeast, North
Central, Northwest Central, Southwest
Central. Northwest and Southwest
ton might be located at the outer tip
of Long Island, the North Central in
the northern corner of Iowa, etc.
Opening Of the long waves for broad
casting, or the widening Of the existing
broadcast band between $50 and 1,5OC
kilocycles (545 and 200 meterS) to en-
brace more channels, have variously
been suggested as a solution to the
problem Of congestion on the North
American wave lengths. Europe, too
has the problem, and the recent con-
ference Of European broadcasters al
Semmering, Austria, definitely went on
record IS favoring more channels for
broadcasting to be obtained at the low
frequency end Of the radio spectrum.
More Waves Problem.
At the Copenhagen conference OF
world radio engineers, preparing for
the Madrid treaty-making conference
next year, the problem of making more
waves available for broadcasting was
also taken up. Only last week Senator
C. C. Dill, leader in radio legislation in
Congress, returned from Europe with
the statement that the long waves ought
to be opened to broadcasting purposes
Senator Dill observed that European
countries are now using certain long
waves between 100 and 224 kilocycleS
Q,875 and 1870 meters) for broadcast
ing. He declared that the same chan
nels should be made available here fol-
such specialized services as education
| and perhaps also to meet the expected
! demand from Canada and Mexico fol
| more wave lengths.