Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-01
U. S. RADIO ENJOYS
TO AVOID INITIATIVE
SaItzman Committees Plan
to Let Other Nations
Open Wave Issue.
BY MARTIN CoDEL.

Neither the widening of the broad
casting band, already undertaken by
Canada, nor the opening up Of the
long waves for broadcasting, already
effective in Europe, will be recon-
mended by the United States delega-
ton attending the quadrennial confer
ence Of all radio-using nations, to be
held in Madrid next year for the pur-
pose Of revising the international radio
treaty.
That much has definitely been de-
cided by the committees, headed by
Maj. Gen. Charles NICK. Saltzman,
chairman of the Federal Radio sCom-
mission, which have about completed
the American recommendations to the
Madrid conference, which must be SUBJ
mitted shortly to the International Blu
reau Of the Telegraph Union at Berne,
Switzerland, repository and exchange
agency for each country's proposals.
Initiative Lies Elsewhere.
II any initiative is taken looking to
revision of the washington conven-
ton of 1927 to permit longer wave
broadcasting in North America, it must
come from Canada, Mexico, Cuba or
technical and legal authorities, govern
mental and private, who have been
working on the American proposals, will
determine their position after the serlti-
ment of other North American nations
is learned.
At the present time they will not say
that they look with disfavor on long
wave broadcasting; yet they will not
commit themselves in favor of it. It Is a
ticklish problem, involving not only
intercontinental ramifications, but do
nestle complications, due to the present
use Of those long waves by other serv-
ices, largely governmental and military.
The primary purpose of the oft-heard
suggestions that long waves be made
available for broadcasting Is, Of course,
to add more wave lengths and thus
relieve the congestion that now exists
with about 800 North American stations
trying to operate on the So channels
now available between $50 and 1900
kilocycles (545 to 200 meters).. It has
also been suggested that this Is the
way to meet the expected demands Of
Canada, Mexico and Cuba for more
wave lengths and possibly the demands
Of certain American interests, notably
the educators, for portion Of the radio
spectrum.
Seek Wider Wave Band.
There is also a movement on foot
among European broadcasters, whose
overcrowded wave length problem Is also
acute, to widen the 550-500 kilocyc1e
band or otherwise make more broad
casting channels available, according to
reports from the European broadcast
ing conference which met early in Feb
ruary at Semmering, near Vienna.
The chief point in favor Of the long
waves is their superior adaptability to
high-power broadcasting, due, as the
technicians say, TO their low attenua-
ton; that is, due to the fact that their
impulses travel along the surface Of
the earth and spread out farther and
wider. In other words, long waves are
better for 1ong-distance coverage: This
Is especially true in areas Of q hilly or
mountainous character.
For Canada and Mexico, and for
some parts Of the United States, long
waves would furnish far-reacfing pro-
gram service from high-powered sta
tons and insure remote listeners high
grade reception at all times. Those
listeners, however, would necessarily
have to equip themselves with receiving
sets specially made, or at least contain
ing special coils, because the range of
practically all receivers now used in the
homes Of North America only slightly
overlaps the 550-1 500 kilocyc1e bands,
II there Is any overlap at all.