Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-08-21
SCIENTISTS DOUBT.
| BENDING OF WAVES
Only Respect for Marconi
Lends Credenoe to Reports
of New Tests.
BY MARIN CODEL.

were envisioned as possibilities by lead
ing radio scientists here this week in
commenting upon published reports
from Rome that Guglielmo 'Marcohi,
the eminent inventor of wireless, has
perfected a method whereby the ultra
short waves, measured in fractions of
one meter. can be bent to penetrate
obstacles end overcome their present
line-o sight or horizontal-plan carry
ing limits.
Most of the scientists interviewed
were frankly skeptical about the re-
ports. which If true presage the most
revolutionary advance in the radio art
and science since Hertbian waves were
first harnessed for mans use by Mar
conf some 80 years ago. Only the high
esteem in which they hold Senator
Marconi led them to give credence to
the reports. though all insisted that
they needed more technical details be-
fore committing themselves with final
itv.
The reports had 1t that Marconi sue
ceSStully transmitted radiotelephone
and radiotelegraph messages from his
yacht Elletra, in the Gulf of Atanci, to
point in Sardinia about ITO miles
away, using the 57-centimeter wave
Slightly over one-half meter Or
dinarily, such an extremely short wave
length--it measures only around 20
inches from crest to crest and uses an
antenna probably not that long-would
travel only to the earths horizon, If
| that far, being susceptible to absorp-
| ton not only by the curvature of the
EARTH but by obstacles in Its path such
as mountains, hills and buildings.
Making Tests Now.
BY bending the waves, Marconi is
| said to have extended their penetrative
power and their range to overcome OBJ
stacles and to continue to follow the
earthS surface instead Of leaping weak
| ly off into space at the horizon. Near
| ly all experiments In this country and
abroad so far have shown that ultra
! high frequencies, except for slight
| shadows" leave the earth at tangent
| from the horizon and thus can carry
audible signals only to the horizon.
That is how they came to be called
line of-sight frequencies. To obtain
greater horizons the experirnenters have
| erected higher and higher towers or
| have gone to high peaks and points for
| their transfnissions.
One experiment of this character Is
still being conducted by American en-
| gineers from atop the Empire State
Building in New York, primarily for in
| vestigating possibilities in the ultra
I short waves for television. When sig
nails were received as far away as
Philadelphia, a distance of 80 miles,
it was regarded as a great achievement.
DR.. c. B. Jolliffe, chief engineer of
| the Federal Radio Commission, stated
the opinion that if Marconi has accom-
plished what was reported he has done
great thing. If economically feasible,
| he said, another band of waves will
| be opened up to relieve the congestion
now prevailing on the wave lengths
now In use not only here, but in for
| eign countries.
1T may offer more room for all
| kinds of radio communications, DR..
Jolliffe said, particularly for television
and possibly for broadcasting. Short
waves of that order are needed to
| secure adequate detail in transmitted
images. In fact. television expert
mentors are now largely turning their
attention to the ultra-high frequencies
because of the wider bands of waves
there are available. But with tele-
vision as with voice broadcasts on the
waves below S meters, 1t has generally
been found that the signals are dis
Marconi has found some way of saw
ing that energy and making it con-
tinue along the earth's surface"
Theoretical Possibility.
| DR.. A. Hoyt Taylor, radio director
of the Naval Research Laboratory and
| a short-wave scientist of world fame,
said he saw the theoretical possibility
| of accomplishing what Marconi Is re-
| ported to have accomplished, but de-
clared he wants further technical de-
| tails
The ultra-Short waves, unlike the
| longer waves. shoot forth like the rays
of a searchlight," said DR.. Taylor 1T
! is conceivable one might shoot power
| full searchlight from high point so
| that 1t could be seen beyond the point
| OF the earth's curvature; in fact, a
| certain amount of reflected light Is
bound to be seen beyond the horizon.
One can focus a beam of light on a
cloud and see its reflection beyond the
curvature point. At that point it might
even be possible to erect a reflector
to continue sending the beam to the
next horizon in an endless chain.
Il can see where sharply focused
! radio beam might be sent to such re-
laying or way station ref1ectors and
thus held to the earth's surface This
might be done from 200 to 900 foot
towers, but a broad plate would be
needed at the pickup points to catch
the beam and many such way sta
tons would be needed to get distance.
ut is physically conceivable, but
there remains the question of its eco
nofnic applications. If Marconi can
reverse English on radio waves, he
has done something of great import
ance."
DR.. J. H. Dellinger, radio director
Of the Bureau of Standards, said she
Marcofli results as reported were not
particularly surprising, and seemed to
carry forward ultra short wave expert
ments conducted in this country and
abroad with considerable success. The
question, he said, is simply 1.-The de-
gree of maintenance of signal strength
beyond the limit of line-of sight"
The report" said DR.. Dellinger, "is
ambiguous as to how high the trans
mitter and receiver were. The higher.
of course, the more distance could be
achieved. If Marconi has devised a
means of holding this energy, which
usually travels in q straight line from
the transnitter to the earths surface,
without losing too much of it, there is
no denying the Importance of the dis
covery."