Evening star., 1932-09-01
RADIO RUNS GAMUT.
All Varieties of Reception Conditions
Noted During Solar Eclipse.
BY c. z. BUTTERFIELD.
Associated Press Radio Editor.

Associated Press Radio Editor.
NEW YORK, September 1.-Nearly
the whole gamut Of reception conditions
ran its course on man-made radio as
the moon blotted out the sun for a
short time yesterday afternoon.
1t all depended on the wave length
which the engineers were checking as
to the results obtained. There was fad
ing, there were intensified signals, there
was static and there were steady
signals.
But the static experienced on broad
casting and other waves did not have a
thing to do with the eclipse, SO radio
technicians advise. 1t was caused by a
tropical storm moving northward.
For the first time engineers got a
chance to check up on the ultra short
waves during an eclipse, particularly
those employed in experimental tele-
vision transmission. Receiving posts
advised that the signals were perfectly
normal as sent out on SO and meters
by the National Broadcasting Co. ex-
perimental transmitter atop the EN-
pire State Building in New York.
Picked Up More Stations.
Broadcast reception, outside Of the
static not attributed to the eclipse, was
during the time of the totality sta
tionS, with certain indications that
during the time of the totality stat
tions usually heard only at night could
be picked up.
Transatlantic and South American
signals on the short waves around 1.
meters were little affected, with some
what OF an increase in strength. There
was slight fading from San Francisco
but not on the reverse signals from
New York. The station at Montreal
sending south to the r. C. A. receivers
at Riverhead, N. Y, showed a de-
crease in signal not long before the
eclipse started and continued to do SC
for some time.
Signal strength went up on $4,000
meters, while the 2,100-meter trans
mitter at Chatham, Mass, encountered
some fading in communicating with
the liner Empress of Britain in the
st. Lawrence River north of there
During the eclipse this station picked
up spotty signals from Walvis Bay
South Africa. The liner President
Hayes, 1,400 miles east of the Sues
Canal, also was heard on this side ol
the Atlantic.
Lost Signals In Eclipse.
A c. B. S. airplane normally USED
in short-wave broadcasts, sending out
test signals in circular flight ovel
Long Island, encountered an unusua
experience. Two receiving posts re.
ported that shortly before the eclipse
the signals were lost and did not come
back until the moons shadow hac
passed on. The wave length was l94
meters.
Three networks put on a rebroadcast
of the eclipse, centering their activitie:
at Conway and North Conway, N. H
The WEAF-WJz N. B. C. chain hac
planned part of its pickup from Can
ada. But the poor visibility causec
cancellation. An attempt to get signal:
from an autogiro over North Conway
also failed. Announcers were assisted
by eclipse experts, Allen Brons, scien.
tific lecturer, on N. B. c., and jaime.
Sokley, astronomer. on WABC-C. B. s
Engineers explained that any nigh
time or other unusual conditions ex'
perienced during the eclipse apparentl!
could be attributed to change In thu
makeup of the heaviside layer, due tc
| the absence of the suns rays. Thil
, layer is believed to consist OF ionizec
particles 100 miles or more above tn,
earth.
NAVY EXPEDITION SUCCESS.