Evening star., 1933-10-15
RADIO COMMISSION
HAS NEW PROBLEM
Must Decide on Policy for
ALLEGATION of 1,5O0-1,@0
KiIocycIe Wave Lengths.
BY MARTIN CoDEL.

nu casting services, either Tor the
v relief of the congestion now
existing on the 80 broadcast
channels or for the establish
nent of new stations in communities
not now having adequate radio recep-
ton, may shortly be made available by
the Federal Radio Commission.
Its policy respecting the ALLEGATION OF
the 10 waves between 800 and 1000
kilocycles has not yet been decided by
the commission, but the newly amended
radio rules and regulations. which went
f. the Government printer last week
definitely open up these waves ior
whatever use the commission may later
decide should be made of them. They
are now classified as being reserved 1or
general communications"
That troadcasting interests WIZ
shortly make an effort to persuade the
commission to allow the use Of these
channels for program stations may be
accepted as a foregone conclusion. But
the commission IS faced with the policy
problem of determining whether 1t
would be more advantageous to the
national interest to leave them free Tor
use by Mexico, the Central American
countries and possibly Canada, II they
want them.
$500 Band to Be Cleared.
The 1,5oo-1 800 kilocycle band is to be
cleared Of its present occupants by
reason OF the short-wave agreement
reached at the recent Mexico City radio
conference At present these waves are
used variously by police, broadcast pick
: up, television sound track, motion PIC
ture, marine and fire services, w1tn one
or two governmental stations also as
signed to them. Complying with the
North American short-Wave agreement.
the commission has reserved other
channels above 1000 kilocycles for these
services.
Some broadcasting interests are loath
to see the 1901, 900 kilocycle band
opened to broadcasting for several rea-
sons. First of all, they point out that
these waves are not as suitable for voice
and music as are the longer waves be.
low $50 kilocycles- lower limit OF
the present broadcast band. They
would prefer that channels below $50
kilocycles, which can carry higher pow
ers and thus give wider coveraee, ne
made available for broadcasting. But
~
agree on this score.
There is the argument also that BY
leaving the 10 waves above l,5O0 kllo-
cycles to Mexico and the other coun-
tries of North America their demands
for more channels may be met, at least
partially, and the United States Nay
thus be relieved Of their pressure for
some of the 30 waves now used by sta.
tions in this country. It Is also pointed
out that only radio sets OF more recent
design can tune above 1900 kNocycles.
which means that owners OF sets that
are two years old or older might not be
able to tune in stations assigned to the
waves between 1,500 and 1,60o kuo-
cycles.
Arsue Waves Are Overcrowded.
These are problems the commission
must face In determining the DISPOSE
ton of the new general communica-
tions" band, which probably will be
cleared of its present occupants shorty
after the end OF this year. The argu-
ments for American broadcasting serv-
ices on these waves are chiefly that
the present waves are oVercrowoeo'
that certain communities need new To-
cal radio services; that some one must
pioneer these waves for broadcastlng,
and American technical resources are
best adapted to the purpose; that
powers can be limited so that each OF
the 10 channels can be duplicated many
times not only in this country but In
other countries, and that the average
three-year obsolescence Of radio re-
ceivers means only a few years before
practically all sets can tune In the
waves.
So far only Canada has indicated any
purpose Of using channels below 1,500
klocycles, having assigned one low
powered station to $50 kilocycles. But
IL took the station of that wave re-
Gently and the Canadian Radio Com
mission has not shown any further de-
sire to take over this or any one OF the
other waves in the band. As for
American broadcasting interests, it is
well known that any number OF them
would seize upon any opportunity al
forded them to secure these channels,
banking on their future development.
Plan for Television.
Besides incorporating the Mexico City
short wave agreement, the commissions S
amended rules and regulations are i'm
portant in several other particulars. The
agreement at Mexico to shift the tele-
vision wave lengths to the high
frequencies, or extremely short waves,
is incorporated to become effective at
once This is in conformity with the
trend toward the shorter waves for
visual broadcasting, more Of them being
available so that more room In the
ether" is provided for experimentation
and development.
Thus the five intermediate" bands
of television waves, each 100 kilocycles
wide, are reduced to tWo-namely, 1000
2,1O0 hlocycles and 2,750-2,850 kilo-
cycles. On the ultra-short waves the
bands now allocated to television are
42,00O-56,000 and 60,000-86, 900 kilo-
cycles-or all below about 7 meters.
Television may use these channels also
for accompanying sound tracks" but
for the time being the l,550-hlocycle
wave will continue to be reserved for
that purpose.
The rules also provide that any radio
station may throw all its resources for
the maintenance Of communications
during disasters and emergencies, pro-
Uded due notice is given the commits
sion. In other words where the rules
now prohibit broadcasting station be-
ing used to speak to one person in So
called point-to-point service, this can
be done hereafter in times when other
facilities are not available. This was
authorized because recent hurricane,
flood and earthquake disasters showed
the need of enlisting radio to aid in
rescue and relief work.