Evening star., 1934-11-11
TUNE IN BEYOND
BROADCAST BAND
Radio Listeners Experiment
With Picking Up New
Stations.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

IA cast receivers, whose tuning
4 \ ranges are generally confined
to the regulation broadcasting
band of wave lengths between $50 and
l.500 kilocycles, attention Is focusing
more and more on what the listener
can tune in beyond the broadcaSting
band" Already the short waves are
bringing in a choice of several hun
dred foreign broadcasting stations
more or less regularly, while about two
dozen more American short-wave
broadcasting stations are in regular
operation, usually as simultaneous ad-
juncts of ordinary stations.
Banking on an ultimate 100 per cent
listenership above 1900 kilocycleS,
where the short waves begin, two ex-
perimental broadcasting stations au-
thorized by the old Radio Commission
are now in regular operation in the
recently widened band of l,500l 600
kilocycles. Both report good reception
even on old radios whose limits were
hitherto regarded as confined to $50
$500 kilocycles.
Newest of Stations.
The newest of these regular stations
"just beyond the broadcasting band"
Is WlXBS. 1t is operated by the
Waterbury Conn Republican and
American, using 1000 watts on 1880
kilocycles. Its opening follows the
beginning of operation several months
ago of W2XR, New York, operated
with 1000 watts on 1850 kilocycles by
John V. L. Hogan, the noted radio en-
gineer, who was the inventor of single
dial tuning
1t is somewhat too early to gauge
the Importance and value of these
stations. but the radio world is watch
ing the stations being started in this
new band Of waves with intense inter-
est. First, they are pioneering a new
range of frequencies. Secondly, oper-
ating on 20-kilocycle paths instead of
the usual 10 kilocycles, they are test
ing so-called high-fldelity transmits
sion and reception which is expected
to open up avenues of improved ma
turalness and realism of radio program
reproduction.
In fact, it was to encourage ex-
Fermentation with high fidelity that
the old Radio Commission cleared
the l,500-l ,600-kilocycle band for
new broadcasting services. 1t is well
known among engineers and mu-
sicians that the best radio reception
today does not quite equal what one
hears in the concert auditorium
where the real thing" is presented
The question is whether the average
listener whose ears may be satisfied
with something trifle less than
the real thing, will appreciate high
fidelity with its full tonal range Of
8, 9 or 10 octaves. instead of the
s or s, to which he is accustomed.
Other Stations Authorized.
In the belief that radio should
strive for absolute perfection, and
in the confident expectation that
within a few years all radio sets will
be able to tune in to 1900 kilocycles,
If not beyond, the operators of the
stations in the new 1,500-1 900 band
are pioneering these new waves with
high hopes. Besides the Waterbury
and New York stations, others have
been authorized and will be built in
Kansas City and Bakersfield, Calf.
AQIIlOllty W OullO lIiICC ulOlc SuC1l
stations is also being sought, the
applicants being D. E. Replogle, seek
ing 1,570 kilocycles in Boston: A. R.
Montgomery, seeking l 1,530 kilocycles
in Findlay, Ohio, and General Tele-
vision Corp, seeking l,570 kilocycles
with 1000 watts in Boston.
The Replogle and Montgomery ap-
plicationS are scheduled for hearings
before the Federal Communications
Commission December IT, The other
Boston applicant, having once been
rejected, has been advised it must
wait at least year to renew its ap-
plication under the F. C. c. rules.
The commission demands that the
applicants be technically and finan-
cially qualified to build and operate
such stations and requires that they
show definite plan of research and
experimentation The stations are
permitted to carry sponsored pro-
grams during such experiments; in
deed, the Waterbury station is now
a member of the new American
Broadcasting System network.
Gratifying Results.
That the hopes residing in these
new broadcasting channels are al
ready being realized is indicated by
report from Mr.. Hogan based on
nearly four moths of test operation
of his W2XR. He states that his men
have surveyed reception in the New
York territory among people owning
AS different types of receiving sets,
ranging from obsolete crystal sets to
ultra mod ,rn consoles of the all
wave variety. He reports that 70 per
cent of all the radios can tune up to
his channel of 1850 kilocycles and