Evening star., 1934-04-15
TESTS MAY PROVE
RAD|OpERFECT|ON
Results Are Watched of
Newly Opened Broad
casting Band.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

n average radio listener are the
II technical ranihcationS In.
1 \ volved in the transmission and
reception Of sound. Upon the
newly opened broadcasting band be-
tween 500 and 1000 kilocycles, which
represents a widening beyond its pres
ent upper limit Of the normal 550-1 500
kilocycle band, may fall the burden Of
proving whether so-called "high
| fidelity" transmission and reception Is
practicable and feasible. By high
/ fidelity is meant securing the full
| tonal range of music as faithfully as
| it is rendered in music hall or broad
cast studio.
It was during the Federal Radio
| Commissions recent hearings of appli-
cations for new broadcasting stations
to operate in the widened band, that
the shortcomings of present-day radio
were forcibly brought out-shortcom-
ings which of late have had the whole
radio engineering fraternity and radio
SCI manufacturers considering ways
and means Of improving transmitting
and receiving equipment that work all
the broadcast waves.
Surpassed by Others.
The statement was made during
those hearings that, where radio until
recently was technically well in ad-
vance of other sound reproducing arts,
during the last year or two both the
phonograph and talking pictures have
considerably surpassed it in reality or
fidelity Of reproduction.
| Authority for that statement was
John v. L. Hogan. the noted radio en-
gineer and facsimile and television ex-
perimenter of New York Mr.. Hogan
is also the inventor of the single-dial
tuning of modern radio receivers that
has replaced the multiple dials of old
time radios. He has a peculiar knack
for reducing technical radio to the un-
derstanding of the laynan, and has
written perhaps the best book along
that line.
Himself an applicant for one of the
three wave lengths set aside in the
l,500-l 600 band for high fidelity
transmission and reception. Mr.. Hogan
described what radio must do to i'm
prove its own voice. Like the other
five applicants, he said he was willing
| and eager to undertake the expert
ments on one of the special 20-kilo-
cycle paths in the ether" offered by
the commission. With the others, he
agreed that fully so per cent of today's
radios. and practically all sets manu-
| tactured during the last two years,
can already tune up to 1000 kilo-
cycles.
Broadcast engineers are divided as
to the practicability of the 1880,
1850 and 1870 kilocycle channels,
some holding that the higher waves
are less suitable for broadcasting than
| the lower because they cannot be
heard over very wide radius. The
| commission, anxious to learn the
potentialities Of those waves, has re-
quired only that applicants be tech
nically and financially qualified and
that they show definite programs of
! research and development Then they
| may be issued six-month experimental
| licenses, and must take their chance
on later license renewals and capitali-
zation on their efforts.
Other Applicants.
In addition to Mr.. Hogar, who asked
! for the 1,55o-kilocycle channel, those
who presented their qualifications be-
fore the full commission and its in
tenSely interested engineers, we're:
Unity School of Christianity, a re-
hgious school of Kansas City, asking
for 1880 kilocycles; First National
Television. Inc, a radio school of
Kansas City. 1880 kilocycles; the
American-Republican, Inc, a news
paper OF Waterbury, Conn, 1880 kilo-
cycles; Pioneer Mercantile Co.. oper-
ating an experimental television sta
ton and a general radio laboratory
at Bakersfield, Calf, l $50 kilocycles,
and Fred E. Christian, jr, and Ra-
leigh w. Winston, engineers. of Los
/ Angeles, 1870 kilocycles. All asked
for 1000 watts power
These applicants stated they we're
willing to spend sums varying from
$4,000 to S25.000 to try out the new
wave lengths, hopeful that in the near
future, as modern radios replace the
old, all of the listening public would
be able to tune them in. Each of
fered to extend every effort in devel-
oping the waves, several proposing
, new systems of antennas which they
predicted would overcome the objec-
ton that the shorter waves travel
only short distance earthward and
then leap into the sky to be lost in
infnity.
The commission will let them carry
sponsored programs from the outset
if they can get them, but demands
that the profit motive be secondary
to technical development. The COM
mission and its staff were largely in
terested in the high fidelity angle,
which Mr.. Hogan explained thus:
Two Qualities.
"All sounds have two fundamental
qualities. namely, pitch or frequency,
and intensity or volume. Audible
pitch extends from about l6 to $4,000
cycles, total of 10 octaves. Modern
radios cover about 5la to octaves.
The latest monographs (acetate re-
cordings) and sound-on- film cover
about 8 octaves.
IF radio is to hold its own. our
present octave service must be
brought up to at least octaves, or
from 80 to 5000 cycles and prefer
ably more. In other words, the base
drum and the high notes must be
heard equally we'll.
"Of at least equal importance Is
the volume range in reproduction.
Tn nature the ratio is over | 0(ln 000