Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-08-21
HOME APPARATUS
PR0BED BY F. c. c.
Devices Interfering With
Radio Waves May Require
Operating Licenses.
BY WILLIAM ]. WHEATLEY,

The Federal Communications Com
mission has undertaken the study Of
new types Of household electrical ap-
paratus which emit radio waves to
determine whether the interference
they cause Is sufficient to REQUIRE that
they have licenses to be operated.
Commission engineers now are test
Ing the appliances. The manufac-
turers, 1t was said, have agreed to
slacken production until the commits
sion reaches a decision.
At present 1t is unlawful for any
person, without first obtaining
'license, to use or operate any appa-
ratus for transmission Of energy or
signals by radio when it interferes
with radio waves going out of or
coming within a State.
In the past this law has applied
only to commercial traffic stations.
broadcast stations and amateurs, but
the new apparatus has raised a new
problem, and may bring forth from
the commission q decision as to the
limit Of radio wave emission which
will be tolerated without requiring a
license.
Commission technicians declare
there Is no doubt that the apparatus
emits radio waves. but the question
to be decided is whether they cause
interference with ether waves from
authorized stations at fixed freouen-
cies.
Record Player Studied.
One Of the devices is said to Con-
sist OF two instruments, one of which
Is plugged into an electric outlet in a
room from which signals are to be re-
ceived. That is the sending station.
The other is plugged in at some other
part OF the house where it is desired
to detect the signals While this Is
said to be q form of wired radio, 1t
nevertheless sets up radio signals.
Although interference may not be seri-
GUS in large building where the wires
are shielded by being run through
conduits, it was pointed out that If
used in places where the wiring Is
open, the system becomes an antenna
and shoots out interference into the
ether which might bring it under the
terms of the law requiring it being
licensed as sending station.
Another device being tested Is
photograph record player. Instead Of
the sound coming out of the instru-
ment it is sent through waves to a
regular radio set in the house, where
it Is received in the same manner that
programs are received from broad
casting stations. 1t is not electrically
connected with the home radio set.
Home Radio Control.
Still another is remote control Of
the home radio set This device may
be taken to any part Of the house, and
by pressing certain button particu-
lar station may be brought in through
the radio, and the volume adjusted.
This is also done by radio. While the
device may be tuned into a particular
radio, 1t was pointed out that
tinkerer, with little knowledge of
radio. must upset radio broadcast re-
ception In other receivers, for instance,
in an apartment house
1t Is, said that there is not sufficient
technical data available at this time
to say just what interference is caused
by these gadgets. As soon as the COM
missions technicians complete their
studies, the manufacturers will be
called in for a discussion Of the
problem. If 1t is found the waves are
sufncient to cause interference with
licensed stations, the matter will be
laid before the makers to determine
whether they can change them to pre-
vent interference, and If not, it was
explained, they will be confronted with
the problem Of notifying each pur-
chaser that he must FIRST obtain a
license from the Federal Communi-
cations Commission.