Evening star., 1941-02-03

When WMAL went on the air at
6 am. today. its programs, routed
over new telephone circuits, were
broadcast from a new transmitting
station in Montgomery County, Md,
with power increased to 5000 watts.
WMAL, owned by The Star and
operated by the National Broadcast
ing Co., built this station, one of the
finest in the country, at a cost Of
more than 100000.
The transition from the old trans
mitter downtown to the new equip
ment in the county was accom-
plished without a hitch. The new
transmitter had been tested for
days, and the phone circuits from
the studios were ready for the
change hours before the moment
set.
The new transmitting station will
be dedicated with a special program
over WMAL between 9 and $50
o'clock tonight.
The program will open with num-
berS by the studio orchestra. Greet
ings from the District government
will be given by a member of the
Board of Commissioners. A re-
sponse from The Star will be made
by Fleming Newbold, vice president
and manager.
Speakers on Program.
William S. Hedges of New York,
vice president in charge Of station
relations for the National Broad
casting Co. then will speak The
various community interests of
Washington will be represented in
brief talks as follows: Advertising
George B. Burrus, president of the
Advertising Club of Washington;
social welfare, Herbert L. Willett,
jr., director of the Community
Chest; education. Mrs. Henry Grat-
tan Doyle, president of the Board
of Education: business, James E.
CollifloWer. president of the Board
Of Trade; religion, the Rev. DR.. AL
bert j. Mccartney, pastor of the
Covenant-First Presbyterian Church
and chairman of the Committee. on
Religious Life in the Nations Cap
ital; civic affairs, Harry N. Stull,
president of the Federation of Citi-
zenS' Associations; culture. Archi-
bald MacLeish, librarian of Congress
WMAL's new minute
broadcasting outlet, utilizing tested
results of the latest research of
radio engineers, is situated on Cedar
lane, north of the National Skeet
Club near Bethesda.
1t was built in a field surrounded
by woods. It's main visible features
are four steel towers, each rising
nearly 400 feet, and an attractive
house of Colonial design, lodging
the transmitting equipment and en-
gineering personnel.
WMAL will continue to maintain
It's present studios in the Trans
Lux Building, on Fourteenth street
between New York avenue and H
street NV. But the transmitting
equipment has been abandoned in
the old location at 712 Eleventh
street NV, and modern and. more
powerful equipment has been in
stalled IN the new transmission sta
ton in Montgomery County.
Permits Greater Power.
The new setup-with studios in
the city and transmitting equip
ment miles out in the country-is
in accord with the prevailing prac-
tice of the larger radio stations.
Moving to less densely populated
area permits the employment of
greater power and thus extends the
service to more people.
The programs are carried from
the studios to the transmitting sta
ton by telephone cable and there
broadcast.
From the power of 500 watts by
day and $50 watts by night, which
the downtown station has generated.
the new station has a strength of
5000 watts day and night. This
big increase in power will give
WMAL clearer and more distant re-
ception, Kenneth H. Berkeley, gen.
eral manager of the station, pointed
out.
The $50 kilocycles assigned WMAL
remain unchanged, so that the sta
ton will continue to occupy the
same spot on radio dials.
Two Sources of Power.
An outstanding feature of the new
transmission station is that two
complete sources Of electric power
~ aAf