Evening star., 1941-02-02
-Four D. {. Stations
Will Broadcast On
New Frequencies
Changes Will Affect
Radio Listeners i'm
Four Countries
BY WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.

By WILLIAM j. WHEATLEY.
Nearly 300 radio stations, includ-
ing four of Washington's five sta
tons, will broadcast on new fire.
quencies after 3 am. March 20, it
was announced yesterday by the
Federal Communications Commits
sion.
The new assignments will affect
795 of the 883 standard broadcast
stations in this country. Those
above 720 kilocycles will be found
at a slightly different position on
the listeners dial, usually higher.
Stations now operating on chan
nels of from $50 to 720 kilocycles,
inclusive, will retain their present
positions.
The changes were ordered by the
r. c. G. as result of the North
American Broadcast agreement, in
volving the United States. Canada,
Mexico and Cuba. They are designed
to effect materials improvement in
radio reception by cutting out in
reference between stations in the
COutllTleS COIlCeIIleu.
Local Station Changes.
In Washington, WMAL will re-
main on its present frequency of
$50 kilocycles; WRC, now operating
on $50 kilocycleS, will be shifted to
$50 kilocycles; WJSV will go from
1850 to 1900 kilocycles; VOL will
be shifted from 1850 to 1850 kilo-
cycles, and WINK from 1910 to
1.340 kilocycleS. Radio station
WWDC, for which the commission
has issued a construction permit on
1920 kilocycles, will go to 1,450 kilo-
cycles.
Here, in general, is how the shift
will be accomplished:
Stations operating between TAO
and 780 kilocycles will move up 10
kilocycleS Zone channeD.
Stations using from 100 to 870
kilocycles will move up 20 kilocycles
(two channels).
Stations between $50 and 1,450
kilocycles will generally advance 80
kilocycleS (three channels 25 sta
tions will advance 40 kilocycles four
channels.
Clear channel stations will shift
from 1,460-1 400 to 1,500-1, $50 kilo-
cycles.
Local stations on 1900 kilocycles
will move down one channel to
1890 kilocycles.
Must Obtain New Crystals.
Because of engineering problems,
limited number of stations have
not been included in the general
shifts. and have been dealt with
individually.
1t was said by F. c. c. officials
that all stations affected by the
changes will have to obtain new
crystals for regulating the fire.
quencies.
The principal benefit to the lis
tening public will be clearer, inter-
ference-free reception. Commission
officials said there are 1924 radio
broadcast stations in the four coun-
tries involved in the agreement, and
the problem was to find channels to
give clear reception.
One result of the agreement, it
was indicated, is that two high-poW-
cred stations on the Mexican bor-
der. which have been causing trouble
in the United States for years, will
60 off the air
Rural Listeners Suffered.
It was said interference has been
particularly Objectionable from
Mexican and Cuban stations. and,
In most cases, rural listeners in this
country have suffered.
AS a basis for the agreement, it
was explained, it was necessary to
provide six additional clear chan
nels for use by Mexico, equal to the
number used by Canada.
Under the reaSsignments. all the
nations party to the agreement will
use the six local channels and Al
regional channels. which is reduc-
ton from the ~ such channels now
provided in the United States. The
number of clear channels is in
creased from "A to SO. and the
United States has priority of use on
80 such channels and the joint use
of II.