Evening star., 1942-10-26

Wired Wireless
Aids Civilian Defense
In Prince Georges
Inventors See Network
As Aid to Morale .
In Raid Emergencies
Three Prince Georges County
civilian defense workers who per-
fected and placed in operation in
the county a wired wireless" net
work employing ordinary electric
light power lines as the transmitting
medium in the face of predictions
by radio engineers that it couldn't
effectively be done, expressed the
conviction today that similar net
works would become an important
factor in keeping up civilian morale
during air raid emergencies.
Perry E. Wightman of Hyattsville,
chief of emergeicy radio service in
Prince Georges County, who with
the help of Carl Stello OF Branch
vile and Harry Lyon of Hyattsville,
perfected and built the Prince
Georges network, said yesterday that
tests already have proved the value
of wired wireless as a means of
communications in connection with
the civilian defense organizations,
but that its possibilities for keeping
in touch with the civilian popula-
ton during air raids when regular
radio stations are silenced have re-
ceived little consideration thus far.
This is one of the most impor-
tant possibilities of wired wireless"
Mr.. Wightman said. while it will
serve as an important aid in trans
mitting messages to defense work.
ers, these units will be equipped with
other channels of communications"
he added, while civilians will sit at
home or in raid shelters, their radios
silent and completely cut off from
the rest of the world.
Every Home May Tune In.
with wired wireless, however"
he continued, "by a slight adjust
ment in receiving sets every home
and every raid shelter can tune in
on programs which can be designed
to build morale and to keep civilians
instructed"
Explaining that any home re-
ceiving set can pickup wired wire
less, Mr.. Wightman, who is a men,
ber of the Institute of Radio En-
gineers, said that only minor ad-
justments are necessary.
Mr.. Wightman warned hometown
ers, however, against attempting to
plug their sets into light sockets
until these necessary adjustments
have been made by person who
understands radio.
Where the network is used in con-
nection with civilian defense, mes
sages would be broadcast in fire.
quency which could not be picked
up by the home sets, he explained.
Emergency Broadcasts.
Mr.. Wightman said that emer-
gency wired wireless broadcasting
stations could be set UP in civilian
defense areas and that programs
could be prepared for broadcasting
during AFRAID emergencies. When
the afraid alarm sounded, he said,
it would be the signal for those in
homes and AFRAID shelters to plug
their sets into the electric light line
and tune in on the special defense
program.
1T would be an easy matter" he
said, for groups in the various de-
fense areas to prepare programs of
recorded music which could be put
on the power lines in a moments
notice. Special recorded talks might
be made at very little expense and
news announcements from time to
time could keep the civilian morale
at a high level and could also serve
to give instructions.
1T is all too evident" Mr.. Wight
man continued, that under the
present War Department regula-
tions which silence regular radio
broadcasting stations during an ac-
tual air raid, the civilian population
is going to be out of touch with the
world unless some means OF COM
municating with them is found.
Wired wireless now seems to be the
answer"
Began Work in 1896.
Mr.. Wightman said he had been
working on wired wireless as a COM
mercial possibility since 1886, and
after war was declared finally per-
fected it in connection with the
county defense units.
The principle is not a new one
but has been employed by some
power companies to send messages
to their employees over high-tension
lines, and in colleges and UNIVERSE
ties, where the intercollegiate
Broadcasting Association has built
up a substantial broadcasting busi-
ness. RaQlO englneeS, however, have
claimed that the principle could not
be applied to ordinary house cur
rent" power lines due to the vari-
ances found in these circuits.
During recent inspection of Mr..
Wightman's network, OCD officials
said that insofar as they knew
this was the first application of
wired wireless to civilian defense
and added that a field had been
opened which may solve the prob
lem Of how to get information to
civilians during an air attack when
telephones and regular radio chan
nels are out Of commission.
Mr.. Wightman, who made the
transmitting sets now In use in
Prince Georges County largely from
Junk" said the units could be made
from materials not needed In the
war effort.