Evening star., 1954-08-11
Ear Radio Net Aids
Illinois Veterinarians
IN Making Rounds

MILLEDGEvILLE, H.. Aug. II
NANA) THE voices cracked
bver. the air:
"Unit to Post /. Anything
sor me?"
Post l to Unit /, 1922"
Police cars prowling? Civil-de-
fense workers clearing a disas-
ter? Rather Drs. Ronald w.
Rawson, William K. Specht and
G. C. Poppenhouse arranging
their schedules of veterinarian
calls to farms ma 20-mile ra-
Sdius around this small western
Illinois town.
Like the many private users
who have capitalized on the air.
waves since the Federal Commu-
nications Commission opened
up new channels after World
War II, the three veterinarians
tried to keep in constant touch
with Office and customers. DR..
Dawson started the system with
q station in his small downtown
office in 1851 as soon as the FEC
allotted special emergency fire.
quencies to physicians and vet
erinarians practicing mainly in
rural areas.
System Expanded.
His original mobile fleet was
two radio-equipped autos, for
himself and his technician, Vir-
gii Knapp. When he went into
partnership with Drs. Specht
sand Poppenhouse, the radio sys-
tenn was expanded to include
heir cars.
DR.. RaWson had reached for
Radio as a means of cutting down
Athe pressure which sometimes
Kept him on the road Is hours
. day ministering to sick ami
pals. In the first year, DR.. Raw
pn saw his income jump more
han a fourth. even as he gained
IN extra two hours a day at
home with his family.
The doctors found their prac-
tices growing rapidly when Illi-
inois farmers learned that a call
ito the adio-dispatched veteri-
knarians nearly always found the
doctors. Sin" That's important
to dairy cattlemen, when q
couple Of hours delay in treat
ment can mean loss Of an animal
worth hundreds of dollars.
Even when all three veteri-
narians are out making their
rounds. the Office attendant. Mrs.
Julia Frederick. can guarantee
fast action on calls.
Encouraging Results.
AS q result of their increased
usiness. the doctors were en-
Duraged to build a new Office
md clinic that provides room for
multiple-stall treatment CEN
,er, plus laboratory and phar-
macy. A 60-foot telephone pole
supports the base station an
tenna.
Here is how the Milledgeville
terinary clinics radio network
perates:
A Motorola 60-watt FM base
tation at the clinic serves as
Ihe heart of the radio network.
The three doctors and the tech
bician each have 30-watt two
Fay units in their cars.
Each man checks in with the
flce as soon as he completes a
isit, and Mrs. Frederick relays
ther calls in his area to be
1ade on the way in. All operate
q the same frequency-47. Sc
Aegacycles-so that they can
ak to each other or to the base
alton at all times on the same
aannel. In addition, each doc
br has remote control con-
blette at his home, so that the
pctor Cor his wife) can send
essages along to the mobile
nits at any hour, day or night.
This party-line interconnec-
lon enables each doctor to keep
breast Of the practice of the
thers and makes all three avail
ple for instant consultation if
he need arises. In addition, by
ressing an 'intercom" button
It the home stations, the doc
ors talk directly with each other
Yand attendants at the clinic in
a private roundtable that doesn't
60 out on the air.