Evening Star Newspaper, January 9, 1927, Page 43

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. U, JANUARY Y 41927—PART 1. tive world and it is reasonable to ex- mest the established standards on ao- MAKE CHANGES EASY. NEW STATIONS READY. It is expected that about 3,000 lsten. Ing licenses will he {ssued this year. count of the consequent publicity ::\Jl GOVERNMENT MAKES |&m.of St i RADIO BATTERY TEST| ™% puniic announcement a to the Practically all of the equipment used Handy Parts Suggested to Lessen | Powerful New Zealand Centers | there is American, and many listeners have reported the receipt of American Work in Set Switches. Form Links of Chain. programs. Grid leaks and resistanceg are critl-| The installation of two powerful cal things at best, and If the best re. | brondcasting stations at Auckiand and sults are to be obtained from any | Christchurch, New Zealand, has been hook-up, they must be the correct | completed by the Radio Broadcasting values for the occasion. Often it is| (0. of New Zealand. Ltd., a sub- difficult to predict in advance just | Sidized company organized to operate what values these should be, since the )@ _chain of ‘broadcasting stations et builder Is apt to make mome last- | throughout New Zealand on a uniform minute change in his circuit or the | basis, according to a report from Well- values of the units he uses. Should | Ington, to the Department of Com- this be the case, It is nec v to | merce, make a quick change of gridsleak or | The Auckland statfon has heen in resistance, unless he is willing to | service for some weeks and has been spend a lot of extra time undoing|heard In Perth, Australia, and Rara- of his work. tonga, Cook Islands. The Christchurch save at this point, it Is well to|station I8 to start operation fmme- have spare leaks and reslstances of after which the station at different values on hand and to use | Wellington and Dunedin will be in- handy leak and resistance sockets, mo | stalled. This atabilizes the radio that the changes can be made with |business of the Dominion and sales the simplieity of changing a tube. development should progress rapidly. pect that a similar development will take place in radio. Radies are heing constructed to meet individual re- quirements and really luxurious cah- I inets are being made for the best| results of the tests is made, but each | | manufacturer is advised regarding his Man: batteries. Comparison between the Y | manufacturers, it is said, would es- tablish the relative standing of the scveral brands and types of batteries. Thus, if the manufacturers get to- gether, better standards might be es- tablished. The voltage and life of these ceells is tested by the bureau experts, as well as materials and con- struction, the purpose being to secure the best possible batteries for Gov- ernment service in radio stations and wete, as well as for ignition and other applieation: Discharge testing is ac complished in a manner which simu. lates the steady draln on batteries in | I service, esides the strictly Fedeml tests, special tests for 1t begins to look like a big year for |to reasonable expenditures, commen radio broadcast as we Critically |surate with the actual or theoretical gaze at this returns to each of the several inter- Starting with a total of 671 active [ests. Few stations feed or can af stations, 116 un- ford to broadeast every night or every der construction hour of the day, vet many strive to and over 200 con- 10 so with a resultant depreciation in templated we programs offered. Consolidation of in probably will have terests would give those desiring to over 700 by Feb- deast plepty of time and tend to St 1 and per L U000 clear up sthtion interference,” es 3 g pecially locally. If a hundred of the larger cities did this the whole broad- cast_situation would he straightened out in a short time. living rooms of the country. OF course, tha higher priced “ready made” sets and cabinets are remark able examples of what can be done toward beautifying a mechanical in strument, but even the finest of these | have been eclipsed by some especially | ‘dered receivers. This feature of | Among a large number of dry-cell t construction opens a limitless field, | hattaries tested by the Bureau of [ one hounded only by the skill. in’ | Standards as to Federal specifications, genuity and eraftsmanship of Amer- | ahout 20 different typea of radio A lea’s cabinet makers !and B bhatteries were svecently tested L ol 2 for 15 manufacturers. A little more | than 50 per cent of those tested proved NILSSEN TO SING HERE. |stistactory for Government use. The | sales to the Government are not in S Tt | considerabie, for more than half - | million dry cells are bought each yea These Government purchases are in: |the bureau conduct reliabla batteries, | the manufacturers, the results of which are not made public. . s Knights' Choir on Air. The Knights of Columbus_Cholr, under direction of Roman Stelner, will give a concert from WBAL, Bal- timore, Thursday night, January 20, from 8 to 9 o'clock. This concert will mark the second appearance on the air of this choral group, one eof the largest in Maryiand, containing more than 100 mixed volces. - . A fresco in the Peers corridor, House of Lords, in London, showing the Pllgrim Fathers holsting & Union Jack before thelr departure for America, has afiracted attention be- cause it was recently found that the flag was not used until 200 years after the tima deplcted. Federal Experts Examine Types Offered for Sale to United States. That i, if initiation of these newcomers f { 28 keeps up, as it is . o likely to do, un- | % less Congress Btops licensing soon. W. D. Terrell, d Victor Program Announced. Now that the initial Vietor radio b concert of the new year has traveled | Sigurd Nilsse: its ccurse in the ather channels|tol Theater fam through one of the largast station in- | well known to Washington radio fans. | dicative 'of good, terconnections on vesord, plans for | Will appear in Washington in personland the manufacturers are anxious to Wwhose head of the De- partment of Commerce radio section, savs we would have a thousand broadcasters on the air now if all those building and under contemplation were licensed. It may or may not he for- tunate that it takes some time to construct a hroadcasting station and secure equipment, but it does: and o several months sometimes elapse before a station can actually go on the air after it has decided to do ®o. Assuming that we do have the privilege of listening to as many as 700 stations as we can separate clearly early in 1927, who wants to listen to more than half of them? Who could get more than half of them with dozens on the same wave and even more in some cities? It our_broadcasters were well distrib uted, geographically or so that every city of 25,000 or more population had one we could have about 300 stations, and probably get them all, if the wave lengths were properly distrib- uted. Such a situation would he almost fdeal. There would he broadcasters everywhere; our children could play geographic games and literally visit the different centers of the country via the ether. There would be more independence, less competition, and at the same time more talent avail- able locally for each city station. . Programs would be improved and interference would be reduced to minimum. However, it is only fair that the larger cities such as New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Tos Angeles, might require from three to ten stations each to meet the varied reguirements of many thousands of citizens. That might still be permitted, without confusion, if wave allocations were authorized . and respected. What we need is a radio station censor or a broadcast utilities com- mission for the nation. We may get something of the sort from Congress. Such a body would have a terribly W. D. TERRELL. 3 difficult task to perform in selecting those stations to carry on broadcast- ing and in eliminating those found undesirable or unnecessary, but think of the many henefits to the future of successful and reliable broadcast: re- ception. Much could he accomplished through the consolidation of two or more stations within a certain dis- through the establishment stations to broadcast the programs of a dozen different local interests. This is being done sucressfully in several places. Great economies in station operation could be worked out under such a scheme. If several broadcasters would unite to utilize a single station, maintenance and uvperating costs could be reduced triet or of community . Twice as many . know these facts HERE are twice as many users of Ray-O-Vac batteries today as there the second pro of radio features were revealed National which includes sta and KYW, Chicago. s selected for the second con cert are Beniamino Gigli. tenor, and Giuseppe de Luca, baritone, both of th> Metropolitan Opera Co., and Renee Chemet, noted French vio- linist. Supporting them will be the Victor Concert Orchestra, under the direction of Rosario Bourdon. WG Plans for 1927. spactacular improvement of pro- ms, development of new entertain- ment features and increased power facilities are threa of the ftems on the 1927 program at WGN, Chicago. Many new features that first ap. during 1926 will be repeated in and the entira studio staff is nding its efforts to arrange for a acore or®more of interesting broad ecasts during the new ar. Practi cally all of 1926's specialties —~WGN's great array of sports and feature broadeasts—will be heard again in 1927, together with many new stunts and specialties. Custom Sets Gain Favor. A phase of the radio business which is bound to develop importantly is the building of “custom” outfits. Custom-built bodies long have been the creme de la creme of the automo- %6 9 6 | Superheterodyne sets must | ing-set interference due to reradiation. Monday night when he sings in Roheme™ at the Washington Audito- rium with the Washington Opera Company. Nilssen was formerly a member of the De Reszke male quartet, but left to take up operatic work. He made his debut here last vear in “Romeo and Juliet,” singing the role of Friar Laurence. instantaneous was his success, General Director Edouard Albion engageéd him at eonce for “Lohengrin,” in which he sang the difficult role of King Henry. Nilssen, a young American, has won a host of admirers among the radio fans who have been watching his progress with great interest. New Zealand Regulates. New Zealand authorities have taken steps to stop radiating receiving sets. New regulations prohibit direct coup. ling with the antennas. except with special permission of the authorities. use lnop recelvers and not open antennas, and other regulations make for less receiv. 8 . Listening Takes Courage. ‘Will Rogers says that it requires the courage of a Nelson, the brains of Napoleon and the honesty of Wash ington to enable one to speak hefore the microphone, Wireless World, in commenting on this exposition of ra- dio broadcasting requirements, re- | marks that to listen in often requires even more courage and honesty, al- though perhaps less brains. RCA—Rad_iola The complete 1927 line now avail- able on our Budget Plan. The Hecwr Co-F SrREET Music Store—618 F Street were a year ago! Why? Because Ray-O-Vac batteries give better reception at less cost! Ray-O-Vac ‘“B” ‘batteries have from 1% to 13 as much internal resistance as other “B” power units. They permit amplification without distortion. And a new type of construction has increased the staying ‘Answering two questions thousands are asking ’ Radio in your home depends on two things—on reception and reproduction. The most recent developments in both these fields are explained here simply and clearly, in answer to a host of questioners. THE questions that thousands are asking, other thousands have answered. And this is an opportune time for a simple statement of facts, to clear up a wide confusion of claims and counterclaims. **How much must I pay for a radio set?’* Such a question is as indefinite as, *'How much must I pay for an automobile?"’ But “‘How much must I pay for a radio set—o ge# the best?”” That question has an answer. The laboratories have proved the answer by ex- haustive comparative tests, made with sharp mechanical accuracy. And thousands of buyers have found the same answer. They have made their own comparisons before buying—and re- ?eated their own proofs daily, in their homes, or many months. ~ Study the Radiola 28, and the RCA Loud- sgflkct 104—and you have the answer. Read the facts simply given here. Then go to any RCA Authorized Dealer and check up these facts with your own hearing. Ask any ques- tions that still remain. Then you will know what very remarkable things can be expected of the best radio today. And you will endorse with your own judgment the decision of many * as to the right sum to invest in radio. It will be an investment easily within your means—on terms of payment arranged to suit your convenience. Why the RCA Loudspeaker 104 is the supreme musical achievement of radsio today RCA Loudspeaker 104 was the first to intro- duce realism in radio reception. It was revolutionary when introduced—and it is still revolutionary. One of the secrets of its success lies in the dis- covery of a new basic acoustical principle— and in the use of super-power amplifying tubes and power drive from the lighting socket. 1 How much must I spend to get the best in radio ? 2 What may I expect of the best radio today? The power apparatus necessary for the actua- tion of this loudspeaker also contains all of the basic clements of the battery eliminator. Thus, when connected to Radiola 28, through the medium of an A.C. Package, the power unit in the RCA Loudspeaker 104 climinates all batteries and provides operation direct from the lighting socket. When the Loudspeaker 104 is operated in con- nection with sets other than Radiolas, the power unit in the speaker supplies *'B’’ battery voltage: that is, it takes the place of *'B’" bat- teries. The Loudspeaker 104 was not designed for re- production in large halls and assembly rooms. It was intended for use in apartments and homes. While capable of great volume, it may be operated at any volume: but it should be borne in mind that one of the chief factors contribut- ing to its realism of reproduction is the amount of power employed to actuate the instrument. Yet it is decidedly cconomical in operation. eAdopted by the leaaing phonagraph companies It was the first to catch the notes of the entire musical scale, reproducing so faithfully that the great phonograph companies employ it for phonograph reproduction as well. Remember RCA Loudspeaker 104 is not just a loudspeaker. It is a loudspeaker plus a power amplifier, plus rectifying apparatus for the climination of batteries. Batteries would not provide sufficient energy to operate the Loud- speaker 104 satisfactorily. The power required jmust be drawn from the lighting socket. And its purpose is not mere volume, but a remark- able quality of musical reproduction. Why the Radiola 28 js by far the most advanced in radio reception The term “'super-heterodyne’ has carried an atmosphere of magic for the past ten years. In its original form it was a complex labora- tory device, not suited for manipulation and use on the part of those not technically trained. RCA engineers took this complicated device, simplified it and produced one of the most effi- cient broadcast receivers known to radio. The popularity of the super-heterodyne comes from the following features: First, its great sensitivity. It is so sensitive that radia broadcast reception can be obtained from great distances without any acrial or outdoor wire. A coil wire, called a loop, takes the place of the aerial: or the loop may be replaced by a short length of indoor wire. Thus, the super-heterodyne is particularly suit- able for use in apartment houses where the erection of aerials is impracticable. The super-beterodyne is supreme in selectivity ! In the matter of selectivity, the super-hetero- dyne stands supreme. Its ability to receive from one station to the exclusion of all others is ap- proached by no other type of receiver. The ability to do this comes from a novel feature of the super-heterodyne circuit—a feafure pecu- liar to itself. To simplify operation, the super-heterodyne is now provided with uni-control tuning mech- anism. With the movement of one control, station after station is brought in. Another exclusive feature of the super-hetero- dyne is its sealed-in construction. Lift the loop and cover, and note the business-like, clean- cut n?unnoc of the internal mechanism. It reminds you of a multi-cylinder automobile. This sealed-in construction, known as a *‘cat- acomb,”” is a complete protection for all the most delicate parts, keeping out all dampness, moisture and dust. The product of the combined research of RCA, General Electyic and Westinghouse And to assure the finest possible clarity of voice and music, this Radiola is matched to the great broadcasting stations. Its transform- ers, tubes and all points of design that affect tone quality are the product of the same en- gineers who designed the broadcasting appa- ratus. Radiola 28 and RCA Loudspeaker 104 are also synchronized 'to one another—engineered from beginning to end in the same laboratories and by the same engineers. With this combination you have the supreme achievement of radio today. RCA Radiola 28, with 8 Radiotrons, $260 RCA Loudspeaker 104, complere, $295 A. C Pachage, $35« power —already extraordinary —of these batteries by from 10% to 15%. Ray-0O-Vac batteries are sold by the leading dealers in radio equipment and supplies. If you have any difficulty getting them, write us for the name of a near- by dealer who can supply you. RADIO CORPORATION OF AMERICA NEW YORK CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS - RCA-Radiola MADE BY THE MAKERS OF RADIOTRONS National Electrical Supply Co. : Washington, D. C. Phone Main 6800 IT AT GIBSON’S 917 G St. N.W. .Qndiotrom ORI ORI WS FRENCH BATTERY COMPANY MADISON, WISCONSIN Also makers of flashlights and batteries The master Ray-0-Vac “B" 45.wolt e e L battery with new construction; espe- cially for sets with four tubes or more Ray-O-Vac Batteries at 1328-1330 N. Y. Ave. STAR RADIO 409 11th Street N.W. Washington’s Largest Radio Store IF_IT'S RADIOLA—GET Sets Accessories