Evening Star Newspaper, May 5, 1929, Page 75

7 ! — THE SN O e e RADIO WILL FLASH NEWS OF ZEPPELIN Latest Type Apparatus to Keep U. S. Posted on Flight Across Atlantic. 8p=c'cl Dispatch to The Star. NEW YORK, May 4—Radio is 2gain destined to play an important role in aviation, when the Graf Zeppelin em- barks from Germany on its second trip to the United States on or about May 15. Elaborate plans are being made for communication direct with the United | States during the entire flight. The dirigible took off last weck for a test cruise over the Mediterranean, and dur- ing th> flight attempied to communi- cate directly with the United States naval radio stations. These tests were bring made, it was learned here, in order to prove the reliability of the air- ship's radio apparatus in communicat- ing with the United States, and to avoid possibility of a dispute with naval offi- de . its first hen the Zeppelin ma visit here last October sharp criticism | se over the apparent failure of the | ship's commander, Dr. Hugo Eckner, to communicate with naval officers at Lakehurst. At the time this was viewed by Navy men as a dircct breach of air and maritime courtesy. New Apparatus Installed. New high-powered short wave radio telegraph apparatus was installed re- cently aboard the pride of the German | Jooking forward with enthusiasm |ment on the air has been moved air fleet. Naval officials refused to de- clare whether or not the signals were successful in reaching the American coast during last week's tests, but it is generally believed that something was | heard during part of the flight. Direct transatlantic communication from a lighter-than-air craft is a difficult feat, cngineers point out, in view of the handicapped carrying power. When the dirigible embarks on its sccond trip to the United States it may not be possible for direct contact with naval radio stations, but it is believed that the new short wave apparatus will give the transatlantic air liner a far| greater and more dependable range. In addition, steamers along the Atlantic highways and coastal radio stations are"| 1o be notified of the dirigible’s departure and will maintain constant communica- ion. Weather Map Apparatus. The Graf Zeppelin is equipped with the latest developments and types of | radio apparatus, among which is a pi ture-receiving set employed for receiv- ing weather maps and meteorological charts. This apparatus, experts say, | assures far greater accuracy than re- ports recelved by telegraph code and Tequires considerably less time to trans- mit. Fac-simile reproductions of the ‘actual weather maps is received aboard the dirigible less than five minutes after | | transmission is startéd. American ex-| | | | | | I perts say, however, that it will be prac- | tically impossible for the dirigible party to receive maps unless they are sent | through an extremely high-powered | station. ‘The radio apparatus is situated in the main cabin, adjacent to the chart- room. This close proximity allows the radio operators to advise the navigator of their exact position and to transmit messages without leaving the radio Toom. The equipment is of the most modern design, consisting of three Telefunken transmitting sets for short, medium and long wave transmission. The short- ave set will be used probably for long- ance communication during the fight. Power for the transmitters is gener- eted by a huge wind-driven generator, lnc‘ated directly below the main gon- dola, and may be swung inside the cebin when not in use.. The antenna consists of a leng trailing wire hald in a semi-vertical position by a huge weight. The radio sets are said to be the latest in aircraft transmitting and re- ceiving apparatus. The main set oper- ates between the wave lengths of 576 and 2,800 meters. The Graf Zeppelin's call letters are DENNE. ~ . .. ) (Copyright, 1629.) . INTERFERENCE TRACED. Blamed Mostly on Grounded Wires in Contact With Trees. DANVILLE, Va. (#)—Most Teception interference troubles can be trac?d to grounded high, voltage wires coming in contact with trees, according to W. Van Nostrand of the radio supervision serv- inc,e of the Federal Department of Com- erce. Sudden bursts of static which inter- Tupt programs have been: traced to power wires, the insuiation on which has decayed and which were striking trees. ‘The resulting electrical discharges im- mediately were reflected in the sensitive Teceivers. IMITATES JUVENILES. Mimicry Bobbie Dean's Specialty in Radio Plays. SAN FRANCISCO (#)—Mimicry is' Bobby Dean’s specialty in. radio plays broadcast on the Pacific Coast. When- ever there is a child’s part, she imitates the voice of the juvenile, either boy i or girl, } | places are related over the N. B, C, coast | | Her pet marmoset, Garbo, also ap- pears before the “mike” during jungle scenes and when stories of the wild glai.n of six stations. Distributors Chas. Rubel & Co. 812 Ninth St. N.W. Washington, D. C. ARCTURUS RADIO TUBE CO. _ Newark, N, J, THE SUNDAY STAR., WASHINGTON, D. C., MAY 5. 19 9A'PA'RT"4.' Behind the Microphone || BY THE RADIO EDITOR. is a question of different arrange- ment of the same components. A certain antenna doctor in New | | York City who has specialized in night for the first time. | this field for years needs only to band will make its radio | see a sketch of an antenna sys- |debut in the General Motors' |tem to point out just what is weekly “family party,” a National | wrong and how the station effi- ’Bmadcssnng Co. attraction, com- | ciency can be increased. This an- 'ing into Washington over WRC. | tenna doctor receives large fees | Thirty-nine stations will be linked | for his services. together for the initial broadcast.| Of course, the main field (or‘ . Martha Atwood, prima donna | the antenna doctor is in the de- of the Metropolitan Opera Co., |sign of new stations. Here he can | | will share honors with Sousa. She ‘specl(y the type of antenna to be | has been selected as the guest|bullt, and often have a “say” in . soloist for the program. | the selection of the site. He can | Sousa’s aloofness of the micro- examine fhe geology of various | | phone has been due primarily to proposed sites and select that best | his belief that part of his success suited for radio purposes. It 13: |as a band leader was because of no secret that some of our broad- | | his personality, which he thought | casting stations of today are un- | | would be lost over the air. | fortunately located with regard to “I have thought that people | geological conditions, resulting in | wanted to see me and my band as a serious waste of power. \well as hear us,” he 1s quoted as AT 1 |saying. “I cannot, however, ig-| The first regular radio feature | | nore the demand to hear us on series to be sent from the West the air. 1Coast throughout America will be “T have received at least 10,000 ' heard over the 42 stations of the I Columbia Broadcasting System, have therefore finally concluded |beginning June 11, when the Old | that the people want to hear us, |Gold-Paul Whiteman hour is | and that it would be foolish to fail moved clear across the continent. to utilize this great, modern inven- | This radio innovation not only tion, which makes it possible for | will mark the first major broad- millions instead of a few thou- |cast serles from West to East but | sands to listen to a concert. Tam ‘ also will be notable as the first | happy in the decision, and am |time that an important entertain- FTER holding out for seven | years John Philip sausn’ and his famous band are going on the air tomorrow A 1 The rletters asking me to broadcast. Ito what I believe will be another | from one side of America to the thrilling adventure. {other without any interruption in * ok % K |its bmadcas‘tmg.r e a sed the! The offering o eman an ‘mg,}-‘:ph‘:;fet hg‘,‘}'h‘ffi‘e hf?;‘ste radio | his world-famous dance orchestra broadcast ever made from the |from the West Coast was brought Senate chamber has been pre_‘abuut because this feature has sented to the Government, and been such a tremendous success will be used for any future broad- | that sponsors of the hour decided casts from that location. o continue Whiteman on the air Custodians of the building have | even though he was going out to stored the movable booth in the | Universal City, Calif, to make a basement of the Capitol, from |talking movie. Whiteman's con- | which it can be removed on short | tract, ~therefore. was extended, | notice and erected in the Senate |8nd the Columbia System.| | chamber. It was constructed and | through its engineering and other designed to blend with the color | technical departments, worked out scheme of the room in such a |he necessary mechanical arrange- | manner as to be almost unnotice- | ments for transmitting this pro- able, and used for the first time |gram as perfectly from Los An-| March 4, when David Lawrence | geles as it has hitherto been sent FOUR FIRMS SEEK 200 Channels in Short Bands Asked by Competing Companies. TELEGRAPH WAVES With four companles planning estab- | systems competing with each other and the wire lines, a lively battle for su- premacy in communications is in pros- pect. An aggregate of about 200 channels in the short wave band is sought by the four companies for use in their na- tional networks. The comparatively small number of wave lengths available for point to point service in the United States makes the question of assignment a difficult problem, members of the Radio Commission say. The latest prospective entrant in this field is_the Intercity Radio Telegraph Co. of Cleveland, which proposes to pool its interests with thcse of the Wireless Telegraph & Communications Co. of Northbrook, IIL, in the establsihment of national system handling messages on a public utility basis. It has asked the commission for 35 or 40 wave lengths. The commission has already granted the Wireless Communications Co., # Buffalo corporation, 40 channels for use in its projected network of 110 cities, Applications of the Radio Corporation of America and of the Mackay Radio Tele- graph Co. for wave lengths for similar systems are pending and the Intercity firm's application will be considered in connection with these. The Intercity company, organized in between Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago, Columbus and Duluth and to ships in the Great Lakes. Other cities proposed to be added to the network are: New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, _ Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Tampa, New Orleans Dallas, Salt Lake City, San Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle, Kansas | whelmingly new and unique. *“Graham AVING just seen jungle radio in| operation, I am impressed with the fact that perhaps, after all, | our latter-day miracle of | broadcasting is not so over- There is in New York a troupe of Nigerian jun- glemen, straight from the depths of the wilderness, who remind one that the broadcasting idea is as old as the race. I was privileged to see these clever | black boys, rounded up by Miss Caro- H {1ishment of continental radio telegraph |line Dudley, spending a pleasant social evening in their own club, & huge, dingy hall by the Sixth avenue rail:oad. Miss Dudley, who discovereg Josephine Baker, is giving the jungls band a few pointers in shaping up their art for a demonstration in New York. These lads use tall drums, shaped like a big churn, in gossiping back and forth through a few hundred leagues of swamp and forest. Judging from the way they chattered from far corners of the big hall, they could relay a full Associated Press report from New York to San Francisco without much trouble. I mention the experience not only bacause of its illustration of primitive radio but in the light of the strange jumble of people and events which make up New York. Almost anything may happen in this town. Here are 15- ctory buildings, and here, all at once, the jungle creeps right up among the ckyscrapers. I was dining in the lJux- urious apart:.ent of a friend, as far| removed as anything imaginable from zny suggestion of the jungle, when my host received a telephone call, saying that Miss Dudley would be pleased to have us attend the evening drum ses- stons of our fellow broadcasters. | Greeting to Newcomers, i ‘The old hall might have been a Tam- |far end of the room. o McNamee Speaking—" kidding us, and for once we couldn't broadcast any comeback. One wave length over in the northwest corner of the hall suddenly set up & deep rumble. They were all looking our way, and we sked our herb doctor friend to get us translation. The boss drummer’ de- coded the message for him in Nigerian and then he gave it to us in English. Jimmy Walker's Keys. “Our white visitors are welcome to our lodge. We wish them much food and happiness. Nigeria gives them greeting.” There was more of the same, comewhat in the vein of Jimmy Walker presenting the keys of the city. Miss Dudley, through the interpreter, asked the bovs to get ready for their evening rehearsal of antiphonal drum choruses, dancing and singing. The interlocutor by the door tapped off a brief, business-like message. Instantly the drummers all picked up their drums and assembled on a raised dais at the ‘They began strumming lightly on their drums, like an orchestra tuning up. One of them went to a dressing room and in a few moments there emerged an alligator 19 ' Wells or '}‘lunrd or Conan Doyle | evg;ru&‘?fir eir wugut ‘moments. 'WEPS To Go ON A'R oo Niserian telegrann svstem| WITH NEW CALL LETTERS lup “the Nigerian telegraph system. said Miss Dudley. “They send long| messages for hundreds of miles through the jungle. Let any stranger enter the outskirts of this territory. and no mat- |ter how rapidly he traveis he will find | {full and complete information about | | him landing ahead of him. | “The late Col. Fawcett, British ex-| plorer. lost iy Brazil, contended that g | primitive tribes in Brazil and else- | i where could send drum beats far be | Fisherman’s Station to Have 1,000- Watt Transmitter and Better Wave. GLOUCESTER, Mass.. UP).—The loucester fisherman's station WEPS i5 to g0 on the air with a new 1,000-wait i : ransmitter this week with new call let- |yond the range of actual sound: that, | - in fact, they could set up and receive ' 3 And 8 better wave assignment. vibrations in a manner not explainable | , Construction of the new: transmitter by the Taws of ‘sound. 1 am net pre. | 2nd arrangements for the installation pared to say that thess men can do| Of-8 Studio in Boston are in progress. | this, but T do know that more than one | WEPS has been broadcasting on 1.200 explorer in their country has insisted | Xilocycles. The new call letters will be that they convey almost instantaneous | WHDH and the frequency 830 kilocycles. messages over hundreds of miles with |, The station was organized with a view S eays that it connat ‘pe "ant | to serving the fishing fleet on the banks counted for with our present knowl- | Of this coast. Ralph G. Matheson, gen- cdge. They have a complete drum lan- | €ral manager, bought a radio license e and they ‘can say sything they | about three years ago in order to under- syl an, | take this service. We went out into the roar of the| The station sent out daily morning elevated railroad, wondering whether | Fepotts of fishing news, arrivals and |there is anything new in the world, | Other information. Varied programs | after -all. also were transmitted. Now the station plans to broadcast all day. (Copyrizht. 1920.) at least 8 feet high, walking on its tail. It was an amazingly terrifying and at_the same time beautiful cos- tume. The wide-open jaws were 2 feet ong. The drums began to beat with a low hypnotic rhythm and the creature be- gan swaying in time. I was horror- stricken as the thing approached me menacingly. There was an accelerated beat of the drums, and the alligator whirled and swooped in & mad dance. I could think of nothing but that ter ble scene in “King Soloman's Mine: where the treasure hunters face an | many meeting place in the days of clam |African incantation. We were informed 1923, now operates a_message service bakes and marching clubs, Here were |that there was a word theme as well as | | | drum about 4 feet high: Francisco, | City, Denver, Omaha, Des Moines, Mil- | waukee and Indianapolis. Meanwhile opposition to issuing any licenses to the Radio Corporation of America has been voiced by Senator Dili of Washington, one of the authors of the radio law. He has introduced a resolution in the Senate calling upon the Radio Commission to refuse licenses to R. C. A. until a public hearing is held and information obtained on the reported tentative agreement, for the by alligators. President Curtis over a nation- | wide network of National Broad- casting Co. stations. | _The acceptance of the booth by | the Government, coupled with its storage in the Capitol, is taken by radio officials as an indication that broadcasts from the chamber | may be permitted more often in | the future. EEEE Two nation-wide networks of broadcasting stations, those of the National and Columbia sys-| tems, will carry the Memorial day services at Arlington Cemetery, at which President Hoover is sched- uled as the principal speaker. According to present arrange- ments, the ceremonies will be broadcast in their entirety. In addition to the President, the speakers include Senator Dale of | Vermont and Dr. Thomas Green of the Loyal Legion. The musical portion of the program will be provided by the United States Marine Band. * X % * A new specialist has recently made his appearance in radio cir- cles, namely, the antenna doctor. | His patients are for the most part radio broadcasting stations, al- though he occasionally does work for radio communication com- panies, with a view to improving their services. The antenna doctor is a radio expert who specializes in antenna design. By looking at the sketch of an antenna system he can de- termine the general efficiency of | the transmission, and with a few | strokes of a pencil and just a few | specifications indicate how the | transmission may be increased by | a comfortable percentage. | According to J. E. Smith, presi- dent of the National Radio Insti- | tute, antenna doctors have in ~veased the effective power of sev- eral broadcasting stations by | changes in the antenna system without any change or increase in | power in the transmitter itself.| Sometimes the antenna alteration takes the form of taller towers or ' a change of site, but generally it described the inauguration of Vice | from New York. The movement of this great ra- | ™" - dio feature across the continent, besides setting radio precedents, is to be something of a sensation in itself. Whiteman and his or- chestra, his stage crew, his ar- rangers and his soloists, together with Ted Husing, announcer of the hour, and the proper technical men will travel from New York to Los Angeles in a chartered train, to be known as the “Whiteman Special.” In order that there shall be no interruption to the regular weekly broadcasts on Tuesday nights, one of these broadcasts will be given from Chicago and the other from Denver. The special train also will make about 18 other stops, at each of which there will be a con- cert, with the “King of Jazz” play- ing as the guest of one of the broadcasting stations in the Co- lumbia chain, which handles the regular weekly feature. BLIND MAN ASSEMBLES UNITS OF TRANSMITTER Has Worked Amateur Stations in All States Except Two, Despite Handicap. LA CROSSE. Wis. ().—For six years Michael Mateske, blind, has been look- ing at the world through his radio transmitting and receiving set. Despite his handicap, Mateske assem- bled the units of his transmitter and has been working amateur stations in every State except Maine and Vermont. He copies messages on a machine that makes perforations in a tape. The mes- sages are decipered by touch. Mateske is proficient in handling va- | rious types of transmitters, and has re- paired sets, In addition to operating Station W9PJ. Mateske operates a_store. Meke Peuonlrl kppunneel. have been making personal appearances in New York theaters. HAWKINS “Conveniently Located on 14th Street” 1529 14th St. NW. Deec. 3320 Model 71 Formerly $157 NOW M. Prices complete antenna. Balance weekly ments. INCORP( Columbia 101 RN X 1 IGTE] stalled free—connected A small down payment will deliver. Guaranteed Service Es HARRIS o 2900 14th Street at Harvard | § Open 9 A. M. to 10 P. M. | § Formerly $187 NOW with tubes—in- to your or monthly pay- 'ORATED 10 Nigerians, black, kinky-haired, | costumed in the witch-doctor garb of | the Nigerfan broadcasting compeny. | They were scattered throighout the | hall, each man crouching behind & red | their huge. splayed-out hands hovered over the drum heads. As we enlered a chap near the door by a slight quivering of his fingers sent a low, almost inaudible sound through a rhythm to the drum beats. I had an | shambling but agile, and gorgeously | uneasy feeling around my scalp, as if I were being initiated into some deep jungle mysteries—of another age and almost of another world. I am sure that I came as near to being hypnotized as I ever will be. That elligator could have swallowed me without any resist- ance on my part, Complete Telegraph System. Then there was a wild, beautiful and | the hall, somehow more of deep, trem- | grotesque “peacock” dance, with a gor- | bling impulsion than & real sound.|geous costume. | sale of that company's wireless facilities | | to the International Telephone & Tele- | appeared as an interpreter. | There was an acknowledging quiver on | the other drums, and Miss Dudley cx-| plained that this was the ceremonial | greeting to a newcomer, expressing the hope that they might have many chil- dren and that none might be devoured | A Harlem herb doctor, & Nigerian, | He made | some jocular remark to the outpost | drummer near the door. The drummer, vastly amused, tapped off the joke to the rest of the boys around the hall. | Jolly Bill, Bill Steinke, and 10-year- | It sent them into uproarious laughter, | old Jane, WEAF's kiddies' entertainers, |and they began drumming wisecracks all over the place. My friend and I had | an uncomfortable feeling that they were | There were hair-rais- ing songs and chants and a savage sword dance. How those black boys did enjoy themselves: After this T am ready to belleve anything that H. C. Radio Trouble? Call ADAMS 4673 Capitol Radio Service 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. N.W. Until You Hear the ' Atwater Kent Model 55 with its screen-grid feature, you cannot realize how PURE tone can be. Listen to it in our comfortable and attractive studio, where courteous salesmen will show you every attention. Model 555, Ecrees Grid Receiul:-, Electro-Dy- namic Speaker, Complete. Noth- 51 46_50 l ing else to buy.. is another nmew set that is making radio history. Truly beautiful . . . 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