Evening Star Newspaper, June 30, 1929, Page 63

U. S. TUBEMAKERS - PREPARE FOR RUSH New Organizations Are Set| Up to Meet Expected Heavy Demand. ' } it BY E. C. BUTTERFIELD, Asociated Press Radio Editor. Fifty million tubes in 1928 have | stirred up some excitement in this radio goason, well under way toward a peak. Visions of more millions of tubes, fome predicting up to 75,000,000 in 1929, have led to a certain concentra- tion toward that end of the industry. Tube companies are far more humerous | right now than ever before. Consolida- | tions have taken place and new organi- »tions have been set up to supply the expected heavy demand. | Enter Tube Field. ! Some manufacturers of radio receiv- | ers also have entered the tube field, be- | cause, they say, they had difficulty selling receivers last year during the Fall tube famine. They hope to coun- teract any such difficuity this year by meeting themselves the tube require- ments of the receivers they make. Another interesting development has been the decision of RCA to license | tube makers under its patents. A num- ber of licenses have been issued, with other negotiations under way. Screen Grids on Market. ‘Writers often are wont to forecast the future and sometimes they are suc- cessful. About the time Santa Claus’ visit of 1928 was fading into the past the news cropped out that a practical AC screen grid tube had loft the laboratories. Along with that story was a printed prediction that four-tube receivers within a ceriain future time would | emerge from the factories of the set | makers. | Sooner than was indicated the pre- | diction has become fact. There now is on the market a four-tube outfit, using only AC tubes. Three of them are | screen grids, with the fourth a 245. It is not the first four-tuber by any means, for in seasons past receivers had even a less number, but it does seem to bear out the first-of-the-year contention that the screen grid would see consid- erable change in set design. Most AC receivers have had a mini- mum of six tubes, LISTENS TO LONDON. Massachusetts Radio Fan Tunes in | on 25.52 Meters. MANCHESTER, Mass. (#)—Watson Kownasky of Manchester is a regular listener to programs broadcast by 2LO, London, and sent out on short waves from G5SW, at Chelmsford, England. Mr. Kownasky says that he tunes in the British station on 25.52 meters daily except turday and Sunday. The English programs are picked up during the afternoon and early evening. 2L0 to Be Replaced. LONDON (#).—Under the European ‘wavelength reallocation, 2LO is to be replaced by a new station with 30 kilo- watts power and operating on 358 meters. Tests are to begin shortly after July 1. The new station is to located 12 miles from Charing Cross. vk vt s “Tom Sawyer” to Be Broadcast. “Tom Sawyer” is to be the next play by Hank Simmons’ showboat on WOR and stations. The showboat is just {the Summer White House. HEN Mrs. Herbert Hoover spoke over the National Broadcasting Co. system recently from the Presi- dent’s camp in Virginia, the radio audience did not know this broad- casting put radio to the severest test it has faced in recent years. A half hour before Mrs. Hoover talked all communication—includ- ing a single broadcasting line—be- tween the camp and the outside world was completely cut off. Broadcasting redeemed itself after surmounting one difficulty after another. Albert E. Johnson, National Broadcasting Co. division engineer at Washington; Robert E. Terrell, an operator, and Ralph Edmunds, program manager at WRC, formed the group handling the broadcasting. The average radio set through- out the country—Mrs. Hoover's talk was broadcast over a coast- to-coast N. B. C. network — re- ceived the First Lady's address clearly and distinctly. The broad- cast was not¢ unlike the reception of programs being broadcast from a modern radio studio. But be- hind the scenes there were anx- ious men. The broadcasting of Mrs. Hoov- er's talk from the camp was de- cided upon 24 hours in advance. Only one line connected the camp with the outside world and this was commandeered. Early Satur- day morning Johnson, Edmunds and Terrell left Washington for the camp, carrying with them several hundred pounds of broad- casting apparatus. They left ear- ly to reach the camp before the arrival of the President and his party. Meanwhile, in the studios in ‘Washington, engineers were wait- ing word from the trio, who were expected to arrive at the camp at not later than noon. But the hour of 12 passed and there was no word. At 4 o'clock, after the par- ty had been missing for nine hours, an airplane was hired and { with additional men and appara- tus made ready to leave Washing- ton just before 5 o'clock. However, just after 4:30 the trio reported their safe arrival at They had, they reported, arrived at Crig- glesville, Va., some 12 miles from the camp, at 10 o’clock, riding in a high-powered car, and then started up the mountain. Efforts to negotiate the mountain road leading to the camp some 2,800 feet up the mountain proved fruitless. Bad roads made worse by rainstorms made it impossible. Attempts to hire a small car were made, but without success. They were stranded in the mountain about 8 miles from the camp. The radio men then sat down and waited. Valuable time passed. At 3 o'clock the presidential party reached them. The party passed on, but Lawrence Richey, the be | President’s secretary, promised te send back aid. An hour later—4 o’clock — three small cars came down the mountain to help. and with them they brought the Presi- dent and Mrs. Hoover's personal lunch box with sandwiches and completing a year cn the air. Model 92 7. other things. Shortly before 5 THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C., JUNE 30, 1929—PART 4. Behind the Microphone BY THE RADIO EDITOR. o'clock the trio arrived at the camp. With a sigh of relief the trio discovered a few minutes later that the broadcasting line between the camp and the studios in Washington was in perfect order. Two hours later a severe storm broke loose in the mountains. And then it was discovered that the broadcasting line was out. Com- munication was cut off. At 9 o'clock the broadcasting line was in service again. The apparatus had been set up in the tent of Maj. C. C. Long of the Marine Corps and was located a half mile from the Presi- dent's abode. Immediately word was sent to Mrs. Hoover that the broadcasting was “O.K.” Hardly had this message reached the First Lady when the line went dead again. There followed a tense 50 minutes, made more tensc when it became known that Mrs. Hoover was headed for the broad- casting tent and would be there at 10 o'clock. And then the radio men got a “break.” At two minutes of 10 the line was in shape again. Mrs. Hoover came in. At 10 o'clock she listened over the broadcasting line to the 4-H Club program, on which she was the principal speaker. A: 10:35 Mrs. Hoover went on the ai® and 16 minutes later completed her speech. Edmunds says that the scene in the tent at the time of broadcast- ing was most interesting. It was @ small tent, equipped with two cots, one table and a chair. Out- side it was raining and lightning was flashing. As Mrs. Hoover talked she was surrounded by Ar- thur M. Hyde, Secretary of Agri- culture; Dr. Joel T. Boone, the President’s physician; Maj. Long and the three N. B. C. men. “It reminded me of the war” Maj. Long told Mr. Edmunds. “Outside_the tent the storm was severe. Inside there were only a few of us, keeping absolutely silent.” The storm during the evening made it impossible for the N. B.C. men to return that night. They were given a small tent and at 5:30 Sunday morning called for breakfast. They left the camo at 7 o'clock—were back in Washing- ton at noon. *x ® % X Nils Radhe, Chevy Chase, Md., fails to see anything remarkable in the results of Everett Briggs of Brockton, Mass., on a short-wave receiver, which an Associated Press dispatch, published in the radio section of The Sunday Star, June 23, told us he reported con- sistent loud-speaker reception of G5SW in England. The reason for Mr. Radhe’s lack of enthusiasm is due to the fact that his own rec- ord excels that of the Brockton short-wave fan. And rightfully so, he asks, “Why go to Brockton for such news?” “A Washington friend of mine,” he writes, “has just called my at- tention to an Associated Press dis- patch in The Sunday Star of June 23, which had escaped my atten- tion. It was on page 17. part 4, and told the world that a Mr. Briggs of Brockton, Mass., had been able to pick up the English experimental station G5SW over a period of three months. “This must be absolutely true, as I cannot understand how any one could miss the station on 2 short-wave receiver. However, it might be interesting to know that there are Washington short-wave fans able to accomplish just as much, or better. So why cross the stream for water and go to Brock- ton, Mass., for such news? “On the Maryland side of the District line, in Friendship Heights, there are at the present time in operation in different hours two short-wave receivers, made up of what a technical man would call ‘junk,’ or, in other words, ordinary 10-cent store parts, assembled by persons hav- ing just a general idea of the principles of radio. Since Sep- tember 30, 1928, G5SW is heard on these sets at any time regularly during the days and hours of transmission. (This station is off the air Saturdays and Sundays.) If the code interference from our powerful local Government sta- tions is not too bad, satisfactory reception is enjoyed on the loud spcaker, even on an audio ampli- filer that might justly be con- sidered poor. “Cables I have received from Melbourne as well as numerous letters. from Sydney, Australia; Bandoeng, Java; Siberia and many other sections of the globe, indicate that voice transmissions from the greatest distances may be received on the most simple re- ceiver if the listener uses a little patience and takes into account the difference in time in various parts of the world. “Thus Australian broadcasts will be heard in the morning, Eastern time. The writer was kept in- formed of the progress of the hunt for the Southern Cross flyers, lost in Northern Australia, some time ago, simply by tuning in on 2ME, Sydney, before going to breakfast. “The efficiency of such a simple receiver is demonstrated by the fact that today, Wednesday, June 26, the following stations were re- ceived before 3 p.m.: Bandoeng, Java; Kovtwijk, Holland; Huizen, Holland; Paris, France; Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Oakland, Calif., not to speak of G58W, Chelmsford, England, and the British end of the telephone service. “If you feel like putting in 2 note in your radio page, you might say that next Sunday, June 30, VA2ZME, Sydney, Australia, on a wave of 285 meters, again will speak to Drummondville, Canada, about 6-8 a.m. Eastern standard time, and if they succeed as well this Sunday as on June 23, any owner of a short-wave set should have a treat.” * * x % Mechanical improvements are being made in WRC's transmitter with a view to increasing its effi- ciency. The work was started last week and the station closed down for several hours while it was un- der way. There are yet some fin- ishing touches to be added. The major improvement was the installation of a new type transmission line connecting the transmitter and the antenna, which is designed to reduce the loss in the output energy between Majestic Cabinets are Furniture of Charm Detection and new =45 subes plus tour tuned stages of radio frequency. Abwlutely no hum and no oscillation any wave length. Automatic sensitivity control gives uniform range and power all overthe dial. Improved Majestic Super-Dy- namic Speaker. Heavy, sturdy Majestic power unit, with positive voltage ballast. Jacobean pariod cabinet of American Wal- But. Doors of matched butt walnut with overlays on doors and interior panel genuine imported Australian Lacewood. *167%. Escutcheon plate, knobs and door pulls finished in genuine silver. . > o o TIME PAYMENTS Time payments in the purchase of Maj re financed through the t lowest available rates. of Model 9 of radio frequency. Absolutely no hum or oscillation atany wave length. Automatic sensitivity control gives - and Beauty MA]ESTIC Radio is manufactured, distributed and installed as one complete, well-balanced unit. To assure cabinet quality the equal of Majestic performance, this company has created and devel- oped the largest furniture factory in the world. To this great plant have been brought outstanding designers of fine furniture —true artists who care- fully evolve original designs that are a pleasing combination of the modern and the traditional in style. Mass production makes it possible to give you their finest creations at moderate price—carefully assembled, hand finished, minutely inspected. Therefore, while your dealer is explaining those great Majestic developments Power Detection and Automatic Equal Sensitivity, note the Beauty of the cabinets . . . how perfectly it will harmonize with the rest of your furnishings. Liconsed under patents and spplications of R. C. A. and R. P. L., elso by Lekiiphons, B 77 oo S Py S e GRIGSBY-GRUNOW COMPANY 5801 Dickens Avenue, CHICAGO, ILL. Wholesale Distributor EISENBRANDT RADIO CO. 1111 17th St. N.\W., Washington, D. C. Power Detection and the new ~45 tubes plus four tuned stages uniform rangeand power all over the dial. Improved Majestic Super-Dynamic Speaker. Heavy, sturdy Majestic power unit with positive voltage ballast in- finished in genuine silver ... i longlifeand safety. Early English design cabinet Inut. Instrument panel overlaid with red Australian Lace- heon plate and tnm$137a°=. TUNE IN... Majestic Theatre of the Ale over Columbia and American Broadcasting Systems _every Sunday night, 9 to 10 Eastern Daylight Saving Time. Head- liners of the Stage and Screen. these two points and increase the signal strength. * X X % The second Jenkins television transmitter in Montgomery Coun- ty, Md., is being rushed to comple- tion. The first one in Jersey City, which serves the New York metro- politan area, went on the air re- cently, sending out experimental programs on 140 meters. The new transmitter in Mary- land will use the call letters W3XK. It will have a 5-kilowatt power rating. x ok k¥ “Amos 'n’ Andy” broadcasts will be continued by WOL until Au- gust 18, when it is expected that this pair of famous comedians will make their personal appearance before the microphone of the Na- tional Broadcasting Co. ‘The popularity of Amos 'n’ Andy was demonstrated last Monday when WOL discontinued the re- corded episodes of their activities. The station was literally deluged with telephone calls. As a result | negotiations were made with ‘WMAQ in Chicago, which controls this feature, to permit the contin- uation of the broadcasts until the N. B. C. takes them up and sends them over its network. * x % % Herluf A. Provensen has been appointed announcer at WRC to succeed George Beuchler, who was recently transferred to the New York studios of the National Broadcasting Co. He is 21 years old and the brother of Marthin Provensen, who has been an- nouncing at WRC for more than six months. Provensen is Danish. Although born in Racine, Wis., his father took him to Denmark at the age of 10, and he returned to this country two years ago. He is a graduate of Birkered College in Denmark, and attended the Uni- versity of Wisconsin for a short time. He speaks six languages. His father is pastor of the Danish Lutheran Church in Copenhagen 60,000 AT RADIO SHOW. Australia Has 36 Exhibitions at Melbourne Festival. MELBOURNE (#).—More than 60,000 which was said to be the most suc- cessful held in Australia. The exhibit of apparatus was the largest of its kind staged in this city. There were more than 65 booths and about 36 exhibitors. Most prominent displays were the American, Nether- | lands and Australian. Other Radio Page 16. persons visited the radio festival here, | 2 15 PROGRAMS EXPANDED. WO0Q Adds Chain Features to Re- ligious Eroadcasts. KANSAS CITY (#)—Programs of, | WOQ, the Unity School of Christian-" | ity's station, have been expanded to include schedules of the American | Blfild?:’ml’ll Co. | eretofore WOQ's programs have | been almost exclusively religious. Four evenings of chain programs have been )uddtd under the new schedule, reserv- daytime hours for Unity services. HAWKINS ‘Convenient] 1529 14th St. N.W. 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