ovember, 1922 Price 25 cents Official Medium for Service Bulletins of the National Broadcasters' Lea e. RADIO AGE INSTITUTE To insure 100% value to readers of advertise­ ments, as well as 100% value to the advertisers themselves, radio equipment is now being tested and indorsed by the RADIO AGE INSTITUTE 64 WEST RANDOLPH STREET CHICAGO, ILLINOIS No charge is made for testing and approval, and all merchandise will be returned as soon as possible, transportation expenses to be paid by the manufacturer. Lists of makers of approved radio goods will be published from time to time. SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR READERS Please remember that Radio Age has one of the best radio instructors in the United States, who is ready to answer any technical question. This costs you nothing. ~------------------------------------ I I The Time Has Come to RADIO AGE Stop Kidding The Magazine of the Hour Ourselves WE ask broadcasters, owners of receiving sets, and manufa<;:~ur­ Volume 1 Number 6 ers of radio equipment to give their earnest attention to the contents of CONTENTS this number of RADIO AGE. More PAGE than 500 broadcasting stations in the Broadcasters Form National League __________ .. _ .. _____ ____ ___ 3 United States are beginning to won­ How to Add One Step of Radio and One Step ~of der where and when they will get a Audio Frequency to the Reinartz TuneL.____________ 5 return on their heavy investment. - - By FRANK D. PEARNE All these stations are confronted with Photo-Electric Detector Tubes ... _____ ........ _._ ..... __ .. 0 _____ ._ 7 the additional problem of interference l By H. A. BROWN AND DR. C. T. KNIPP III the air, III many localities this Design of a Portable Short-Wave Radio Wave- meter ._._. ____ ___ _____ _____ ---. ___ ____ ____________ _. ___ .___ ___ _____ _______ _________ 9 interference being persistent enough By BUREAU OF STANDARDS EXPERTS to practically nullify all efforts at Radio Frequency Amplification____________________________ _______ _ 10 transmission. Manufacturers of radio By CHARLES KILGOUR equipment are beginning to wonder How to Construct a Good Reinartz SeL______ ___ _____ ____ 11 where they will find a market for Public Education in Radio Urged_____________________ ____ ____ ___ 15 their goods if broadcasting becomes By GEORGE R. HOLMES sO disorganized that the fan will have Tube Set Operates Across Atlantic_____________________ _______ 16 no incentive to continue listening in. Thought Waves From the Editorial ToweL._____ _________ 17 This brings up the question as to By FREDERICK SMITH the attitude and the rights of the News of the Broadcasters_____________________ _____ _____ ___ ____________ 19 hundreds of thousands of radio en­ With the Radio Trade ____ . ________ ___ ___________ ________ _____________·____ 21 thusiasts who have invested millions Pick-UpIRecords by Our Readers _____________ . ________________ 22 of dollars III radiophone receiving Questions and Answers____ ______ __ ______________________________ 23 outfits. They bought their receiving New Broadcasting Stations ____ _____________________ ___ __ . ___________ 29~32 sets on the presumption that satis­ factory broadcasting was to be main­ tained. Radio is on trial before t he Amer­ RADIO AGE is published monthly by RADIO AGE, I NC. Ican public. Broadcasters have formed a National League and are Pu blication office, Mount Morris, Ill. preparing to meet the situation. Editorial and Advertising Offices, Garrick Building, 64 W. Meanwhile needed legislation is tabled Randolph St., Chicago. in Washington. Owners of stations FREDERICK SMITH, Editor are forced to consider the possibility FRANK D. PEARNE, Technical Editor that a monopoly will strive t o t a ke M. B. SMITH, Business Manager Mid- West Advertising Representatives: broadcasting service off their hands. YOUNG & WARD Radio business has not come back 308 North Michigan Avenue, Chi cago, Ill. as it was expected to do. Eastern Representative: GEO. W. STEARNS We a re printing pages of news and Flatiron Building, New York City, N. Y. views on this situation in this number of R ADIO AGE. Every person , ser­ Advertising Forms Close on 19th of the Month Preceding Date of Issue. iously interested in the advancement Issued monthly. Vol. I, No.6 Subscription price S2.50 a year. of Radio Art and of Radio Business Entered as second-class matter September 15. 1922. at the post office at Mount Morris. Illinois, untler the Act of Marek 3, 1879. should read every line of it.-The EDITOR. Copyright. 1922, by RADIO AGE, Inc. ~i] ~ Ig I i i Loud-speaking horn, used by cit y of Chicago in mag­ nifying speeches and concerts at Pageant of Progress. Picture S!IOWS !lOrn's size as compared with a man. (By courtesy of Greater Chicago Magazine) RADIO AGE Of tfte Hour " PUBLISHED MONTHLY GARRICK BLD'G c.H.GO. Broadcasters Forlll National League RGANIZATION of the radio and Frederick A. Smith, of Radio interest in forming a union of broadcasting interests of the Age, Inc., was chosen for se~retary. station owners was evidenced by O country Jor and by themselves Directors will include: Frank 'vV. the large number of letters from was accomplished in Chicago on El1iott, WOC, Davenport. Iowa; station owners who could not be October 16, when owners represent­ T. B. Hatfield, Hatfield Electric present but who wrote enthusiastic ing many of the more important Co., Station WOH; T. W. Findley, commendation of the plan and stations assembled and launched the Minneapolis, Minn., Station'vVLAG, volunteered their services in making National Broadcasters' League. It and owners of stations on the the organization a power for mutual . is expected that the league eventu­ Atlantic and Pacific coasts and in progress and protection. News­ ally will include on its membership the South. papers all over the country, having rolls practically all of the broadcast­ I t was decided to make the mem­ broadcasting stations in connection ing station owners in the United bership fee $10 a year, this nominal with their plants, were particularly States and Canada. sum to be disbursed for postage, quick to respond to the suggestion The purpose in organizing, as stationery and printing and distri­ that a League was necessary. explained by speakers at the Chicago bu tion to all broadcasters of the Frank W. Elliott, member of the meeting, lies primarily in effecting periodical bulletins of importance Iowa legislature, and vice president a means of interchange of views and to station owners. A complete of the Palmer School of Chiro­ news between broadcasters. The view of the activities of the League practic, at Davenport, Iowa, was· general plan of the league migh l' be will be published monthly in this made temporary chairman of the condensed into the following outline: magazine, which will give space for meeting. Mr. Elliott expressed the 1. To protect heavy investments discussion of new problems by all opinion that one of the most im­ owners of stations already have or any members of the League who portant subjects for discussion was made and to find ways and means wish to thus communicate with that of interference. of obtaining some tangible return their associates. T. B. Hatfield, of WOH, said: on that investment. Executive offices uf the League 2. To establish a clearing house are located in the Garrick Building,' "\Ve are WOH of Indianapolis, for information of value to all Chicago, Ill., where communica­ Hatfield Electric Co. 'vVe have been broadcasting station owners, so that tions from members or any others broadcasting since March of this they may be informed promptly of interested should be addressed. year. Our two problems are: First, developments as to radio legisla­ From the outset the Chicago Interference, on which something tion; that they may work as a body meeting made it apparent that certainly mllst be done through an for the elimination of interference broadcasters desired an association organization of this kind. I am here in the broadcasting of programs; to. which should not be identified with without any definite idea as to how improve programs; to present a any other radio organization. Co­ the interference problem may be united front against those persons operation, where cooperation was solved, but am eager to listen to and combinations of persons who decided to be desirable, was gen­ whatever information we may get. are attempting to prey upon broad­ eral1y agreed to be the purpose of "Second: We are a commercial casters; to convince the public and the broadcasters. But the speak­ organization and it is costing us a the government generally of the ers were definite in their expressed pretty penny per month to run ou'" important position and strength of opinion that the League should broadcasting station, on which we the .broadcasting interests. admit none but a broadcaster to get very little returns, unless adver­ George S. Walker, President of membership and that it should not tising may count as such. But if the Western Radio Corporation, affiliate with any other radio group, we count advertising it is still cost­ Denver, Colo., and owner of station whether manufacturers, tradesmen, ing us a great deal for that adver­ KFAF, was elected president of the or whatnot. tising. I am in favor of seeking League. Arthur H. Ford, Professor The meeting was called to order some way of getting some return of Electrical Engineering at the by Mr. Smith, who bripf}y explained for our outlay. But primarily the State University of Iowa, Iowa that he had been asked by important thing to do is to find out how we City, was made first vice-president. broadcasting interests to bring a bout can help each other to clean out the \V. J. Baldwin, of the Alabama sllch a meeting. He said there were interference." Power Company, Birmingham, Ala., many problems confronting broad­ T.