The Jersey Broadcaster

NEWSLETTER OF THE NEW JERSEY ANTIQUE RADIO CLUB

July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07

MEETING/ NOTICE ACTIVITY NOTES This issue of the Broadcaster is playing catchup to the meeting that was held on June 12th where circumstances beyond my control prevented its distribu- tion prior to that meeting. Another issue, perhaps somewhat shortened, will be sent out prior to the August meeting Reported by Marv Beeferman Tailgate Swapmeet at InfoAge on July member Alex Magoun notes, "let's credit 25th (see page 8). This event will be one them for adapting and finally catching up The ON-LINE Broadcaster of the few sponsored during the pandem- to what our own Dave Sica has been doing The Jersey Broadcaster is now on-line. ic so a large turnout is expected. Of with NJARC meetings with great skill and Over 190 of your fellow NJARC mem- course, social distancing, use of masks grace…" Some of the scheduled presenta- bers have already subscribed, saving and all other safety precautions will be tions include 126 Years of Amateur Radio the club a significant amount of money insisted on. There will be no coffee and Innovation, The History of the Amateur and your editor extra work. Interest- we haven't quite decided on snacks yet Radio Novice Class, The Influence of ed? Send your e-mail address to (bagels, muffins, etc.), so it is suggested Hiram Percy Maxim on Amateur Radio, [email protected]. Be sure to you bring your own and perhaps some- Pre-1912 Wireless and Electrical, West- include your full name. thing for lunch. Cold drinks will be inghouse Broadcasting and Moonlight available. With regard to the summer Restorations. A virtual People's Choice Thanks so much for the kind words I repair clinic on August 8, an update will Contest for historic equipment will also be received when I notified the club that this be provided in the August Broadcaster. posted. The AWA YouTube channel is as issue of the Broadcaster would not make It has been announced that InfoAge is follows: the July meeting date. I guess it's under- opening August 1st. However, due to the https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX55peBhzeX1qps_VYXdLBA stood by observant readers that "Volume virus, all visitors will be required to wear masks. Hand sanitizers will be available 26" in the masthead indicates that I have been on the job (for the most part) for 26 on site. For the immediate future, social distancing will be required and no years. I have come to expect nothing less Upcoming Events (Tentative) from this great group of talented and car- strollers will be allowed on site. Visitors under ten are not recommended for ing members. July 25 - Summer Tailgate/Hamfest on Our July Zoom meeting was again well health and safety reasons. Visit the In- foAge website at www.infoage.org for InfoAge Grounds attended with over 60 members. Thanks August 8 - Summer Repair Clinic, In- to our presenters for holding member's further information. InfoAge is also sponsoring a Space foAge Bldg. 9032A, 9AM - 4PM interest - Prof. Joseph Jesson for his talk August 14 - Monthly Zoom meeting, Prof. on the RCA AR-88 and Alan Wolke for a Exploration Week beginning August 17th. This is a five-day space science Tom Perera talk on "Phil Weingarten, presentation on 3rd order IMD in radio Master Duplicator" receivers and an introduction to nano program for children 10-15 about the earth, solar system, galaxy, universe, September 11 - Monthly meeting at In- VNA's. Of course, for those members foAge Bldg. 9032A, Larry Rubins audio who still need their NJARC "fix," Tech- rocketry and outer space observation. Each day is divided into two, 3-hour ses- demonstration nical Coordinator Al Klase continues to September 18-19 - Kutztown Radio Show hold recurring Zoom meetings every sions of fun-filled model making, rocket launching, demonstrations and games. October 9 - Monthly meeting at Prince- Tuesday and Thursday until the beginning ton's Bowen Hall, talk by Mike Molnar of September with numerous topics under On the final day, everyone will have a video of themselves sending a signal to (topic TBA) discussion. The credentials for these November 13 - Monthly meeting at In- meetings are posted on the Communica- the moon with their voice and hearing their own voice bounce off the moon and foAge Bldg. 9032A, (topic TBA) tor. November 20 - Fall Repair Clinic at In- As evidence of the NJARC remaining return to earth. For more information, call: 732-322-4823, 732-280-3000 or E- foAge Bldg. 9032A, 9AM - 4PM an "active" club even during difficult December (date TBA) - Holiday Party at times, a very successful 2020 Field Day mail [email protected] for a regis- tration form. West Lake Golf and CC was held from June 27th through June January 8 - Monthly meeting at InfoAge 28th. Thanks to members Robert Forte Instead of an "in-person" conference, the AWA (Antique Wireless Association) Bldg. 9032A, Members Only Auction, and John Ruccolo for the article and pho- dues collection tos in this month's Broadcaster and all is arranging video presentations on the participating members who contributed to club's YouTube channel on August 11th. a wonderful weekend. There have been a lot of negatives as of Among upcoming activities is our late pointed at the AWA but as NJARC July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 2

spark and arc machines was the require- WHEN BRUTE FORCE ment for a strong magnetic field across the THE JERSEY BROADCASTER is the newsletter of the New Jersey Antique arc chamber and also a steady source of Radio Club (NJARC) which is dedicated to RULED THE AIR hydrogen during operation. As mentioned, preserving the history and enhancing the this magnetic field was necessary for ex- knowledge of radio and related dis- tinguishing or “blowing out” the arc dur- ciplines. Dues are $25 per year and meetings are held the second Friday of Part III ing the RF oscillation cycle. each month at InfoAge or Princeton Uni- Hydrogen, the lightest and most mobile versity. The Editor or NJARC is not liable By element, was used during these RF cycle for any other use of the contents of this “down times” to help clear the space be- publication other than information. James E. O'Neal tween electrodes of residual ions generat- PRESIDENT: ed by the intense arc plasma. The phenom- NJARC member James O'Neal (K4XAR) Richard Lee (732)-927-1459 ena of arc “blowout” may be familiar to has been involved in broadcasting for [email protected] those who have done DC arc welding on, nearly 60 years including a 37-year-long or close to, a steel structure. The arc plas- VICE PRESIDENT: career in television engineering. This Sal Brisindi (732)-308-1748 ma constitutes a conductor, and the mag- included more than 30 years with the [email protected] netic field induced into the ferrous materi- television side of the Voice of America. al tends to push the arc aside, sometimes SECRETARY/NEWSLETTER In 2005, he launched a second career in making it tricky to control the weld. EDITOR: journalism including editing "TV Tech- Marv Beeferman (609)-693-9430 Early in the evolution of the arc con- [email protected] nology" and writing for "Radio World," verter, the effect of the external magnetic and other periodicals, concentrating field on arc performance was not well TREASURER: largely on radio's colorful history and the understood (leading to some major prob- Harry Klancer (732)-238-1083 individuals who helped make it possible. [email protected] lems when it was desired to construct Mr. O'Neal is the editor of "IEEE Broad- transmitters with increased power out- SERGEANT-AT-ARMS (WEST): cast and serves on the Darren Hoffman (732)-928-0594 puts). However, experimenters were aware boards of two radio and television muse- that such a field greatly affected the per- [email protected] ums. The complete article, with Part I formance and efficiency of the converter. SERGEANT-AT-ARMS (EAST): printed in the May 'Broadcaster' and One experimenter noted that without a Rotating Part II printed in June, was first pub- magnetic field, the maximum RF current lished in the April 26th issue of "Radio that could be delivered to the transmitting TRUSTEES: World" and is carried here with the kind Ray Chase (908)-757-9741 antenna was eight amps or so, but with the [email protected] permission of the author and editor of addition of the field, and everything else "Radio World"...Ed. Phil Vourtsis (732)-208-4284 equal, an antenna current of 100 amps was easily obtainable. [email protected] SIDEBAR: THE PHYSICS OF ARC Federal Telegraph’s Cyril Elwell, the CONVERTER OPERATION Bill Zukowski (732)-833-1224 American arc converter entrepreneur, was [email protected] able for a while to build increasingly more Aside from producing a continuous powerful machines by simply scaling up TECHNICAL COORDINATOR: wave oscillation, an arc , or Al Klase (908)-892-5465 the mechanical parameters (proportionally converter, is differentiated from a spark [email protected] including the size of the arc electrodes, transmitter in a number of other ways. A chamber, cooling system and electromag- TUBE PROGRAM CHAIRMAN: spark machine can be powered from ei- Al Klase [email protected] netic field). But he hit a major stumbling ther an AC or DC source, while an arc block when trying to go beyond 30 kW. device must have direct current. Spark SCHEMATIC PROGRAM: This difficulty was not resolved until a Aaron Hunter (609)-267-3065 transmitters utilize a fairly wide gap be- young man with a recently-minted electri- [email protected] tween the discharge electrode; those in an cal engineering degree and a strong inter- arc device are relatively close together. CAPACITOR PROGRAM: est in arc technology, Leonard Fuller, was Typically, both electrodes in a spark Matt Reynolds (567)-204-3850 hired by Federal about the time that Elwell [email protected] transmitter were made of the same metal made a decision to exit the business. (in many cases, tungsten), and while ero- RESISTOR PROGRAM: Fuller devoted much time in developing a sion does occur, the electrodes had a fair- (To be announced.) sound physical understanding of what was ly long useful life. In an arc converter, really going on within an arc converter. WEB COORDINATOR: the anode was almost always copper with (He eventually took Master’s and Ph.D. Dave Sica (732)-382-0618 a concave end, and the cathode was al- [email protected] degrees based on his arc technology re- ways graphite with a pointed end. Due to search.) MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: the very high currents involved, the cath- It was Fuller who realized that the in- Marsha Simkin (609)-660-8160 odes had to be changed on a regular ba- tensity of the magnetic field needed for 33 Lakeland Drive sis; typically, every few hours. The cop- Barnegat, N.J. 08005 arc blowout was not directly proportional per anode lasted longer, but had to be [email protected] to the size of the machine or the desired water-cooled, something not practical output. He developed the concept of with the graphite electrode, which was “tuning” the magnetic field strength to rotated by a small motor during operation maximize output at a given operating fre- to equalize wear. quency. With longer wavelengths there is Another major difference between the July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 3 more time available to clear the residual Danish engineers and machinists and a that time.” ions from the arc gap than at shorter whole mix of stuff.’” wavelengths, thus a stronger magnetic He also provided some insight on audio flux is needed for higher opera- Stevens accepted the offer and rather modulating the “fire-breathing” arc ma- tion. (In the larger arc transmitters, mag- quickly was assigned a position of re- chines. netic fields upwards of 16 kilogauss [1.6 sponsibility in the fledgling enterprise. Tesla] were required. Most modern medi- “The difficulty in modulating the arc was cal nuclear magnetic resonance imaging “He made me chief draftsman and put me that you had this tremendous magnetic machines operate with a field strength in in charge of the machine shop,” said Ste- field with reluctance so big you couldn’t this range.) vens. “And then made me assistant engi- change it exactly as the voice of the speak- Once Fuller understood fully the action neer. That was a pretty big title, as I think er. So, the only way to do it was with what of the magnetic flux, it became possible to we had 15 men all told.” we called a closed oscillatory circuit with design and build arc converters without the arc and loosely coupled to an antenna any upper limit in operating power. Feder- Stevens recalled that he was responsi- — sometimes 10 or 15 feet away — with al delivered a number of one megawatt ble for engineering drawings for both an inductance … you could modulate the machines, and plans were drawn up for equipment manufactured and complete current in the antenna, but you couldn’t two and five megawatt models, but due to stations constructed with it. This included modulate the arc itself. That’s how we the rapid pace of high-power the massive towers used for the very low used to telephone. We used to talk to transmitter technology, and the increasing frequency antenna systems employed Stockton and San Jose … but we had to relocation of long-distance radio commu- with Federal arc converters. stop the telephone [service] because there nications from long wave to HF spectrum, was no money in it.” these very high-power converters never “I used to design the towers,” said Ste- made it into production. vens. “In order to get the job done quick- Interestingly, Stevens sheds some addi- Even though Federal rated its products ly, I would order the lumber and then take tional light on the large WWI-era commu- in terms of DC power consumption, their my drafting board out in the field and sit nications facility planned for Monroe, 1,000,000-watt model produced about a there and draw them [the towers], because N.C. and mentioned in my own April 19, half-megawatt of RF — still a very im- we’d have to change the bolts and splices 2017 Radio World Engineering Extra sto- pressive number with antenna currents and that stuff [so much]. Elwood got the ry about insulator manufacturer Arthur measured in hundreds of amps! The big contract for the 800-foot wooden tow- Austin. According to Stevens, the station downside was the requirement to get rid ers in Rome. Mind you, people kept say- was to have been located much further of the other half megawatt of heat, which ing, ‘You can’t build wooden towers that north, possibly Maine, but Secretary of the was usually solved by outside spray cool- are 600-feet high.’ [Well] we built them Navy Josephus Daniels, a North Carolini- ing ponds. 800-feet high and they stood for 30 years. an, insisted that the facility be constructed [We used] select first-quality pine from in his home state. Federal produced, but AN EARLY FEDERAL TELEGRAPH Oregon with 20 to 21 or 22 rings per inch. never delivered, the giant arc converters EMPLOYEE DESCRIBES HIS We made sure that it was kiln-dried lum- ordered, as the war ended before station EXPERIENCES IN WORKING FOR ber. That was the most important thing. construction could get under way. Stevens THE COMPANY Then we’d give them two or three coats noted that one of these “war surplus” of first-grade white lead paint… we put transmitters was given to Ernest Lawrence This article on arc converter technolo- them together and we put in plenty of to be used as the foundation for the first gy was inspired by a 1963 oral history in white lead.” large cyclotron. which a former Federal Telegraph em- The complete interview with Stevens ployee, Archie M. Stevens, was inter- (Stevens recalled that at one station an and Laird is available online. Even though viewed by Erwin Rasmussen, who cap- airplane crashed into one of his towers the audio quality is less than perfect, it tured some of early radio’s history from and the tower withstood the impact, trap- provides much insight into what it was those still alive who had been a part of it. ping the aircraft and saving its pilot from like to work for Federal Telegraph and the The recorded audio interview (actually a possible death if the plane had fallen all pre-vacuum tube era of radio in general. two-part session with another pioneer, the way to the ground.) Ken Laird, and available online) begins FURTHER READING with Stevens’ remembrance of the 1906 In reflecting on the ever-present dan- San Francisco earthquake while he was a ger associated with using hydrogen and Adams, Mike and Greb, Gordon B., student at nearby Stanford University. hydrogen-bearing compounds, Stevens “Charles Herrold, Inventor of Radio After earning an engineering degree from recalled an episode when he was testing a Broadcasting,” McFarland, Jefferson, that school in 1909, Stevens was ap- new station installation, communicating N.C., 2003. proached by one of his former instructors with the operator of another arc station, Aitken, Hugh G. J., “The Continuous about a job with a startup company. As he and almost destroyed it the new facility. Wave: Technology and American Radio, recalled in the interview: 1900-1932,” 1985, Princeton University “Sometimes we used pure hydrogen,” he Press, Princeton, N.J. “Just about that time, I ran across Elwell, said. “Well, I started out with pure hydro- Boucheron, Pierre H., “Arc Undampt who had been my instructor in electrical gen, but I didn’t blow enough air and set Transmission,” Radio Amateur News, engineering. He said ‘Why don’t you off a tremendous explosion which broke Oct. 1919 come with me? We’re starting a radio about a two-quart container of wood alco- Byron, William J., “The Arc Method of company down here called the Poulsen hol. I was alone at night and I went back Producing Continuous Waves,” The AWA Wireless Telephone and Telegraph Com- and said I’m on fire; hold up a minute Review, Vol. 7, 1992, The Antique Wire- pany and we’ve got some very intelligent until I can get the fire out. I was scared less Association, Bloomfield, N.Y. July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 4 Davis, Nuel Pharr, “Lawrence & Oppen- getting WNEW AM and WOR. The heimer,” 1968, Simon and Schuster, New radio "sits next to my desk reminding me York of those early days." Fuller, L. F., “The Design of Poulsen Arc The Knight kit that Sheldon got for Converters for Radio Telegraphy,” Pro- his Bar Mitzvah at 13 was his real first ceedings of the IRE, Vol. 7, No. 1 kit built with a Weller 8200 gun. "I put Secor, H. Winfield, “Construction of a up an antenna on the roof with standoffs Collin’s Radiophone Arc,” The Electrical from Lafayette radio in Brooklyn - the Experimenter, Feb. 1916 landlord didn't find out about it for about Stone, Ellery W., Lieutenant USNRF, 4 years when he made me take it down or “The Poulsen Arc,” United States Naval pay 2 dollars per month to keep it up. I Proceedings, Vol. 46, No. 2, July 1920; loved the shortwave at night, huddled in U.S. Navy Institute, Annapolis, Md. a corner of our tiny apartment listening to the BBC, Radio Havana and Voice of NOTE: In celebration of "Radio at 100," America. I learned so much about the Mr. O'Neal is posting a series of articles world outside." for "Radio World." I highly suggest one of his latest from May 15th titled "They Set the Stage for the Birth of Radio." For ease of access, just Google the article's title and it will immediately appear...Ed

MY FIRST RADIO The Communicator postings jarred Aaron Hunter's memory as to what was Edited by actually his first radio. "I kept thinking of Marv Beeferman collector radios or my first transistor radio (have it somewhere) but the following is my first. I was in the Cub Scouts about 1955 when I got it. When my son became interested in electronics, I gave it to him to Last month, a string of "first radio" experiment with. He mounted the compo- postings on the NJARC Communicator nents on a piece of Masonite. From the were captured in the Broadcaster. Lack looks of the layout, it never worked. He of space did not allow publishing all of lost a couple of parts before I was able to them, so they are being continued this reclaim it, but the main parts are there" month. It seemed that the "first radio" The picture of Harry Klancer's first topic could be interpreted in two ways - it radio is less detailed than he can remem- could be the first radio that someone pur- ber. You can barely see the radio but he chased with his own funds or it could remembers it well. "The picture was mean the first radio that someone was taken in the early 50's, sometime when initially aware of. my older brother was home on leave I requested additional contributions for from the Navy. (Don't ask about the big this month but only received one. So, I'm kid next to him.) Behind him, you can still inviting members to dig into their just see the 1935 Airline that I used to subconscious and send me a paragraph or pick up Radio Australia, the BBC and the two describing their memories. A photo ham bands (AM only, of course - but Member James Doran offered a great would be a nice addition, but if the origi- there were lots of hams on AM.) The TV "first radio" story: nal radio is no longer in existence, an ex- was in the next room, but the radio was a ample from the internet would work just lot more interesting." "My own first radio was a crappy Japanese fine. Please send your examples to: "My dad had bought it during the De- transistor job that I adored and slept with pression and kept the original manual, on my pillow, falling asleep listening to [email protected] very carefully listing the tubes and their some corny DJ who did Hitler impressions prices (probably when it was new). They and waking up to some sort of radio drama Sheldon Greenspan's first radio was a were expensive! - anywhere between 33 - until one night I knocked it on the floor Heathkit crystal set. Sheldon said "It was cents and 69 cents, for a total of $4.15 and it shattered; I was heartbroken. That a big deal that my parents spent about 10 for 7 tubes. Later in the 50's, I year, I asked for and got a plastic (but vac- dollars for it." He was about 10 years old 'modernized' the set, spending a lot more uum tube) clock radio with the awesome and not good at soldering so his older for the tubes than 4 bucks." feature of a timer that would turn it off brother's friend had to redo his work. "Anyway, the modernized radio is after an hour, by which time I would be Living in an apartment, Sheldon did not long gone, but I still have the manual - asleep! I enjoyed listening to WMCA's have the best antenna but he remembers and the prices." "The Good Guys," Cousin Brucie when he July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 5 moved to WABC and eventually FM radio raised - two verticals and two 100-foot ning a modified Johnson Valiant II and R- and WNEW." untuned dipoles (one East-West, one 388 receiver so, as John said, "there was "But that wasn't what made me love North-South), both about 30-feet high. vintage gear at both ends. radio; it was the huge European console at The two verticals were different lengths, The NJARC crew did quite well with the home of my cousins' grandfather, with corresponding centerpoise radials. contacts: 81 on CW, 261 on SSB and 2 on which I only saw once, but that had knobs The dipoles were raised using a bow AM. Congratulations! and buttons and the names of distant, for- and arrow to get them high into the trees. To fortify the inner ham, Ted's wife eign, romantic places - Moscow, Bel- Then, the connection was completed us- Annie (who is also a ham) was a hostess grade, Stuttgart - that I suddenly yearned ing a balun between a ribbon feed line extraordinaire. The menu included chick- to visit, or at least listen to. So when I and automatic antenna tuner. The ar- en parmesan sandwiches, potato and mac- saw a shortwave radio for sale at a flea rangement worked well with an SWR of aroni salads, a green salad, beverages and market, I bought it. Alas, there was no around 1.2. This year, we got our anten- Portuguese red wine provided by president manual, and no one to show me how it nas up higher than last year and it Richard Lee. Finishing touches included worked. I connected the ground to the showed. Both stations were able to get cake, brownies and fudge. radiator (I had no idea at the time that on a frequency and defend it from in- Everyone had an opportunity to operate there was an antenna in the attic, strung by vaders. Most of our contacts were on the the gear, and we could transmit on any a previous owner) and I could pick up 80 and 40 meter bands, with a few on 20 part of the band as there was always an Radio Moscow, Luxembourg and the Vat- meters. amateur extra in charge. We all got to ican." Four generators provided power but review our "Q" signs (QSL, QRM, QRZ) unfortunately only two survived. Darren and learn about proper operating tech- Steve Cafiero and his dad built a Hoffman's sixty-year old unit lasted until niques. Conditions were perfect (moderate Heathkit AR-29 stereo receiver in 1970. the very end of the outing until it died temperature, no bugs, etc.) except for the Steve was 10-years-old at the time and it from carburetor issues. passing front. We had plenty of members was the first of many electronic kits built Two open-sided tents, about 10' x 10' who helped out and tear-down took less by the team. "Heathkits started my inter- shielded participants from the sun and than an hour. There are many people who est in electronics. I restored it a few years rain, one weighted with 50-lb weights on are looking forward to next year, hopeful- ago and still use it regularly. You can see its legs. The area was fitted with dusk-to ly without the limitations of a tragic virus. my restoration on YouTube - search dawn lighting. Social distancing was But considering the results, the club did an "Heathkit AR-29." established with transparent shower cur- excellent job. tains used to separate the operator from the logger in the pop-up tent. Masks were required although out in the fields, masks matter less if chairs are 20-25 feet apart. The fun began on Saturday afternoon. Ted Copp on the YAESU 950 (which was one of our main and dependable transceivers) was lightening fast, a real pro, and seemed to rack up two contacts FIELD DAY per minute on 20 meters. All was going 2020 well until a front came through late in the afternoon with high winds and rain. I was not there but was told that it took By seven guys to hold down one tent as the Robert Forte & stormed passed. Nevell Greenough Logging was done by a second opera- tor, with a laptop using N1MM's free This year's ARRL Field Day was held software. The two station setups were from 2:00 PM Saturday, June 27th, linked via the Museum's cellular modem. through Sunday, 2:00 PM, June 28th. It Copies of N1MM talk to each other over was an on-the-air contest where the ob- a network and keep track of duplicate jective was to contact as many participat- contacts. Frequent swap-over between ing stations as possible from temporary logger and operator was encouraged. radio installations. The underlying moti- Both phone and CW contacts were at- vation was to foster a community of hams tempted with some help from keys from who can establish communications in our Radio Technology Museum. case of disaster. NJARC participation Neville kept the contest going through was impressive with Neville Greenough the night and it continued through Sun- and Al Klase leading a team of five mem- day. Ted tried to get his old Globe trans- bers. mitter on the air but oscillator problems Friday, the day before the contest, was interfered. But John Ruccolo's Gonset G setup day for generator power, antennas, -76 transceiver obtained from the Joe Cro tents, transceivers, SWR meters, keyers estate worked well on 75-meter phone and cabling. "Miles" of duct tape played with two AM contacts at about 3885. an important role. Four antennas were One was with WB2GCR who was run- July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 6

"It probably blew 40 for a while. We were really happy that the "Navy Guy" had placed the side curtain on the windward side."

CQ CQ CQ

Chef extraordinaire Annie Coff, N2LAL. Field Day 2021! July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 7

"Since many of my radios and other many. Several disc jockeys agree, and TIPS AND battery-powered gadgets are not used on they've decided to skip ahead to Decem- TECHNIQUES a regular basis, I remove batteries from ber. Some radio stations are now celebrat- any device I may not be using again right ing Christmas in July with classic holiday Edited by away. Obvious, right? But then, what do music. Marv Beeferman you do with them? The problem is that The idea behind the festive program- you don't want to throw away these still- ming is to spread some Christmas cheer to good batteries, but you don't want to mix listeners during this stressful period. Sta- In a May 26th article in "Radio World" them up with your stash of fresh batteries tions like KEZ 99.9 in Phoenix, Arizona by John Bisset ("Let Your Dryer Work either. And, if you store them with the started playing holiday tunes when lock- Out the Kinks"), a reader named Bill Fike radio, they can still leak and cause dam- down first started in March. Since then, wrote in to say that quite often he will age even if they're not inside." radio stations from San Diego, California receive, with a new piece of equipment, a "I keep a supply of small dollar store to Ireland have joined the trend. If you power or audio cable or some other spe- zip-lock bags handy and I seal the used don't hear "Winter Wonderland" or "Jingle cial test or connection cable. More often batteries in one to store along with the Bell Rock" on your local airwaves, head than not, the cable has been folded and radio. When I go to use the radio again, I to the internet. tightly tied with a cable tie. Even after take the batteries out of the bag and put The early return of Christmas music removing the tie, some of these cables will them back in the radio. If they should isn't just a mood-booster for listeners - it's remain kinked indefinitely. Bill has read happen to leak before I use the radio also good business for radio stations. Like that a heat gun can be used to warm up the again, no problem as the bag keeps the many industries, radio has been hit hard cable and remove the kinks - but that leakage contained so there's no damage." by the pandemic as people have been seems like a lot of work to go over the spending less time in their cars and sports length of a long cable. Bill also worried broadcasts have disappeared. Christmas is about the risk of melting the inner conduc- always a popular time for radio, and by tors; some heat guns can get very hot. celebrating it a few months early this year, Bill came up with an easy alternative stations are hoping to boost their ratings. method to relax the cable so it can be However, not everyone is cheered up coiled or wrapped. His clothes dryer has a by hearing Christmas music before De- rack for drying sweaters, sneakers or other cember. If the opening notes of "Jingle items that can't be tumbled. He places the Bells" fill you with dread, you're not cables on the rack in the dryer, sets the alone; a significant portion of listeners dryer to high and runs it for about 10 find the seasonal soundtrack grating, and minutes. Some cables need longer dryer Finally, the subject of radio belts hearing it too early may be taking a toll on time. When you pull out the cable, it's came up at a recent Zoom meeting. their mental health. warm and relaxed. It can then be coiled or Member Bob Bennett reports that Adams In a 2011 Consumer Reports survey of wrapped properly, and it won't have kinks. belts out of Michigan is no longer in more than 1000 people, 23 percent of re- Racks usually are sold as an accessory business. He has bought belts from the spondents cited seasonal music as the to the dryer, although some models may following company in Rhode Island thing they dread most about the holidays, include the rack with purchase. The meth- twice with no issues: placing it above holiday parties and disap- od may also work with cables that have pointing gifts. A Research Intelligence taken a set after being stored for some https://www.qualityradiobelts.com/order-here.html Group poll from 2014 found that holiday time but I'm not sure if it would be safe music can be so bothersome that 36 per- for use on very vintage ones. cent of people have admitted to leaving a The first time Bill did this, his wife store because of it. asked why the drying rack was out. When Luckily, with radio there is always a she heard the answer, she just slowly choice. Anyway, the holidays are a happy shook her head and walked away. Some time of year for many people, and season- people just don't appreciate a good idea al music is a reminder of that. If that ap- when they see one. plies to you, feel free to search the air- waves and start blasting your favorite Christmas tunes before Thanksgiving. Just keep it at a low enough volume so it CHRISTMAS is out of your neighbor's hearing range - IN JULY they may think they lost a few months while self-isolating. Edited by Marv Beeferman

Some months ago, I included in the In an article by Michele Debczak Broadcaster an article about repairing (July 9, 2020), it was noted that with corrosion caused by leaking batteries. many businesses still closed due to the Member Dave Sica recommended a sim- COVID-19 pandemic, and the virus still ple thing he does to prevent the problem spreading throughout the country, the in the first place: summer doesn't feel like summer for July 2020 Volume 26 Issue 07 Page 8