The Knowledge Bank at The Ohio State University Ohio State Engineer Title: Broadcast Engineering Conference Creators: Robinson, James M. Issue Date: Mar-1938 Publisher: Ohio State University, College of Engineering Citation: Ohio State Engineer, vol. 21, no. 4 (March, 1938), 17-19. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1811/35493 Appears in Collections: Ohio State Engineer: Volume 21, no. 4 (March, 1938) BROADCAST ENGINEERING CONFERENCE By JAMES M. ROBINSON ADIO engineers from all over the country re- ernment service, and 20 from manufacturing and mis- cently attended the Broadcast Engineers Con- cellaneous industries. The meetings were attended R ference at Ohio State University. This also by members of the Department of Electrical En- conference, held February 7-18, was sponsored by the gineering staff and advanced students especially inter- Department of Electrical Engineering, and was one of ested in communication. the greatest educational achievements of the College Last year Professor \V. L. Everitt, director of the of Engineering. It was far reaching in its scope, conference, conceived the idea and began investigat- bringing together leaders in the industry and prac- ing its possibilities. Questionnaires were sent to lead- ticing engineers from all parts of the United States and ing broadcast stations to determine their reactions. Canada in a discussion of some of the most important The returns showed such marked interest that plans technical problems in the broadcast field. were immediately begun. This was the first attempt for a gathering of its It was decided to hold the meetings during a two kind, and to show the widespread interest shown there week period, discussing three topics each day. A period were 96 members registered for the conference. These of two hours was assigned to each topic, the first hour men represented 24 states, the District of Columbia, devoted to a formal lecture by the leader, and the and three Canadian provinces, some coming from such second to consist of a round-table discussion partici- distant points as Florida, Connecticut, Montana, North pated in by all. Dakota, Colorado, Texas, and Nova Scotia; 36 came The next problem was to get men to act as from Ohio. There were representatives from the vari- speakers and leaders in the discussion. A selection ous branches of the communication field; 47 came from was made of those men recognized by all broadcast broadcast stations, 18 from universities, 11 from gov- engineers as outstanding authorities on the topics March, 1938 Page 17 which they were to discuss. By December, through the Dellinger early became associated with the Bureau of personal efforts of Professor Everitt, all of the men Standards as a Physicist. He was Chief Engineer with originally selected had consented to participate, the the Federal Radio Commission from 1928 to 1929. date was set, and the conference was publicized. From 1926-1934, he was Chief of the Radio Section, The following is a list of the speakers who con- Research Division, Aeronautics Branch, Department ducted the discussions, the subjects discussed, and a of Commerce. Dr. Dellinger is a past President of the brief biographical sketch of each speaker as taken Institute of Radio Engineers. from the program: WILLIAM H. DOHERTY, Radio Development HAROLD H. BEVERAGE, Chief Research Engineer, Department, Bell Telephone Laboratories R. C. A. Communications, Inc. Subject: High Power Radio Frequency Amplifiers Subject: Ultra High Frequency Propagation Air. Doherty is a graduate of Harvard Univer- A graduate in 1915 from the University of Maine sity with degrees B.S. in Communication Engineering, with degree B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mr. Bever- and M.S. in Engineering. His first job after gradu- age entered the employ of the General Electric Com- ation was with the Long Lines Department of the pany and was for four years laboratory assistant to American Telephone and Telegraph Co. of Boston. Dr. Alexanderson, participating in the development of Later, as a research associate with the National Bu- the high frequency alternator which was later used in reau of Standards, he was assigned to the study of high-powered transatlantic transmitting stations. He radio wave phenomena. His association with the Bell joined the research organization of the Radio Corpora- Telephone Laboratories dates from 1929. Mr. Do- tion of America in 1920, and attained his present title herty's work in improving the efficiency of radio- in 1929. Mr. Beverage is now president of the Insti- frequency power amplifiers won him the Morris Lieb- tute of Radio Engineers. He won the Morris Lieb- mann Memorial Prize, presented May 12, 1937. mann Memorial Prize in 1923 for his work on long WILLIAM L. EVERITT, Professor of Electrical wave antennas. Engineering, The Ohio State University GEORGE H. BROWN, R. C. A. Manufacturing Co. Subject: Coupling Networks Subject: Broadcast Antenna Design Dr. Everitt is perhaps best known as the author of Dr. Brown holds degrees B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Communication Engineering. Following his gradua- Electrical Engineering from the University of Wis- tion with the degree E.E. from Cornell University, he consin, where, as a research fellow, he carried out ex- held instructorships at Cornell and at the University perimental and theoretical studies of radio transmit- of ATichigan, where he received the M.S. degree. Prior ting antennas. From 1933 to 1937, he was engaged in to his connection with Ohio State University, he was research on wave propagation, antenna systems, and engineer in charge of development with the North related circuit phenomena for the R. C. A Manufac- Electric Manufacturing Company at Galion, Ohio. He turing Company Research Division. He is the author received the degree Ph.D. from Ohio State in 1933. of a classical series of papers published in the Pro- HERBERT M. HUCKE, Chief Communications En- ceedings of the Institute of Radio Engineers dealing gineer, United Airlines Transport Corporation with broadcast, directional and ultra high frequency Subject: Snow Static Effects on Aircraft; Some Prin- antennas, earth currents, and wave propagation. Dr. ciples in Aeronautical Ground Radio Station Design Brown is the inventor of the sectionalized antenna, Since his graduation in 1927 from the Polytechnic Turnstile antenna, antenna circuit modulation system, College of Engineering at Oakland, California, with etc. the degree B.S. in E.E., Mr. Hucke has been associated JOHN F. BYRNE, Engineer, with the Radio Corporation of America, 1925-1931, Collins Radio Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa and with the United Airlines Communications Depart- Subject: Field Strength Surveys ment, 1931-1934. He has held his present position As an assistant professor of electrical engineering since 1934. at Ohio State University, Mr. Byrne made numerous GEORGE M. NIXON, Development Engineer, field strength surveys. He was also formerly a mem- National Broadcasting Company ber of the Technical Staff of Bell Telephone Labora- Subject: Studio Acoustics tories. Mr. Byrne is a graduate of Ohio State Uni- Mr. Nixon's academic work was done at Pratt In- versity, with degrees B.S. in Engineering Physics, and stitute and at New York LIniversity, where he gradu- M.S. in Electrical Engineering. ated in 1927. His first experience was gained in the JOHN H. DELLINGER, Chief of Radio Section, operating department of the Electric Storage Battery National Bureau of Standards Company which he left in 1928 to engage in general Subject: Propagation of Broadcast Frequencies broadcast development work for the National Broad- at Night casting Company. Mr. Nixon is a member of the The holder of degrees A.B. from George Washing- Acoustical Society of America, and the American Insti- ton University and Ph.D. from Princeton in 1913, Dr. tute of Electrical Engineers. Page 18 THE OHIO STATE ENGINEER HAROLD L. OLESON, Weston Electrical Instrument The conference in all its aspects was an outstand- Corporation ing success, and plans are going forward to make it Subject: Indicating Instruments an annual affair. It marks a great step forward in Mr. Oleson received his degree in Electrical Engi- bringing together the leaders in the communication neering from the University of Illinois. His experience field for the exchange of problems, ideas, and develop- includes periods during which he was engaged in re- ments, and the bonding of a closer tie between uni- search for the American-Marconi Company, and for versity and industry. Professor Everitt and his asso- the Radio Corporation of America. He was for some ciates should be congratulated for a fine piece of work time associated with the Fansteel Products Company in conceiving, organizing, and directing this, the First as an electrical engineer, and later with the Jewell Annual Broadcast Engineering Conference. Electrical Instrument Company. Since 1931, he has been Assistant General Sales Manager with the Wes- Seismograph— 1755 Style ton Electrical Instrument Corporation. On November 18, 1755, in the early morning, there ARTHUR E. THIESSEN, Commercial Engineering occurred in New England an earthquake of some in- Manager, General Radio Company tensity and a week later Professor John Winthrop Subject: Modulation and Distortion Measurements described it in an address at Harvard College. Per- Following his graduation in Electrical Engineering haps his description was not as graphical nor technical from Johns Hopkins University in 1926, Mr. Thiessen as the modern seismograph recording, but it was cer- joined the staff of the Bell Telephone Laboratories. tainly more vivid. His work was concerned at first with the properties After thanking God that such earthquakes were of magnetic alloys, and later with development of ap- rare, Professor Winthrop stated that while most earth- paratus for transmission and reception of signals over quakes lasted only two minutes, this one lasted four the then new high-speed, continuously loaded trans- minutes. The professor related how he arrived at that atlantic cables. Mr. Thiessen left the Bell organiza- period of time.