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WHEN A CABLE SNARLS

By C.L. EDHOLM

WHAT happens when a submarine cable is dragged by a ship’s anchor is shown in the accompanying photographs ; this accident occurred to the New York Telephone Company’s connections between Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. A steamer, trying to make its pier, was carried too far by the swift current under the Brooklyn Bridge. Dropping its anchor, it caught the cables lying on the bottom beneath the bridge. When the captain discovered his mistake, he ordered the anchor chain cut, so the anchorand one hundred eighty feet of chain remained entangled in a confusion of twenty cables. As may be imagined, the results were disastrous, as seventeenof these cables contained 3,500 pairs; Brooklyn and lower Manhattan were abruptly disconnected.

From the Brooklyn side, the cables together with the large beam to which they were chained were pulled into the stream for a distance of thirty or forty feet and the cable house near the bridge was so filled with a tangle of wires that it was impossible to enter; the complicated connections had been pulled violently out of place. On the New York side things were not so bad, but two cables had been dislodged and the heavypiles which secured them were broken.

While the confusion was being cleared up at the cable houses, and while emergency measures were taken to route messages by a circuitous way, a diver was put to work in the river bed, examining the wreckage on the bottom. It was found impossible to unchain the cables separately so that they could be pulled back one at a time, for they were so entangled that the whole mass must be raised at once. This had to be done with the greatest care in order to avoid pulling out the remain- , ing cables, which were held in place only by the lead sheath.

The current was swift where the snarl lay in the stream, and the diver could not work to advantage. A rope was sent down to him which he attached to one of the ring bolts, and after a number of these wire cables had been fastened to the mass, it was raised slowly by power from the cable boat. The tangle that was raised alongside the vessel seemed absolutely hopeless, but by hard work the cables were separated, unchained from the beam and pulled back one at a time to the cable house and terminated. For a period of four or five days men worked constantly in the cable houses, one shift following another immediately. In completing the task, these employes had to endure the most terrible hardships, for working conditions were particularly severe.

Radiophone to Rid Siberia of Wolves

RADIO telephones placed at intervals throughout the wolf-infested regions of Siberia so that the whereabouts of these dangerous pests can be easily discovered is the latest means proposed by Soviet officials to rid the vast plains of the country of the wolf menace, long an obstacle to settlement and safe travel. These radiophones will be set up on posts and trees and will flash the howl of wolves by short wave wireless to a central station, thus indicating the presence of these animals within the radius of some station, so that a patrol of hunters can be dispatched immediately to the spot to exterminate the pack.

Howls of wolves running in packs are often audible for several miles over the silent Siberian plains, and as there are scarcely any interfering noises the radiophone system will have no difficulty in revealing the whereabouts of wolf pests.

The “Petite,” a compact new extension telephone with illuminated dial, has been introduced by Stromberg-Carlson Division of General Dynamics for the independent telephone industry. The dial light glows dimly when the ‘phone is not in use, lights up brightly for dialing when the handset is picked up. Subscriber can turn off the light entirely by a switch in the base. Although the “Petite” has no built-in ringer, a compact wall-type bell box is available so that it can be used as a primary telephone instead of as an extension. The new narrow shape is intended to make the instrument more convenient for bedside table and other applications.

Fishermen Now Radiophone to Families

DEEP sea fishermen spend a large portion of their lives isolated on the ocean, out of touch with land for days and days on end. A new two way radio telephone, especially designed, for installation in fishing boats has now broken down this barrier of space, permitting the sailors to speak to their friends and families ashore.

How the combined receiver and transmitter operates is illustrated in the artist’s drawing above. No trained radio man is necessary to put through a call. The fisherman simply presses a button and connects up with a land station, which hooks him up to the city telephone system. Engineers are planning on installing many of these instruments on American fishing boats cruising the East coast areas.

Silent Telautographs Write Directions to Radio Artists

TO ELIMINATE all interfering noises in the National Broadcast Studios, engineers are installing noiseless telautographs which write out directions to performers, thus doing away with the old method of waving the hands to give signals from the control room. The telautograph is placed near the microphone, directly before the eyes of the performers, so that directions can be read without the least difficulty. Although quite a bit of the former human element is thus eliminated, the program goes along smoother, and no stray noises find their way to the mike.

The photograph at the left shows a performing artist receiving orders from the operator in the control room over the telautograph—an extremely convenient arrangement.

MORSE CODE TYPEWRITER

A HEAVY-FISTED ham was Willard Guthoerl—and no one was more aware of it than he. His brutality was spent entirely on his sending key, however; hams from coast to coast and beyond the seas complained of his Morse signals. Instead of trying to improve his fist he built—for seven dollars—an electronic machine that does away with the single sending key. Now he simply presses the typewriter key for, say, F, and the correct dot-dash signal goes out automatically. The new signals are clear and easy to read. A speed of 15 to 75 words per minute is possible, depending on the skill of the sender. Guthoerl hopes to reduce the size of his unit by transistorizing. He works at Sanford Research Institute’s computer lab, Menlo Park, Calif.

Midget Radio, left, is tuned in by an official guide at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London where it was one of 6,000 items in the “Britain Can Make It” Exhibition. It costs about $70.

Candid Pickups

IF YOU don’t think amateur recording is tun, just ask Johnny Olsen. radio papa of “Ladies, Be Seated.” He’s been having a picnic with his home recorder for years. You don’t have to stay home with them, either.

Olsen rigged up an adapter and plugged his into his car battery through the cigarette lighter cord. Among the oddities he’s captured in sound are the hiss and swish of Old Faithful geyser, the sniff of ‘a Yellowstone bear (it refused to growl) and an interview with the engineer on a locomotive traveling 120 mph.

Anyone can do it, says Olsen. It just takes a few gadgets, a little ingenuity— and a sense of humor.

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Roll Not The Barrel

The recreation room in your home will be enhanced by this out of the ordinary, record changer cabinet.

By Loren Collins

THIS is an unusual project requiring a minimum of material and only the simplest hand tools. When completed it will not only be an attractive addition to your den or rumpus room but a serviceable record player, rivaling many large consoles in tonal quality. Using the unbreakable 45 rpm 7-in. disks that come in a wide choice of classical and popular selections, it will play ten selections, or from 30 to 50 minutes of music with one loading.

The keg used is a 2-1/2-gallon size, measuring 12-1/2 in. long by 9 in. across. Any cooperage should be able to supply you, or they can be obtained from ship supply concerns. The changer mechanism is handled by radio stores throughout the country and is available with cords, plugs and permanent needle, ready to be hooked up to any amplifier. The amplifier described in this article uses three miniature tubes and will yield excellent performance. A wooden spigot, some small pieces of 1/4-in. plywood and a few hardware items will complete your material list.

Before proceeding with the construction, the keg must be glued together. To do this, simply remove the hoops on one end and the staves will spread enough to permit glue to be applied to all joining edges and around the head. Replace the hoops, turn the keg over and repeat the operation. Be sure to align the heads so that their grain runs in the same direction. A small nail driven in the head will help to handle them during the gluing process. If the hoops are driven on tight with . a block and mallet, no other clamps will be needed. Allow ample time for the glue to set as there is considerable stress developed in the wood. Next remove the hoops and smooth up the uneven joints with a plane, then sand the whole keg smooth.

The cradles are cut from 3/4-in. stock and are fastened to the bottom section with screws driven from the inside. Use rubber-headed tacks on the bottom for table protection.

Now fasten cleats of 3/8 x 3/4-in. stock around the inside of each section to receive the panels. The lower panel should be recessed about 1-1/4 in. and the upper 3/4 in., or just enough to clear the pickup arm when the player is closed. The panels are cut from 1/4-in. plywood. Trim a piece of cardboard until it fits and use it for a pattern. The cutout for the changer is made in the lower panel with a jig or coping saw. Be sure to allow clearance for all moving parts during the changing cycle. Drill three 1-in. holes in the keg below the turntable motor to provide ventilation.

There will be some unused space at one end of the lower section and this should be partitioned off with plywood to form a storage compartment for the power cord. Drill a 1-in. hole through the head of the keg into this space to receive the spigot. A notch filed in the edge of this hole will allow the cord to be clamped in place at any desired length. For traveling, the whole cord may be pushed in and the spigot replaced. A couple of saw cuts in the end of the spigot to hold the plug will keep it from getting lost inside. The 110-volt wires and the phone lead, lead to chassis-mount type receptacles at the rear of the panel so that the two halves may be easily separated for service. Now hinge the sections together, using one sturdy ornamental hinge in the center. Attach two lengths of small brass chain to stop the upper section, a few degrees past vertical.

In laying out the upper panel, first determine the location of the hole which provides clearance for the record post, by shutting the lid against the post. A small kitchen strainer, less handle, is fastened over this opening to provide cooling air for the amplifier tubes.

This amplifier circuit is quite conventional and should present no problems even to an . inexperienced builder. However, the components must be placed in a rather unorthodox manner to make use of the space available.

The chassis is formed of a 4×5-in. piece of aluminum about 1/16-in. thick. Lay out the location of the holes directly on the metal. You must also provide holes for the socket mounting screws unless you are using the type secured by a snap-ring.

The 5/8-in. hole for the 150-ohm, 10 watt resistor (R-9) should be omitted if you are not using the through-chassis type pictured, but since this part will get quite warm, it should be mounted on the outside of the chassis.

Clamp the chassis between the blocks of wood and make the 90° bend as shown. Now mount the potentiometers and tube sockets. . If you are doubtful about following a schematic diagram, you can mark all parts with the code numbers shown on the parts list (C-l, R-9, etc.) before starting. It will also help to mark each connection off with colored pencil on your diagram as it is completed.

First wire the filaments, merely omitting the leads to the indicator light if you are not using one, and making no connection to terminal 6 of the 35W4. Next make the short connections between sockets and install resistors, leaving the larger components for last. Most of the connections are made directly but I used one small terminal strip located centrally to avoid crowding the wiring on the sockets.

You will note there is only one ground connected directly to the chassis, the others being run to a common ground. One terminal of the switch works out nicely for this purpose. The power cord and the shielded wire from the record changer are run through holes in the wooden panel before soldering them into the circuit.

The speaker wires are led through a small grommet and connected to the larger, or primary wires of the output transformer, which is mounted on the speaker itself. The secondary wires are soldered to the speaker voice coil terminals.

Before trying the amplifier, double-check your wiring, looking especially for shorts between the lugs on the tube sockets. If a hum is noticed, try reversing the power cord plug in its socket.

The amplifier and speaker can now be located on the panel and the holes drilled for the control shafts, speaker and indicator light. Place a suitable grill cloth under the speaker before fastening it in place. For best tone, be sure all parts are solidly mounted. Lining the inside of the upper section with Fibreglas or other sound absorbing material will also help to eliminate vibrations.

A small rubber pad glued to the upper panel above the pickup arm will hold it securely on its rest while the player is being carried. The correct length for this pad can be determined by placing a lump of modeling clay or putty on the arm and closing the lid on it.

Give the wood at least three coats of spar varnish, rubbing lightly with steel wool between coats. If any open grain woods such as mahogany are used, they should be given a coat of filler before varnishing. The keg may be stained before varnishing if you wish, however, the fir will be very attractive in its natural color.

The hoops are sawed in half and fastened in place with 1/4-in. No. 3 screws. A carrying handle and suitable hasp or snap will complete the job. A couple of final suggestions: don’t shut off the player during its changing cycle. Wait for the arm to return to the record, then turn off the switch and place it on the rest. Always keep a record on the turntable to protect the needle against breakage.

Sound Film Now Repeats Dialed Telephone Numbers

THE principal convenience of the dial telephone was that it enabled you to pick your own wrong numbers, but even this is done away with now by a sound film which repeats the number which you have just dialed and enables you to correct the mistakes which you may have made.

The new invention does not necessitate the use of the subscriber’s voice. The subscriber merely dials the number and that number is called to central as the sound film automatically repeats the number through a loud speaker. The new method is expected to be put in use before the end of the year.

Miss Catherine Marie Shaugnesy, who was picked to record the various sounds when tests showed her to possess the clearest voice, is shown here listening to the numbers being repeated from the loud speaker while Sergius P. Grace of the Bell Telephone Laboratories dials the numbers.

New Talking Movies Replace Stenographer’s Note Book

THE movietone principle of recording the human voice has been adapted to office use in a machine which has been named the “Dailygraph.” The device is primarily intended for dictating letters in the office but may be used to record speeches for translation or future reproduction for educational and historical purposes. It is a German patent and has been placed on the market in continental countries.

The speaker talks into a mouthpiece similar to that of an ordinary telephone, and the vibrating diaphragm transmits the sounds to the machine in the form of electrical impulses which in turn are converted to light waves. These are recorded on the narrow strip of film similar to that used in the talking movies. When reproducing the voice, the mere pressure of a button reverses the process, and the sound may be projected at will either through the loud speaker or ear phones.

Telegraph Office Moves To Emergency By Trailer

TRAILER telegraph offices that can be rushed to the scene of major news events for use by newspapermen and the general public have been developed by the Western Union Telegraph Co. The mobile offices can operate at any point where wire facilities are, or can be made available.

The trailer interiors provide writing desks for customers, a counter, and telegraphic equipment for both automatic and Morse operations.

To attract attention the trailers are painted with an aluminum roof and blue bodies. The words—”Mobile Telegraph Office” and “Send Your Telegrams Here”—are painted in large yellow letters.

Light Me Up by Phone Some Time!

MERRIAM HOPKINS, Paramount motion picture star, has had installed at the studio a telephone which flashes a light instead of ringing the well-known bell.

This arrangement becomes necessary if a star or other picture employee expects phone calls while working in the sound-proof talkie studio.

Golf Widows will be able to check up on their husbands now with this new application of the portable radio receiving set. The one being used here is a forerunner of the set to be manufactured.

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CHINA’S MILLIONS Twist the DIALS

The Orient opens its heart to radio and in the footsteps of the American listening public, succumbs to the appeal of native amateur hour artists.

by Robert H. Berkov

AGE-OLD China, shaking loose from centuries of tradition, has taken the radio to its heart, and loud speaker entertainment has become one of the most important influences in a nation which is fast adopting the modernism of the west in even the most outlying sections.

From bustling Shanghai and fast-growing Nanking near the eastern coast, to Chengtu in remote Szechuan province, from the far reaches of Hopei province in the north to Yunnan in the extreme southwest, countless receivers blare forth a cacophony of western and Chinese music, announcements, speeches. Out of the ether to hundreds of middle schools come the lessons and exhortations of mass-education broadcasts. In shops and homes are heard, in rapid succession, the traditional story-tellers of old Cathay and the swing music of American jazz bands from the swank hotels and cabarets of Shanghai. And once a month, to crowds reminiscent of World Series listeners in America come the stentorian voices of announcers reciting the lucky numbers of the National Lottery.

In Shanghai, largest city in China and generally deemed the most cosmopolitan community in the world, one can and does hear radio voices in English, French, Russian, German and Japanese as well as the customary Chinese with its numerous dialects and shadings of accent.

That China should become radio-minded to the extent recorded in the past few years may fail to impress Americans or Europeans as remarkable, but when it is remembered that in this country of 450,000,000 people only a pitifully small percentage are able to afford their own receiving sets, the interest shown to date is nothing less than phenomenal. In a nation where human labor is cheaper than that of animals, where thousands of men pull other men in rickshas, where a monthly salary of $30 American currency is considered high, and where millions of people pay less than 6 cents for a restaurant meal, the extent to which radio has conditioned the lives of the masses is more than impressive and the growth of the radio-entertainment business a modern miracle.

The most recent statistics show that China imports radio material and sets to the amount of about $800,000 a year, with the United States supplying the lion’s share of the total.

The nation’s largest and most powerful transmitter, XGOA, owned and operated by the Chinese Government at Nanking, boasts the most modern equipment and facilities, and a power of 75,000 watts, putting it in the ranks of the world’s most powerful stations. But in the majority of stations equipment is crude and inefficient, broadcasting technique is in its infancy, and program arrangements and talent have nowhere reached the fine point which they have, for example, in the United States.

But refinement of equipment and power output of the transmitters are no indication of the stations’ popularity. Scores of little stations, with power ranging from 100 to 500 watts, regularly broadcast programs which boast a popularity easily comparable with that of the top-notch network performances in America.

Until now radio stations have experienced a high mortality and turn-over in China. For a time anarchy ruled the ether, and stations took to the air at their owners’ whim, grabbing any frequency and call letters that suited their fancy, and shifting from one to another regardless of international usage and half- hearted attempts at regulation. Now, however, China is a member of the International Radio Convention and in the interests of harmony all nationals, including those not subject to Chinese laws, abide by the regulations and control of the Ministry of Communications. The prefix “X” is now used by all broadcast stations and allotted wave lengths are adhered to by all. Under the strict regime of the Ministry the channels have been cleared and the number of outlaw stations is infinitesimal. Today the industry is more stable than at any time in its history.

Radio broacasting was introduced into China in 1922 through the enterprise of an American firm which established a 50-watt station. Soon after its beginning, however, it was closed down, presumably because the expected financial returns did not materialize.

A second attempt was made about a year later, also by an American firm, which was engaged in selling receiving sets and accessories and went on the air with a view to stimulating its own sales. In those days, with short-wave transmission and reception confined to commercial enterprises and “hams,” the hearing of entertainment programs from overseas was undreamed of, and in order to sell radio receiving sets, one necessarily had to provide something to receive. The effort lasted exactly six months before it collapsed. In the meantime, however, the germ of radio had affected a number of young Chinese, who entered the field from the amateur ranks, and who availed themselves of every opportunity to learn more about the fascinating subject from the Americans who seemed to know more about it than any other foreigners in China. Some of the young Chinese enthusiasts went to the United States to gain first-hand knowledge from American radio engineers. In 1924 the Kellogg company, American manufacturers of telephone and radio equipment, opened a branch office in Shanghai for the sale of its products, and at the same time inaugurated a 100-watt broadcasting station. Its equipment was subsequently sold to a series of other owners, who were on the air with a variety of stations until the equipment became obsolete and was replaced.

The year 1927 marked the first advent of the Chinese themselves into the business, as the owners of a large department store in Shanghai, sensing the advertising possibilities of radio, installed a 50-watt station. The program consisted of market reports, news summaries and Chinese music. At the same time radio first took hold in other sections of China and the Ministry of Communications set up a long-wave transmitter for the Tientsin Radiogram Bureau. In Peiping, then Peking and the capital of the nation, the telephone bureau opened a 20-watt station and subsequently increased its power to 300 watts.

By 1928 the Chinese Government definitely entered the radio business and erected a station in Chekiang to transmit government orders and important news to the various parts of the province. Starting with an output of 250 watts, the power was later increased to 2,000 watts. The same year the Central Broadcasting Station was built in Nanking, which had become the national capital as a result of the Kuomintang revolution. This station started out with 500 watts but its power was brought to its present proportions after a complete rebuilding of the station and the importation of much of its equipment from the United States.

At present there are 89 broadcasting stations in China, of which 39 are located in Shanghai. The remainder are located at strategic points throughout the country so that, although the majority are of low power, a system of re-broadcast is possible and approximates a national hook-up whenever required by the government for important announcements or programs.

The stations located in such political centers as Nanking, Kunming (Yunnanfu), Hankow, Hangchow, Chungking, Nanning, Canton, Foochow, Nanchang, Tsinan, Peiping, Chinkiang and Taiyuan are either under government control or are operated by the local provincial governments and are used chiefly for the broadcasting of official orders and instructions.

In Ningpo, Tientsin, Tsingtao, Wusih, Chiahsing, Soochow, Wuhu and Shanghai, however, all important commercial centers as well as seats of local governments, the stations are largely privately owned and are used to serve business interests. Here energetic salesmen solicit sponsors, for programs, announcers declaim the merits of toothpaste and cigarettes, and one hears talk of “sustaining” and “commercial” time schedules.

Shanghai is the country’s leading radio center, and the source of most of the purely entertainment programs. Of its 39 studios, all except four are under private ownership and have as their principal objective the dissemination of advertising and entertainment. The programs, in general, follow the technique of the west, but invariably retain a distinct and characteristic Oriental twist, aside from the almost universal use of the Chinese language by the Chinese-owned stations.

For example, in spite of the whole-hearted acceptance by the Chinese people of the modern facilities and equipment which bring them their radio programs, they extend their greatest favor to the most ancient type of program, the Chinese story-teller. This is a type of entertainment which has come down through the ages and thrived in a nation where less than ten per cent of the population is literate The story-teller puts on a one-man show, accompanying himself on a stringed instrument resembling a guitar. His subject matter consists of the age-old tales and legends of the people. Some of the stories are accounts of the exploits of emperors; others have to do with the life of the masses, while still others are simple fairy-tales. But the telling of the tales is more than a reading; the performance takes on the characteristics of high drama, and the episodes are both moving and exciting.

Radio plays are also popular with a race which probably more than any other delights in going to the theater. In western countries the legitimate stage may languish as a result of competition from the moving pictures, but in China the screen dramas in a strange language have to struggle for popularity against stage plays in the Chinese language. The radio, however, is peculiarly fitted to supplement stage performances, and brings the pleasure of theatricals to families which can seldom afford to visit the theater. And since the Chinese stage pays little attention to scenery, concentrating on action and characterization, the native drama suffers little by transfer to the ether, and is one of the greatest attractions to the Chinese dial-twisters.

News broadcasts also find a large and enthusiastic audience. Enterprising Shanghai newspapers have agreements with various radio stations to broadcast the news at regular intervals during the day, and the Chinese public, as news-hungry as any in the world, often turns to the radio receiving set as its sole source of information.

Other programs provided by the stations include modern Chinese music and Chinese jazz. The long-drawn wail of Chinese lady singers, particularly those affecting the Soochow accent, affect Chinese swains in the same manner that American crooners are supposed to affect feminine hearts. A Soochow accent might be compared to the southern accent in America, and is sedulously cultivated by the lady crooners as an item of charm.

But radio stars as such have not developed in China, and there are virtually few outstanding performers whose names and talents are nationally famous. There are two reasons for this; one is that fans tune their sets to certain stations for certain types of programs, and personalities of the performers mean little; the second is that a large portion of the radio talent is drawn from the amateur ranks, with consequent large turnover. The young men and women who take part in radio plays or who sing before a microphone at night, quite often work in stores and offices during the day-time and so are unable to devote to radio the time and effort which bring eminence and publicity to the professionals.

Use of amateur talent, on the other hand, can be tremendously popular, as radio listeners in America know, and the extent of the amateur field in China would probably warm the heart of Major Bowes. A few of the amateurs have graduated into the professional ranks, but a majority continue their regular daily work in other lines of endeavor.

Some of the most outstanding amateur programs broadcast in China today emanate from the studio of Station XHHS, representing the Radio Amateurs’ Home, a unique institution devoted to the non-professional in every aspect of radio. This organization has performed a notable public service during the years by bringing advanced radio knowledge to amateurs in China.

Not only does it sell equipment for amateur receivers and transmitters, but it engages in extensive educational work to spread public knowledge of radio. Aspiring “hams” are taught how to assemble sets and are given advice and help in ironing out all their problems. A magazine “China Radio,” is published in the interest of amateur activities, to keep radio enthusiasts in this country fully apprised of developments in China and abroad. The station XHHS, featuring youthful entertainers, among whom the Wong sisters enjoy a high degree of popularity, draws a large home audience. In the evening, after an early dinner, the largest number of Chinese settle themselves for an evening at the radio dials, and thousands tune in to XHHS.

XQHC with a power of 1,000 watts is also located in Shanghai. It is operated by the Ministry of Communications, but offers programs of pure entertainment, and is not concerned with official business. Its equipment is probably the most modern in Shanghai, but its popularity with the masses is only moderate. Programs are broadcast in English as well as in Chinese, and include news summaries as well as musical numbers. It features programs presented by students of the various middle schools.

The Municipal Government of Greater Shanghai (Chinese areas) also operates a station, XGOI, from the Civic Center located in the territory bombed by the Japanese in 1932 but now rapidly becoming one of the show-places of Shanghai with its resplendent buildings housing the local Chinese government organs. XGOI has a spasmodic schedule, however and is heard only when unusual events are being staged at the Civic Center. Principal sports competitions, in the Civic Center stadium are broadcast on a play-by-play basis from XGOI which becomes one of the most popular stations in the country for the duration of the event. Although its power is only 500 watts it is consistently heard in even the most remote sections of the country.

XMHA is the best-known foreign station, and broadcasts all programs in English. It is American owned and is run similarly to a station in the United States. Another American station was recently sold to Japanese interests, and now broadcasts programs in English, Chinese and Japanese.

On the days of the National State Lottery, the microphones of four local stations are installed at the Canidrome where the drawings take place, and as each number is drawn from the drums, the digits are announced simultaneously in Chinese, English, French and Russian.

Contrasting sharply with American practice, two religious stations are among the most active in Shanghai, and their programs are usually well received. One is the Shanghai Christian Broadcasting Station operated by Mrs. H. C. Robertson, an American woman. Its programs are almost exclusively religious, but music is interlarded with sermons. Because of the large number of missionary stations in all parts of the nation, some in the most outlying areas, and because of the comparatively large body of Chinese Christians, the programs of this station enjoy a larger audience than might be supposed. In addition the news broadcasts of this station, presented in English, are eagerly awaited by foreigners in isolated stations.

The other religious station is of a different nature. It is the Fo Yin station, and is operated by the Shanghai Buddhist Assocation. The organ of a section of Buddhists which believes in discarding the old tradition of tranquility and making an aggressive campaign for religion, this station reflects an evangelistic fervor comparable to that of many American Christian institutions. Music, impassioned orations, lessons and plays with a religious motive can be heard at almost all hours of the day or night, and the station is among the best known in China.

Mass education activities in Hopei province also make wide use of the radio. Conforming to orders of the Ministry of Education, radio sets have been installed in all middle schools of Hopei province, and programs of the mass-education movement are sent out from several government-owned stations simultaneously. In its campaign to educate adults as well as children and to make the masses literate, the Ministry of Education plans an increasing use of the ether waves.

Recently the Chinese Government ordered all stations in China to pick up a broadcast from XGOA at Nanking between 8 and 8:30 o’clock every night and to re-broadcast it. The program, it was announced, would consist of good music, talks, and news announcements in both English and Chinese. A howl immediately arose from operators of stations in Shanghai, particularly the foreign-owned stations, who resent the surrender of one of their best broadcasting periods to the Government. Although the Chinese stations objected also, they quickly complied with the Government order, but the foreign stations showed a disposition to resist. Finally, however, all except two, an American and a French station, decided to comply. The Government is still attempting to reach an amicable agreement with the two defiant stations which will result in their following the example of their colleagues.

Phone Booth Needs No Door
A DE LUXE telephone booth, utilizing a sound absorbent material instead of glass or wood panels, is the latest development of the Burgess Battery Company, of Chicago, Ill. Open around the base, and because of the remarkable absorption qualities of the lining, no door is required. This feature of the design facilitates natural ventilation and easy cleaning, yet greater privacy is achieved than in the ordinary closed booth.

Listeners Applaud Program

BY PRESSING an electric switch, radio listeners may express approval of a current radio program. Holding down a small switch attached to the base of a small lamp placed near the radio, the increased current drain is shown at the local power plant or substation.

Now being used in France, the idea was first tried out by an American power company working with an eastern broadcasting chain.

Raising a Switchboard One Floor without Stopping the Telephone Service

The novel expedient of raising a main switchboard from the first to the second floor of the telephone exchange at West Palm Beach, Florida, was accomplished recently without at all interfering with the telephone service. The telephone company had added a floor to the building and then decided to get the switchboard up on it in such a way that the change would not embarrass the subscribers.

The decision to do this was made before the floor had been completed, so that a large opening was left among the rafters of the new floor, big enough to permit the switchboard to go through on a temporary platform, supported by powerful chains. Back of the board the cables of wires leading to it had been extended so as not to hamper the movement of the platform.

Three telephone girls continued at work while the platform was being slowly raised and though it was a rather shaky operation, none of the operatives paid much attention to it, answering calls as though nothing had happened. Nor did the telephone users become aware of what was going on. When the switchboard had been lifted to the second floor, the placing of it in position was a comparatively simple task

Headwork in the Garden

THE chic hat Paul Johnson of Jacksonville, Fla., wears while gardening may not keep off the iun, but it will bring in all local radio stations. The one-tube radio headset operates on two dry cells to enable him to keep up with his favorite programs while doing outdoor chores.

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HOW TO TAP A PHONE

By Tony Karp

THERE are many ways to tap a phone; most of them against the law. Our little gadget, however, is quite legal and can be used to great advantage at home or in the office.

Basically, the unit consists of a pickup coil, an amplifier and a speaker. The pickup coil is placed under, or near, any transformer-type telephone without being in physical contact with it. As the electrical currents pass through the phone, part of the energy is induced into the pickup coil. This energy is fed into the amplifier where it is amplified to the point where it will operate the loudspeaker, enabling everyone within range to hear what is being said at the other end of the telephone line. This will come in handy when some relative is calling long-distance; your whole family can hear what he is saying. Or, in the office, the whole staff can hear a salesman’s report. There are other uses for the pickup, limited only by your own imagination.

The unit is a four-transistor audio amplifier with three transformer- coupled stages. The last stage is push-pull for greater clarity and higher output. When idle, it only draws about five milliamperes because the last stage does not draw any current until a signal is applied to it. Yet it has plenty of “sock” and on a good signal will put out over a quarter of a watt, enough to drive the four-inch speaker with plenty of volume. Since the amplifier draws 25 to 35 milliamperes only when there is a signal, the battery will give many hours of use before it needs replacing.

The first step in construction is to drill the holes to mount the chassis and the speaker in the meter case. Remove the decorative moulding on the front of the case. The two holes under the moulding must be drilled or reamed to a half-inch so that the nuts on the volume control and the jack will fit snugly and serve to support the front of the chassis. The case is made of light steel and no trouble in drilling the holes will be encountered if a sharp drill is used. Punch a slight indentation before the hole is started.

Since the amplifier is built in a fairly large case, there is plenty of space for a chassis that will hold all the parts without crowding. An unusual feature is that everything is attached to the chassis. This includes the input jack, the volume control and the battery.

By removing the two nuts holding the brackets in the back, the chassis can be removed intact for servicing.

Before construction of the chassis can be started, the mounting holes for the battery holder, transformers and brackets must be drilled. Using the photo and drawing of the chassis as a guide, lay out the transformers on the chassis and drill holes with a No. 30 drill. The same size holes should be made for the battery holder and brackets; the jack and volume control are mounted under the chassis. Make sure that the brackets for these parts are positioned carefully so that the nut on the volume control and the jack will match up with the two holes in the front of the case.

Next, mount the parts on the chassis. The first stage of the amplifier is mounted at the front of the chassis and the other two follow along the side with the push-pull stage being at the back. Flea clips are used to hold the transistors; they also act as binding posts. As a result, the usual rectangular holes for sockets do not have to be drilled. Three clips are used for each transistor. Mark the flea clip that holds the collector (C) of each transistor with a spot of red nail polish or paint so that you will be sure to connect the transistor with its proper polarity.

Insert the leads of the components into the holes in the chassis. Bend them slightly so they will stay in place. Now you can begin the soldering. Check the schematic carefully as you perform this operation. Be sure that the color coding on the leads of the transformer are correct to avoid oscillation. Another cause of oscillation is neglecting to ground the black lead on the output transformer. Solder this wire to a ground on the chassis and run a wire from there to the speaker. A solder joint on the frame of the speaker will not work. Check also for correct polarity on the electrolytic condensers.

Before testing the amplifier go over the schematic again to be sure that all connections are correct. A few minutes spent checking at this time may save you the trouble of later replacing a transistor.

Slide the chassis into the case so that the nuts pass through the holes in the front and support the chassis. Hold the chassis level and drill two holes for the bolts that will pass through the brackets in the back. Now remove the chassis and insert the transistors in the flea clips, making sure that the collector side is next to the red dot. When you clip the leads of the transistors, leave them a little long; this may save you trouble later. Put the battery into its holder and put on its snaps.

Insert the speaker and grille cloth. Now, install the chassis and bolt it in place. Solder the two leads from the speaker to the two flea clip binding posts on the rear of the chassis. Leave a little slack in these wires so that the chassis can be removed without unsoldering.

Solder the shielded cable from the phone pickup to the miniature plug. The inside wire goes to the short side of the plug, the braided part to the long part. Now the unit is ready to be tested.

Turn the amplifier on. If the unit is functioning correctly, the only sound from the speaker will be the normal hiss generated by the transistors. If the unit oscillates, check the ground on the input, the volume control and the output. If it still oscillates, check the leads on the transformers and be sure that R4 is the right value.

If no sound is heard, check the battery polarity and make sure that the transistors are inserted properly. If this fails to produce results, a check of the schematic against your unit is in order.

Now plug in the phone pickup jack for a final test. Turn on the amplifier and place the pickup coil underneath the base of your telephone. Remember, it must be the kind of telephone which has its transformer in the base and not in a separate box on the wall. In the latter case, the pickup coil of course must be placed near the wall box. At any rate, you should now be in business and all your family or friends will be able to listen in comfort to long distance calls. •

This picture is part of the clever QSL card of W7ELL/ Iwo Jima. The four-element rotary in the background is authentic and so is Lt. B. II. Thomas, W7ELL, the guy with the half-mast pants and the undersize helmet. Naturally the gang is very enthusiastic about the location, and during calls apply to it such tender appellations as “. . . the Volcano on the Rock of Despair,” and “the big ash heap of the Pacific.”

“…..THAT’S EASY! WHAT HE’S GOT THAT YOU HAVEN’T GOT IS AN ECHOPHONE EC-1″

Echophone Model EC-1
(Illustrated) a compact communications receiver with every necessary feature for good reception. Covers from 550 ka to 30 mc. on three bands. Electrical bandspread on all bands. Six tubes. Self-contained speaker. 115-125 volts AC or DC.
Echophone Radio Co., 540 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 11, Illinois

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Is Radio Earthbound?

By D. C. WILKERSON

Can Radio Waves conquer interstellar Space and travel from planet to planet? That is the question the scientists hope to answer with Prof. Goddard’s proposed Moon Rocket, Which will contain a radio transmitter.

HOW IT LOOKED IN 1925

This article was originally published in RADIO NEWS, our sister publication, in March, 1925. It shows that even 33 years ago realistic individuals were thinking ahead on the subject of radio transmission. It is rather amazing that author Willterson predicted the future so well, as evidenced by the fact that we are receiving transmissions from space today. Note the similarity of the rocket conceived by Dr. Goddard back in 1925 (shown on page 52) to a modern rocket, the “Thor” (shown here).
—THE EDITORS

DURING the last year, more than any-other year in history, men have been given the results of scientific radio achievements which stimulate the imagination, as a spur to lagging engineering and technical development.

We have experienced the near approach of Mars, the flurry of mysterious radio impulses apparently connected with the fiery planet in some way, but the findings of this investigation *have not been thoroughly tabulated from all quarters.

Professor C. Francis Jenkins, the television and telephotographic expert, made signal graphs of the electrical disturbances for the whole time of Mars’ approach period, and there are other results yet to be centralized for study from all over the world.

From scientific research and countless years of grinding labor, the human race has been able to grasp the immensity of the eternal universe to which the earth is an insignificant part. The average “man in the street” now knows that we on earth are flying at tremendous speed through the heavens, linked to the sun and the other planets, our solar system being in turn linked in some way to the greater system of tremendous stars.

Astronomers have yearned for centuries to bridge the gap beyond our own infinitesimal plane, and determine whether or not nature has peopled other worlds with living, thinking beings like ourselves. The physical limitations of space and the force of gravity chain us to the earth, but the eye, aided by giant telescopes, has pierced the heavens and found there much food for reflection.

Even with the tremendous magnifying power of the mightiest of modern telescopes, we cannot discern on any other celestial body traces of life. The face of the moon, the nearest object in point of miles to our earth, discloses no vestige of animal or vegetable life. The greenish haze noted on the surface of Mars has not been satisfactorily observed generally.

HEAVISIDE’S RADIO WAVE THEORY The sudden growth of radio has placed in our grasp a new force of most portentous possibilities. It is practically instantaneous. Its wave moves with the speed of light. A modern English physicist, Dr. Heaviside, has propounded the theory that radio waves are earthbound, being guided by the electrical properties of the surrounding gases.

This theory enjoys great vogue among men of high authority. More adventurous minds have hoped that by means of the radio wave we might communicate with other living beings on other planets. What a masterful conception to stimulate the hopes of man! To reach out beyond our own little sphere and find other civilizations will do more to advance human thought and development than all the works of religious founders for all time.

Communication from airplanes and airships between each other and with radio ground stations has given support to the thought that possibly the radio wave is not fettered to earth, and that it might penetrate to interstellar space.

Electromagnetic disturbances caused by mighty eruptions shown in spots on the face of the sun have been noted on the earth and records made from them in radio stations. If such disturbances can project a radio wave from the sun to the earth, then is it not proved that these impulses can carry on through space?

To obtain exact proof of this perplexing question has been a problem impossible of solution, since we had no way to set up radio waves beyond the earth’s zone of influence, until Professor Goddard first brought out his projected Moon-Rocket.

THE MOON-ROCKET The Moon-Rocket has been discussed in these columns before, and a lengthy discourse about it would be out of place here. Simply, the plan is to build a giant rocket which shall move through space by the ejection-reaction principle. It will carry a series of explosive charges sufficiently powerful to drive the body of the rocket beyond the gravitational pull of the earth, the successive charges to drive the rocket to the moon. As the mighty projectile progresses through the heavens, it will be watched by thousands of astronomers who will check on its flight, speed and the place where it lands on the moon. This latter item, of course, depends upon the accuracy of calculations made for the proper time, place and direction of initial flight.

TO INCLUDE RADIO TRANSMITTER It is now proposed to include in the mechanism of the rocket a small but powerful radio transmitter which shall be set in operation at the moment the rocket is released. Coincident with the verifying of the flight of the rocket by astronomers, the vast army of radio listeners will stand by their receiving sets with watches in hand noting the strength of signals as long as they shall continue.

This will settle once and for all whether or not the radio wave, our only present-day hope for signaling other intelligent creatures on other planets, can conquer the void between our interstellar neighbors and ourselves. What a wonderful inspiration it will be to mankind to realize that there exists elsewhere than on earth other living, thinking beings.

Some plans were made for carrying a man as a passenger in the Goddard Rocket, and volunteers were even listed for the journey. Such a human sacrifice has been discouraged, for there is little doubt but that a man thus carried could not survive the trip for many reasons. It is also believed that the first tremendous impulse of the rocket in flight would be great enough to burst the blood vessels of the passenger; therefore the idea of the passenger has been abandoned.

In lieu thereof, the radio transmitter has been suggested as a passenger. It will certainly provide intelligent means for obtaining important facts about the vast spaces existing throughout the universe.

When the world of science knows for a certainty that the radio waves can carry through interstellar space, the time when further and more ambitious attempts to communicate with our planetary neighbors will be hastened.

This may answer the cynical queries of skeptics who demand to know what use all this sort of thing is to the world. Every new scientific fact produced supplies further tools with which to better our fast-growing and complicated structure of civilization. Let us hope success crowns the efforts of all men who dare to pioneer the distant fields of our universe.

Radio Equipment for Autos Brings Broadcast Programs to Motorists

RADIO, it seems, is destined to be installed in everything that flies, runs on wheels, or floats on water. The fast moving auto is the latest vehicle to be invaded by radio’s onward march.

Equipment has recently been placed on the market for installation in automobiles. As shown in the photo below, the control dials are installed on the dashboard, while the apparatus occupies a small space up under the cowl. The location of the loud speaker is optional, the space under the cowl being preferable. The antenna is ordinarily strung up in the roof, but many cars are equipped with built-in and invisible antennas, especially in the de luxe models of expensive makes.

Wiretap-proof telephone
This scrambler keeps private phone conversations safe from wiretappers and eavesdroppers. Fitted to an ordinary handset, it needs no electrical connection, has its own power source. To hear, a person needs an unscrambler coded identically. Delcon Division, Hewlett-Packard Co., Palo Alto, Calif., sells it for $275, keeps your name and code locked in its vault.

Here is the new push-button office telephone…

the CALL director

for the person who makes a lot of calls, or takes a lot of calls This is the most advanced and flexible telephone ever offered to business! More than a new product, the Call Director is a new concept in telephone design and service.

It provides fast, easy handling of outside and interoffice calls plus special features to fit your communications needs. By pushing a button you can—
• Connect with other office telephones
• Set up interoffice conference calls
• “Add-on” other office extensions to incoming calls.

The modern, space-saving Call Director comes in two models. One has up to 30 buttons—the other up to 18— for any combination of features. Each comes in ivory, beige, green or gray.

The Call Director’s many advanced features make it the ideal telephone for busy executives, for secretaries or clerks who answer for a number of people — for anyone in business who makes or takes a lot of calls.

Find out how the Call Director can speed your business by improving your communications. Call your Bell Telephone Business Office. A representative will visit you at your convenience — no obligation, of course.

BELL TELEPHONE SYSTEM

Bill-Saving Lock for Dial Phones

LONG distance and other expensive calls made over your telephone without your consent can be prevented by a dial lock now being marketed. The lock consists of a metal cover which fits snugly over the dial, and is equipped with a lock which holds it firmly in place, as illustrated in the accompanying photo. Key may be carried on ring.

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Radio News

Broadcasts from Ocean’s Bottom

HOW a diver feels and what he sees as, clad in his heavy armor, he “plods his weary way” along the ocean floor and explores the weird submarine world of

gloomy lights and flickering, sinister shadows, was vividly described to thousands of radio fans not long ago when C. O. Jackson, a diver from Philadelphia, successfully broadcast a talk from the bottom of the Atlantic. To those who were listening in to station WIP he told all that he saw in his trip to Davy Jones’ locker. This is the first time that such a feat has been at- tempted, and it afforded a real thrill to the listeners. The diver was equipped with a helmet in which was installed a microphone, protected by sponges and connected to the boat from which he descended.

The boat was connected by wire to an amplifier on the Atlantic City pier near which the experiment took place, and a land wire hooked up the pier apparatus with the broadcasting1 station. The first thing that the listeners heard was a swirling, swishing sound, which, it was explained, was the noise of the air currents in the diver’s helmet. The voice at first was weak, but grew stronger, and when the diver had reached bottom, fifty feet below the surface, they heard him say, “On my left I see the wreck of an old boat.

It looks like the skeleton of a huge fish. In it a school of little fish is playing. The rays of the sun, which look green at this depth, shine on their backs.” After walking around a second wreck near by and describing its appearance, and that of the ocean floor in the vicinity, the diver ascended, having been under water ten minutes. Upon his arrival at the pier the diver was presented with a silver cup, as a memento of the occasion when the ocean’s bottom was first described to those on shore direct from the man on the spot. The test was a complete success, and listeners had a variation from the usual programs.

Transformer Sealed in Vacuum

Experimenters have long realized the advantages of the air-core transformer for maximum amplification at a given wave length, but it has heretofore been found impossible to construct transformers of this type that could be depended upon to give uniform and satisfactory results under all conditions. Absorption of atmospheric moisture in untreated coils causes serious losses, and treatment of the coils with gums and resins to remove this difficulty introduces another set of losses equally serious. Now, it is claimed, these difficulties have been overcome by a transformer sealed in a vacuum tube. The coils are thoroughly dehydrated and accurately spaced on ,a glass rod, then inclosed in a tube of high-lead-content glass, evacuated to a high degree and sealed. The initial efficiency of the transformer is thus retained.

One Antenna for Several Sets

By connecting a “coupling-tube unit” devised by U. S. naval radio experts, it is possible to hook several receiving sets onto a common aerial and each set can receive signals on a different wave length without interfering with the other sets. The apparatus has been thoroughly tested and found successful on board the U. S. S. “Colorado”; the ship’s operators copied simultaneously several messages from different stations even while the battleship’s transmitter was in action, thus enabling the vessel to carry on several times the normal amount of business.

The unit includes a resistance so high that the strength of incoming signals is reduced considerably, and it is therefore necessary to use receiving sets with three or four tubes. A radio-frequency step in the form of a trap, which eliminates regeneration, is required and a receiving set using a detector tube. This unit has become part of standard battleship equipment. To the general public this device is also of considerable usefulness as it will eliminate the great number of aerials found on city apartment buildings.

Radio Spies Are Trapped by Direction Finders in Prowling Motor Cars

Spy-operated radio transmitters don’t stand much chance of remaining undetected under the new set-up of the Federal Communications Commission. Direction-finding units in automobiles, fixed listening posts at 200-mile intervals, and ten long-range direction-finding stations now keep a 24-hour watch over ether activities in the United States and its territories. The mobile units are particularly effective for tracing illegal stations after their general location has been established by the fixed stations. Two of them, for instance, prowling about an area containing an illegal station, can get a number of direction lines on the station. When these are drawn on a map of the locality, they point unerringly to the transmitter.

To handle the illegal stations which have sprung into operation with growing defense production, the F.C.C. recently increased its field force from fewer than 200 to almost 600 engineers and operators. This is a small staff for checking up on and recording code conversations on the air, foreign-language broadcasts and conversations, in addition to routine work. But last year more than 1,000 illegal stations were tracked down.

Pushbuttons replace dials on telephone

Tests in regular service last winter at Carnegie and Greensburg, Pa., suburbs of Pittsburgh, have shown it’s easier and more than twice as fast to press buttons for a phone call than it is to twirl a dial. As each “touch-tone” button is pushed, it sounds a pleasing musical tone.

Bell is introducing the phone area by area, will nave it in general use within the next 10 years.