Indianapolis Times, Volume 40, Number 89, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 September 1928 — Page 13

Radio Section

WF3M CLIMBS TO PEAK BY 4 YEARSJFFORT , -Growth in Facilities and Quality Consistent: Ranks With World’s Best. POWER INCREASE ASKED Varied Schedule Broadcast; Operation Maintained Since Last Year. Radio broadcasting station \VFBM, owned and operated by the Indianapolis Power and Light Company, is one of the oldest stations in the State, having placed its first program on the air Nov. 4, 1924.' The first service rendered at that tim'e was the broadcast of election returns and the station was operating on a power of 250 watts and 268 meters, and located in the old Merchants Heat and Light Company’s substation on S. Harding St. The next two years its service to the community covered a wide range. It brought entertainment, into thousands of homes. It broadcast church services. In December, 1927, the station received permission to increase the power to 1,000 watts, and it was decided to move the equipment to an isolated spot in the southern part of the city. At present the equipment is set up in a schoolhouse eight and one-half miles south of the monument on the Three Notch Road. Prominent engineers have pronounced it the most perfect transmission set, in the world. Studio Is Comodious With the increase in power came the necessity for a studio that would be in keeping with better programs. Through courtesy of the Indianapolis Athletic Club a studio was furnished on the ninth floor of the club building. This studio, with its sound-proof walls and pleasing appearance, served the needs of the station until March, 1928, when the directors of the company believed larger quarters were needed. The entire third floor of the old Wulschner Stewart Bldg., 229 N. Pennsylvania St., was leased and refitted. These are the present quarters of WFBM. There is a large reception room, a main broadcasting room of approximately 1,000 square feet of floor space, a smaller broadcasting room of about 400 square feet of floor space, a control board room, the director’s office, and a combination work and battery room. The license granted WFBM permits broadcast on a frequency of 1,090 kilocycles, 275.1 meters, with a .power of 1,000 watts for unlimited time. At the present programs are given from 3 to 12 each day except Sundays. At a meeting of the board of directors of the Power and Light Company in the spring of 1927 it was decided to place the station on a commercial basis. Sept. 1, 1927, WFBM entered the commercial field and the contracts secured from Indainapolis business houses have been most gratifying. Since June 1, 1928, when Thomas F. Hatfield took charge of the station new policies have been adopted, and in the last three months radio fans have been accorded reception comparable with stations of far greater facilities. Programs Varied

The personnel of the station: Mr. K. Foxworthy, general director; Thomas F. Hatfield, station manager; Earl B. Mounce, studio and musical director; William A. Etter, chief engineer; John Tribby and Parker Wheatley, announcers; Frank Sharp, Albert Rutherford and William Garstang remote control operators; Arthur Goodnow chief operator, and Ira M. Slater, assistant operator. A wide range of items is covered during the week: Time signals, livestock, grain and market reports, a chapter a day from the Bible, talks on medical and dental hygiene; church services. United States farm school, veterinary talk for farmers, Indianapolis safety council, fire prevention, safety talks to school children, business research by Indiana University, State road conditions, boxing at Ft. Harrison and the Indiana Guard Armory, baseball and football games play by play, musical programs of classical dramatic art and items of national importance, such as the speeches of Smith and Hoover, and prize fights. Higher Power Petitioned The musical department of WFBM is employing regularly 150 of the best artists in the city and State and recently has organized a twen-ty-four piece symphony orchestra, directed by Earl B. Mounce, musical director and supervised by George Irish. Through the experience gained by Hatfield, on a trip which covered fifteen of the largest stations in the East and Middlewest, WFBM operates on the highest and most efficient plane. Each musical program is rehearsed carefully, continuity writers preparing a separate program for each broadcast and the entire program is prepared ten days before it goes on the air. • Aug. 26 the Stutz Motor Car Company, using the symphony orchestra, presented a program of the classics. The Stutz company contemplates placing this same program on the air each Sunday between 6 and 7 p. m. At the present time application has been filed for an increase to 10.000 watts. Indications are that this increase will be granted.

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Weather Aid Radio Enables Bureau to Send Quick Reports in Isolated Areas.

RADIO has done more to make t,he work of the United States Weather Bureau effective than any other agency, according to Edgar B. Calvert of Washington, chief of Uncle Sam’s weather forecast division. “Forecasts and warnings are of no value unless they can be distributed immediately and thoroughly,” says Calvert. “Time is always of the essence, and sometimes vital. A warning of' a disastrous frost, cold wave or storm for tomorrow loses much of its value or is worthless those in the threatened districts know about it today. “How to reach the people directly and immediately is a problem that has confronted the weather bureau from its beginning. Every practicable method is is employed. The press, telephone, telegraph and various signaling devices have solved the difficulty in large measure in cities and communities within their reach, but the ships beyond sight of land, and farmers, cattlemen, construction workers and others in regions isolated from telegraph and telephone communication have been handicapped in receiving the benefits of the forecasts and warnings. “Radio, however, opened the way and has solved nearly all the difficulties of the problems.”

OPERATE RADIO IN DEEP CAVE Reception Excites Visitors in Virginia Caverns. Charles Service Jr., of Saratoga, Flo., wanted to see how a radio set would operate far underground. He took a radio set into the Shenandoah Caverns in Virginia trailing a 35 foot piece of enunciator wire along the floor of the cabin. He found reception at the 75 foot level almost as good as on the surface. Then he carried the outfit to the 300 foot level. Os the results there he says: “Imagine our surprise to hear WJZ and KDKA come in with sufficient audibility to be understood distinctly 150 feet down the passageway. Visitors who were being shown through by guards were considerably excited over the performance of the set so far below the surface.”

MANY FEATURES IN DAY FAN SET * i Three New Models Placed on Market Here. Three new models are offered by the Day-Fan Electric Company for the 1929 season. Included are two console and one table model. A. C operated, employing eight tubes. George Riser of Riser Bros & Cos, local distributors of Day-Fan sets, reports that they are receiving much favorable comment from their dealers, who in turn report sales far in excess of last year. ■ The set is entirely self-contained, employing eight tubes, of which four are radio frequency, one detector with three stages of audio amplification. The set is completely shielded and uses push-pull amplification, giving great volume without distortion. Another feature is the elimination of line hum. This year’s models are equipped with adjustable transformer connections to take care of high or low line voltage conditions, and the entire set is protected by a replaceable fuse. The console cabinets are of wal • nut with built-in speaker, either magnetic or dynamic. The eight features of this year’s Day-Fan are: Tonal quality, increased selectivity volume, sensitiveness, illuminated single dial, moderate price, appearanec and self-contained power supply. HEADS RADIO RETAILERS Guaranteed Tire and Rubber Comjainy Operates Eleven Stores. Who is the biggest retail radio dealer in the city of Indianapolis? Has this thought ever entered your mind? Probably not. Very few people realize that the Guarantee Tire and Rubber Company is one of the largest single radio dealers in this territory. This company operates a chain of eleven stores in Indianapolis and vicinity and carries a complete line of radio sets, parts, batteries and speakers in all stores. For the past several years they have been dealers in Crosley radio sets and speakers, radio A and B batteries, tubes and radio parts. Crosley radio sets are sold by the Guarantee on a five day free demon tration plan in the home. POLICE USE RADIO SETS N. Y. Department Speeds Work With Broadcasting System. Radio has been used for broadcasting general police alarms and not infrequently the capture of a criminal has resulted. New York is the first city to put it to work as a detective in a big way. The radio system permits police headquarters j to get into touch with any precinct station or with all of them in the fraction of a second.

The Indianapolis Times

5 COMPANIES GET BULK OF RADIO TRADE Test of Time Gives Public Assurance of Product’s Merit. NEWER SETS BETTER Makers, Unable to Keep Up With Trend, Fall by Wayside. From 1925 to 1928, 350 odd firms have made a bid for the national radio business. Today 50 per cent of the business is obtained by five manufacturers. It should be interesting to the radio buying public why so few get such a large per cent of the business, and what becomes of the numerous other manufacturers. Os the 350 odd firms starting the race, only a handful are left. Merit of production still is the final measure by which the public tests merchandise before giving ultimate and permanent approval. Get Public Approval “Today,” writes William F. Crosby, in the Motor Magazine, “the situation is reversed, and it is now cheaper for the man who wants to have radio to go out and buy himself a complete receiver, with the assurance that the company in back of it will remain in business long enough for him to get factory service, if he needs it. “Furthermore, these newer sets are made better both mechanically and technically, and the costly errors of assembly of the engineering department have been practically eliminated by the leading manufacturers. Sets on sale today may be counted on to give results for many years to come. “Right now radio set manufacturing is in excellent shape with better sets technically and mechanically than ever before, with better merchandising and advertising ideas, wider distribution and all on a solid financial foundation not dependent upon stock promotion schemes to keep it going. Many Makers Quit. To look back through the past three years and see the numerous makes of radio sets and manufacturers who no longer grace the printed pages with their advertising. Among them will be found some famous names but they are gone now, not necessarily failures but unable to up with the procession of radio.” F. A. D. Andrea, Inc., takes great pride in pointing out the fact that seven years ago its business star'ed in a small way, with a capital of SSOO. Today it is rated as one of the five manufacturers who are doing better than 50 per cent of the radio business. F. A. D. Andread, Inc., Is the manufacturers of Fada radio receivers and speakers that have been distributed by the Gibson Company in this territory for the past five years.

CHURCHES ARRANGE TO BROADCAST SERVICES WFBM to Put Programs on Air Every Sunday. Church services to be broadcast over WFBM this coming season will include the Second Church of Christ, Scientist, the Christian Men Builders of the Third Christian Church and vesper services of the Second Presbyterian Church. These churches believe that the shut-ins and those unable to attend the services, deserve the same privilege as the congregation that attends the service in person regularly each Sunday. Services have been arranged from 9:30 a. m. to 12 and from 4:45 to 5:45 p. m. every Sunday. WOMEN’S HOUR SLATED Cranberry Recipes Will Be Given Over WFBM. The Cranberry Growers Association of New York will occupy a very important position on WFBM’s program this fall and winter, as their Women’s Hour will contain many spicy recipes for the use of cranberries on the table, as well as in shapes and forms palatable to every one.

Gives Thanks “Perhaps greater than any other invention is the radio. It carries to the most remote homes in the civilized world the finest music, the lectures, the progress of the world. I thank God for the invention of the radio and am in favor of further progressive thought that will make Its use more general,” says Senator Royal S. Copeland of New York.

WLS Chicago to Broadcast State Fair Daily

Arrangements have been completed by the Indiana State fair board and Station WLS of Chicago for broadcasting all outstanding events of the fair. WLS will broadcast directly from the grounds by long distance lines and will be on the air more than, three hours daily. WKBF, Hoosier Athletic Club station, also will broadcast. The Chicago station has erected

INDIANAPOLIS, MONDAY, SEPT. 3, 1928

‘There’s Music in the Air!’ How WFBM Does It

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In four years WFBM has moved to the front rank in the broadcasting field. Above—Glimpses of the comfortable studio and elaborate equipment that has given the station leadership. Upper Left—A view of the main

U, S, HOMES OLEARAiR PLAN Five Radio Zones Under Commission Proposal. Bay United Press WASHINGTON, Sept. 3.—A plan for reallocation of the country's broadcasting facilities providing for an equal distribution among the five radio zones has been made public by the Federal Radio Commission. •Seventy-four cleared channels are made available for high grade reception. Large stations having a minimum power of 5,000 watts are assigned forty of these channels, and there are to be eight cleared channels in each zone. The plan provides that onl yone of these stations shall operate on each of the forty channels during night hours. In this way the commission expects to insure clear reception of radio programs to listeners in all parts of the country. The commission plan also calls for distribution of the other thirtyfour cleared channels for regional broadcasting service. This will permit 125 full-time stations of the local type. Throughout the reallocation program, wide geographical spacing was observed between stations on adjoining channels to eliminate objectionable “cross talk.” STORE ADDS RADIO LINE People’s Outfitting Company Opens New Department. The People’s Outfitting Company just has opened anew radio department under the personal direction of Miss Mayme Tully, who for the past several years has had charge of the Vlctrola and record sales. This well known furniture store after looking over the radio field selected Atwater-Kent and Majestic and will feature these two lines exclusively. A large space on the main floor will be used for display while demonstration rooms will be located on, one of the upper floors; Both sets will be sold on the popular payment plan without interest-carrying chajges. DEAF, HEARS ON RAblO Woman Notes Sound First Time In Thirty Years. A woman in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Cal., totally deaf for more than thirty years, writes that she was hearing radio programs clearly on her one dial set. “Tonight I got the fight,” writes this woman. “Ye-Gods —what a noise. I followed the announcer’s story perfectly—did not miss a single word—and calling on my own pictures of the fights I saw when I was a newspaper woman, I could get the mental picture beautifully.” 22,000 Dealers at Show The radio show held at Chicago this year was the largest in the history of the industry. More than 22,000 dealers attended the show in five days.

crystal broadcasting booth in the foyer of the Woman’s building and the programs will be in charge of Harold A. Safford, assistant director and announcer of the station. Programs will be broadcast also from the Coliseum, where the stock judging will take place, and also from the grand stand at the race track. Augmenting the talks and entertainment features on the air

TELEVISION IS HELD YEARS IN FUTURE

Sets for Home at Present Too Expensive, Says City Dealer. Frank J. Argast, manager of the Hatfield Electric Company and treasurer of the Indianapolis Radio Trade Association, is one local radio dealer who believes television in the home will not be practical for at least several years. Argast says: “A great many stories have been broadcast during the past several months concerning television in the home and that several thousand homes in the United States will be equipped with television receivers during the coming winter. It is true that several stations have made an attempt to broadcast pictures during the past several months, and in some instances have proved successful. “But the equipment necessary to receive these shadows or pictures have been so elaborate and expensive that they are beyond reach of the average home. Television is sure to come and the receivers will be priced within the reach of the average family, but the radio set purchased this year will give several years of satisfactory enjoyment before we have aerial moving pictures.” Argast reports that the outlook for the coming year is very bright and that his firm has enjoyed the biggest summer radio business in their history. The Hatfield Electric Company are offering three lines of radio receivers this year, Majestic, Atwater Kent and Kolster. This company is one of the oldest radio dealers in the city and at one time operated their own broadcasting station, WOH, which many of the older fans remember as one of the best in the country. They also have a complete up-to-date service department employing three experts. WEED OUT SMALL SETS Ayres’ Radio Department Limits Stock to Three Makes. Ayres’ radio department now carries just three leading makes of radios. Superiority seeks the top level, according to Ayres’ radio head, and all inferior lines have been eliminated. Elimination of all but the better lines has been the result of careful experimentation. Public needs have been consulted and studied. The market has been combed for new ideas and every make sold has been put to long tests. Opinions of both technical experts and the amateur have been sought and considered. The result is three lines are now offered—Atwater Kent, Fada and Radiola. Combined with this careful selection of makes is Ayres’ service. Added to this Ayres has covered a price range which will meet the demands of purse of almost any size. Including, of course, a fine selection of cabinets as well as the radios themselves.

will be the Maple City Four, male quartet, and Bradley Kincaid, the mountain boy, of the WLS staff. The first broadcast of WLS will be Monday at 10:20 a. m., central standard time. At this time Levi P. Moore, president of the fair, and E. J. Barker, secretarytreasurer, will broadcast, a speech of welcome to all Indiana. The daily broadcasts are sched-

studio. Upper Right—A closeup of the control panel. Lower Right— Transmitting equipment at the station on Three Notch road, eight miles south of the city. Right—a corner of the reception room in the city studio.

Wins Contest

: ... .

Miss Agnes Davis of Denver, Colo., was the winner of the 1927 Atwater Kent audition for young singers. A similar contest will be conducted again this year.

PRAISE ATWATER KENT SUNDAY RADIO CONCERT Thousands, of .Letters .Received From Many Countries. Among the thousands of letters received by the Atwater Kent Manufacturing Company, commenting on the Sunday night radio concerts, are many from foreign countries. Recently a postcard was received from Cristobal, Canal Zone, and a cablegram from Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana. Both reported that the concerts “came in fine.” OPEN RADIO SECTION Hoosier Outfitting Company to Handle Majestic Sets. The Hoosier Outfitting Company, 443 E. Washington St., has just installed anew radio department. Space on the first floor will be given over to show the latest models of radio receivers. This east side furniture company has been granted a franchise to sell Majestic all-electric radio and will offer them on their payment plan. Harry Lindstaedt, manager of the company, says: “During the past year radio has developed into a piece of furniture: all sets are now housed in beautiful cabinets of various woods that will match the furniture of any home. We believe that, after looking over several lines, the Majestic offers one of the best radio values on the market, and the cabinet work of this set will lend beauty to any home.”

uled as follows: 10:20 to 11 a. m., 12:30 to 1:30. 2:30 to 3:30 and 5:30 to 6. Among the many WLS features to be heard from the fair are the dinner bell program at noon and the regular home-mak-ers’ hour program each day except Thursday from 2:30 to 3:30. Governor Jackson will be heard on the first noon program Monday.

Radio Section

Full Leased Wire Service ot tne United Press Association

DEALERS PLAN AIR PROGRAM Elaborate Banquet Numbers to Be Broadcast. An elaborate program of entertainment will be broadcast from the third annual dealers’ day banquet of the Indianapolis Radio Trades Association Wednesday evening, Sept. 5. The program at the dinner will be broadcast over WFBM, J. F. Connell of the Kruse-Connell Company, chairman of the dealers’ day committee, has announced. O. H. Caldwell, Federal radio commissioner, a native of Indianapolis and a Purdue University graduate, will be the principal speaker. A special musical program has been prepared by Earl Mounce, studio and musical director of WFBM. Parker Wheatley, staff announcer of the station, will act as master of ceremonies and will introduce the entertainers and report the activities of the banquet for the radio audience from the Riley room of the Claypool Hotel. The banquet will be the high spot of the radio show, sponsored by the distributors’ section of the Indianapolis Radio Trade Association, which is now in progress in the Manufacturers’ Budding at the State Fair. The show is expected to attract thousands of visitors from the State who will attend the State Fair this week.

AGITATORS TO OFFER POPULAR NUMBERS Win Thousands of Admirers in KDKA Programs. PITTSBURGH, Pa., Sept. 3.—The Automatic Agitators male quartet, which has won the admiration of thousands of radio fans since their appearance on station KDKA, has to offer for the entertainment of their followers Friday evening, Sept. 7, at 10:30, Eastern Daylight Saving Time, a delightful program of popular selections. The program includes: “Carolina Blues,” “Friend of Mine,” “Lullaby Lane,” “Anchored," “Gray Days,” ‘Where My Caravan Has Rested.” ADDS RADIO SERVICE Victor Furniture Company Opens Atwater Kent Department. The Victor Furniture Company has just opened its new radio department. It was planned to open this department several weeks ago, but the opening was deferred by selection of merchandise. After careful consideration the Victor company selected the Atwater Kent radio set and speaker because it is a proven set and is guaranteed by one of the oldest and biggest radio manufacturers. This furniture company will offer Atwater Kent radios on Victor easy terms and Victor personal service, with this thought in mind: “Select your Atwater Kent radio at the Victor and be sure of complete radio satisfaction. TIME SIGNALS SENT Jewelers Furnish Correct Hours for Four Dally Reports. Time signals, four times each day, ire being broadcast over WFBM by Julius C. Walk & Son, jewelers and silversmiths at 4 E. Washington St., as a daily feature of WFBM and enables listeners to have the correct time at all times.

STATE FAIR RADIO SNOW OPENS TODAY Exhibits in Manufacturers Building Show Only . Minor Changes. APPEARANCES IMPROVED * Designs More Attractive; Dealers’ Day Is Set for Wednesday. The annual Indianapolis Radio Show opened at the State Fair today. The show is sponsored by the jobbers' section of the Indianapolis Radio Trade Association and is being held in the south half of the large Manufacturers Bldg. An army of employes have been busy during the past week making preparations for the exhibits. An advance glance at the products displayed shows that nothing of a startling or revolutionary nature has been developed by radio manufacturers during the last year. Improve Appearance Great improvement has been shown in the appearance and design of receivers and many refinements have been worked out, but substantially, radio products show little fundamental changes from last year’s lines. The cabinets are more attractive, many of them being done in bright colors to keep pace with the modern mode in color schemes, and such minor improvements as more simple operation and better tone quality are noticeable. Dealers Day Planned Radio receivers equipped with the new A. C. tubes, doing away with all batteries, dominate the receiver section, although a few jobbers are still showing battery sets for homes that are not equipped with electricity. The new electrodynamic speakers, which are said to give greatly improved tone values, are very much in evidence. Wednesday will be Dealers day, and several hundred dealers from over the State are expected to attend. This year’s show is by far the best ever held and should attract many prospective buyers.

VONNEGUT’S TO HANDLE FEDERAL RADIO LINE Move Department to Better Service to Customers. Guy May, manager of the radio department of the Vonnegut Hardware Company, announces that they again will distribute Federal radio sets and speakers in this territory. May reports that the Federal line for this year is one of the finest ever offered and has many improvements and refinements over last year. The Federal line is one of the most complete on the market and offers a wide selection of both table and console models within an attractive price range. Vonnegut also have been appointed dealers for Atwater Kent, and will have a complete display of both at the radio show. The radio department of the Vonnegut company has been moved from the small room it formerly occupied, two doors west of the store, to a center aisle on the first floor of the main store. Radio sets and speakers, together with the demonstration rooms, are located In the sporting goods and toy department on the second floor. MAGNETIC STUDIES MAY CUT INTERFERENCE Commerce Department Bureau Nears End of TVork. Bn Times Special WASHINGTON. Sept. 3.—Some of the difficulties ot radio transmission may be solved as a result of work to be completed this fall by the division of terrestrial magnetism, Department of Commerce. For several years past this bureau has been collecting information on the condition of magnetic stations in the United States. There are about 2,000 stations. Within a few months tho bureau expects to have available for the public complete information concerning them. Partial records already obtained have been studied by investigators of radio transmission troubles. The information is being sought also by those using magnetic methods in the search for oils and minerals, and by electrical companies and surveyors. CITY BANK SPONSORS FOOTBALL RADIOCASTS Washington Trust Arranges for Reports Over WFBM Football games to be broadcast this year over WFBM and sponsored by the Washington Bank <Ss Trust Company, Washington St. and Senate Ave., will be the all-important Purdue-Indiana game, Lafayette, Butler-Ulinois game, Indianapolis and the Indiana-Oklahoma, In-diana-Northwestern and IndianaOhio State games at Bloomington. The Washington Bank & Trust Company also have indicated their desire to give their listeners the opportunity to hear the Big Ten basketball games both fron Purdue and Indiana this winter. nry Hot.tcl, manager of the Trust Department, is a graduate of Indiana and a rabid football and basketball fan.