December 1932

Television a scam?

An examiner with the Federal Radio Commission thought so, when it came to one station, and urged the commissioners in December 1932 to shut down the transmitter of Boston’s only station.

News about the TV industry in that month is sparse. The papers talked of television stocks, mentioned a few books, and continued to find column space for predictions, which they did for at least the next 15 years.

Our source for programming in New York and Boston, the New York Sun, isn’t available for the balance of the month, but Billboard reported the paper had pretty much cut its coverage to a few lines in the Saturday edition. Only CBS was spending money for live programming and that would end within a few months.

So it is we can’t tell you what Christmas or New Year’s Eve programming was offered on the small screen. We pass along what we found of interest below.

There were television developments away from the East. Minneapolis saw its first TV programming, courtesy of W9ICI, which was the amateur radio call-letters belonging to the owner of WDGY. And a regular schedule was set for W6XS, which twinned with Don Lee's W6AXO. Judging by listings in the Montreal Gazette, CKAC's television outlet aired a half-hour of programming; its broadcasting seems to have been sporadic. There is no news about Chicago.

New York Times radio writer Orrin E. Dunlop's The Outlook For Television came out this month. His column in the Times had little television news.

AndLong before he became Mr. Television, Milton Berle appeared on a variety show on CBS.

Thursday, December 1, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York, 107 meters
8:00-9:30—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York, 6.9 meters
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W2XBS (NBC), New York, 143 meters. (No sound)
2:00-5:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR (Hogan/Radio Pictures), Long Island
5:00—Experimental programs. 7:00—Cartoons. 8:00—Films with sound. 9:00—Cartoons.

W1XAV (Shortwave & Television Laboratories), Boston, 179 meters (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-10:00—Experimental images.

ROCHESTER, Dec. 1—“Television is here,” Owen D. Young, chairman of the board of the General Electric Company, declared.
“I should say offhand that television sets could be marketed at this time that would be better relatively than the early radio sets.
“Economic conditions are the only drawback to such commercialization. In fact, if times were different, I dare say commercial exploitation of television would already be in the magazines and newspapers. (Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Dec. 1)

Friday, December 2, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York
8:00-9:30—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR as above. W2XBS (NBC) off the air.

Saturday, December 3, 1932
W2XBS, NBC, New York (No sound)
2:00-5:00—Experimental programs.

W1XAV, Boston, (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-9:00—Experimental programs. 9:00-10:00—Sketch.

W2XAB, W2XAX, W2XR off the air

Helpful Hints to Puzzled Experimenters in Television.
L. K. Boman, Astoria, L. I.—I have a sixty-line radioviser which I am now using with a Pilot, super wasp receiver to which I have added a 210 powerizer. Even with the transformer coupled audio I am getting fair results. I am located in a district where I get W2XR, W2XAB and W2XBS equally well, having been able to detect even the slight lip movements of the artists. I wish now to improve my receiver by changing the transformer coupled audio to resistance coupled, believing that I can get better reception. Can you help me out?
Reply—A three stage resistance coupled amplifier terminating in a single 210 or preferably a 250 would be the simplest and cheapest way out for you. This might not permit the use of the powerizer intact, but you can undoubtedly salvage many of the units in the power supply. Certainly the resistance coupling would improve the details of your images. Resistance coupled amplifiers have been published frequently in past issues of The Sun. These issues are on file at The Sun office, room #11, 280 Broadway.
Wants Call Data.
K. L. Bernard, Stapleton, S. I.—In building a receiver for reception of television signals what size condensers and coils should be used? Should the r. f. coils and condensers be shielded and what size potentiometer should be used for volume control. Also is it necessary to have a volume control for the neon tube. Have you a diagram of a six or seven tube receiver especially designed for television?
Reply—The diagram herewith gives the necessary data for the winding of the coils as well as the size of the variable condensers needed for the television band. The r. f. coils and tuning condensers should be shielded. As shown in the sketch a volume control of 20,000 ohms is employed. For controlling the plate supply on the neon tube a 50,000 ohm variable control is used.


Registers His List.
Herbert Lyman, Yonkers, N. Y.— I would like to register the best stations from an amateur standpoint on the broadcasting of television subjects. W2XAB and W2XBS are my best stations. W2XBS has the best signal, but he has some variation in signal strength. The program from this station is more or less the same every evening. Of course, as far as the subjects from W2XAB are concerned, any stage or screen star could be placed in front of the camera and observed under present conditions in my location. I hope in the near future some worthwhile programs will be put on to make it interesting as well as experimental.
My receiver is a seven-tube set, self-constructed and consisting of three stages of screen grid amplification feeding a single 250 power tube.
Gets W2XR Good.
Arthur Morman, Bronx, N. Y.—For the past few months I have been looking in on some of the broadcasts from television stations. W2XR and W2XAB are my best stations. The other evening while tuned in on W2XAB the announcer was very distinct. Unfortunately I have no device as yet to pick up the sound from this station, since it is broadcast on the same wave. W2XR comes in with good detail. His lettering stands out. The words Radio Pictures, 41 Park Row, N. Y., are clear, but sometimes they seem to be run through the scanner too rapidly.
My receiver is a six-tube tuned r. f. set employing two stages of tuned screen grid amplification, a power detector and the resistance coupled amplifier feeding a -45 power tube. My scanner is driven by a universal motor with a series rheostat. The aerial is 100 feet in length and runs up to a tree, which is about some sixty-five feet high. The lead-in is about twenty feet, the aerial being of the Inverted L type.
Television Sets on D. C.
L. A. Jesper, New York city—Being interested in television, the question pecurs to me whether or not it is possible to receive television pictures on a receiver designed for operation on direct current supply and if so how can the receiver be made to synchronize with the transmitter when the receiver is on an entirely different source of supply.
Reply—Television receivers built for use on direct current supply lines give good results as far as signal strength is concerned, but it should be understood that the secret of keeping the images in step is the use of the same alternating current supply as the transmitter.
Without this form of synchronization the pictures will drift from left to right, requiring constant adjustment of the scanning motor. It is probable that a direct current set would introduce too many handicaps.
Amplifier for Television.
George Manry, Hoboken, N. J. —I have at present a short wave receiver consisting of two stages of tuned r. f. amplification, a -27 as detector and a suitable audio amplifier. Now for television reception can ordinary transformers be used in the audio stages or must I employ a special type of amplifier? What are the best type of tubes to employ in the power stages?
Reply—One of the best audio amplifiers for the reception of television signals is the resistance coupled amplifier which was shown in the issue of October 1, 1932. Screen grid tubes of the -24 type are employed in two stages of audio amplification which feed into a single power stage using a -45 power tube. The leads from the neon lamp should be connected to the output posts. (New York Sun, Dec. 3)

Sunday, December 4, 1932
New York, Boston and Los Angeles stations off the air.

Monday, December 5, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York, 107 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York, 6.9 metres (no sound)
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W2XBS (NBC), New York (No sound)
7:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR (Radio Pictures), New York/Long Island City
5:00—Experimental programs. 7:00—Cartoons. 8:00—Film with sound. 9:00—Cartoons.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

Tuesday, December 6, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York, 107 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York, 6.9 metres (no sound)
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W2XBS (NBC), New York (No sound)
2:00-5:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR, New York
5:00—Experimental program.
7:00—Cartoons.
8:00—Films with sound.
9:00—Cartoons.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-11:00—Experimental programs.

Wednesday, December 7, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York, 107 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York, 6.9 metres (no sound)
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W2XBS (NBC), New York (No sound)
7:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR as above.

James Cannon, who succeeded Jack Foster as the radio editor of the New York World-Telegram when the latter was appointed feature editor, will make his first radio address during “Bill Schudt’s Going to Press” over WABC and the Columbia network from 4:45 to 5:00 p.m., E.S.T., Wednesday, December 7. “A New Radio Editor Looks at Radio,” will be his subject. Columbia television station W2XAB will also carry the broadcast. (Kingston Whig-Standard, Dec. 7)

Thursday, December 8, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York, 107 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York, 6.9 meters
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W2XBS (NBC), New York, 143 meters. (No sound)
2:00-5:00—Experimental programs.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters (Sound on W1XAU, 193 meters)
8:00-10:00—Experimental images.

W2XR as above.

Friday, December 9, 1932
W2XAB (CBS), New York
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XAX (CBS), New York
4:00-4:45—Experimental programs.

W1XAV, Boston, 179 meters
8:00-10:00—Experimental programs.

W2XR as above. W2XBS (NBC) off the air.

Wednesday, December 14, 1932
New York, Dec. 14—The world stage is being set to make 1933 the biggest news year of the decade “because anything may happen,” J. V. Connolly, president of International News service, Universal Service and King Features syndicate, declared in his radio address this afternoon.
He spoke over the Columbia Broadcasting system from the studios of WABC in New York. The talk was heard over a network of 52 stations and was short-waved to foreign countries and televised by Station W2XAB. His topic was “What’s going to be the big news next year?”
“I am hopeful that the really big news of next year will be the definite return of prosperity,” said Mr. Connolly at one point in his address. “But there will be other big news in the progress of the human race. In some obscure laboratory the cure for cancer and paralysis and other diseases may be delivered, the science of radio will be applied increasingly to medicine, and swift transportation across land and sea will be increasingly popular.” (Belvidere Daily Republican, Dec. 14)

Thursday, December 15, 1932
Little Loretta Clonen, known over many stations, takes to television channels tonight through W2XAB, the CBS outlet, and that’s a step in the right direction. (David Bratton, Jr. column, Brooklyn Times Union, Dec. 15)

FOLLOWING is the Radio Commission’s appraisal of the status of television, as contained in its annual report to Congress covering the fiscal year 1932, which ended June 30:
“While no startling inventions have come to light in television during the past year, the progress that has been made has been marked by a steady improvement in the detail of pictures transmitted. This improvement has been made possible through increased attention to technical details in the optical pick-up system, in the photo-electric cell and amplifying systems, and in the actual modulation of the radio waves emitted. This development has in a general way paralleled the progress that was made in the early stages of sound broadcasting.
“Much attention has been given to the part of the spectrum in which television emissions will best fit. Although there are at the present time four 100-kilocycle bands between 2,000 and 3,000 kilocycles assigned to television, it has been evident for a considerable time that this space is not sufficient to meet the requirements of this new and growing art to furnish entertainment to the public. The experimenters have turned to the unexplored regions above 30,000 kilocycles. The work at these frequencies has shown signs of real promise as a future locus for this service, and the Federal Radio Commission has assigned wide frequency bands in this region for experimental work in television. Proposals have been received by the commission from the industry to increase the space in this band in order to protect the future of television.
“Although considerable progress has been made in scanning methods, using both the mechanical type of scanning and the electrical or so-called cathode-ray type of scanning, it appears that many new developments must still be made before television can be accepted as a satisfactory entertainment service. While attempts have been made to broadcast scenes covering large areas, the majority of television stations have limited their transmissions to faces of one or two performers at most. This type of program, while of interest because of its novelty and usefulness for experimental work, has a very small amount of sustained ‘look-in’ interest. Such programs fall far short of what the public has been led to expect in the way of entertainment, considering especially the fact that the technical improvements made during the last few years in sight-and-sound motion picture technique have created in the mind of the public a desire for very high technical standards of performance.” (Broadcasting, Dec. 15, 1932)

Saturday, December 17, 1932
VE9EC, Montreal (sound on CKAC, 730 kcs.)
5:00-5:30—Little Players of the Air; direction Miss Moira Sheehy.

Wednesday, December 21, 1932
L. A. Brophy, Chicago manager of The Associated Press, will speak on Bill Schudt’s “Going to Press” over the Columbia system and KFRC today at 1:45 p. m. This program also is synchronized over television through station W2XAB. (Sacramento Union, Dec. 21)

The flying spot to be used by station W9XAK, the radio-television station at Kansas State college, has been completed for the direct pick-up use by H.H. Higginbottom and L.C. Paslay of the electrical engineering department. The rotating disc used for the flying spot makes 1200 revolutions per minute and has 60 holes which causes the light spot to cross the screen 1200 times a second. The direct pick-up method will go into use tomorrow evening, December 21, when 6 by 6 inch pictures will be broadcast.
The flying spot projector employs a high intensity arc for the light source and the light on the subject to be scanned. The direct pickup system will be used with the present film scanner for the presentation of programs. (Manhattan Republic, Dec. 22)

NEW YORK, Dec. 21. (AP)—Financial interests closely connected with the motion-picture industry are keeping an eye on television with the view of fusing IL and the films when it becomes a commercial asset.
At present, however, the “talkies” are strenuously trying to get out of the “red” by cutting expenses while the great electric corporations that are experimenting with television surround their activities with secrecy.
HOUSEHOLD FIXTURE
That television eventually will be a household fixture the same as radio is generally conceded. Bankers dabbling in the amusement field are trying to determine which will come first in the new adventure—the motion-picture companies with their valuable stars and photographic equipment, or the corporations that will launch television on the market. The answer may involve many millions of dollars.
Right now some members of the picture business are having a difficult time to keep their heads above water. High-priced leases and accompanying contractual ob1igation, coupled with declining business and other handicaps, have made the matter of dividends and debt charge: questions of serious moment for most of the larger concerns. There is a continued casting about for something new.
MAKE EXPERIMENTS
The field of scientific investigation thus far in television has been covered principally by General Electric, Radio Corporation of America and Westinghouse. What concern will offer the first set for home use is a matter of conjecture.
Recent reports in Wall Street said television is ready to make its bow, but that it is being held up because of the depression. But it is generally believed these are rumors only.
Not so long ago David Sarnoff, president of the Radio Corporation of America, said that “although the development of television is still in the laboratory, marked progress is being made in its transmission and studio phases.”
“Television receiving equipment,” he added, “will be offered to the public when experimentation has demonstrated that a reliable and serviceable system of sight transmission of practical value can be assured.” (Victor Eubank, AP Financial Writer)

Thursday, December 22, 1932
Earl Carroll, Milton Berle, Lillian Shade and a score of chorus girls will parade in front of the photo-electric cells of W2XAB, the Columbia television station, tonight at 9:45. (Jo Ranson column, Brooklyn Eagle, Dec. 22)

Don Lee’s television outfit starts to perk tomorrow at 6 p. m. and daily thereafter for an hour, except Sundays and holidays, with call letters of W6XS, with power of 1,000 watts...140 meters or 2,150 kilocycles...action reels and close-ups of motion picture stars will be given. (Los Angeles Evening Post-Record, Dec. 22)

Friday, December 23, 1932
Los Angeles, Dec. 23 (A.P.).—Completion of one of the most powerful television transmitters in the United States was announced today by Harry R. Lubcke, pioneer television engineer and director of the Don Lee Broadcasting System Television network.
The equipment has been rated at 1,000 watts, with a maximum output of 4,000 watts for signal peaks. The station has been assigned call letters W6XS and went on a regular broadcasting schedule tonight, operating daily, except Sundays and holidays, between 6 and 7 p. m.
The new transmitter will be operated in addition to station W6XAO which was put into operation here by Lubcke just a year ago. Using the transmitter of W6XAO, Lubcke succeutully transmitted an image last summer from the ground to an airplane speeding several thousand feet overhead.
Operating “Perfectly.”
Preliminary tests of the new equipment have shown the transmitter to be operating “perfectly,” Lubcke said, and its signals have been received as far away as Seattle, 1200 miles to the north.
“In certain circumstances,” Lubeke said, “we may expect stations as distant as New York will receive our signals.
The transmitter will operate on a frequency of 2150 kiocycles, or 140 meters. Grid modulation, new air-cooled vacuum tubes and other advanced features, many of them developed by Lubcke and his assistants, are included in the transmitter. The equipment is about 10 times more powerful than that of WPXAO, with which Lubeke made several significant achievements in the ultra short wave field.
Construction of the equipment began about six months ago and by use of it as well as the smaller transmitter, Lubcke said he hoped to obtain an interesting check on both the ultra high-frequency channel of the small unit and the lower frequency channel of the new transmitter.
Install Equipment.
A staff of engineers throughout the west coast will aid him in his expertments. Television receiving equipment, already installed at several points, eventually will be placed in all of the following stations:
KOL, Seattle; KOIN, Portland; KFBK, Sacramento; KMJ, Fresno; KVI, Tacoma; KFPY, Spokane; KFRC, San Francisco; KWG, Stockton; KERN, Bakersfield; KOB, Santa Barbera; KGB, San Diego; KSL, Salt Lake City, and KOH, Reno.
Lubcke said the test made between here and Seattle recrnt1y was “very successful” and added that the “especially good ahort wave equipment there greatly aided the experiments.

Saturday, December 24, 1932
Television has come to Minneapolis, and the first television program ever to be broadcast in Minnesota was transmitted to The Minneapolis Star office today by the Dr. Young broadcasting station at 909 W. Broadway.
Eighteen months of engineering work and an investment of $22,000 worth of scientific equipment lay behind the broadcast, Dr. George W. Young said, as he sat in the editorial offices explaining the intricacies of the mechanism an a small image flashed across the television screen.
Girl’s Image Seen
The image was the face of Miss Marie Wilbur, Mr. Young’s secretary, who smiled and posed before the lens in the broadcasting station. A red dish light behind the receiving set screen illuminated her image. In front of this screen a perforated disc revolved at the rate of 900 revolutions a minute to give motion to the image.
The set resembled a small radio with an extra box to tune in on the proper wave length, 161 meters, compared with the 200 to 600 meter wave length in ordinary radio programs. Since Mr. Young only has an experimental license, he could transmit only the image, but not the sound of Miss Wilber’s voice. He plans to get an “experimental X” license soon to permit transmission of a sound hook-up with the television image.
First Broadcast
“We’ll be broadcasting regular programs from our Minneapolis station in three to five years,” Dr. Young said. “A great deal of activity has been going on recently at our studio ever since television became possible of accomplishment. For 18 months Meyer Eisenberg, chief engineer of our television station, W9ICI, has been setting up equipment and this is our first experimental broadcast over any distance comparable VEto the three miles that separates our station from The Star office.” (Minneapolis Star, Dec. 24)

Three 16-year-old newsboys were awarded free trips to New York City today for wining a recent subscription contest sponsored by the Portland Maine Publishing Company. They are Robert J. Handlon of 61 Kellogg Street, Alfred L. Murphy of 18 Anderson Street and William J. Barbrick of 6 Horton Place.
The following is a copy of a telegram received here concerning the trip: “Lucky boys to make New York trip will be performers on television demonstration courtesy of the Columbia Broadcasting Company.” (Portland Evening Express, Dec. 24)

Sunday, December 25, 1932
Since television station W9XAL, owned and operated by the First National Television corporation, in the tower of the Power & Light building, began daily broadcasts the station has received considerable fan mail.
Letters have been received from television set owners as far away as Chicago, Minneapolis. Cincinnati, and Shreveport. La.
Sydney Q. Noel, president of the company, said that in the near future the television programs would be broadcast with sound going out over radio station KMBC. (Kansas City Journal, Dec. 25)

Monday, December 26, 1932
Television, as far as Spokane is concerned, is still very remote, and television developments of the Don Lee Broadcasting system in Los Angeles, Cal., are not likely to reach into this region for a year or more, according to Thomas W. Symons Jr., owner and manager of station KPFY, Columbia-Don Lee outlet here.
No plans have been made for installation at KFPY of television receiving equipment. So far as could be ascertained, there are but, two or three arts in Spokane that could pick up television broadcasting. Announcement that Spokane would be a link in a Pacific coast television network came with completion of a new powerful television transmitter at station W6XS, Los Angeles. (Spokane Spokesman-Review, Dec. 26)

Tuesday, December 27, 1932
The possibility that Spokane radio fans wit be given television service in the near future was disclosed Tuesday by T. J. Symons Jr., owner and operator of station KFPY.
"The Don Lee Columbia broadcasting chain, with which KFPY is affiliated, has been conducting experiments with television for some time past,” Mr. Symon said. “Latest reports have been very encouraging and as soon as are assured that television has passed the experimental stage, KFPY will install the service.
MADE TESTS SIX YEARS AGO
"I have always been interested in the possibilities of sending pictures out over the air. I believe that station KFPY was the first radio station in the west to experiment with television. We conducted tests as early as six years ago.
"Of course, there is nothing definite about television as yet. It may be a year or it may be even five years before it will be practical, but Spokane people can be assured that as soon as it has been proved feasible will install television service. We are building our new studio, which we hope to have completed next month, in such a manner that it will be ready for television.” (Spokane Press, Dec. 27)

Wednesday, December 28, 1932
WASHINGTON, Dec. 28 (AP).—Denial of an application of the Shortwave and Television Corporation of Boston for an experimental television license was recommended to the Radio Commission today by Elmer W. Pratt, an examiner.
Saying an exchange of stock with a new Delaware concern known as General Electronics Corporation is planned, the examiner added:
“Past stock manipulations, taken together with those proposed in connection with General Electronics Corporation, lead to the conclusion that future activities of the Shortwave and Television Corporation will be primarily for the purpose of furthering sales of General Electronics Corporation statics.”
The examiner also recommended denial of an application by the Shortwave Broadcasting Corporation for an experimental relay broadcasting license for Station W1XAL and for the Shortwave and Television Laboratory, Inc., for renewal of the experimental visual broadcasting license for Station W1XAZ.
Mr. Pratt said these stations now were being “illegally” operated by the Shortwave and Television Corporation. He added it was against the commission’s policy to grant licenses to companies which actually do not operate the station.

NBC engineers, reporting accomplishments the past year, advise that they also “explored new fields of ultra-high frequency research in the interests of short wave transmission and television in co-operation with RCA engineers.” No other comment was made in respect to the televiston experiments now going on from the Empire State Building, New York, where ultra short waves are being probed to seek a practical place for picture transmissions. (C.E. Butterfield column, Dec. 28)

Here are Billboard's television columns for Dec. 3rd, 17th and 31st. Click on them to enlarge.