GOOD TIME AHEAD

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 27, 20 January 1928, Page 15

GOOD TIME AHEAD

IMPROVED RECEPTION, ° From 1928 to 1933, radio reception conditions will improve, according to the sun spot interference theory. A well-known scientist states; "We must be patient for a short while now, and await better conditions rather than strive for distance at the expense of batteries and loss of sleep. There seems to he some effect of sun spots on tadio reception " Sun spots throw out enormous eruptions of electrons and other electrical particles, some of which reach the earth’s atmosphere. When these sun spots are particularly intense, radio reception is apt to be disturbed The sun spot cycle is eleven vears; that is, there is a minimum of spots on the sun for a time, after which thev gradually increase to a maximum, and return to a minimum-the whole period occupying a cycle of eleven vears A Change This Year. The last sun spot minimum was in 1922, and it would be inferred, therefore, that rerention in 1992 wonld he proeressively worse to 1928 and that in succeeding vears, reception shanld imnrove and he at its hest in 1928 Tt will be interestine to see whether this occurs, and whether oheervations on snn snots will show a closer cor. relation with tradin recention conditions There is no definite relation hetween ralio transmission effects and the anrora or macnetic storms the scientist nointe owt, admitting, however that thege nhe. nomenn dn affect wire teleocranh services {not wireless teleeranhe) frennentte paralvsine jit entirely The only effect on radio waves, is that in some instonees it has heen known to either fiminish or increase the intensitw of the received waves, thus cansine fading of signals. ‘Weather Has Little Effect. , Strange as it may seen, and contrarv to general helief, weather, in general, has verv little effect on radio reteption; the principal causes of these vagaries lie in the upper reaches of the air, whereas the weather is manufactured or chanved in the lower levels of the atmosphere-below the clonds Static, on the other hand, he advises. consists of waves which are idenital in character with wireless waves, though thev are caused bv natural electrical discharges in the air, Lightning is another form of such discharge. Static, as is fairlv well known, oceurs most frequently in the torrid zones and storm areas, heing worse in summer than in the win- ter months. A Strange Theory. © The theory that static represents a system of communication is still upheld by some people who are of the opinion that the Martians are endeavouring to «stablish communication with the earth. However, it is firmlv helieved that science will eventually overcome static, whether it be called interference or sienals, aud in the meantime, unti! 1933 at least, we mav look forward to a period of ood reception mnnmarred by the troublesome noises which we are all experiencing of ‘late.