Research in Fading

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 42, 1 May 1931, Page 2

Research in Fading

American Efforts gomz of the most, baiting’ problems of. radio, among. them static and fading, will be tackled with new equipment. with the erection of two new experimental stations for the use of the United States Bureau of Standards. A Bill authorising the -expenditure of £30,000 for their erection has just heen. passed by Congress and signed by Py sident Hoover. Efforts.are now be made to put through an re now at the current session. The authorisation covers the purchase of additional land’ and equipment for the setting up of a, special radio research laboratory and the erection of a transmitting and. receiving station at some: distarice | from each other. Detailed study will be made of. the variations which radio waves, undergo between’ the transmitter and receiver, according to Dr. George K. Burgess, Director of the ‘Bureau ‘of Standards. The work will be."under the direction of Dr. J.-H. Dellinger, chief of the radio section.. ; "The studies urgently | neéded on radio waves have to do- with ‘fading, one of the most serious limitation, on broadeasting ; changes, in 0 great importance. in navigation offships and aircraft; and the behaviovr — of short waves or high frequencies," Dr. Burgess said. .°.. Research will -thus be conducted jn both the communication and the broadcasting fields. Two additional transmitters will be made available by the fund, also for extending the standard frequency service,- by which broadcasters may check their frequency stability and prevent ‘ ‘wobbling,’ -to make it continuous. This service would-do much to eliminate much of the present interference, according to Dr.. Dellinger, and would sérve to improve the., technical .operation of broadcasting stations. 7 Z.