Frequency Modulation, Facsimile, Sound, & Nazi Propaganda
November 1939 Radio-Craft

November 1939 Radio-Craft [Table of Contents] Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio-Craft, published 1929 - 1953. All copyrights are hereby acknowledged.

Each month, Radio-Craft magazine ran a regular feature titled "In Review," which covered a variety of late-breaking news topics related to electronics and communications. Most of the time the focus was on wireless advances, but occasionally, as in the November 1939 issue, you would see things like a huge public address & music system installation at Union Station or a flash about Nazi control over radio broadcasts*. Modern news publications follow the same template with round-up type articles. The up and coming frequency modulation (FM) scheme leads here, followed by the wonders of facsimile machines that transmit "facsy" formatted news to remote offices, and Telefunken's 441- line "flickerless tele-film" television film projector. * Nowadays it's Marxists at the FCC asserting control over the Internet and broadcast radio.

Frequency Modulation

Extensive tests of frequency modulation are being planned by several large groups. The Bell Telephone Labs. plans, announced last month, call for comparative tests of frequency- vs. amplitude-modulated communication between aircraft and automobiles. Test stations will use 20 watts on 38.6 mc. for each of 4 portable-mobile stations, viz.: W10XJT, -U, -V, and -W.

The National Broadcasting Co. last month received permission to go on the air with 1,000 watts, on 42.6 mc., over a frequency-modulated station atop the Empire State Building.

The Yankee Network, Inc., last month received the "go ahead" signal to operate station W1XOK as a relay station for high-fidelity programs from a frequency-modulated station in Boston, Mass. The relay station is to use 50 watts, on 133.03, 134.85, and 136.81 mc.

The Westinghouse Elec. & Mfg. Co.'s station W8XKA, Springfield, Mass., will shortly be on the air with a 1 kw. frequency-modulated transmitter on 42.6 mc.

Facsimile

A special facsimile edition of The Dallas Morning News will be published as soon as the new RCA equipment is installed in station W5XD, the ultra-H.F. station which is associated with WFAA. The "facsy" programs will go out on 25.25 mc., with a power of 1,000 watts.

Other newspaper-owned stations in the U.S. now transmitting facsy material with similar RCA equipment are: WBNS, Columbus, Ohio; KSD, St. Louis, Mo.; WBEN, Buffalo, N.Y.; KMJ, Fresno, Calif.; and KFBK, Sacramento, Calif.

The 3-day Army war games scheduled last month to take place at Plattsburg, N.Y., were to be recorded by station WMCA. After being used as the basis of a broadcast the discs were to be turned over to the U.S. Army for use in military instruction and as a permanent record of the maneuvers. Recorders mounted in special cars, for ranging over the 25-mile front, were to operate from special studios.

President Roosevelt, during his 10 days onboard the U.S.S. Tuscaloosa, each morning when he arose was handed a Finch facsimile record of material sent out the previous night, it was reported last month. 

These programs were received from WOR, which transmits via the RCA system Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and with the Finch system on the remaining two days.

Sound

Sorry we are giving you lots of trouble," Japs announced, last month, over a P.A. system erected before their sentry posts and aimed at British defenders of the foreign settlement in Tsientsin, China.

According to reports, last month, the N.B.C. telly transmitter atop the Empire State Building interfered with the orchestra sound-system of the Hotel McAlpin a couple blocks away. It seems that the hotel amplifier detected and amplified the sound portion of the telly program which thus mixed with the P.A. program, both being heard at the same time by the hotel guests.

Here's a good talking point for the Serviceman who wants to sell sound to his local church: "If it's good enough for the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and St. Patrick's Cathedral in N.Y.C., it must be good enough for any church."

Nazi Propaganda

Berlin, Sept. 1 (U.P.). - Effective tonight, anybody in Germany who listens to a foreign radio broadcast is subject to a prison term, while those who spread reports from such broadcasts are liable, in special cases, to the death penalty.

"Every word coming from a foreign radio station is a lie," an official announcement declared.

The war measure, designed to preclude the dissemination of foreign propaganda and information adverse to the interests of Germany, said at the outset:

"Modern war and military weapons are only the means toward a decision. The influencing of the morale of the people is most important."

Posted November 9, 2023
(updated from original post on 12/7/2017)