Page:February 1916 QST.djvu/12

TWO very practical operating articles are “Practical Relaying” and “Apparatus Arrangement” to which we give prominent space in this issue. Every amateur, whether in the League or not, should read them. In Mr. Maxim’s suggestion, we have what seems to be a practical working method of maintaining a constant communication. That this is an absolute necessity has been demonstrated clearly during the past year. Messages from points, in the Middle West and destined for points on the Atlantic Coast, are frequently delayed as much as two weeks, principally because of the fact that some entirely new stations had to be depended upon. By new, we mean stations which had never previously worked each other. It is true that this delay did not always occur, but nevertheless, it is probably safe to say that the only messages which were not delayed were those which happened to call for transmission between stations which had by accident come to be acquainted with each other.

If a fixed set of trunk lines were laid down and those on these lines kept at it until they could run a test message out to the end of the line and back at certain stated times, it would mean that delayed messages would be enormously reduced.

For the good of the cause, it distinctly is up to those amateurs who are any where nearly along the different lines which have teen laid out, to send in their names, addresses and call letters immediately and state what line or lines they believe they could be a part of. As soon as these are in, the Directors could appoint District Headquarters and each of these District Headquarters would then take up the organization of their respective trunk lines. It certainly looks to he a good scheme and let everybody come along and help. Never mind whether you are in the League or not, if you have a good station and want to enjoy the full pleasure of wireless and want to be up at the front, send in your name and give as much information as you think will be of value.

And don’t put this off. Attend to it right away and before the season is over, may be we can handle some big public message from Washington to the Coast and back.

EDITORIAL.

“Apparatus Arrangement” in this issue, hits most of us pretty hard. From our experience, some ninety per cent. of the amateurs of the country feel that their equipment has several bad spots in it which they know should be improved in order to obtain the sending and receiving ranges which they ought to have. For some reason or other, these weak spots are allowed to go, and something big usually has to happen before enough excitement can be worked up to get at the job of fixing things up. What is said in “Apparatus Arrangement” may be just what is needed to give the inspiration to a lot of us to get busy and fix the insulation on that lead in, or get better ground connections, or lift that aerial that additional fifteen feet which it ought to have.

This number of QST certainly indicates the big possibilities which our American Radio Relay League has within it. The remarkable distances which some stations can easily make, and the very practical plan suggested for running proof tests on regular trunk lines, all indicate the fast approaching importance of a Relay League. There is one point, however, which is not touched upon by any of these able writers, but which the over-worked management of the League struggle with continually. This is the question of MONEY.

It costs money to handle a big correspondence and keep it properly filed, buy supplies, pay for printing and postage stamps. Without this money, the best scheme in the world for establishing trunk lines, running proof tests, advising regarding apparatus arrangement, and organizing District Headquarters, all get no farther than appearing on a printed page. To raise the money to get them off the printed page and into the realm of actual performance, and at the same time avoid all criticism for graft is some job. Up to the present time, the financial resources have been limited to the sale of the List of Stations book, and the Station Appointment Certificate. The sale of these has not made it difficult to invest the income, to say the least. QST is hoped to help in this matter by serving to carry the word along, and it is hoped that it will be successful. With this issue, three