Page:December 1915 QST.djvu/5

December, 1915 Special License gives permission to use a wave length of 425 meters when conducting long distance relay work. Already several of these licenses have been issued to the better class of amateur stations, whose geographical location is such as to assist in trunk line relay work. Several new stations in the Middle and Far West, will probably be appointed in the next sixty days and communication with the Pacific Coast will be certain and quick.

This League is a purely amateur organization. The exchange and delivery of messages is purely complimentary. A regular radio telegraphic methods and systems are employed, however. A sample of our official message blank is enclosed.

Many of our stations have already been of service in establishing communication when flood has prostrated the telegraph and telephone lines. We believe we can be of service to the country under many conditions similar to flood, such as fire or the wrecking of the telephone and telegraph central stations in any city or town. Our membership is rapidly growing and we unquestionably will be in touch with a large proportion of most of the states of the Union by this time next year. Many of our stations are owned by men of wealth who have not hesitated at any expense in equipping themselves with the best apparatus obtainable. There are many members who are young men, and a few who are distinctly boys. The management of the League is in the hands of men. The writer is its founder.

If we can be of any service to our country, we shall be glad to serve in any capacity requested. We offer to you our complete organization and facilities.

Respectfully,

THE AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE, INC.

This brought the following response from the U. S. Signal Corps:―

From: Office Chief Signal Officer.

To: Hiram Percy Maxim, Chairman, American Radio Relay League, Hartford, Conn.

Subject: Radio communication.

1. In reply to your letter of August 7, 1915, addressed to the Secretary of War and which has been referred to this office, you are advised that the Signal Corps is pleased to receive the information contained in your letter, also the list of stations operated by the American Radio Relay League.

2. Should at any time it be found that these stations will be of service to the War Department, you will be further communicated with.

SAMUEL REBER,

Lieut. Col., Signal Corps,

Acting Chief Signal Officer.

From this it is evident that for land or interior service we would come in contact with the Signal Corps if the Government decided to avail itself of our assistance in time of war.

In times of peace we also have confronting us sudden disasters, such as flood, fire or strike. Dayton, Ohio was an example of a disastrous flood, which destroyed telegraphic and telephonic communications, and made it possible for the amateur wireless operator to render invaluable help. A fire which destroyed the central station of the telegraph and telephone Companies in a city, would also place that city in a very dangerous situation. The amateur wireless station would be the first place looked to in such an emergency.

To sum up, the organization of our League, in efficient working form is a work which is of national importance, and we may have the knowledge that it represents a patriotic and a dignified effort.  RELIABILITY AND CELERITY

 The words of the Radio Inspector of the First District, Mr. H. C. Gawler cover this point as well as it can be put. Mr. Gawler said:―"It seems to me your work is pretty well cut out for you and is very clearly defined. The value of this organization would depend entirely on the volume of business which could be handled by your stations in a PRECISE, ORDERLY and EFFICIENT manner. Few realize the amount of work involved in bringing this condition about, and it is my opinion the more local aid you can enlist on your side, the better the results will be. It is not sufficient to have stations which merely could transmit and receive messages over certain distances, but THEY MUST CONTINUALLY DO SO IN ORDER TO ASSURE GOOD COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THESE POINTS WHEN NECESSITY WOULD REQUIRE."

No one realizes the truth of the above better than those of our members who have handled any quantity of messages during the past year. Unless we can have something approaching RELIABILITY and CERTAINTY, all the hard work and money spent in getting our organization together is wasted. We must not let this good work go to waste. The hardest part was done when we got over 600 stations together. It only remains now to perfect some system whereby we can always be fairly sure of getting through. The Directors have given this a lot of hard study ever since last spring. This is what we have finally arrived at, and although it may not be perfect, yet we want every station to follow the spirit of the idea even though they cannot follow it to the letter. 