Page:March 1916 QST.djvu/12

MARCH, 1916 

Mr. C. D. Tuska.

Dear Sir:

Have received first two issues of “QST” and think they are great.

I recently came home after being on a six month’s trip on the S. S. Somerset (KSV) and I find that there have been numerous late developments in the “Amateur World,” some of which I know practically nothing about, for instance the Oscillating Audion, which I believe to be due largely to the co-operation of the amateur operators through the American Radio Relay League.

I find very few points on which to criticize the advanced amateur and his work. One fault however, is that very little has been done to help the “Spark Coil Amateur” do long distance work. Many amateurs are unable to have current installed in their homes either because they live too far away from current wires or else they cannot afford the cost of installation. Cannot amateurs find some means by which long distance work with a spark coil may be improved?

I have tried numerous experiments but can give only one suggestion for better work. That is: Place two bridges across the vibrator one bridge not to be connected to the vibrator or to the batteries but to be placed across the vibrator. By means of a thumb screw the note can be varied. This arrangement not only produces a 

Some excellent long distance work has been done by this station. The antenna is 330 feet long, with an average height of 90 Feet, and six wires with a spacing of four feet. The sending apparatus is a Murdock 1 kw. transformer, rotary, six sections of moulded condenser, and a special helix. The receiving apparatus is a Murdock loose coupler, two variable condensers, 4,000 meter loading inductance, fixed condenser, crystal detectors and 2400 Ohm phones. The sending range is 400 miles, 7CE, Boise, Idaho. The sending record was 650 miles, 6RJ, Ione, Calif. on a Galena detector; made in May, 1915. The receiving range is about 1500 miles and a local weather report is sent out “QST” every evening, except Saturday at 9:05 p. m. This report may be copied by all the amateurs in the Seventh District.