Hiram Percy Maxim and Clarence D. Tuska

“ No money is charged, as the League is not a money making scheme in any sense of the word. Its single aim is to organize the different amateur wireless telegraph stations of the United States of America, so that we can relay messages between each other and thus reach any part of the country. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Without appearing to criticise these methods, it is possible that they might not suit the Government, or be the best for meeting the conditions which may arise in case of war or other trouble. It is like a private military organization, which might be very satisfactory to its own membership, but when it came to cooperating with the regular forces it might be very much at fault for the want of the right kind of experience, training or equipment. ”

“ When condenser made separators of glass we know dialectrics much pressed by electricity. This much sure, why, tests made show it. Honorable writers of English make tests and demonstration that metal can he vanished and all the same when new metal comes to condenser, yet discharge comes too the same. Why thus we see plain that dialectric heart of condenser. ”

“ If a station is in the interior, away from the seacoast, and in the hands of a person who will be on the job regularly, and who has a First Grade Commercial License, and is so located geographically that he can handle through relay traffic to advantage, it is very likely that his chances of securing a Special License are better than they have ever been before. ”

“ 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. ”

“ This money can only be obtained through voluntary subscriptions, of which there have been several, and the sale of STATION APPOINTMENT CERTIFICATES, LIST OF STATIONS BOOK, and QST MAGAZINE. We have no other source of income, and the success of our organization depends upon all of us coming forward and buying these three things. Every amateur should understand this, and do his share, both by ordering himself and also exerting his influence to see that his friends who are interested in wireless do the same. ”

“ In reference to the matter of binding the amateurs into an integral body in the form of a national organization, it seems to me that the AMERICAN RADIO RELAY LEAGUE has the right ideals and is in a fair way to attain them. The attitude of the men at the head of this project is very evident and may be somewhat paradoxially described as disinterestedly sincere. ”

“ The German operator was sending war dispatches and the signals were very clear in Honolulu. This remarkable transmission about reaches the limit on the earth as when 12,000 miles are covered no one can tell from which direction the messages come. That is, we can only receive messages from half way around the earth. It is peculiar to note that many of the long distance records have been made at Honolulu. The best previous performance in long distance wireless communication was 6,000 miles.
This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1928. ”

“ Our greatest difficulty in getting messages through is because the other fellow is not “on." Most of the stalling of messages is due to this one thing. What we must do is to have regularly established and definite times at which we will be on duty. Then if a man in Northampton has a message going West and he knows just when the station at Buffalo or Waynesfield or Kane, for example, is working he can work with some hope. As it is, he tries at any old hour and unless the other man is a regular night hawk and sits up half the night every night in the week, he misses him. ”

“ All amateurs wishing to be an active part in the relay system of the country, should now communicate directly with the Manager of the Lines which they would like to be a part of. Test messages are to be sent out every Monday night, and every Thursday night, and receipted back. Each week, the Managers will report to Headquarters how far out on each Line their test message got and how long was required to get the receipt back. ”

“ There is much to tell not only our membership, but also every amateur in the country.
First of all, we are confronted with extremely serious national questions. Our country has never before faced a more serious situation. National defense has become a question which every American realizes concerns him personally. ”

“ Test the coatings with an electroscope and no charge will be found. Bring the glass vessel near a pile of pith-balls. They will be attracted to it, showing that the glass is electrified. Now build up the Leyden jar by putting the parts together. The jar may be discharged in the usual manner. This experiment shows conclusively that the seat of charge is in the dielectric. The same is true of any dielectric whether glass, mica, air, oil or paper. All dielectrics act similarly and so they are all subjected to a stress whenever a condenser is charged. ”

“ APPLICATION BLANKS Every man, woman or child who reads these lines and is interested in Amateur Wireless, and owns a station, should not put this magazine down until he or she has cut out the page which forms an application blank, and filled it in and mailed it. The whole success of our Relay League depends upon having a wireless station at the point where there is a message to be sent or received. ”

“ Every one who knows anything about wireless, knows that we could not handle any long distance relay work on 200 meters wave length. Everyone knows that many of the relay stations who assisted in the February 22nd relay from Rock Island Arsenal used wave lengths nearer 500 than 200. This is contrary to the law unless the station has a Special License.
The law must be observed. Nothing ever succeeded for any length of time or ever will succeed if it violates the law. ”

“ The fact that some people who are now enjoying notoriety in radio engineering circles, have not yet realized the extreme detrimental effect on the art and development of radio science, of jealousy and opposition, seems to indicate that in spite of their superior technical ability, they have not yet acquired the common-sense philosophy of the ordinary amateur. ”

“ The amateurs of the country by this time are probably confident that the officers in charge of the American Radio Relay League are sincere in their efforts to make the transmitting of long distance amateur messages by relay a success, and that there is no money making scheme connected with the matter in any way. ”

“ The principle point is to have a certain number of men available with their equipment at call. In the case of amateur wireless stations and their owners, it probably would not be considered necessary to call upon a volunteer corps for foreign or distant operating service. Such would render the amateur station unavailable. Rather, it is supposed that a Corps would be expected to offer their own stations and their own operating services if such were necessary. The station is the important element, as it is not mobile and its parts cannot always be assembled instantly. ”

“ It is being suggested by the officers of the League and the chances are that the better amateur radio stations of the country will be recognized by the Government. Big things are certainly coming for the up-to-date amateur. Be sure and arrange so that you will not overlook the next issue.
A system of testing among amateurs, will be described also in the next number. We all know how difficult it is sometimes to pick up a distant amateur station which we really should be able to easily work. In the next issue a plan is suggested which will help us all. ”

“ Special attention is called to the fact that any amateur having difficulties in the operation of his apparatus may secure the advice of the best Radio men in the State by addressing the Secretary and enclosing return postage, The Club hopes to overcome the amateurs difficulties and make his station a good relay point. ”

“ Everybody please note that we are always glad to welcome contributions from any amateur on a wireless subject. Send us your ideas or photographs or long distance record or anything in the freak line you have noticed. Never mind if you cannot express yourself to your satisfaction. ”

“ It is not intended to adopt heroic measures nor would it be desirable for an operator to deliberately look for interference; the Department simply wants the actual interference which an operator experiences in his regular work. A great deal of interference is caused needlessly and every operator should use a little care in testing when he might cause interference. If you are going to test, do not send by the hour or even fifteen minutes without listening in for possible interference. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ As is well known among most amateurs by this time, we have secured the co-operation of the Government to the extent that where it seems desirable for the purpose of relay work, a Special License will be granted by the Bureau of Navigation, provided the applicant holds a First-Grade Commercial License, and provided he is favorably recommended by the League. ”

“ 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. ”

“ Mica and glass rank high, while air is low. The thickness of the dielectric also depends on the area of the condenser, the time of charging, and discharging in proportion to the applied potential. Yes, air can be used as a dielectric, but is of little value in its natural condition. By pumping air into a tank which holds the condenser plates, we can use it as a dielectric, because its insulating qualities increase with pressure. Arlington uses condensers insulated by air at 250 pounds pressure per square inch. If I am not mistaken, a potential of 18,000 volts is applied ”