Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, 1920, Volume I

574.D1 Subcommittee 2/16

Report of Subcommittee on the EU–F–GB–I Radio Protocol

undated

To the Honorable Norman H. Davis,
President of the Preliminary Conference on Electrical Communications.

The Sub-Committee on the EU–F–GB–I Radio Protocol begs to report that it has held fifteen meetings and that it has considered the EU–F–GB–I Radio Protocol of August 25, 1919, together with the modifications and comments put forward by the American Committee appointed by the Secretary of Commerce. It has also considered portions of the Draft Regulations attached to the Draft of the Combined Telegraph Convention and its attached appendices submitted by the British Delegation. It appointed a sub-subcommittee to consider wave lengths and their allocation. This sub-sub-committee held sixteen meetings. The recommendations of this sub-sub-committee have been adopted by the sub-committee No. 2.²⁹

Certain of the recommendations of the sub-committee have been embodied in the revised draft convention and regulations annexed to the report of the sub-committee on Universal Communications Union and Telegraph and Radio Telegraph Conventions. These recommendations deal with the following:

[Here follows a list of twenty-seven recommendations.]

The sub-committee recommends that the annexed appendices³⁰ be attached to the revised draft convention and regulations, namely:

• Appendix I. General principles governing the regulation of fixed stations using waves greater than 3050 metres.
• Appendix II. Classification of radio waves and distribution of wave lengths to different services.

The sub-committee recommends that the following paragraph be inserted in the draft convention:

[Here follows text of paragraph printed as article 11 of the draft convention, page 154.]

The sub-committee makes the following recommendations:

“The international body which is concerned with the ‘safety of life at sea’ to determine what ships are to be required to carry radio apparatus and the minimum hours of watch which are to be kept. Likewise, this international body should determine the obligations in regard to emergency sets on board ships.

“The international body which is concerned with aerial navigation to determine which aircraft are to be required to carry radio apparatus, and the minimum hours of watch which are to be kept.

“The question of meteorological telegrams will be discussed by the International Meteorological Commission, which met in London commencing at the end of November, 1920. It seems, therefore, that it is the duty of this meteorological Commission to organize a special service regarding meteorological telegrams; and consequently it seems unnecessary for the Preliminary International Conference on Electrical Communications to dwell on this subject except in connection with the wave-lengths and financially with rates.

“The Preliminary International Conference on Electrical Communications express the wish that the Scientific International Organization, which is dealing with time signals, be caused to prepare, as soon as possible, a table, showing automatic time signals and a table showing time signals made by hand, which should be accepted by the nations so as to facilitate the task of mariners who are sailing in all parts of the world.”

The sub-committee’s recommendations with regard to the formation of a provisional technical committee are annexed and marked “A.”

The sub-committee’s recommendations with regard to the distribution of waves to existing stations are annexed and marked “B.”³³

The recommendations contained in “A” and “B” are for the information of the Five Principal Allied and Associated Powers only.

It should be understood that in connection with the recommendations made by the sub-committee on the EU–F–GB–I Protocol that the powers which have taken part in the present conference reserve the right to propose further modifications.

W. S. Benson

Chairman

[Annex A]

Recommendations for the Formation of a Provisional Technical Committee³⁴

1. A provisional technical committee consisting of representatives from the Five Principal Powers shall be constituted for the purpose of studying the various matters which have been referred to it by the Preliminary International Conference on Electrical Communications.

2. This Provisional Technical Committee shall meet as soon as practicable, at least three months before the International Conference, in order that it may render its report before the meeting of the International Conference.

3. The French Government is requested to take the initiative in calling together this Provisional Technical Committee.

4. The matters which have been referred to the Provisional Technical Committee shall be examined by the administrations [of the five Powers, in order that their representatives may be in possession, so far as possible, when they arrive at the meeting of the Provisional Technical Committee, of the opinions of the various persons using radiotelegraphy in regard to questions which that Committee will discuss.]

[5. This Provisional Technical Committee should consider that it has the right to ask any one of the five administrations] represented on the committee to undertake any experimental works or trials that it considers would be desirable in the interests of the work of the committee.

6. The following is a list of the subjects which are referred to the Provisional Technical Committeitem:

1. To report upon the classification of waves with the view to making it clear and suitable for actual practical application, amplifying it by—

(a) Exact definitions.

(b) A statement of what divergence from these definitions will be tolerated in practice, and

(c) A statement of how the divergence will be meaured and check[ed] in those cases where any doubt is found to exist as to the type of wave that is being emitted by any radio station.

2. To ascertain whether in practice the use by mobile services of the TOO metre damped wave is liable to interfere with the 600 and 800 metre wave, and, if so, how much; and whether it is liable to interfere with continuous waves, using wave lengths in the proximity of 700 metres, and, if so, how much.

3. To recommend a date when the use of the 700 metre damped wave shall be prohibited on mobile stations.

4. To ascertain whether time signals, meteorological telegrams, etc., should be transmitted on specified standard wave lengths, or whether they should be transmitted on any wave length between definite limits.

5. In the consideration of the revision of the definitions of the classes of waves, the technical committee should determine more exactly what privileges will be permitted to each class of waves.

6. To consider what waves radiotelephony should be permitted to use and what interference one would expect on either side of these waves, and particularly to consider the following points:

(a) To determine whether 350 metres to 450 metres should be reserved exclusively for radiotelephony (except continuous waves may be used) or whether 200 to 350 metres or 500 to 545 metres should be substituted therefor.

(b) To endeavor to select a wave for radiotelephony between 600 and 800 metres for mobile stations which would not interfere with existing radiotelegraphic communication.

(c) To recommend whether radiotelephony should be permitted in the band between 1500 and 1600 metres.

(d) To recommend whether radiotelephony should be permitted for trans-oceanic service on waves between 7000 and 8000 metres.

7. To ascertain whether or not mobile services should be permitted to use the band between 1450 and 1500 metres, sharing this band with the military services.

8. To consider how any special spark apparatus should be examined in practice to ascertain whether any waves emitted by it are sufficiently free from objectionable features to be allowed into Class 2.

9. To study the question of the suppression of undesirable emissions.

10. To elaborate the general principles to govern the working of fixed stations using waves between 3050 metres and 30000 metres and if possible to have definite detailed proposals ready for the International Conference.

11. To determine proper definitions for “normal range” and the “standard of radiation” and to determine means for measuring radiation.

12. To determine a standard of range for radio beacons.

13. To study wave lengths to be employed by radio direction-finders, particularly to study which of the following waves is more suitable, viz: 450, 600, or 800 metres. And to study whether all radio direction-finding stations should be prepared to receive signals for bearings on both 450 and 800 metres.

14. To consider any other technical matters that may arise out of the Conference and any other questions that may be proposed by any of the Five Powers and put forward by their representatives on the committee.

29. In the numerical designation of subcommittees by the Conference, the subcommittee on the EU–F–GB–I Radio Protocol was no. 2.
30. Appendices not printed. See Universal Electrical Communications Union, Draft of Convention and Regulations (Washington, Government Printing Office, 1921).
33. Annex B not printed.
34. The bracketed insertions, paragraphs 4 and 5, inadvertently omitted from the English text, have been supplied from the French text.