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1673-1 WIOD S .., • ' = cJAMOMMEMMMEIMMIIMMm l�e Q 1. t ti ••• • . "%V' by 1.0 oatlit 1tt4WY\KCiVFYiI(7! t y 7 .. Fo �j; ns 41 . AKWIVPICY3vc� ` Y1ave C`� ~ �a w est" , � k �1wtYw eac{l, cl . 2478Weters or1,2101� ' _ � � -- _- -�.- c; v' c�" p LStaLion mow(er�-'1,0001Uatt5 .` �• •' ' �` n/ C� "IYGJW/IL tnc equipment t0/IQtW77Q1 Uc7YfU • 31,e • eants 35roccdcasfiviff CO. gV Dcrec ir,i'lorn r SUBJECT: PROPOSED PLAN FOR REPRODUCING MUSIC AT VARIOUS POINTS ON MIAMI BEACH. A PLAN TO CARRY OUT THE IDEA WHICH YOU SUG- GESTED TO ME RECENTLY IN, YOUR OFFICE. A Suggestion for the Best Way to do it By process of elimination and going upon considerable previous experience in broadcasting from Station WIOD I have determined upon a system for putting out this music at important points about Miami Beach, all to be controlled direct from the Fisher Radio Station WIOD. If any sort of control is to be maintained l over putting out this music , it must all be handled from one point by an operator thoroughly capable and experienced in main- taining the right volume of sound. If the music which eminates from the various loud speakers on the Beach is too loud, it will be objectionable ; if it is not clear and of splendid quality or tone , it will be objectionable. Like- wise, if there is not sufficient volume so that people can really hear it , again it will be objectionable. Put the control of these various loud speakers in the hands of a lot of inexper- ienced people scattered about the Beach and any one of the above objectionable features is bound to happen. Furthermore , certain people who might be entrusted to turn these loud speakers on and off might be busy or overlook doing so and again the effect is lost. Control it all from one point which is properly equipped •in every way to handle such a proposition, namely; WIOD Radio Station, with one of my own licensed operators right on the Joh at all N times to handle it there will be no doubt about the music being • put on at schedule times at all points simultaneously with the proper volume and tone. - 2 - How it would be Done Enclosed is a rough diagram suggesting the points about Miami Beach at which loud speakers or reproducers would be placed directly connected into radio station WIOD by leased circuits. This to be handled in the same way as we have been broadcasting from the various hotels about Miami Beach for the past four years. This idea is tried and so would be no guess work. The cost of maintaining this circuit to each one of the points suggested on this diagram would be on an average of : 35.00 per month. These circuits would p. .3. terminate in the broadcasting station at a special big am • / ' which we would maintain and operate at the station. At the station we will be able to furnish three different kinds of music or program material as follows: First: - Any part or all of the nightly programs broadcast by the Fisher Radio Station WIOD. Second: - Any part of programs broadcast from several of the big broadcasting stations in New York, Chicago , Cincinnati , etc. We would have a special powerful radio receiving set using an aerial 200' high with same , enabling us at any time to receive the programs from Stations VIEAF, New York; WOR, New York; and several other outstanding stations whose programs are of the highest order. We would put this program on all of the loud speakers shown on this diagram so that they could be heard at the principal points about Miami Beach. We are better equipped at the radio station to receive such programs with a powerful radio receiving set , expertly handled, than would be any point about Miami Beach such as . the hotels who might try to handle their own receiving sets. Third: - Also we would have an Orthophonic phonograph at the station so that we could play records of all types, music from same going out simultaneously over these same loud speakers about the Beach having exactly the right volume of sound from all of the different points because they would be equally fed from one central point - the Radio Station. How it would work We would have a definite schedule established at intervals during the day and evening at which time we would put out music from the radio station to the loud speakers about Miami Beach. During the day time it would be best to put on phono- graph music with perfect reproduction. During the evening schedule we would put on the best parts of our program from our radio station which we broadcast and also parts of pro- grams from stations up north. Thus , the winter tourists going about Miami Beach would hear a very diversified line of music ranging from phonograph records to programs of all types from broadcasting stations. 4- - 3 - An operator at certain definite times in the radio station, we will say would play twelve or more phonograph records, regulat- ing the volume at the station to the right amount and from the station by our own relay control system would automatically turn on all of the loud speakers in the system about the Beach. No body at any one of the points at which the loud speakers would be installed would be bothered doing a thing. We would turn them on and off. We would also maintain all of them, keep- ing them in repair. Apparatus Required and Expense Involved A powerful special amplifier would be installed by us at the radio station. The purpose of this amplifier would be to take the phonograph music or the music from our receiving set, picked up programs from other stations or the music from our own station, and amplify it to a high degree to the exact amount required, feeding it on all of the circuits simultaneously to the different points at which loud speakers would be installed as per the enclosed rough diagram of coverage. The cost of this master amplifier at the broadcasting station would be $1200. 00. At each one of the points shown on the rough diagram of coverage the following would be installed by us; A special type of power loud speaker (which would thoroughly carry sound over half a block) , enclosed in a special designed weather-proof box of attractive design as suggested on the en- closed sketch, marked "Design for Special Units. " This is an idea of my own to do away with the old type of ungainly and unsightly horns now used for such purposes. The difficulty with horns is that the sound from them is very directional making it necessary for people to be more or less in front or in line with the horns to hear the music. In order to make this sound or music heard up and down the street it would be necessary at con- siderable expense to have from four to six of these horns in a fan shape to get away from the directional transmission of sound. I propose to use in place of these horns a special single power loud speaker which we would enclose in a box as suggested on the enclosed sketch. This box to be weather-proof with four openings on each side of the box protecting the loud speaker unit within from the weather by shutters. These shutters would keep out the rain and wind but through their bottom openings would emit sound just the same as do shutters wlich are often installed in the belfrys of cathedrals. The bells in the cathedral of a church so protected by shutters can be heard at a great distance despite the shutters but the bells or chimes within the cathedral are protected from the weather. These could be reasonably huilt at a cost of not over $25. 00 each in quantities by any local mill wright. The little pyramid roofs on these houses could be covered with shingles and the box painted in attractive color schemes such as green or blue with the shutters and little shingle roofs in orange. - 4 - These little houses from which would eminate music from a mysterious source ( the radio station) would by their very appearance create a great deal of comment from our winter visitors at Miami Beach. They would be a source of mystery to people and would be unlike anything of a like nature that visitors down here had seen elsewhere. These little boxes or little houses with their little shutters and shingle roofs could be placed at such points as the Nautilus, Roney Plaza, Pancoast or Flamingo hotels on tops of gate posts. Each hotel could have one of these boxes or with our proposed system could have several at any one location spread out about the grounds of the hotel but all fed by one pair of lines from each point into the radio station. These little houses would have pad locked doors and would be spiked or bolted down preventing theft of the works inside. The cost of the loud speaker units to go inside these little houses would be $35. 00 each. Since I talked with you about this proposition of yours , I have investigated all kinds of loud speakers which might be suitable and have arrived upon a certain unit which will give sufficient volume , splendid tone quality and at the same time constructed of such material as to withstand our salt water atmosphere. Each one of these loud speakers would have a rectifying unit enclosed in it which would run from any 110 Volt lamp socket to provide the necessary current to run it without any batteries whatever. So much for the loud speakers proposed to be located at each point as per rough diagram of coverage. How these Loud Speakers would be Operated At each point of terminus of circuit from the radio station either one or up to six loud speakers could be installed as above described and a powerful portable amplifier at each location. The purpose of this amplifier is to take the music as it comes over the lines from the amplifier at the radio station and boost it to great volume before feeding it to the individual loud speakers so that the sound would be of such volume as to be heard at a great distance. These amplifiers can be installed close to the loud speakers or some little distance away. In the case of the hotels we would put the loud speakers en- cased in their little shuttered houses out on top of gate posts or similar locations and put the portable amplifier, which feeds them, at some convenient point within the hotel. These amplifiers would not require operators and would be controlled from the radio station. The cost of these amplifiers at every loud speaker location or every line of terminus would be $200. Each one of these amplifiers would be capable of handling up to six loud speakers per location. On the basis of a single loud speaker with the accompanying necessary amplifier it would bring the cost to $260.00. The cost of renting a circuit from the radio station to each 11.1.1111111.11111111111.1.111.1t 41.1.111111111111111111111111.011.1111.11011011.1111.1.111111.11100 - 5 - [111b. one of these amplifiers or loud speaker locations would be , as previously mentioned, an average of $35. 00. If more than one loud speaker were used at any location such as the Roney Plaza or other large hotel, the additional cost would be simply the cost of additional loud speakers at $35. 00 each, plus the cost of the little houses which would enclose them, at most $25.00 each, making a total per loud speaker of $60.00. Defraying of Expenses for Installation and Operation of the System Each hotel or point such as he theaterswhich points would of course benefit mostly by the publicity they would receive from these loud speakers should pay you the cost of the amplifier and the one or more loud speakers installed in their particular locations which would amount to about $260.00 using one loud speaker. Each one of these points should stand the cost of leaseage of • the telephone circuit or line from the radio station amounting to $35.00 per month average which is not at all prohibitive. The cost of the large master amplifier to be installed to con- trol the whole system of speakers at the radio station could be defrayed by pro-rating the cost or assessing each point benefit- ing by the system. The cost of the amplifier, as previous mentioned, would be $1200. 00. We have no phonograph at the station but must have one or an electric turntable arrangement for playing the records. $255.00 should be added to cover the cost of the new type phonograph which would play the records at the station for the entire system of loud speakers. As the receiving set which we use in conjunction with broad- casting work at the station is unsuitable for this work, $250.00 should be added for a very powerful receiving set to pici: up programs to put over the system of loud speakers. With this 42.50. 00 allowed for the receiving set we would buy parts at our own expense at the station, build up a special receiving set which in reality would cost $500. 00 were it to be bought com- plete. This would bring the total cost of the master control system at the radio station to - amplifier $1200.00, phonograph and magnetic pick-up equipment $255. 00, receiving set $250.00, ` making a total of $1705. 00. As it will require an experienced radio operator to handle this system at all times we will keep an operator at the station paying his salary myself at WIOD with the provision that at least part of his salary be defrayed or pro-rated amongst the points benefiting by the system. There are 17 points indicated on our rough diagram of coverage at Miami Beach so that a cost of only $5.00 each to each one of the hotels or other points the s stem would cover operating costs a- / ilv � , I 4,,,-(4.1.&)R., .. - 6 - I have tried to cut down the cost of this whole system to an absolute minimum. Were I to specify Western Electric or some other more expensive equipment than I have planned for this system, it would run the cost of the whole affair into thousands of dollars. By carefully picking out only the things which we would absolutely have to have at the least possible price I have brought the price down to a point not at all prohibitive. The cost of labor in installing this whole system would be handled on a time and material basis by myself and my own men from the rq.dio station. We can do it far more reasonably than it would be done by any electrical contractor who would of course tac%/2_ on his overhead and profit. I would do it with my own men who are radio men of some years ' experience and who would know just how to go about the whole affair at enough to cover bear salary and material. Three weeks should be allowed to install the system and thor- oughly test it out and if anything is to be done on it , it would be appreciated if an early decision could be made so that I can wire my men to come down from the north who , otherwise , will not be with me until shortly before the broadcasting station opens. As these men are paid by myself anyway I could readily get them down here on the job. I regret the length of this report but thought it best to put it all down in writing. I can guarantee that the plan which has herein been outlined would be a success. I would not guarantee and would be extremely skeptical of the success of broadcasting music around Miami Beach by any other means than I have outlined. You will readily agree that to be successful you must have absolute. , control of such a system from one point properly equipped and men to handle it rather than to rely on Tom, Dick or Harry to bungle it up. SUMPRY: 18 points at $260.00 per speaker location, brings it to $4,680.00 Cost of equipment necessary for master control at station 1,705. 00 Miscellaneous material, such as wire , insulators, etc. 100. 00 Complete equipment for entire system 6,485.00 Estimated cost to cover labor for complete installation 500.00 6,985.00 Cost of maintenance per month, including leaseage of lines for all points $720 per month Cost of maintenance per month for each hotel or point at which loud speakers are installed $40 per month 411r/ 4 ZUV cEl 1— Q � Q kee4 :IZiri". - O [1] }WJ S N e. I S ± >0 W p co z 0 � 8 La Li 1—I0 Z0 J— a � Q U1 ti 4Z wLal i ==e I+ Z a §1 < < `P., .c3' , i Q ? a ± i r--o' Hi -i.:;_i!Ni -- 1_ 0 ( 0 0 i- D 0., 4, t CI11-1 J ____a z z , a O u r ti O v 6i hi z �� Q F iI .� Z z z _ w1- i L. I to r . I 4:(::t. r. i W L 1 I Vn ~U "‹. 1.12 r." 0. , c., ....,____:. : ,... >... ., i_t. ,fzi--- 4 '..§-',_ .......-4- I .... ....,g........... i r -i . .6 k__,' ' ,_ , -‘..._. 1 `( ?. 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