Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar.
What will be the effect on radio reception of (a) new high power line up Nuuanu valley?
Complaints have been made in the last few days from Nuuanu radio fans that the projected 44,000 volt transmission line will seriously impair radio reception.
The Hawaian Electric Co., who will install the line, says, first, that the imperative necessity of a war situation makes the line absolutely necessary; second, that it is not the high power of a line, but "leakages" that cause radio interference; third, that ever precaution possible will be taken to minimize radio interference.
The Star-Bulletin asked D.C. Chang, radio engineer with the territorial radio commission, for a statement. Here it is:
"On the basis of previous experience, the installation of a 44,000 volt overhead transmission line along Nuuanu Ave. by the Hawaii Electric Co. certainly will cause difficulty in radio reception in the area traversed by the line. …
"At present there is an 11,000 volt overhead line running along Nuuanu Ave. This can be kept fairly quiet from a radio engineer’s viewpoint, but you can’t keep a 44,000 volt line quiet. …
"The radio commission has not been formally notified by the Hawaiian Electric Co. of the installation of this line. In fact, the radio commission has no power in connection with the erection of such a line. The public utilities commission and the land commission, however, do have such power."
A spokesman for the Hawaiian Electric Co. said:
"The Hawaiian Electric Co. is being called upon by the armed forces, defense contractors and increased civilian popula-
tion for the supply of electric energy far beyond normal expectations.
"The war production board through its rigid control of all critical materials, such as copper, has required of the company that fullest advantage be taken of existing facilities to meet these increasing demands.
"This has made it necessary for the company to take advantage of many recognized standard practices for increasing the capacity of its generation, transmission and distribution facilities. One of the standard recognized methods for increasing the capacity of transmission lines is to raise the voltage of these lines.
