William H. Pickering

Two Voltage Regulators

Two voltage regulators are described. The first is satisfactory where there is only a very small current drain; the second will maintain constant voltage output up to the current carrying capacity of the radio tube. For each the change of output voltage with change of input can be made zero. Where extreme constancy is required, the second circuit described is recommended. It approximates closely perfect regulation. The coefficient of voltage change of the output, defined by (1/V0)(∂V0/∂Vi) where V0 is the output voltage and Vi is the input voltage, is less than 10−7 per volt. The regulation is equally as good for surges as for longer random or periodic fluctuations. The circuit also maintains a constant voltage output for varying current drains, the output resistance being about 10 ohms. Currents up to 100 milliamperes at several thousand volts may be drawn with no significant change in the output voltage. The coefficient of drift defined by (1/V0)(∂V0/∂t), where t is the time, will usually be less than 1...

A Circuit for the Rapid Extinction of the Arc in a Thyratron

A new circuit is described which has applications for operating high speed electric counters by gaseous triodes. No auxiliary contacts are necessary, and the circuit resets itself in a period which is so short that most counters will operate near their maximum speed. The circuit thus has the advantage that it utilizes the trigger action of the gas tube to operate with a very short initiating impulse, and yet does not involve any auxiliary relays or contacts to open the arc circuit after the count has been registered.

A Light Weight, High Voltage Supply for Geiger Counters

A light weight, high voltage supply for Geiger counters is described. Its total weight, including batteries to operate it for approximately 6 hours, is 650 grams. The power input including the rectifying tube is 0.3 watt. The output can be varied from several hundred to about 2000 volts, and varies linearly with the voltage of the supply battery. Random fluctuations are of the order of 1 percent. A simple circuit for regulating the voltage is also given.

An Improved Cosmic‐Ray Radio Sonde

The technique of the radio transmission of cosmic‐ray information from the stratosphere has been improved as a result of field experience. The instrument described herein is believed to be a definite improvement over the previous instrument. The scaling down of the cosmic‐ray counts is now done at the ground station instead of at the transmitter. This necessitated a new means of modulating the transmitter, a new receiver, and a new recorder.

An attempt to measure the latitude effect of extensive cosmic-ray showers

Measurements of large cosmic-ray shower intensities have been made on the Pacific Ocean. Because of the statistical fluctuations of the experimental results, no positive conclusions regarding the latitude effect for these showers can be reached.