MARVEL OF THE AGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 130, 2 June 1923, Page 11

MARVEL OF THE AGE.

WIRELESS TELEPHONY.

MUSIC FROM DUNEDIN.

HAMILTON AMATEURS' WORK.

(Written exclusively for the "Auckland Star," by B. F. Haycock, Chairman Hamilton Amateur Radio Club.)

Probably in no town in New Zealand has the science of wireless been so enthusiastically taken up as it has been in Hamilton. When Professor Jack, of Dunedin, started his wireless telephony tests some time ago, a Hamilton amateur was the first to pick up his musit. From then on interest in the movement developed so quickly that at the present time there are fully 100 amateur wireless enthusiasts in the Hamilton district. Like measles, wireless is catching. In one street in Hamilton a wireless "fan" erected an aerial. A neighbour copied his example, and others followed suit, until at the present time, at this particular spot there is a regular "nest" of aerials.

Considerable ingenuity has been displayed in the erection of aerials. One man has lashed a pole to his chimney, others have utilised convenient trees, while old water and gas pipes have been used by others as aerial poles. Though many amateurs possess receiving sets purchased from the many dealers, a surprisingly large number have constructed sets themselves, and some wonderfully efficient instruments have been constructed at very litllc expense. The uninitiated is prone to believe that wireless is an expensive hobby, but when it is stated that perfectly reliable instruments can lie purchased at a less cost than that paid for a good gramophone, it will bo seen that the science is within the reach of practically everyone. Wireless lias a peculiar fascination, and once a person has "listened in"' he is not satisfied until he possesses a set, and then he is more fascinated than ever. He sits down to "listen in"' with the fixed intention of wiling away only a few minutes, but rarely can he leave the instrument under a few hours.

To gain the fullest possible enjoyment from wireless it is necessary to learn the Morse code, as it is in Morse that all commercial messages and weather reports are transmitted, but so many places in New Zealand are now "broadcasting" concerts that even without a knowledge of Morse "listening in" provides plenty of interest.

Supposing that one is conversant with Morse, with quite a cheap instrument ships all round the const can be heard advising their movements, or sending passengers messages. Practically every night one can pick up weather forecasts from Wellington and Awanui, while the writer has also picked up the weather report transmitted by Sydney (V.1.5.). Auckland's wireless messages to ships and land stations roar into the headphones of Hamilton amateurs, while single-valve sets have frequently picked up Honolulu. Euthusiasts with larger sets have no difficult in picking up American and Continental stations, and •the reception of time signals from Marseilles is of frequent occurrence.

Though wireless telegraphy is one of the wonders of the age, it is wireless telephony, however, that makes the greatest appeal to the amateur, or, indeed to tlie person with no knowledge of wireless at all. To most people it seems almost unbelievable that one can sit in a room in Hamilton and hear music coming through the ether from Wellington, Dunedin and Auckland. Nowadays, however, there is literally music in the air, nnd" it is received in Hamilton from the places mentioned with remarkable clearness. Gramophones are used ill many cases to provide tlie music, but a. remarkable tiling is that when the music is received through the wireless sot the usual scratching of the gramophone needle is entirely eliminated, and the music is received so perfectly flnit it is difficult to believe that a gramophone is supplying it. The human voice comes through the ether with greater clarity than it does through tlie average telephone, and the speaker is easily identified.

A certain amount of "broadcasting" has been done by Hamilton amateurs. They have received letters from all parts of New Zealand, including Dunedin and Christchurch, the writers stating that they have picked up the music perfectly.

Wireless became so popular in Hamilton that the Hamilton Amateur Radio Club was formed in order to give amateurs an opportunity of discussing experiments and furthering the science. It has a membership of about (10. A eiubroom has been secured whore lessons in Morse are given free to members by an experienced telegraphist. A receiving set is being installed in the eiubroom where members and their friends can "listen in," and when funds are available it is proposed to instal a transmitting machine. If satisfactory arrangements can be made it is hoped to provfde a wireless demonstration each evening at the Winter Show.

There is considerable dissatisfaction among amateurs over the fees charged by the Government for receiving licenses. At the present time a license fee of 5/ per annum is charged, while an additional charge of 3/ is made for a stamp on tlie statutory declaration that the license holder will keep secret any public correspondence that he overhears. "Nobody objects to the 5/, which is a perfectly reasonable fee. but the 3/ stamp is regarded as an imposition, especially when it is taken into consideration that for the total of 8/ the Government provides nothing. In England a different system operates. The Government charges every amateur 10/ per annum for a license, and out of the money collected the Government pays half to the broadcasting companies to cover the cost of broadcasting. From recent advices this arrangement works well, and amateurs have a wide range of concerts to "listen in" to. If some sucu arrangement could be made in New Zealand amateurs would willingly pay more than the 8/ if they were satisfied that a o-ood broadcasting service would be provTded, but they are far from satisfied at having to pay 8/ for nothing.