OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 290, 8 December 1933, Page 12

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES,

PROM FAR AND NEAR. (By PHONOS.) On Monday night the writer noticed a pronounced harmonic of IYX right on the wave of IYA. It was strong enough to be disconcerting at times. Another test on Wednesday night found no trace of this fault. Have any other listeners found disconcerting harmonics as a result of the wave-length changes?

The past week-end lias been one of unusual importance for radio interests. Wave-lengths have been ciianged, IZR has given its final programme, IYA has inaugurated a breakfast session, IYX lias commenced on a new schedule, we have had a fine Monday morning account of the conclusion of a Tasman flight, and a huge body of listeners has voiced an emphatic request for a "Friendly Road" station. Add to this the discontent over the wave-length and there is a variety surpassing a YA programme.

The main feature of broadcasting for the coming week will be the official opening of the new 3YA, Christcliurch, at 7.30 p.m. on Thursday. The PostmasterGeneral, the chairman of the Broadcasting Board, and of the Advisory Council, and the Mayor of Christcliurch will be the official speakers. Rex Harrison. Paul Vinogradoff, and Professor Shelley will be among the contributors to a special programme. All listeners will be keenly interested to note how the new station will be received in Auckland. Preliminary testing has been heard here during the past two weeks.

The breakfast session from IYA, scheduled to commence on Monday morning, could not be judged on that occasion, for Tasman flight news was of paramount importance then, but Tuesday gave the first real taste of what the main Auckland station proposes to offer with the first daily meal. It was quite a formal affair compared with what has been heard heretofore only from B stations, and it certainly lacked one very important element. The announcement at frequent intervals of the correct time is a very valuable flavouring in this morning broadcast. In the past very many people have tuned in specially to obtain this information, once supplied gratis per telephone. It is to be hoped that the station will quickly supply the want felt by quite a number of listeners.

The writer can recall no more enjoyable hour of orchestral broadcasting from IYA than that by the Mareo Symphony Orchestra last Thursday. It would be unfair to make invidious comparisons between tile performance ol a full orchestra and the small band of musicians appearing regularly at the studio, and it is highly improbable that Mr. Mareo's combination would have sounded as effective had they been performing at IYA itself, but a new studio will soon be erected, a new plant will soon be operating, and both will be worthy of a much augmented orchestra.

Much interest was evinced in the first evening programme of IYX, which is the late IZR replacing the board's portable transmitter on the latter's wave-length. In criticising the programme, it should be remembered, in all fairness to the board's officials, that they have not yet had time to show what they can really offer in the way of an alternative programme. However, it must have been noted by many that the programme was very "dead." There were good records, and a fair variety of items, but there was also noticeable a coldness and a formality quite foreign to the style of IZR. The "intimacy" of some of our small stations, rather than the high quality of their programmes, has been the main factor in gaining for them an undoubted popularity with listeners. The latter have been brought into personal touch with the stations by the breezy, if at times unconventional, manner in which even records have been Introduced. .If the new IYX can revive this touch it will become a live factor in local broadcasting. If it fails to do so, then the board, is in for another storm of adverse criticism.

Whoever may be the official of the Post and Telegraph Department responsible for the new allocation of wavelengths, his ears are likely to be burning if an old superstition is believable. On all sides one hears scathing comment, as the result of definite experiment and proof. It is not uncommon, also, to meet the allegation that the change is a deliberate attempt to force listeners into listening to Dominion stations. This, of course, is sheer nonsense. It cannot be doubted that the alterations were made with the definite objective of improving conditions for listeners, and that co-operation with Australia was sought and obtained in this effort. It is quite reasonable to euppose, too, that many parts of New Zealand will benefit. But this does not blink the point that the big number of listeners in Auckland city and suburbs have lost more than they have gained by the change. To offer us 3LO instead of 2FC is like supplying margarine instead of best butter. 2FC is certainly the most reliable station in Australia for local reception, though at times others may come in with better volume. How the Australian stations compare in quality of reception in the South the writer does not know, but. years of receiving 2FC, on quite a variety of sets, have convinced him that for overseas entertainment it is the plant to which one can tune in with greatest assurance of volume and clarity. The obscuring of KFI is a minor matter in comparison, for the tail end of an Ainerican programme is not comparable with the full two hours of one through the Australian national service. If the Department realises how widespread, is the local dissatisfaction with the new wavelength of IYA, it will take immediate steps to bring itself into better favour with listeners.

FROM IYA NEXT WEEK,

Sunday—ll.o a.m., morning service from Beresford Street Congregational Church; , ,7 0 p.m., service from Church of. Christ; 8.30, Municipal Band from Albert Park. Monday (to IZH) —8.0, 8.50, 0.20, 9.50, the orchestra; 8.25 and ; 9.36, Len Barnes (baritone, with orchestra). Tuesday (to IZH)—B.O, recorded programme; 9.2, Julius Hogben in continuation of his series or talks; 10.0, dance music. Wednesday—B.o. recordings; 8.30 and 8.53, Dora Jtidson instrumental trio; 8.38 and 9.26, C. O. James (baritone); 9.2, talk, Lieut. Haynes. Thursday (to IZH) —A concert programme by the Auckland Commercial Traveller's Choir, interspersed with recordings; 8.28, the 8.8.C. programme, "Ellen Vannin Through the Ages" (repeat performance); 9.2. illustrated musical talk, Arthur Wilson. Friday (to IZII) —8.10 and 9.39, Duncan Black (bass.); 8.30, Civic Theatre Wurlitzer relay; 9.2, Denis Neal, "The Lure of London. Saturday—B.o, relay rrom Town Tlall of Carol Concert by Municipal Band and ' organists; 10.0, sports results; 10.10, dance music.