OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 54, 5 March 1937, Page 14

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES. FROM FAR AND NEAR. (By Tl XK IX.) A slii;'it decline in radio license figure* f.»r .lanuary is shown by the latest return-, the present total being just over fur the nonunion. This is. of course, the seasonal decline, which is usual during the summer. A considerable increase may lie expected in the next couple of months. ish Xi«rlit" at IZM last Monday provided excellent entertainment. So many requests for recordings poured in to the station director. Mr. W. YV. Hod«crs. that tiie station had to he kept on the air until 12.:50 a.m. on Tuesday, and even then it was impossible to comply with the wishes of listeners. To make up for the extra time on the air IZM did not open up on Saturday.

l f is asserted that Australian commercial stations are showing greatly reduced profits compared with those of two or three years ago. At one time entertainment was comparatively cheap, and many 1$ class proprietaries made fortunes. To-day entertainment has to be increasingly outstanding, and programme costs, performing fees and royalties are rising. In addition, the A class stations i.ffer stronger competition.

Mr. Shelley told a Onnedin interviewer that *inore money than usual had been placed on the estimates for programmes. and as a result the standard of programme broadcast would be raised. That is good news, and it is to be hoped that he will see that the extra money is not spent on features such as Eb and Zeb. A few thou<>and pounds could be spent to advantage in bringing the record stocks up to date.

Recent events Trove put the staff administration side of the 8.8.C. much in the limelight (says a Londoner). You might work in Broadcasting House for years without meeting Sir John, but you certainly would not be overlooked by Vice-Admiral Sir C. Carpeiulale, the deputy-director general, or Mr. B. % E. Xicolls, the administration controller. The admiral brought naval discipline with him to Broadcasting House. There is a quarter-deck atmosphere about when he visits a department—and it lasts long after he has gone.

When thinking of the average type of wireless receiver used by listeners in the U.S.A.. we are apt to be critical of the quality of reproduction associated with it. but we have never supposed that any but the most up-to-date receivers were to be found in American homes. It is somewhat surprising to learn, therefore, that accor'ding to the Federal Communications Committee, which has just taken a census of the age of receivers used in rural areas iu U.S.A., no less than 25 per cent are of 1929 vintage or earlier.

A weekly summary of the activities of the League of Xations is now re broadcast direct from Geneva by Station 2YA Wellington at 7.30 p.m. every Monday. "The League Has Failed'' is a catchphrase so otten heard to-day and many people are prep&red to abandon a splendid organisation merely because it cannot do impossibilities. In so far as the League has been a failure this has-been due to the lack of support it has received from the people of the world. And yet this organisation could be the beginning of great things if only it was given a chance. Every citizen owes it to himself to know the full facts about the League. One of the best ways of doing this is to tune in to the weekly rebroadcasts.

Quite frequently it is necessary for a business man to address an audience, yet remarkably few take the time and trouble to cultivate correct methods. Too often successful men. who should know better, fail miserably when they are called upon to speak. In fact, after dinner speeches particularly, are famous for-their lack of interest. Those who listen-in to IYA oil Monday night next to Mr.. A. G. Sinclair, secretary-manager of the Te Awamutu Co-operative Dairy Company, who is delivering a talk on "The Business Man as a Public Speaker." should learn something useful. This, talk should contain many practical hints, for Mr. Sinclair is a noted public speaker with many years platform experience.

One of the most frequent causes of noiity or scratchy reception in sets is a defective winding of a transformer used on the audio-frequency side of a receiver. If the winding is not burnt out, but is showing only a partial fault, testing will be found to be difficult. A suitable test may be made with a 4 J-volt battery connected across either winding of a transtormer suspected of being faulty and a pair <3K headphones joined up across the other winding. A loud scratching noise -will be apparent if the transformer is at fault. It is a wise plan to reverse the headphones and battery and test the other winding. If no noise is apparent with each winding, the fault must be searched for elsewhere. FROM IYA NEXT WEEK. Sunday—9.o a.m., selected recordings; 11.0, relay or service from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church; i.o to 2.0, dinner music; i? .0 to 4.30, selected recordings, reaturing at 3.30, the Hoyal Opera Orchestra or Covent Harden plaviug M(Hart's "Symphony ISo. 40 iu r, Major"; 7.0. relay or service trorn St. Matthew's Anglican Church; 8.30, concert l>y the Auckland Municipal Band. Monday—7.3o p.m., talk by Mr. P. W. SmalKleld, Department or Agriculture, Hamilton, "Topdressing in the Auckland Province"; 8.0, concert programme, reaturing poems liy Shakespeare, Milton, 'Tennyson and others; 9.5, talk hv Mr. A. J. Sinclair. "The Business Mail as a Public Speaker"; 9.20 until 10.0, items by the studio orchestra and Mina Caldow, contralto; 10.0 to 11.0, music, mirth and melody.

Tuesday—B.o, recorded concert programme: 9.5, talk on world alTairs l>y Mr. If. <1. Bell; 9.20 to I 1.0, dance programme, with interludes by Perc. Watson, banjoist and guitarist.

Wednesday—B.o p.m., concert programme or recordings; 9.5, a discussion, "Serving the Public" rt> "The l adies' Hairdresser"; 9.20 until 10.10, recordings; 10.10 to 1 1.0, music, mirth and melody.

Thursday—7.3o p.m., "The Changing World" series or talks. I l i "The Chanire In The State," by Mr. 1.. K. Mnnro; 7.15, talk by Mr. K. <:. Turbott. "Birds or ,\cw Zealand"; S.ti, concert programme of recordings. featuring •'Kvening In Budapest"; 9.5, talk by Mr. is. .N. nreenbmtk.

"The Art or the 'Ballet"; 9.20, a programme or band music by the Auckland Artillery Band; 10.0 to 11.0, dance programme.

Friday—B.o. concert programme, featuring Margherita Zealanda, coloratura soprano; to.o to 11.0, music, mirth and melody.

Saturday—2.o p.m.. relay rrom Auckland Domain or the ."Saw Zealand Amateur Athletic Championships; 7.30, talk by the gardening expert. 8.0. concert programme, featuring Alan Pow, r> '•••■ -

Margherita Zealanda. coloratura soprano; Sam Duncan, te/ior; 10.10 to 1i.1.i, uujico music, relayed, from El Hey—Country dub.