OVER THE AERIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 22, 27 January 1939, Page 14

OVER THE AERIAL.

RADIO NOTES. FROM FAB AND NEAR. (By TUNK-IX.) Performance* at the Xew Zealand brass bands contest in I'hristchurch next month will be broadcast by 3ZB. Many listeners will welcome the news that the Japanese Hoiiseboy series is to terminate next month, but they may not be k<> pleased to learn that Archie and Frank are to be replaced by still another (Jeorjie F.d wards production — "Kicli I'ncle from Fiji." Peter Diiwson's tour for the Australian Broadcasting Commission will open at Perth in March, but it will he May before he reaches MellMiiirne. It is computed that the South Australian baritone has ren.rded :((HM> soups, and that ruiles of these total 12.(MH).(MMt. There has lieen an alteration in the propria in me to be jjiven by Bernadine t'lirre.v. pianist, from IYA at 8.23 o'clock this evening. The correct jjroiip will be us follows:— "Studies in G Flat." •'Waltz in I) Flat." "Scherzo" (Chopin). "En Route' , (Palmgreii), and "Valse" (i^'vit/.ki). The newly-established Public Relations Department of the Australian Broadenstinj; Commission U embarking on mi iiKjiiiry into the habits and interests of wireless listeners so a« to esti- i mate their j»enernl reaction to different ty|H-s of program me*, l< hopes to lind out such thinjfs as the time people fret up. their meal hours, when they switch on the wireless in the evening, what time thev switch off and' jjo to bed. and whether t lit* housewife shops in the iiiornin<r or the afternoon, Japanese Housel>oy fan* will be surprised to learn that Eddie Holdeii. impersonator of Frank Watanabe, stand/ , lift 2in in his socks. But most astonish- j injr of all concerning this American actor (who *|>eak* like an Englishman when away from the mike) is that he plays the parts of Hipplewater, Scuddcr. the Japanese cousin, and El Kyote, the bandit. An overseas radio engineer, who visited Xew Zealand recently, cannot see any indications of major developments or invent ions alfcctinjr radio circuits. Fundamentally there have l>een few innovation* worthy of l>ciii«r called important since the wholesale adoption of the siiperhet electric circuit several years a>ro. Components have been improved, lietter valves have been made, and dual-wave tuners have appeared on even cheap sets, lit l!>30 differences in radio sets will be mainly those of fashion—different, cabinets, automatic tiiniiijr «rnd'jrets and externals— but there is no reason to e\|M'ct much difference tii take place inside. There is still no prospect of television for Australia, according to a technical authority. "The year 1«."«»." he says. "is not likely to see any local television activities. Despite the progress made abroad, there appears as yet no prospect of the major problems beinj; solved. The cost of television is still far too high to lie practicable (for Australia) and the service is still limited. We may ex|>ect that costs will continue to fall slowly, but only radical changes can cause radical price reductions of transmitters, receivers and services. Undoubtedly more television sets will be sold in England, but there will need to he. The mini her of 'lookers-in' in now so small that it could lie increased ten time* and the total still be most inadequate to justify the expense of the service. Australia must look further than lf»3» for television"—and that goes for Xew Zealand, t<lo. Tn the early days of radio midget receivers were ijuite a craze, and there were many about the size of the matchlwix. But they were oddities and of little use. It ha* remained for an Englishman to develop a vest pocket twovalve radio receiver, which is at once entirely practicable, light in weight and very efficient. The whole outfit, including the frame aerial, battery and earphone, is no larger than a email camera. The circuit is conventional, a regenerative detector and one stage of transformer coupled audio, hut the tubes are midgets and require little current. The power supply is unusual. One 4 J-volt torch battery supplies current for the filaments and also for the plate voltage. Using a microphone "hummer." the 4i volts is stepped up and rectified by a plate rectifier to give the necessary higher voltage. The total current drain is about 120 ma., so that the torch battery has quite a long life. PROM IVA NBXT WEEK. Sunday—9.o a.m.. recordings: 11.0, relay of service from Mount Kden ConKTPiraiioiic'il Church: 1.0 p.m., dinner music: ■Jμ to t.:ni. selected recordings, featuring at t<.3o "Symplionie Fantastiqiie" by Iterllo/.: 7.11. relay of service from I'llt Street Methodist Church: 8.30. concert prolamine, featuring Raymond Beatty (Australian iiass-baritono and Heather kliiiialrd 1 Australian contralto); 9.5, studio play, "Wedding Oroup." Monday—B.o p.m., concert programme, featuring recorded serial!", recorded talk, the studio orchestra and .Norton .lay (baritone) ; 10.0 to 11.0, music, mirth and melody. Tuesday—7.3o, gardening , talk, "Garden Furniture"; recorded serial, concert programme featuring- llaymond lieatty and Heather Kinn.iird; 9.i>. talk, "The Future or Population and migration"; U.2U-. dance music. v Wednesday—7.3o p.m.. book review; 8.0 to 10.0, concert programme, featuring Annette Chapman (mezzo-soprano;. I.ener Quartet: drace Moore. Walter Glynne and Ihe International itailio orchestra; 10.0, music, mirth and melody. Thursday—B.o p.m., recorded serials; 0.5, talk, "The Cradle or New Zealand"; 9.20, recorded l>und concert; 10.0. dance I music. Friday.—B.o p.m., readings from classics •ind musical selection; 8.35?, concert programme featuring Constance Pij>er (soprano), Boston Promenade Orchestra and London sympnony Orcne3tra; 9.r>, talk on "Leaves From a Bnrkhlorks Diary—the Best of it"; 10.0, music, mirth and melody. Saturday—From 11.10, running- commentary on riunket Shield cricket match, relayed from Eden Park (and at intervals during the day); 8.0 p.m. to 9.0, concert programme, featuring , Hachmaninoff, Hilda Herell. Vincent Aspey, Tony Rex. Albert Sandler Orchestra; 9.5 to 11.30, old-time dance programme.