RADIO NOTES

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 179, 23 April 1924, Page 11

RADIO NOTES

(By

“Aerial.”)

Mr. Charles D. Maclnrcan, the prominent Sydney amateur, when passing through Wellington recently on his way back fro-m Sun Francisco, stated that Amalgamated Wireless (Australasia) Ltd. had been most generous in supplying, gratis, the equipment and fixing up his aerial and station on the R.AI.S. Tahiti for his tests across the Pacific. Mr. Maclurcan stated that the amateur transmitter in America, which was heard the best in Sydney, is 6KA, Mr. Nikirk, of Los Angeles, California, who uses 10 kilowatts power. Be can be heard loudly with one valve in Sydney.

For reception, Mr. Maclurcan, at his home in Sydney, uses a single-wire aerial SOl’t. in length and 20ft. in height. His aerial is composed of threo-twenty gauge Stranded copper wire. He says the shorter the aerial the more selective it is and it brings in far less static than a long aerial. Mr. Maclurcan's aerial, however, is intended solely for shorter wave-lengths than broadcasting, which requires a longer aerial for reception. News has been received in Wellington tiiiit 2LO, the big London concert broadcast station, is about to have its power increased to 15 kilowatts. This will be equal to a thousand times more power than that employed by the two Wellington broadcast stations. One cannot imagine what this means to owners of three-valve sets residing in and around London, but the intention is to raise the power of 2LO sufficient for that station to bo heard on crystal sets throughout the British Isles. It is not safe to predict in matters dealing with radio, but it seems quite possible that when 2LO employs 15 kilowatts power the London concerts may be heard in New Zealand by the owners of the more powerful sets.

From Mr. Noel Swain, Waipawa, comes an account of some of his re-

ceptions of 2BL (Sydney Broadcasters Ltd.) and 2AC (Mr. Ivan O’Meara, Gisborne). On April 6 Mr. Swain logged a station calling Mr. Maclurcan on the Tahiti, during his trip from San Francisco. The recent tests by radiophone carried. out at the Government wireless station (VLW) at Wellington were accomplished with 100 watts power output. Apart from the strong harmonics, the tests were extraordinarily successful, the voices by the experimenters being heard up around the Western Pacific Islands.

In a letter received from Mr. Len W. Coker, of Blenheim, published in these notes on April 9, Mr. Coker reported that while listening-in to the Chicago tests on the Sunday night he heard the announcer at the American station mention and spell the name of “Mr. Laurie, of Christchurch, New Zealand ” Air. Coker writes that ho has since received a. letter from Mr. R- A Laurie, of Christchurch, stating that he had read Mr. Coker's letter in Tira Dominion, and that the person speaking in Chicago was evidently his brother, who is a radio expert. The message was, he adds, apparently from his brother to his father, who resides in Christchurch, and has done" so for a great number of years. Mr. Laurie, who is in Chicago, has been there for some years, ana is what they call in U.S.A, a “radio doctor.” Mr. AY. McLean, Milton, Otago, writes: “Using one valve lasf night (April 8) Mr. B. Gray, who has just made a set, brought in KGO (Oakland, California) very clearly. He was using the following coils: Primary, 35; secondary, 50; ‘tickler,” 60. I wonder what 2AQ (Mr. Morton Coutts, Taihape) would say if he could come down here and hear his own transmissions. I reckon they are the best in New Zealand for an amateur, bar none. He has a slight echo in his speech and music which gives the sound a very realistic ring.” The broadcasting station operated by Messrs. Wilkins and Field, Nelson, has been testing out lately. It is intended that this station will be on the air regularly every Wednesday and Saturday night before long. The Invercargill Radio Club is nowon the air, with its new transmitter, lent by Mr. E. Undrill, the secretary. A .radiation of 1} amps has been obtained, and it is hoped before very long to have the plant worked up to its highest efficiency and regular transmissions inaugurated. The members are very enthusiastic, and have all given their assistance in installing tho aerial and transmitting set. The Otago Radio Association’s plant is now practically ready for transmission, but the association will not be able to broadcast till the electric power and light department grants the use of power, which, owing to the drought, it will not do till the present restrictions are removed. The Post and Telegraph Department has granted the association permission to transmit on Tuesday and Friday evenings, and the remaining evenings are open for the use of 4YA until further arranged.

A Dunedin radion has received the following letter from Broadcasters Sydney), Limited, under date March 27: “Very many thanks for your interesting report on the transmission of 2BL, which I might state is the only station of Broadcasters (Sydney), Limited, and tho only other broadcasting station is Farmers, Limited. 2FC. in New South Wales. Our output is in the vicinity of 500. watts, which power we have at no time egfr ceeded. Our wave length is 350 metres. In picking up Sydney Broadcasters you were hearing this station. Our orginal call letters were 2SB, which were altered 2BL some months ago. Trusting to hear from you again shortly, yours faithfully. W. J. Maclardy, managing director.” Wellington Broadcasters, Ltd., treated listeners-in most liberally last Wednesday evening when, on conclusion of their high-class gramophone transmission, a special concert by Mr. Harry Avery and his jazz band (of the Strand Thea.tre) was broadcast by 2YB. The band concert commenced at 10.30 p.m. Tho programme comprised: “March of the Mannikins,” “Romany Love,” “Loving Sam,” and “Listening In,” by Mr. Avery 'and his band; “O Star of Eve” cornet solo), by Mr. Mcßobie; “Trombone Troubles” (trombone rolo), by Mr. Ambler; “Medley” (xylophone solo), by Mr. Roy Brinsden; “Kitten on the Keys” (pianoforte selection), by Mr. Harry Avery, accompanied by the band. The concert concluded at 11.45 p.m. “Aerial” has received a steady flow of letters from listenors-in residing both in tho cU.v and tho country, expressing appreciation of Mr. Avery’s band concert.

Mr. R. AV. Marshall, of Maungaraupi. Rata., writes: “I am very pleased to report that on Saturday, April 12, I heard KELT, between G and 7.20 o’clock, on about 370 metres. After some music the announcer stated that the band was playing in tho grand dining room, and, later, tho orchestra would play in tho supper room. He also mentioned the name of the conductor (Mr. Fitzpatrick. T think). At the. end of each item there was loud clapping, and once the clapping went on before the music stopped. At 6.15 p.m. I thought, ho was closing down, ns someone said ‘Good night,’ but later ho announced that the orchestra would play a suite of dance music. The only item T hoard announced was at 6.30, ‘The Railing Girl.’ I understood him to say that they would work evorv night except Monday, ao I hope h® will

■ be heard in New Zealand in future. 1 By the way he came in I expect no was picked up by anyone who happened to bo chasing around for anything. At a little before 7.20 he , macl ° a tjliort speech, in which I up the words ‘Exchange’ and ‘limes, California, but I did not follow him too well, as I hail too many tolephones on. At 7.20 he closed down with the words ’Good night, friends of Rad’.oland.’ I had ,to close down between 6.35 and 7 p.m. The station heard by Mr. Marshall was that owned by the Tinies Mirror Co., Los Angeles, California. It operates with 500 watts power on a wave length of 395 metres. The music from the Times Mirror Co.’s station at Los Angeles is picked up on a Beverage aerial at Honolulu and retransmitted bv the broadcast station owned by tho Honolulu “Advertiser n ® ws " paper. The distance thence to New Zealand is about 4000 miles. Mention of this retransmission of the music from KHJ by the Honolulu station, KGU, was made in these Radio Notes on February 20 of this yearKGU retransmits with 500 watts power on a wave-length of 360 metres. Mr. Marshall also reports hearing music and speech on Sunday, April 6, between 6.25 and 6.40 p.m., on what he judged to be 700 metres. 11ns wave-length is not within the regulation American limits, and it is problematical whether any other country permits concert transmission on /00 metres. On Saturday, April 13, Mr. Marshall heard Messrs. Farmer and Co.’s station in Sydney (2FC) transmitting test music. “Ono item, he says, “tho band’s own selection, Loin Wagner, took 31 minutes to play- tt was very interesting hearing the eflect of different instruments on the microphone, some barely audible and others What is possibly a world’s _ record for loud long-distance reception of broadcasted music on an indoor loopaerial was repeated last Wednesday evening by “Aerial” using his eightvalve super-hetrodvne set. At 8.10 p.m., KGO, Oakland, California, was tuned in, and the music from the orchestra was heard loudly throughout the house on a 2000 ohm concert-type Brown loud-speaker. The announcer at the Californian station was heard quite clearly stating that transmission was bv KGO, Oakland, California. Mr. J. ‘Ralph, manager of Messrs. Thos. Ballinger and Co.’s radio department, was present, and expressed the opinion that the music was t as loud and clear as the average thrdevalve set in Wellington receives local boardcasting. Tho distance spanned is over 6000 miles. It was on the previous Sunday that “Aerial” first attempted the feat, and was successful in bringing KGO in, as previously reported. The indoor loop used is an imported 3ft. frame with 9 turns of insulated wire spaced about half an inch between each turn. Tho news of tho “arrival” of KGO last Wednesday evening was convoyed to the writer per telephone by Mr. A. E. H. Simpson, who reported that at tho Willard Battery Station, Taranaki Street, he was listening to KGO, which was coming in so loudly on a standard 3-valve,. 3-coil regenerative tet that the music from the Californian station was audible twenty feet away from his head ’phones. In a minute and a half “Aerial” had the visitor on tho loud-speaker. KGO signed off at about 8.30 p.m., and the announcer gave the standard Pacific Coast zone time as 1.1 a.in.

On Tuesday evening last week the Dominion Radio Company broadcasted a most acceptable concert. The programme comprised: “Danse of the Minaret” and “Chopin’s Waltz in E Minor” (pianoforte solos), by Mr. Dudley Shortt; “Rhapsodic Mignonne,” “Kitten on tho Keys,” and Chopin’s “Polonnaise in A” (pianoforte solos), by Mr. Kohn; “Barcarolle,” “My ’Ain Folk” (instrumental duet), by Miss G. Funston (cornet) and Miss M. Do Saxe (flute), by permission of Mr. Walter Fuller; “Absent” (song), by Mr. McAnulty, with flute obbligato by Miss Marion Do Saxe; “Trumpeter” (cornet solo), by Miss G. Funston; “Le Cygne” (flute solo), by Miss M. De Saxe; Misses Funston and De Saxe, of Fuller’s Vaudeville Company, contributed artistic selections at the Dominion Co.’s station on April 3. Miss E. Joyce and Mr. Wade, of Wellington, arranged the admirable concert which was broadcasted by the Dominion Radio Company from their station f2YK) on The Dominion newspaper buildings last Thursday evening. 33ie items were:—“A Londonderry Air,” “Lullaby,” “Beethoven’s ■Minuet,” and “Lieboslied” (violin solos), by Miss M. Joyco; “Oh, Thank Mo Not,” “Tappische Ode,” and “Beautiful Beatrice” (songs), by Miss H. Nichols ; “Ave Maria,” with violin obbligato, by Miss M. Jovce, Miss E. Joyce at tho piano, “On Away, Awake, Beloved,” and “Lethe” with violin obbligato by Miss M. Joyco, ’cello obbligato by Mr. P. Byrne, and Aliss E. Jovce at the piano (songs), by Air. N. A. Byrne; “AVhero ’ere You Walk ” nnd “Mattinata” /songs), by Mr. E. K. Rishworth; “Night Hymn at Sea” (vocal duet), by Alessrs. N. A. Byrne and E. K. Rishworth ; “Three Towns” and “Afelodio” (instrumental trios), by Afiss M. Joyce (violin). Air. P. Byrne (’cello), and Afiss E. Joyce (piano). Alins E. Joyce played all the pianoforte accompaniments. Last Friday, Sunday and Monday evenings, were observed as “silent nights” 'oy the AVellington concert broadcast stations. Some outside stations, however, were on the air, but “old man static” raged violentlv and badlv handled the music from Sydney Broadcasters, Limited /2BL). “Aerial” did not hear the Californian station, KGO, on Fridav evening. On Sunday, however, tho Yankee music was back again after 7 p.m. Air. P. B. Billing, of Brooklyn, reported the return of KGO, by telephone to tho writer. The music, though loud, had a hard struggle with deafening static, and was therefore considerably marred. KGO closed, down at 8.30 p.m. Gisborne (2YM) was a visitor on Afonday night, but faded badly at times. Static raged incessantly and plnvcd havoc with the music from 2BL, Sydney Brodcasters, Limited, also Monday night.

Tho Now Zealand Broadcasting Committee announces that the provisional agreement reached with the Government Dcpartmnt provids for four up-to-dat stations, one for each of the provinces of Auckland, Wellington, Canterbur- and Otago. The management of tho individual stations will be undertaken liv a committee representing: First, the listener-in: second, tho Government • third, "he trade.