RADIO NOTES

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 61, 5 December 1928, Page 7

RADIO NOTES

(By

“Aerial.")

“Crow Eater” (Petone) asks: “Whatk< Is the straight-line distance between Ade-Si laide and Wellington?” The distance Is approximately 18(10 miles. “Velbx” (Newtown) comments upon the difference in describing last Saturday night's motor-cycle races by 2FC, Sydney, and 4QG, Brisbane. He says "The Sydney man had the abiding fault of those who don’t understand their job. He broke up every three or four words with ‘er—er thereby keeping listeners in suspense. The Brisbane man went through his sentences without any annoying hesitation.” “This noise" (Thorndon) reports that when his loudspeaker is turned towards his set it builds up a loud howl, and he asks for a cure. A piece of old inner rubber tube of a bicycle tyre should be slipped over the detector valve. This will prevent the trouble. "Hum” (Seatoun) writes that his B eliminator Is humming so loudly as to occasion interference with reception from Australia. He states that the eliminator is standing on the table behind his set. If the eliminator is moved to not less than three feet away from the set the Interference will probably cease. “Bias" (Eketahuna) forwards a circuit diagram with a request to Indicate how a "C” battery should be inserted. The minus terminal of the "C” battery should be connected to the filament terminal of the secondary of the audio transformer, and the plus terminal of the "C” battery should be connected to the negative filament terminal of the valve socket. As “Problem” (Lower Hutt) is unable to use a water-pipe as an “earth” he could employ a sheet of galvanised iron about four feet in length and about two feet in width. The best “earth” lead, under the circumstances, would be a length of insulated copper, seven strands of No. 20 gauge. The strands should be bared and untwisted for a distance of two feet and each strand should be firmly soldered at the sheet of iron at well-spaced points on one of the four-foot'edges. The sheet of iron should then be burled in the ground edgewise, the edge to which the wires nre soldered being uppermost, with sufficient depth to cover the edge of the,sheet of Iron. The surrounding ground should always be kept well sodden by pouring water on it. “How many watts equal one horsepower?” queries “Mast” (Hataltai). “What is the horsepower of 2xA, Wellington?” As 74(1 watts are equal to one horse-power the horse-power of 2YA is' about 6}. “Amp” (Lyall Bay) writes: —“For convenience sake I charge my ‘A’ battery with a vibrator type of home charger when 2Y A, Wellington, closes down. Neighbouring listeners then go nfter the Australian stations, and I am informed my home charger interferes with their reception. Is there a method of reduc-. Ing this interference?” A fixed condenser of placed across the vibrator should prove effective. A steady improvement in volume marked reception of the Australian stations as compared with the previous week. Yet one had to sit up until past 11.p.m. to. obtain satisfactory resplts from the best of the Australian stations. . Station 2BL, Sydney, came in louder than any of. the other trans-Tasman stations, ‘although 2FC, Sydney, closely rivalled it in the’late hours of the night. 4QG, Brisbane, which had been particularly weak for some months, showed a decided increase in.volume, on Saturday night nfter 11. o'clock, but 3LO, Melbourne, and 3AR, Melbourne, remained very faint. 2GB, Sydney, could be heard at a late hour on Saturday putting out; a session for the older juveniles.. On some nights last week 2UE, Sydney, was available on the loudspeaker, transmitting gramophone items On Thursday evening the Gisborne station was heard with considerable volume, broadcasting music by a local picture theatre orchestra. ■ This was the loudest “Aerial” had yet. received at the Gisborne station, which,'however, has recently been overhauled, and now employs Increased power. During Saturday night oh and off until 1 a.m. .the writer listened to 3ZC, Christchurch, testing with Gramophone records. The volume was astonishingly loud, and the tone was generally good, but it varied according to adjustment made at the station. There were occasional periods of fading, but they were brief and not intense. Static peppered in continuously on Saturday night, but as the Australians steadily Increased in volume the atmospherics became less obtrusive. Taking last week on the whole reception ■ from -Australia was poor until after 11 p.m. New Zealand time. An Australian listener, who is on a visit to England, writes:—“l've been doing a bit of listening in one way and another, and have come to the conclusion we. are fortunate in being situated as we are. The most important problem here at the moment is to find some relief from the interference occasioned by paucity of wavelengths, and the increasing powers of the Continental stations. The wave-length question is acute, and in some cases stations are sharing up the one wave, which leads to all manner of complications. Pending the establishment of the regional scheme in Great Britain, the British Broadcasting Corporation* are putting six of their out-stations on . the same wavelength, and they are to transmit the same .programme at- the same time. Tills will release one or two wave-lengths, and, it is hoped, make available to people in the crowded areas • programmes they, have hitherto-been unable to receive. There is a great deal of experiment about the whole thing, but experts are- of the opinion that from a technical point of. view there are no objections. The trouble here is that the various Continental broadcasting stations are trying to shout each other down with greater and greater powers, until one wonders where it is all going to end. Our SKW powers in Australia shrink very much when one looks round and see what is going on here. 35 k.w. is not considered out of the way, 50 k.>v. sets are being built in Germany, and now Rome, not to be outdone, is arranging for a station of 100 k.w.. So is the Irish Free State, and I hear that Sweden contemplates the erection of a 100 k.w. station at Stockholm. The new 2LO is under constructioa at Potter’s Bar, near London. That will be a 35 k.w. station, and will form part of the regional scheme. Other 35 k.w. stations are to be erected at Cardiff, Huddersfield, Glasgow and Belfast. I have spoken to people here who doubt whether the regional scheme will ever come to anything, and I think that it can be taken that all hands are feeling their way. No one knows exactly what to do. Over here, the Berne Convention Is sometimes given a pretty wide interpretation, and there Is a tendency on the part of some Continental stations to hang on to a wavelength if it suits, and just sit on the other fellow’s tune. When a rumpus starts, the offender just asks: “Well what are you going to do about it?” and after all what can be done? It is a matter of mutual arrangement more than anything else. It is easy to imagine though the annoyance that may be caused to .listeners with non-selective sets by a 100 k.w. station operating handy to some other wavelength and fairly close.” Tills week has brought little or no improvement in reception of the Australian stations, which continue to be weak until iate at night. New Zealand listeners, accordingly, rely more on their own stations for their entertainment. Of the outside stations, 3YA, Christchurch, is the most consistently satisfactory performer, for Wellington listeners, and both the programmes and transmission are well up to the mark. Few, if any, broadcasting stations are immune from lapses of efficiency at odd periods, and 2YA, Wellington, suffers with the generality of transmitters. Of late 2YA seems to have “slipped a cog" somewhere, and the transmission has been far below the customary standard of that station. “Aerial” has had numerable complaints from listeners, both local and in the country, that 2YA Is under a cloud so far as quality of transmission is concerned. Particularly rough and unpleasant to the ear is the transmission of gramophone records, a department in which, strangely enough, the big station has almost Invariably excelled. Frequently, too, the studio items, and, still more often, the relay items have displayed a tendency to “blast.” So urgent had the position become that “Aerial” this week personally reported the matter to Mr. Len Barnes, who is acting station director of 2YA during the absence of Mr. J. Davies on holiday. No doubt an “5.0.5.” will be dispatched to the Broadcasting Company's headquarters at Christchurch, so that the probability is that Mr. J. M. Bingham, the company’s chief radio engineer, will give the trouble ills early attention. Some months ago the writer acted similarly when 2YA was off colour, and Mr. Bingham soon put matters right. Traders point out that during the present season, more than at any time, such defects are a serious deterrent to the expected increase in radio licensees, and the sooner it is remedied the better for all parties, including the Broadcasting Company itself. Members of the Amateur Radio Society of ‘Wellington will' regret to learn that Mr. W. 11. Taylor, the honorary secretary, will tender Ills resignation at. the next meeting of the executive. Owing to Mr. Taylor having been transferred to a position which will lake him out of the city almost continuously, it would be Impossible for him to carry out. his duties to the society. Mr. Taylor has displayed rare enterprise and ability in his secre- - facial work and his jjesignatiou .will be ■

:eenly felt by the members of the Radio oclety. TODAy , s programmes.

Following are the broadcast programmes tor to-day (Wednesday, Decernher 5) • IYA, AUCKLAND (333 metres).-3 p.m.: Afternoon session, selected studio items. 4.0: Literary selection by the announcer. 4.8: Selected 'studio items. 4.20: Sports results. 0.0: Children's session, co n, i“ c ;' ed by Uncle Tom. 7.15: News and market reports; book review. 7.40: Lecture, Mr. Norman Kerr, “Physical Culture. 8.0. Chimes. 8.1: Overture, Boyjl OP*H Orchestra, “Marche Militaire (bchubert), (H.M.V. record C 1270). 8-5: Ghorus, Madame Humphrey Stewards ‘The Cherubic Host" (Gaul). B.J. Soprano solo. Miss Ida Holmes, The Jewel Song” (from “Faust”), (Gounod). o.id. Violin solo, Fritz Kreisler, “Capricei Vlennois” (Kreisler), (H.M.V. record DB1091). 8.17: Novelties Bohemian Duo, (a) Gin of My Dreams” (Clapp); (b) ‘Blue Ridge Mountain Home” (Robinson). 8.24: Humour, Hebrew Two, Happy Abe and Dismal Ike.” 8.32: Organ and vocal, Mr. Arthur E. Wilson, (a) “By the Sea ’ (Schubert); (b) “Gavotte Pastorale” (Durand), (c) “Fear Not Ye, O Israel” (Buck); (d) “Thanksgiving Prelude —Now Thank ne All Our God” (Dicks). 8.52: Contralto solo. Miss Doris Gower, “Softly Awakes My Heart" (Saint-Saens). 8.56: Orchestral, New Light Symphony Orchestra, “Rustic Wedding Symphony” (Goldmark), (H.M.V. record C 1210). 9.0: Weather forecast. 9.2: Harp solo, Miss Mavis Grevatt, “Rising of the Lark” (Thomas). 8.7: Novelties, Bohemian Duo, (a) ‘Girl of My Dreams” (Clapp); (b) Rlgoletto” (Verdi). 9.11: Baritone solos, Mr. John Bree, (a) "Yeoman's Wedding Song” (Ponlatowski); (b) “Lndy Mine” (Lohr). 9.18: Orchestral, New Light Symphony Orchestra, “Malaguena” (A Spanish dance), (Mosakowski), (H.M.V. record C 1210). 9.22: Vocal duet, Mrs. Arthur Wallis and Miss Doris Gower, “Still ns the Night" (Bohm). 9.26: Recital, Mr. Thomas Harris, ‘The Bachelor’s Club.” ,9.31: Organ and vocal, Mr. A. E. Wilson, (a) Miniature Suite (Rogers); (1) “Prelude”; (2) “lutermezzo ; (3) “Pastorale": (4) ‘‘Toccatina’ ; (b) “Canzonetta” (Frysinger); (c) “Gods Garden" (vocal solo), (Baker); (d) ‘Swedish Wedding March” (Soderman). 9.51: Baritone solo, Mr. John Bree, “The Fortune Hunter" (Willeby). 9.55: Novelties, Bohemian Duo, (a) “My Souvenir’ (Nicholls), (bj “Ain’t that a Grand and Glorious heeling” (Ager). 10.22; Light orchestral, Victor Salou Orchestra, “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise” (Lockhart-Seitz), (H.M.V. record EA180). 10.6: Vocal duet, Misses . Sybil and Winnie Stevens, I‘Somewhere a Voice is Calling” (late). 10.10; Close down. , 2YA WELLINGTON (420 metres).— S 3YA - CHRISTCHURCH (306 metres)’.— 3 p.m.: Afternoon session, selected studio items. 4.25: Sports results to hand. 4.30: Close down. 6.0: Children’s session, conducted' ’by Uncle I’eter and Mother Hubbard.: 7.15: News session. 7.30: Addington stock market reports. 8.0: Chimes. ■81: Overture. National Symphony Orchestra, “Light Cavalry” (Suppe) (Zonophone record EEIO2). 8.10: Relay . from Municipal Concert Hall of Christchurch Orchestral Society’s concert. 9.0: Studio programme; weather forecast. 9.2: lais on “Astronomy,” Rev. B. Dudley, F.R.A.S., “The Milky Wav.” 9.17: Orchestral suite. New Queen’s Hall' Light Orchestra, "Peer Gynt Suite” (Grieg), (a) “Anltra's Dance, ■■’(h) “Dance- of the Elfs.” ..(c) Song” (Columbia record ’L1517). 9.2. j: Contralto solos, followed by soprano and tenor’ duet,' .Miss Nellie Lowe and the Harmony Duo, (a) ■ “The Meeting of the Waters” (Moore), (b) “How Many a Lonelv Caravan” (Woodforde-Findenj, (c) “I’ll Sing to You” (Thompson). .9.36: ‘Saxophone solo,’Rudy Wiedoeft; ‘Sax-o-Phun" (Wiedoeft), (Columbia record 4037), 9.40: Baritone solos, Mr. A. G. Thompson, (a) “Wanderer’s Night Song” (Moore), (b) “At Gretna Fair" (Paul Marie). 9.47: A personal experience. Rev. B Dudley, “I Get Splashed and go to the Mercers” (.MS.). 9.51: Soprano solos, Miss Hilda Hutt, (a) “The Waking of Spring” (Del Riego), (b) “Vorrei” (Tosti). 9.<j9: Waltz with vocal chorus, organ solo, G. 1. Pattman, “Janette” (Williams and Nicholls) (Columbia record 01144). 10.2: Tenor solos, followed by contralto and baritone duet, Mr. T. G. Rogers and the Dulcet Duo, (a) “Roses of Picardy” (Haydn Wood), (b) “Thy Beaming Eyes" (McDowell), (c) ■ "Barcarolla (Gounod). Close down. , 4YA, DUNEDIN (463 metres).—7 p.m.: Town Hall chimes. 7.1: Request gramophone concert. 7.40: News session—Burnside stock sales report. 8.0: Town Hall chimes. 8.1: Suite—Ketelbey’s Concert Orchestra, “In a Fairy Realm" (Ketelbey) (Columbia Records 02694/5): (a) “The Moonlight Glade”; (b) “The Queen Fairy Dances”; (e) “The Gnome March.” 8.13: Quartets—4YA Harmonists: (a) “Hail, Smiling Morn” (Spofforth); (b) “Drink to me Only with Thine Eyes” (Ernt). 8.19: Violin solo—Miss Eva Judd, “Elegie” (Ernt). 8.24: Tenor solo—Mr. C. C. Scott, “The Sunlight Highway" (Moir). 8.27: Saxophone solo—Rudy Wiedoeft, “Minuet” (Beethoven’ 'Columbia Record 01176), 8.31: Soprano solo—Miss Homa Buss, “Ye Banks and Braes” (Moffaff). 8.34: Scottish comedian—Will Fyffe, “I Belong to Glasgow” (Fyffe) (Columbia Record 961). 8.38: Baritone solo —Mr. F. M. Tuohy, “What the Red-haired Bosun Said” (Harry). 8.42: Recitals—Miss Madge Yates: (a) “Hoodoo McFiggln’s Christmas” (Leacock); . (b) “The O.ld Stage Queen.” 5.50: Mezzo.soprano solo —Miss Mollie Andrews, “Hills of Donnegal" (Sanderson). 8.53: Instru-mentaL-4YA Broadcasting Trio, "Spanish. Dance'Nb. 2” (Moszkowsky). 8.58: Weather forecast. 9.0: Quartet-—4YA Harmonists, “The Cat and the Fiddle” (Smith). 9.4: Pianoforte solo—Mrs. Ernest Drake, “Mexican Serenade” (Mowrey). 9.9: Tenor solo — Mr. C. C. Scott, “My Sweet” (Jewltt). 9.12: Novelty—Band of H.M. .Grenadier Guards. “In a Clock Store” (Orth) (Columbia Record 9029). 9.16: Soprano solo—Miss Roma Buss,. “Nightingale and the Rose" (Hanley). 9.19: ’Cello sols—Mr. P. J.

Palmer: (a) “Serenade” (Squire); (b) “Morning Breezes” (Jensen). 9.30: Baritone solo—Mr. F. M. Tuohy, “Tops’! Hal’ Y’ards” (Harry). 9.33: Recital —Miss Madge Yates, selected. 9.37: Mezzo-soprano solo—Miss Mollie Andrews, “I Wonder if Love is a Dream” (Forster). 9.40: Instrumental—lYA Broadcasting Trio, "Spanish Dances Nos. 1 and 4” (Mosakowski). 9.50: Comedian with orchestra—Will Fyffe, "Dr. McGregor” (Columbia Record 9108). Foxtrots—Denza Dance Band: (a) "Adoree” (West); (b) “There’s Something about a Rose” (Kahn, Wheeler and Fain) (Columbia Record 01189). 10.0: Close down. 2ZF, PALMERSTON NORTH (285 metres). —0.15 till 7: Children's’ session. 7 till 9: Concert programme. 3ZC, CHRISTCHURCH (250 metres).— Noon till 1 p.m.; News and concert session. 2FC, SYDNEY (442 metres).—B p.m. till 11.30 p.m. 2BL, SYDNEY (349 metres).—B p.m. till 11 p.m.

3LO, MELBOURNE (371 metres).—B p.m. till 11.40 p.m. 3AR, MELBOURNE (484 metres).—B p.m. till 11 p.m. 4QG, BRISBANE (355 metres).—B p.m. till 10 p.m. Note. —New Zealand time is two hours ahead of eastern Australian time.