LOSS OF QUALITY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 106, 1 November 1934, Page 23

LOSS OF QUALITY

WHAT ABOUT OVERSEAS?

A contributor to the "Wireless World," who, after each Olympia radio show, commits himself to some outspoken comment on his impressions, put in a few words in his latest article for the "local station receiver."

I think it is becoming evident that progress, not only in the public taste, Ijut in the plans of the manufacturers, is being made, and that the time is.not too far distant ■when broadcasting will come into its own (ho writes). However much one may argue to the contrary, it cannot be denied that; the broadcasting art implies, first, the securing of artistic talent to perform certain, evolutions within a specially prepared room; secondly, the translation of the sounds resulting therefrom into electrical impulses which are propagated in. all directions by means of a transmitting station over an area whose size is determined beforehand by the design of the station; and, third-ly,-the reception of these impulses by a.receiving set, and their final conversion into sounds in the listener's^ home. 'It must be" obvious that any discrepancy . between the/ original .sounds, and the •' Tcpi'oduced sounds is interfering with the proper enjoyment of the original broadcast programme. By an accident of Nature, known as ' the Heavyside layer, the signals from a station can be received at greater distances than the design of the station will normally permit, and this is where "the fun begins." Although, probably, none of us has ever met a non-swimmer so eccentric or nervous as to'wear a diving dress at all times in case he accidentally falls into or wishes to enter the water, yet there are millions of otherwise quite sensible people who purchase radio sets whose designs completely destroy, any inherent ability the sets

might possess to reproduce a local station.Well, because they, the public and tho designer, think that they will -avail .themselves of tho accident of Nature already .mentioned.

As,is well known, the great majority of.the public will., buy _ a wireless set in. inueK the same' way as they would buy a\cat or a parrot. One cat or parrot !is enough for the averago home, and, judging from the experiences of my friends as well as myself, one brace of regional stations is. enough for the average home, too. I do not deny that foreign stations are received throughout the length and breadth of this country every night, but such proceduTe is limited.

If, therefore, the ability to receive large numbers of foreign stations means a reduction in the quality with which a local station's programme can be reproduced, then the purchase, of such a set by the average man is an act of folly; these acts of folly are committed every day, to the gratification and profit of the mass-production set makers.