Radio Review

Evening Star, Issue 20020, 10 November 1928, Page 23

Radio Review

Flashes from Everywhere. [By “HENRY.”]

ARMISTICE DAY. Special arrangements have been made for broadcasting the various events on Armistice Day (Sunday, November 11). At 10.30 a.ni. 4ZO will bo on the aii to relay special music and the function which takes place annually on the steps of St. Paul’s Cathcdial. The playing of the Drum, Trumpet, and Bugle Band of the 2nd Cadet Battalion, Otago Regiment, as it marches round the Octagon, will be put on the'air. The tolling of the Town Hall bell at 10.55 a.m., the striking of the town clock, and tho sounding of the ‘ Last Post ’ and ‘ Reveille ' will also be heard. Immediately after this ceremony is completed 4ZM will broadcast the service from St. Raul’s Cathedral. At 6.15 p.m. 4ZM will again bo on the air t relay the official service of commemoration from the Cathedral Special music will bo rendered by tho organist and choir, and the band of the Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment and the Cadet Band will again sound the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille.’ LOCAL ftOTES. Within the last six weeks static has been very constant, only three or four nights being free The Australian reception has improved within tho last week. To hear a strange voice announcing at 4YA ’s not a very common occurrence. The regular announcer is onirying three weeks’ vacation. The ‘hum” of tho local station is still very noticeable, and it is to be biindl that it bo smoothed out still more. A good piece of work was effected by a local firm in broadcasting the Melbourne Cup ae. This was no easy matter, but it was in apable hands and proved very successful. The short wave receiver was only 6ft from the transmitter (4ZO) aiid the SW set aerial was only 12in from the transmitting aerial. Reception was recorded in the heart of the city 4ZM has bee i putting over some excellent Sunday afternoon sessions, and it is to be hoped that it will continue to do so. USEFUL TIPS. Acid from an old accumulator should not be poured down a drain, but it should be disposed of by digging a hole in an unused corner of tho garden, where it can bo poured away without danger. Here are three methods of cleaning and tinning tho soldering bit:—(l) After heating the iron and filing _ it clean, clip it into a little pure tin. This can be obtained from most ironmongers, and is known as “ block ” tin. The bit should then take the solder easily'. (2) Melt a little solder in a tin lid and cover it with fluxite. Passing the hit through tho fluxite ' n tho "solder tin will clean and tin it at ’to same time. (3) Heat the hit and mb it in sal-ammoniac. It will then : u easily. CRITICISM FROM TIMARU. 4YA, Dunedin, is a much improved station, but is far from perfect (according to “ Microphone,” in Tie Timaru ‘ flerald ’). Otago and Southland have under 3,000 listeners. Why? because 4YA is not giving service, and 2YA

is poorly received there. What a great pitv it is, that the Scotch station is not up to date. What great opportunities the southern folk are missing from hearing wonderful talent. It is safe to say that Dunedin possesses some of the best talent in N T ew Zealand. Tho writer will be in Dunedin next week, unci will make enquiries from the station manager as to the failure of 4YA. ■ NO TRI ’ L PERIOD.^ A warning to mose who fail to obtain a radio license as soon as they acquire a receiving sot was given recently by a Wellington radio inspector. “ There is a popular misconception,” said Mr Marsh, “ that the owner is.allowed a period of trial before a license need be obtained. This is incorrect. A license should bo obtained first, or, at any rate, before the set is used. The onlv exception to this rule is that a deafer may demonstrate an expensive valve sot at the residence of a prospective purchaser for a period of one week. After that, the prospective buyer is responsible for a license whether or not he intends to keep the set. In the case of renewals, many people allow several weeks to go ty before taking action, it should le clearly understood that a license should bo received on or before tho date uf expiry of the current one. Therefore, ” concluded Mr Marsh, “ listeners should take heed and renew their licenses promptly, for, if they do not, a visit from the inspector may make the license an expensive one when it comes to adding a line and costs to the usual fee.” NO STATIC AT ALL. Although listeuers do not always realise it, electrical machinery causes a great deal of interference with broadcast reception. A simple proof ol this can be obtained by turning on tho electric light in a room in which a receiver is operating. As the switch is closed a loud click will almost invuiinbly be heard in the loud speaker. Electric motors, such as those used to drive fans, are great offenders, and produce a continuous noise in the speaker. This noise is seldom troublesome if one is receiving loud local stations, but it will often prevent interstate reception. _ Violet-ray machines cause even more intense interference, and one of the worst offenders of all is tho battery charger used by amateurs themselves. For this reason, battery chargers, particularly those of tho vibrating reed typo, should bo used as little as possible in broadcasting nours. There are other sources of electrical interference which can seldom be controlled. These are various forms of defects, usually leaks which develop in the insulating material, on the reticulation service itself. The only effective means of overcoming this interference appears to be to provide that they will entirely drown tho interference. This is quite possible over short distances, and it seems that for the time being at any rate listeners must suffer a certain “amount of interference from electrical services. SHORT RADIO PLAYS. In order to encourage would-be playwrights, the Broadcasting Company is offering prizes of £5 ss, £2 2s, and £1 Is for sketches or playlets

•‘Henry will be pleased to answer any questions through this column relating to the fascinating hobby. Each correspondent must sign his name and address (not necessarily for publication). Newsy items will be welcomed.

suitable for broadcasting, the awards to bo made by the IYA Musical and Dramatic Committee. The sketches submitted may be either humorous or dramatic, and should not take more than twenty-five minutes to perform, twenty, minutes being preferable, it is suggested that a New Zealand setting bo adopted, and that the writers defend upon aptness of dialogue rather than upop “situation’’ for purposes of effect. Three is considered the best number of characters, though up to five may be included. Competitors wifi be asked to give a guarantee of originality. The company is to have the sole broadcasting rights for New Zealand, the authors to retain all other rights. The competition is an excellent idea, and sustains the reputation of IYA for encouraging broadcast drama more than any other New Zealand station. Possibly the company may have taken some action in the way of obtaining the manuscript of radio plays and sketches from Britain and America, but if it has not done so it certainly should. No doubt it might rely upon getting the fullest possible help from the 8.8. C. and from the National Broadcasting Company in the United States. THE COMING ELECTIONS. VALUE OF RADIO. The coming election will again help fco demonstrate the inestimable value of radio, to the country dweller especially (says the Taranaki ‘ Daily Nows ’). In the past, the farmer, who naturally takes a great interest in the affairs of the country, had to wait from a day to several days, according to hxs distance from civilisation, to hear the results. Now with radio ho can sit at home and get the results from every electorate as soon as they are forwarded to one of the four centres, which is usually only a few hours after the polls close. _ , .This is the first election in New Zealand where radio has been in a position to take its part in spreading the latest news of the progress of affairs. To enable listeners to follow the progress of the election the ‘ Radio Record’ has made arrangements to publish a special form showing all the electorates with a space to fill in the results as they are broadcast. Thus, without having to spend a tiring night in a jostling crowd, the possessor of a radio set can bo up to the minute with information without leaving bis or her own fireside. , PHOTO TRANSMISSION. , WHAT IT MAY MEAN. Mr Burbury, chief engineer of 2FC, Sydney, in concluding an address, remarking on the future of photo transmission, said: “Think what ,ib: would mean when the Melbourne Cup was run. Every house with a telephoto receiver—aud this, by the way, is not an expensive apparatus —would have a photo of the finish of the big race in their own heune a few minutes after it was run." Ho is inclined to bo optimistic. If the Victorian racing authorities arc like the New Zealand “ sports ’’ anything of this nature would bo strictly “ banned.”