OPINIONS WHILE ABROAD

Evening Star, Issue 21090, 30 April 1932, Page 4

OPINIONS WHILE ABROAD

Mr L. A. Hooke, who, is well known in radio circles, accompanied by Mrs Hooke, returned to Australia recently after nearly two years abroad investigating all phases of wireless development. Mr Hooke spent a considerable length of time in Great Britain and in the United States, and ho also visited important radio centres on the Continent of Europe. With tho exception of the class A broadcasting scrvu- s, Mr Hooke has found that Australian wireless developments are thoroughly up to date. He considers our class A services need considerable reorganisation on the technical side. The oversea communication services such as the beam wireless, the wireless telephone, and the oversea broadcasting service have built up for Australia a very high reputation abroad among the great wireless organisations of other countries. The opinion is held in many parts that Australia should develop its oversea wireless services, including telegraphy, telephony, and broadcasting, to the fullest possible degree, and particularly before the available wave lengths become fully taken up by other countries.

V/hile in England and America Sir Hooice submitted Australian-made broadcast receivers for examination by independent experts, and ho received reports to the effect that they were equal to the best built, in any other part o: the world. At tho various ports of call since his arrival in Australia Mr Hocke has studied tho latest Australian models, and finds them still equal to the world’s best, and has noted that the- prices charged to the Austrlaian public compare favourably with the prices for similar instruments in other countries. He considers the outstanding points of successful modern receivers to be selectivity and quietness in operation. He has found that many of the receivers sold in other countries are very noisy in operation, and he considers that in concentrating on quietness of operation, together with selectivity in ‘tuning ad quality in reproduction, the Australian manufacturer has shown a keen appreciation of the fact that the public wants good class music without disturbing noises. He believes Australia is the first country in the world to successfully develop a modern broadcasting receiver giving long-distance reception without an aerial or earth connection.

Mr Hooke also investigated the latest developments in television, and formed the opinion that it is still in the experimental stage. He regards television as a certainty of the future, but not likely for some years to reach the present stage of wireless broadcasting.