BRITISH EMPIRE BROADCAST

Evening Star, Issue 21290, 20 December 1932, Page 9

BRITISH EMPIRE BROADCAST

TOE SPIRIT OF ENGLAND An outstanding achievement to British enterprise and fortitude was emminent in the Empire broadcast last night from Radio Station G.S.D., Daventry, England, operating on a dual wave length of 11,750 and 9,587 k.c. 14,000 miles, from New Zealand, which was heard by listeners for the first time last night at 9.30 p.m. (New Zealand time). The station was opened by the chiming of “ Big Ben,” the world-famous clock at Westminster, London, and its - clear penetrating boom was a striking indication of what was to follow. The programme was then continued by an address by Mr E. G. Gray, the Empire service director, and ho gave a very interesting address on the proposed system of • Empire broadcasting, explaining that the Empire was to be divided up into five broadcasting zones, namely, Australia, India, East and West Africa, and Canada, and each zone was to be given a different series of hours for their broadcast reception which would be most suitable to the zone concerned, taking into consideration the conditions prevailing in the various Empire countries. Mr Gray went on to explain that each zone is to have a programme lasting from two to three hours, and that as they were at present only on the experimental stage listeners were, not to expect too much in the way of programmes in the early operations of the station. They have already been on the air for three weeks testing, and took much pleasure in thanking the various listeners throughout the Empire for the 300 cables and over 1,000 letters already received, which help tremendously in regulating the station to its present point of efficiency. The next speaker to broadcast was Mr J. H. Whitley, the station director, who gave some very interesting facts in connection with the early history of shortwave broadcasting. A programme of musical items was then heard to perfection, followed by a very vivid description of the London Christmas shoppers, which gave listeners a word picture of the splendid activity of Christmas trade in London, and the spirit of optimism which was_ very prevalent despite world conditions. Then followed a very thrilling talk by Mrs Mollison (Miss Amy Johnson), who will be well remembered as the intrepid air-woman who made such a sensational solo flight to Australia some months ago, and who on this occasion gave a description of her flight to Cape Town and the various adventures she encountered en route.

The writer happened to have a party of friends who were thrilled listeners to this wonderful epoch in British radio history, and was fortunate in having just installed one of the new nine valve “ Zenith ” All-wave radio sets. The tone clarity and performance of this sot was really marvellous, easy to operate, and selling at a very moderate price, and when one considers that until quite recently to get short-wave reception you would have required to purchase a separate short-wave adapter, which would have been a fairly expensive addition to your long wave receiving set; but the Zenith contains the two sets in one compact and beautifully finished cabinet, and the Radio Department of the New Zealand Express Co. would be pleased ■ to demonstrate this newest invention in wireless reception to those interested by phoning 11-619 and a free demonstration will be arranged.—[By arrangement.]