ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

Evening Star, Issue 22194, 23 November 1935, Page 4

ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

WEEK-END PROGRAMMES / , -to-night ' 4YA, Dunedin.—s: Children’s hour. 6: Dinner music. 7: News and reports. 8- Chimes. Programme featuring Miss Dorothy Clarke, South African contrailto and world-famous Leider singer (recordings). 8.14: Mr Alfred 1 Walmsley (tenor). 8.24: Miss _ Dorothy Clarke in a group of Scottish songs. 8.53: Recording. 9; Weather. Station notices. 9.5: Dance music. 10: Sports summary. 10.5: Talk, Mr Mark Nicholls, ‘Rugby Test Atmosphere: Our Chances in the First Test. 10-25 (approx.): Dance music. 11.30: Close down. . IYA, Auckland.—o; Children’s hour, fi: Dinner music. 7: News and reports. 7.30: Talk, the gardening expert. 8: Presentation of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, * lolanthe 1 (Act I). 9 (approx.); Weather. Station notices. 9,5: Presentation of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, ‘lolanthe’ (Act 2). 9.30: Mr George Ellwood, the New Zealand violin-’cellist. 9.45: Fifteen minutes of humour, featuring Darby and Joan in ‘The Driving Lesson, presented by George Edwards and Jscll Stirling. 1 10: Sports' summary. 10.5: Talk. Mr. Mark Nicholls, ‘ Rugby Test Atmosphere: Our Chances in the First Test.,’ 10.25 (approx.): Dance music. 11.30’: Close down. 2YA, Wellington.—s: Children’s sesv sion. 6: Dinner music. 7: News and reports., 7.30: Time signal from the Dominion Observatory. _ 8: Chimes. Grand concert by combined choirs of • the Wellington Harmonic Society andthe Wellington Apollo Singers (conductor, H. Temple White), with Percy Grainger, world-renowned pianist and composer, as solo pianist and guest conductor. Relayed from Town Hall. 9: Weather. Station notices. 9.5: Programme of modern dance music. 10: ' Sports summary. 10.5: Talk, Mr Mark Nicholls, ‘ Rugby Test Atmosphere; Our Chances in the First Test.’_ 10.25 (approx.): Another interlude with the Coconut Grove Ambassadors. 10.40: Continuation of modern dance programme. 11.30: Close down. 3YA, Christchurch. —5: Children’s hour. 6; Dinner music. 7: News and • reports. 7.30: Tim© signals from the Dominion Observatory. 8: Chimes. Presentation of Act 1 of the Gilbert an 4 Sullivan opera, ‘ lolanthe.’ 9 (approx.): Weather. Station notices. 9.6: Presentation of Act 2 of ‘ lolanthe.’ 9.30 (approx.): Recordings. JWh Sports summary. 10.5: Talk, Mr . Mark Nicholls, ‘ Rugby Test Atmosphere : Our Chances in the First Test.’ 10.25 (approx.) : Dance music. 11.30: Close down. ■ '■ Empire Transmitter,’ Daventry.— N.Z.T.. 8 p.m.: Big Ben; *On With the Dance.’ 8.45: Talk. ‘ High Spots.’ 9 : Ballad concert. 9.45: News. 10: Close down. TO-MORROW RUGBY -TEST MATCH. At 2.20 a.m. all stations will rebroadcast the Empire station’s commentary on the test match New Zealand v. Scotland. 4YA, Dunedin.’—9: Chimes. Report of play in-the Rugby test match. 9.5 (approx.): Selected recordings. 9.30: Report of Rugby test match. 9.35 (approx.): Selected recordings. 10: Report of Rugby test match. 10.5 (approx.); Selected recordings. 10.30; Report of Rugby test match. 10.35 (approx.): Selected recordings. 11: Relay of morning service from First Presbyterian Church (preacher. Rev., W. Allen Stevelv. M.A.; organist. Dr V. E. Galway). 12.15 (approx..): Close down 1: Lunch music. 2: Selected recordings. 2.15: Recorded talk by Professor B. Ifor Evans. ‘ Twentieth Century Poetry,’ 2.30: Jascha Heifetz and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 3.2: Selected recordings. 4.30: Close down. 5.30; Children’s song service conducted by Big Brother Bill. 6.15: Selected recordings. 6.30: Relay of evening service from the Hanover Street Baptist Church (preacher, Rev. Keith Ewen ; choirmaster, Mr J. Simpson ; organist, Miss P. Westland). 7.45: Selected recordings. 8.30: Rebroadcast of Empire station’s recorded commentary on Rugby test match New Zealand v. Scotland. 10 (approx.): Close down. IYA, Auckland. —9: Chimes. Report of play in the Rugby match. 9.5 (approx. ): Selected recordings. 9.30: Report of Rugby match. 9.35 (approx.): Selected recordings. 10: Renort of Rugby match. 10.5 (approx.): Selected recordings. 10.30: Report of Rugby match. 10.35 (approx.): Selected recordings. 11: Morning service relayed I from All Saints’ Anglican XJhurch (preacher, Rev. W., W. Ayerillj organist, Dr S. Kenneth Phillips).. 12.15: Close down. 1: Dinner music (re- . corded). 2: Selected recordings. 4.30; Close down. 6: Children’s song service. 7: Evening service relayed from Beresford Street Congregational Church (preacher. Rev. Arthur Carl Nelson; organist, Mr L. A. Eady). 8.30: Rebroadcast of Empire station’s recorded commentary on the Rugby football ;■ match New Zealand r,, Scotland. 10 (approx.): Close down; ■ 2YA, Wellington.—9: Chimes. Report of play in the Rugby test anatch. 9.5 ((approx.):. Selected recordings. 9.30; (approx.); Report Rugby match. l ■ 9.35 (approx.): Selected recordings, r 10; Report of Rugby match. 10.5 (ap- : prox.): Selected recordings. 10.30: 'Report of Rugby match. 10.35; , (approx.); Selected recordings. 11: Relay of the morning _ service from St. ■ Mary’s Roman Catholic Church. Boulcott street (preacher. Rev. Father J. Spilane, S.M.; organist, Mn G. Ald- ’ ridge; choirmaster, Mr Sydney Francis ; Hofaen). 12.15 (approx.): Close down. 1: Dinner music (recordings). 2: Re- ... cordings. 4: Time signals from the Do- ' minion. Observatory. 4.30: Close down. 6: Children’s song service, conducted by Uncle William-, and assisted by the

NEWS and COMMENTS

by “HENRY”

STRAY SPARKS Contrary to certain reports, the 8.8.. C. has no intention of dismantling the long-wave transmitter at Droitwich which at present radiates the national programme daily on a wavelength of 1,500 metres with a power of 150 kilowatts in the aerial. No reconstruction of the station has been carried out, nor is it intended. The plant at Droitwich is not out of date, but is, in the opinion of the 8.8.0., an example of the most modern technique _in the design and construction of a long-wave broadcasting transmitter. • * * » The touring South African contralto, Miss Dorothy Clarke, sings German lioder to 4YA. listeners on Monday evening, while another visitor, who was first heard some months ago, Mr Barend Harris, will sing songs of slavery. Following the weather report at 9 o’clock,' the R. C. Sherriff play, ‘ Badgers Green,’ which has been arranged for radio by Jan Bussell, will be presented. * • • • Mr B. B. Blackmore will return to the microphone on Tuesday night, when he will speak on ‘The Rattler.’ It is obvious, of-course, that the talk will deal with certain reptiles. «** • • Election results on Wednesday night will keep the main station occupied from • approximately 8.20, and the usual concert programme will be transferred to 4YO. * * * » A good deal of Thursday will be given to sporting broadcasts by 4YA, and in the evening the SpivakovskyKurtz Trio, which made concert platform appearances in the city some two years ago, will be at the local microphone for the first time. .* * * * One of the regular monthly old-time dance programmes will- bo presented next Saturday night from the A station - . . . ; To warm up before the day’s transmissions commence a special timing clock switches oh the filament currents of tho valves in the new 4YA transmitter at 6.40 each morning. The resident staff is also considering attaching a device to the clock so that a bell will sound in the sleeping quarters when the clock records a certain time. This will prevent any of the operators from oversleeping. -■• ' • • On matters connected with the forthcoming General Election the RegistrarGeneral of Electors i(Mr 6.-G. Hodgkins) will broadcast a talk from 2YA, Wellington, at 7.30 this evening. —. ■ l DIRECT SERVICE TD EMPIRE METHODS EMPLOYED BY 8.8. C. The Canterbury branch of the Royal Empire Society has received from the •British Broadcasting Corporation, London, a new booklet on the Empire broadcasting service which presents a comprehensive survey of the methods employed to provide a direct short-wave broadcasting service to listeners in all parts of the British Empire and, incidentally, at the same time to British nationals in certain foreign countries. The following is an extract from the letter from the British. Broadcasting Corporation;— “It is not generally realised that to-day, with apparatus which is comparatively cheap to purchase and yet reliable in operation, it is possible to receive the broadcast- programmes from London in nearly all parts of the globe. During the past two s'ears the 8.8. C. has received direct evidence of the popularity of its Empire broadcasting service, and many hundreds of letters from appreciative listeners arc received at Broadcasting House each week. The 8.8. C. has now decided, in view of the success achieved by the Empire broadcasting "service during the past two years, to extend its station at Daventry by tho addition Of two new short-wave transmitters of greater, power than I those at present in operation. The two transmitters now in use will then be combined to form a third of higher power. These increased facilities should thus lead to a considerable improvement in the quality of reception from the Empire stations in all parts -of the world.”

children’s choir from the Kent Terrace Presbyterian Sunday School. 7: Relay of the evening service from St. Paul’s Pro - Cathedral, Mulgrave street (preacher, Canon Percival James; organist and choirmaster, Mr Robert Parker, C.M.G.). 8.15 (approx.): Selected recordings. 8.30: Rebroadcast of Empire station’s recorded commentary on the Rugby football match. 10 (approx.) : Close down. 3YA. Christchurch.—9; Chimes. Report of play in the Rugby test match. 9.5 (approx.); Selected recordings. 9.30; Report of-Rugby match. 9.35 (approx.) : .Selected recordings. 10: Report of Rugby match. 10.5 (approx.): Selected recordings. 10.30: Report of Rugby match. 10.35 (approx.): Selected recordings. 11: Relay of morning meeting from the Salvation Amy Citadel (speaker. Major Tong). 12.15 (approx.): Close down. _1: Dinner music. 2: Selected recordings. 4: Time signals from the Dominion Observatory. 4.30: Close down. 5.30: Children’s song service, conducted by children from tho Presbyterian _ Sunday schools. 6.15; Selected recordings. 7: Relay of evening service from St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church (preacher, Rev. A. C. Watson, M.A.; organist and choirmaster, Mr A. Lilly, A.R.C.0.). 8.15: Selected recordings. 8.30: Rebroadcast of Empire station’s recorded commentary on the Rugby test match. 10 (approx.); Close down. ■ Empire Transmitter, Daventry.— N.Z.T.. 8 p.m.: Big Ben. A recital by Australian artists (Victor Harding, baritone, and Rachel Cavallo, pianist). 8.30; Scotland v. New Zealand, a commentary on the Rugby football match, relayed from Edinburgh. 10: Weekly newsletter and sports summary. 10.20: Close down.

SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER ITEMS FOR THE DX-ERS AMERICAN “SPECIALS.” So far as evening DXing is concerned, the city listeners are experiencing a very lean time, and with each day bringing longer hours of daylight. the prospect of adding new calls to tne log seems very remote. Indeed, even in the most favoured town locations, American signals have become rare, even the high-powered Pacific coasters being heard only on occasions. Although the summer evenings kill DX during the early evening, the Australian stations are also affected, and the DX fan who discards his hobby at this season is going to miss some good catches, for when the American stations “ special ” until 9 o’clock or later, they will be breaking right through the new greatly-weak-ened transtasman programmes. Local listeners, fortunate enough to spend the first week of the month at seaside cribs north of Dunedin, returned to the city with stories of astounding loggings made during the U.S.A. frequency checks, when excellent logging in the 1,420 and 1,500 kc, channels were made. The latter is a clear frequency, but 3YX on COO watts is on 1,420 kc, and under normal conditions should prevent any 100 watter from reaching out to New Zealand. Although one might not be so fortunate as to pull in a 100-watts American, there are a number of higherpowered stations to look for next month, and once one frequency check programme has been tuned, it is surprising how others appear. Make a note to listen for these: — DECEMBER 4. WCAL ’ 1,250ke 9.30- 9.50 p.m. WIRE 1,400 kc 9.50-10.10 p.m. WLB 1,250 kc 10.10-10.30 p.m. DECEMBER 7. WWJ 920k0 9.20- 9.40 p.m. WSPD 1,340 kc 10.20-10.40 p.m. WEW 760 kc 10.20-10.40 p.m. WSUI . 880 kc 10.40-11 p.m. The three noted for December 4 are the mqst likely of all the test programmes for the town listener, and if the two 1,250 kc stations are not logged, conditions must be “ pretty hopeless ” indeed. COMPETITION WINNERS. Zone competition winners at the last local meeting of the N.Z. DX R.A. were:— Senior Section.—North America, WKBY/Mr A. Stanton; South America, LRS, Mr J. Sharp; VK2KD. Mr 1 B. Heijry. Junior group.—North America, Mr J. Robertson, KFSD; Australia, Mr 'E. Grey, 2KY. The best for the meeting was WKBY, while the best on short wave, was VDLS, 10 watts, Java, logged by A. Breen. PARIS EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSIONS. An ' Auckland listener, Mr R. C. White, has logged on three consecutive nights the experimental voice transmissions of the one kilowatt transmitter operated by the Societe Enterprises Electro Technique, of Paris. _ This plant, operating under the call sign of FBDR on 14,360 kc, was received at extraordinary volume on a special eightvalve short-wave superheterodyne, part of tho excellent performance being attributed to tho high efficiency of the special beam aerial employed at the transmitter, and no small share to the keen sensitivity of the receiver. Mr White, who operates tho 100-watts amateur radio telegraph station IAO, was able to establish communication ouch night with the broadcast station. Latest reports indicated that the experimental station F8l)R would be off the air for some time to come pending alterations to the plant. INCREASED RECORD SALES BROADCASTING WHETS APPETITE Lx these times, when one so frequently hears that broadcasting is damaging the sa(o of gramophone records, it is quite a relief to discover evidence on the other side Tho principal American gramophone manufacturing company reports that sales are the best in four years, with classical discs leading in demand. In analysing tho cause of this renewed activity it is pointed out "that the majority of broadcasts are of the popular variety. For example, those who prefer such music as Schubert’s ‘ Serenade ’ might have to wait several days to hear it on the air, but they could pick up the hit song of a musical comedy or motion picture possibly five times in an evening. The phonograph, however, can present-the desired selection on the spur of the moment. Then, too, broadcasting by popularising such stars of the discs as Lawrence Tibbett, John Charles Thomas, and numerous others has whetted the public appetite for their recorded music. The best years of the record business were from 1927 through 1929, and it was not until 1931 that the disc sales felt the business slump with a thud. Therefore the merchandisers are not inclined to blame radio directly for the backsliding of the phonograph. They believe scarcity of money was the crux of the situation, and that record sales declined because they are quite generally classed as a luxury. Now, however, with money more plentiful, the public more music conscious, and tho tonal quality of records far superior to those of the boom days, the phonograph is staging a comeback. Record sales so far this year are 60 per cent, ahead of 1934, and sales that year wore 51 per cent, higher than in 1933. Tho company’s schedule calls for shipment of more combination instruments than in all of 1934. Interest is higher in the larger cities, with New York leading.. In September more discs were sold than in any single month during the past four years. December,^eatur-

IMPROVED RECEPTION EARLY REPORTS 3F 4YA SATISFACTORY Following the first official broadcasts by the new 4YA at Highcliff last weekend,, reports of reception from districts distributed in the South and North Islands began to arrive at the station office. Napier reported that the night reception was excellent, the station being “ like a local,” while Wellington also obtained excellent reception after dark. From Christchurch came the report that the signals were strong and well above the noise level. Early reports from the districts that the station was designed to serve more particularly—Southland and Central Otago—were encouraging. Invercargill sent word that reception during the day was excellent, and the quality very good. A Pembroke report stated: “ Good volume, clear,” while Middlemarch claimed that the signals were twice as loud as those from 3YA. Alexandra and Balclutha also obtained very good results, the latter adding that there was an absence of fading, while Clinton sent in a similar report to the one from Middlemarch. When the station was on test before officially commencing activities] the authorities received a report from a listener at Bendigo, Victoria, who stated that the transmission was being received at good strength. Local listeners have not experienced any appreciable trouble other than that some have found the volume a little ton much and the quality a little ragged at times. This is simply the result of overloading in the mceiviig sets used, and will disappear if the aerial is disconnected from the set while the station is being received.’ Even some of the very old tuned radio frequency types of set are having little difficulty in losing the station at will, so sharp is its tuning. However, there is an annoyance that owners of certain types of superheterodynes might have discovered. This is what many will imagine to be a harmonic on lYA’s frequency or some 10 kilocycles removed from 4ZL’s. The explanation lies in the beat frequency functioning of the superheterodynes themselves. The intermediate frequencies in most of the sets ip use in Dunedin arc either found on 1,230 kilocycles, 1,050 kilocycles, or .650 kilocycles. If listeners at any time hear a “ spot ” from 4YA on any of these frequencies they will understand that it is not a harmonic, hut the effect of the intermediate frequency in the receiving set itself. It is _ unfortunate that the beat frequency in-some, sets should touch any channel used by another station and so cause interference, but listeners experienciiig the annoyance are advised that it is possible to have the intermediate frequency amplifier in the set relined to shift the “ images ” away from frequencies used by other stations. This is not a job for the amateur to tackle, but should be left in the Lands of an experienced serviceman. BRITISH BROADCASTING RESPONSE OF PUBLIC A series of extracts from a recent address given hy Sir. R. S. Lambert to the conference of the association of Special Libraries and Information Bureaux at Cambridge serve to show how.'the public’s response to British broadcasting is measured. Mr Lambert said:—■ ” There is at present no simple and direct method of measuring the response which listeners make to the varied supply of information which they receive through the broadcast programme. Such response must be measured iu different ways. Sometimes it takes the form of action, sometimes of vocal or written expression of opinion. The public may respond to a broadcast appeal for a good cause by contributing sums of money; or they may respond to a message on the eve of a bank holiday by leaving less litter about—both these are i - esponses taking the form of action. On the other hand, they may respond by letter writing or by telephone calls—though the average man does not habitually take trouble to express himself in this way. ■ PROGRAMME CORRESPONDENCE. “ It is estimated that the 8.8. C. receives a total of at least 150,000 letters a year, divided, roughly, as follows: Appreciations, 60,000; criticisms, 15,000; inquiries, 30,000; bequests and suggestions, 7,000; miscellaneous, 387000. TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENCE. “ The total of letters under this head is now about 30,000 a year. In the early days of broadcasting, current information on technical developments and changes used to be given in the form of broadcast talks, but now it is mainly given through the niediunp of printed pamphlets. _ To-day technical correspondence consists of inquiries about individual difficulties arising out of interference, etc. “ The curve of correspondence rises when new transmitters are opened; but even this vise has become less pronounced in proportion as the 8.8. C. pamphlets issued to explain the changes involved have become more complete. Thus, after the opening of Brockman’s Park, the 8.8. C. received a correspondence of 48,000 letters; but after the opening of the new west regional station only 650. As the circulation and efficiency of the technical pamphlets rises technical correspondence declines. Thus the pamphlet on the Lucerne wave plan (1934) circulated 35,000 copies; but subsequent correspondence arising out of tins pamphlet was less than 1,000. Much of such correspondence comes from listeners who are “too proud” to apply for the pamphlet which contains the -very information they want. They require to have in a personal letter from the 8.8. C. Engineering Information Department what they could easily read for themselves if they merely took the trouble of applying for a free pamphlet. “ Empire correspondence, however, is still at the stage at which general Home correspondence was years ago. In this field the 8.8. C. invites reports and observations from its listeners to help it to work out its still only partly completed policy. These letters are of the greatest assistance to the 8.8. C. in developing the new service. NEWS. _ “ The general response to information services in news, as in the ease of other 8.8. C. services, is mainly deduciblo through reactions towards dis-

ing Christmas sales, is usually the top month in record sales. Merchandisers expect that the final month of 1935 will find the disc business at a peak. There is one new radio-phonograph instrument designed to play for an hour and a-half, automatically changing tho discs. Assembled for use with this 22tube machine is a record library, and it is reported that despite the comparativclj’ high cost of tho combination, more than a thousand unsolicited orders are on the books.

continuance or interruptions of particular items, such as gale warnings and market reports, SOS AND POLICE MESSAGES. “ During 1934 there were 889 SOS and police messages broadcast—7s9 from London and 130 from provincial stations. The percentage of success was 50.58, while 40.72 were unsuccessful. The highest proportion of success was in the case of illness (68.97), the other proportions being: Witnesses 54.14, crime and special 36.17. Since 1933 there has been an enormous increase in the number of messages broadcast for witnesses of accidents; in fact, it has nearly doubled. APPEALS. t( Obviously one of the most definite indexes of listeners’ response to broadcast information is the result of broadcast. appeals for charity. These appeals are, of course, often broadcast by celebrities of various kinds, but successful response depends ns much upon the microphone personality upon the fame of the broadcaster. The financial results of appeals during recent yeafs have been as f0110w:—1932. £99,000; 1933, £86,000; 1934, over £117,000. MORNING TALKS, “ Although those talks are arranged at a time when many people, cannot listen, they draw a large response, not only from women, but from all sections of the community. The talks are concerned with a variety of general topics (including hooks, music, and travel), and especially with food and cookery and child welfare. Some estimate of the influence exerted by these talks can bo gathered by the sales of the pamplilets issued to go with the cookery and child welfare talks; during the past two years no fewer than 370,000 copies have been applied for and bought; “ When an official of the Malayan Information Bure.au recently gave a live minutes’ talk on pineapple growing in Malaya, he was surprised (and disconcerted) to receive nearly 3,000 applications from his hearers for copies of a leaflet on the diverse gastronomic uses of tinned pineapple! Another example is provided by the superintendent of a well-known fish market, who. told the 8.8. C. that the sale of herrings substantially increased as a -result of the constant recommendation in the morning broadcasts of herrings as an article of diet. “ Sometimes the good effect of these educational talks is offset by the unexpectedly doubtful effects of a few general talks; for instance, Gipsy Petulengro received 10,000 or 12,000 requests after his recent broadcast describing recipes of gipsy remedies for various ailments, of which medical authority would hardly have approved. SCIENTIFIC TALKS. “ One of the most valuable responses of sections of the public has been toward scientific talks, where '4116 broadcaster has aimed at seekineg the cooperation of amateur scientists in malt ing observations and supplying information which can be of use for purposes of research. This method has also been applied to sociological problems.

SERVICE TALKS. “ These are weekly talks given usually in the earlier part of the evening, anil supplying listeners _ with a service of information _ and criticism in regard to various special interests. “ Gardening.—These weekly talks are almost wholly informative, consisting of hints as to the care and planning of gardens. Although no request for letters is made, the gardening speaker gets more requests for information than any other. The average number of letters received during May and June of this year was 89 a week. As an indication of the response of listeners, the speaker during the course of one talk announced that he had a list of seeds which ho could supply to those sending him a stamped and addressed envelope. Within a few days more than 8,000 requests were received. i. “ Films and Plays.—lt is more difficult to assess the response of listeners i;o the information given in these talks. They arc criticisms of current plays and films, and there is no means of tolling how many listeners are guided m their choice of plays and films by the suggestions made in these talks. “ Books.—lt is Significant that lib.raries have announced that they experience an immediate increase in the demand for books that have been mentioned in these talks. It is quite usual for a number of booksellers to telephone to the 8.8. C. the following morning for information as to the hooks mentioned in the talks, as they have customers wanting to.buy them. “ Farming.—These talks give information of two kinds. They keep, the farmer in touch with tho latest political happenings as far as concerns the farmer, tho policy of tho marketing boards, and so on, but they are chiefly devoted to giving information on thepractical aspects of farming, and as such' are listened to very widely. Although tho number of letters received from farmers each week is not as a rule above 50 or 60 (farmers are notoriously disinclined to writs letters), there is evidence that a great proportion of farmers listen to these talks.”