ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

Evening Star, Issue 22382, 4 July 1936, Page 4

ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

FROM 4YA NEXT WEEK WSIC LOVERS' CIMPETITI9N STARTS Monday.—A talk to farmers on 1 Seasonal Hogget Troubles ’ will be given by Mr A. L. Thompson at 7.30, while at 8 o’clock the broadcast of the first portion of the Returned Soldiers Choir concert will commence. Recorded items will follow the usual announcements at 9. Tuesday.—Mr John Asli will, be the 7.30 speaker, who will talk on ‘ Phases of British Empire Development.’ At 8.40 Dr Morris M, Watt will be heard in a talk on * Aramatics and the Soul,’ this being the first of a series of three. During the concert programme Miss Beatrice Pugh (Australian soprano) will be featured in a recital. Wednesday.—P.art one of the Music Lovers’ Competition, particulars of which have already been given, will be commenced at 8 o’clock, when the music numbered from one to 10 will be played. Maj6f F. JR. Dampen will speak at 8.40 on -Soldiers’ Slang.’ The usual campfire and Japanese houseboy programmes will be given after nine, and will be followed by a Scottish programme entitled ‘ rra Crag and Glen.’

Thursday.—Miss Beatrice Pugh and the 4YA Concert Orchestra will provide the hulk of the programme during the early part of the concert session. The orchestra will be heard in Bizet and Tschaikowsky music. The evening’s talk will be given, by Mr J. Harris; who will speak on ‘ Cruising in Coral Seas.’ Friday.—Mr R. B. -T. Cuddcn will speak at 7.30 on ‘ The Otago University Football Club’s Diamond Jubilee.’ The 4TA Chamber Music Players will feature a Schubert programme later in the evening. Saturday.—The Concert Orchestra will play a programme of light music and the vocalists will be Miss Iris Wakelin (contralto) and Mr C. R. Williamson (tenor). BIG BEN’S RIVAL TALKING ELECTRIC CLICK Big Ben, probably the world’s most popular broadcaster, has a rival. From July, 1 -London telephone subscribers, by dialing TIM at any time of the day or night have been able to.obtain the exact Unie.v The subscribers are immediately-connected to whpt is virtually a talking electric clock. Some months ago a; competition was held, open , to 15,000 telephone operators, and from. these,-Miss KtheJ. Caihii known as giii with the voice,” was selected to make gram'oi phone records from which time signals would be reproduced. ■ Her voice has been recorded on special glass discs, arid will be reproduced by means of a photo-electric cell. The discs are synchronised with an electric clock.

Russia claims that A. C. Popoff invented wifeless in 1895. and broadcast a special programme in English from Moscow on -May 8 to commemorate him. :

NEWS and COMMENTS

by “HENRY”

RADIO ROUNDSMAN INTRHVeittfi PERSIHALITIES An Englishman who used to announce for the 8.8. C. is to be the radio roundsman of the commission’s Sydney stations on the last three Saturdays of every month. The session will begin on July 11, between 10 and 10.30 p.m.-(New Zealand time) from 2FC. The idea is to bring all kinds of people to the microphone,_ especially such as have been distinguished in the Peek’s news; about six persons a week. A feature will be the presentation of a bouquet to the star personality of the week; and if the personality is in hospital, as personalities sometimes are, or is otherwise engaged, the presentation will be made by phone. The producer says be will jib at nothing except uplift; his session will cover every sphere of interest, even music and musicians; and, if necessary, he will take the microphone into the street, up ladders, into private homes, bedrooms, bathrooms,, bars, barracks, or cabarets. 9 , STRAY SPARKS Steve and Dudley. An innovation to be inlroduced into IZIS theme programmes on Sunday evenings will be the station’s featured vocalists—Friend John, Steve Parker, and Dudley Wrathall. These artists will contribute the musical numbers in this session in place of the usual recordings. Dudley Wrathall will be remembered as a former 4YA announcer and “ uncle,” and Steve Parker as the crooner at 4ZM. «■ • * 4 Another Giant Transmitter. The N.B.C. of America is to build a 500-kilowatt station , at Bound Park to replace W.JZ; this would be the second 500-kilowatt station; tJie_ first was WLW, two years back. KNX and WHO have also applied for 500-kilo-watt licenses. #*■ • ■ • Over-riding Static. , The steadily mounting volume of traffic over the transatlantic radio telephone link has resulted in the Radio Corporation resolving on . the construction on a new transmitter of 200 kilowatts aerial power. It is believed that .this . power will give sufficient “ brute ” strength to the 'signals to enable them to ■over-ride static _ and other obstacles, and also to permit of ‘ of f.th« < plan t at any, • time •• of, 'iKeVday' 'V' night. , The transmitter, which will 1 be in operation in a few mpnihs, will, work on 28 metres from Rocky Point, Long Island. It' will be easily the most powerful valve trans-. nutter yet constructed. ■ *__ v * * a ‘ * Russian 'Television Russia is building a 10 kilowatt television transmitter to work_ on ultrashort waves front Moscow; in one factory 2,000 television receivers have been assembled in anticipation of the inception of the ■ service next year. : * * * Receivers in Pawn. Paris pawnshops say that they are getting more wireless sets than anything else; these pawnshops are irmnicipally controlled, and have had to open a special section to deal with radio equipment.

TELEVISION ANNOUNCERS BEAHN FIR HEAL MAN CONTINUES Miss Jasmine Bligh and Miss Elizabeth Cowell, the first women television announcers in the world, whose photographs' appeared in last Saturday’s Star,’ will shortly lake up their duties at the new 8.8. C. television station at the Alexandra Palace. Miss Bligh, who is 22 years of age, has already had three years’ stage and film experience. She plays tennis, golf, and squash rackets, and has travelled widely. Miss Cowell, on# year her senior, has worked as a mannequin and specialised in dress design and display. Miss Bligh and Miss Cowell vero chosen from 1,122 applicants. _ They will spend some weeks in intensive training preparatory to the opening of the new television service. Television artists will require slight facial make-up in colours of yfellow and blue.

Meanwhile, the search still goes on for the ideal man announcer for television purposes. Chief qualification is a “ photogenic ” face of masculine type.

AIDING THE POLICE POCKET RECEIVERS FOR OFFICERS The Brighton police force was the first in England to be equipped with pocket radio receivers, and is still the only one to have them in daily use. Each policeman carries in one of his breast pockets the receiver and batteries, around which ia wound the aerial. In the other pocket he carries a combined alarm bell and earphone. When a message is sent out from the central police transmitter, the bell rings in the pocket of every policeman within the reception area, who takes the earphones from his pocket, switches off the alarm, and waits for the, official message to follow. On a recent occasion a Brighton householder reported a burglary to the pojice headquarters at 12.50 a.m. Within five minutes a description of the .burglar had been broadcast, and within half an hour he had been arrested and taken to the police station. The prisoner appeared before the local police court the same morning. when he was committed for trial. At 5 p.ra. the same day he appeared before the recorder at the quarter sessions. and was sentenced to three years’ penal servitude. Speedy and efficient justice!

SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER ITEMS FOR THE OXERS INDEPENDENCE DAY BROADCASTS. 1 Heavy static continued until Friday of last week, when it eased, conditions being fairly good during the week-end. The volume of the stations in the North American Continent remains much the same as last week. On two nights these stations provided very good signals, especially the ones using Mountain and Pacific standard time, but they were not up to the standard usually "set in the spring and autumn seasons. As the United States of America celebrates its Day of Independence on July 4 along the lines of a New Zealand New 1 ear’s Eve, many stations will be on several hours later than Usual. The States are from lo£ to 19i hours behind New Zealand standard time, these late programmes will be heard here to-morrow, July 5, until, in some cases, 10 p.m., or even later. At this time, of course, the Australians , will cause intolerable .interference. The Australian stations have fallen away slightly in volume, with the result that the small B’s are harder to hear. The Queensland stations are providing some of the best signals, (1,440ke), putting up a good tight against 2QN, also on 1,440 kc. The •best time to log the new Charleville station 4VL (1,430kc> is between 7.30 and 8 p.m. daily, as 2WL. also on the the same channel, is silent then. The VK signals have fallen off, too, in volume, and no new ones have been heard. YK4EC writes that he is going to put on a' special, in the near future, so as soon as the time and date are known they will be published. The Japanese have regained some of their usual “ kick,” while the rest of the Eastern stations remain at their excellent, volume. The have again been heard testing on their new frequencies, but so far it is not known when tho -changes will take place. JOCK-I could be road faily easily through SCL, Adelaide, on the same frequency, which JOBK-1 (94Qkc), JOCK-2 (990 kc), JOFK (830 kc), and JOAK (590 kc) were heard at good strength in that order of superiority. Others, too, can be heard at varying strengths. A KGR VERIFICATION. The following is from KGFi. located at Corpus ChnstU Texas, which uses a daytime power of 250 watts and a night power of 100 watts (one-fortieth and ane-hundtodtlf respectively that of U 4YA) and operates on ],sookc from 0.30 a.hi.' until 3.30 p.m. (New Zealand standard time) ; “ We received your communication in regard to our DX programme of March 12. 1936, which we appreciate very much, as these reports are useful to us in. our test work. “ After checking our programme we find that the numbers given correspond to the ones that you heard, so this is i-your positive verification.” • SHORTWAVE FLASHES.

As mentioned in last week s notes W2XAD (19.56 metres) has been transmitting simultaneously with W2XAF (31.48 metres), and this week has greatly improved in strength, and daily puts in a good RB, QSAS signal right through its transmission. At 2.30 p.m. last Saturday President Roosevelt was heard speaking over W2XAF and W2XAD.

9MI, the Australian motor ship Kanimbla, may be heard transmitting musical programmes on the 49-metre band, usually on a Sunday evening. Transmissions may be made only when the ship is at sea. Listen for VJI. Cloncurry. Queensland, the aerial medical service, on 8,630 kc every Friday night at 8.30, when reports from New Zealand are requested. KAZ, Manila (9.990 kc) relays KZRM after 11 p.m. The latter announces as broadcasting simultaneously on 485 and 30 metres.

HOJB, Quito, Ecuador, does not remain settled for very long, and is now operating on 8,918 kc. The shortwave transmitter of XGOA, Nanking, China, is at last on the air, daily from 11 p.m. to 2.5 a.m., under the call sign XGOX, with a power of 500 watts. This station formerly operated on 930 kc under the call sign XGON. The official frequency of XGOX is 9,460 kc. The following 1)X amateur stations were heard on the 20-metre band last week-end: EA3BQ, Spain; FBOO, France; G6LK, England; XEIAF, XEIG. Mexico; CQ7CX; CO6OM; OQ3RY; CO2KY; and CQ2KC. all of Cuba; HIIW and HISX in the Dominican Republic; TI2RC and TTIAF. in Costa Rica; alnug with numerous W’s, VE’s, ami VK’s.

ULTRA SHORT WAVE TESTS RE6EPTIM DISTANCE INCREASES Tests, with exceedingly compact transmitters and receivers operating on the five metres band have disclosed great possibilities for these very short waves. At first regarded as useless for other than “ local ” employment, the outer rgdius has been steadily lengthened until it has been established that 50 miles is possible with small antenna placed at moderate heights above the ground, while if the aerials are erected on high buildings- or hilltops. the reliable radius is often extended to 100 miles with occasional verifications from as far afield as 000 to 500 miles. These results arc the more remarkable when one considers that the test transmitters used only 10 watts in f ile aerial, or little more power than is employed in the clashlight of a motor car.

Mr Boake Carter, who talked from the Columbia (U.S.A.) network _on King George on .January 2T. received 100.000 rerpiests for copies of his talk.