ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

Evening Star, Issue 23497, 10 February 1940, Page 4

ON ALL WAVELENGTHS

FIRST COMMUNITY SING 4YA ORCHESTRA AND HAHCY ESTALI •MAM RECITAL BY PROFESSOR GALWAY N.B.S. AND B.S.C. SPECIAL RECORDINGS Highlights of the programmes to be broadcast from 4YA next week will be an organ recital by Professor V, E. Galway to-morrow night, followed by an N.B.S. comedy production; a 8.8. C. recording of a Royal Air Force variety show on Monday; recorded features on the following night; the first South Dunedin community sing on Wednesday, and a Plwnket Shield cricket commentary, with recorded , features in the evening; the 4YAConcert Orchestra and a studio ’cello recital by Nancy Estall on Thursday; recorded features on Friday, and the usual light ballad and orchestral concert at the end 6f the week. Details from the programmes of the week are as follows: To-morrow. 11 a.m.: Service from St. John’s Anglican Church. 2.30 p.m.: ‘ Fantastic Dances, by Turina. , , 6.30: Service from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. H.lo : Organ recital by Professor Galwav. ~ , „ , _. 8.40: Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage. New Zealand’s Problems as I See Thom. 9.25: ‘ Her Shop,’ an N.B.S. comedy production. Monday. 10.50 a.m.: Talk to women by Margaret. 11: Plunket Shield match commentary. 7.30 p.m.: Health stamp campaign talk by Dr T. M’Kibbin and Mr N. IR. M'lsaac. 9.25: ‘ Flying High,’ a 8.8. C. recording of the variety show by Royal Air Force members. 10: Dance music. Tuesday. 10.50 a.m.: A housekeeper talks to : women, i 8 p.A.: Band programme. 8.33: ‘Eb and Zeb.’ 1 9.25: ‘ Those We Love.’ 9.53: ‘ Singapore Spy.' 10.18: ‘ Music. Mirth, and Melody.’ Wednesday. 10.50 a.m.: Talk to women by Margaret. 11: Plunket Shield match commentary, S'oon: South Dunedin community sing.- ■ 3.15 p.m.: Talk by A.C.E. Horae Science section. 1 7.30; Book talk. 8: ‘ Ravenshoo.’ , 8.15: ‘ The Bold, Bad Buccaneers.’ 8.28: ‘ The Fourth Form at St. Percy’s.’ 8.40: ‘Westward Hoi’ 9.25: ‘ Thrills.’ 9.38: ‘ Khyber and Beyond.' 10.6: Modern dance music Thursday. 10.50 a.m.: ‘ Bits and Pieces,’ by Isobel. 7.30: Gardening talk. 8: Programme by 4YA Concert Orchestra. . 8.38: Nancy Estall (’cello), in a studio recital. 9.38: ‘Music From the Theatre.’ Id: ‘ Music, Mirth, and Melody.’ Friday. 10.50 a.m.: Talk to women by Margaret: 11: ‘Cooking and Recipes,’ 3.15 p.m.: Talk by A.C.E. Home Science section. 7.30: Talk, ‘The Centennial Art Exhibition,’ by Dr A. H. M'Lintock. 8: ‘ Dad and Dave.’ 8.30: ‘The Rich Unde from Fiji.’ 10: Dance music by Savoy Dance Band. Saturday. 10.50 a.m.: ‘Bringing Up the Small Child,’ by Mrs C. E. Beeby. 8 p.m.: Light ballad and orchestral concert, with Ada Allan (contralto) and L. E. Dailey (tenor). 9.25: Dance music. WITH THE CHINESE ARMY AMERICAN WOMAN SPREADS WORLD NEWS TAKES TREASURE ISLAND BROADCASTS IN SHORTHAND

Peep in war-ravaged China, an American woman keeps the Chinese arni.w informed of the world events by

copying news bulletins from KCIKI, the “'broadcast station on Treasure Island ‘: at San Francisco, California. She is • 'Agnes Smedtey, a writer and an ardent ' supporter of the Chinese cause. In a 1 letter from the Anhwei province received by the station she explains that ' she takes the news down in shorthand ■ and ah interpreter translates it for the • now Chinese Fourth Army. “This is a guerrilla army fighting ' over a long, narrow belt along the ! lower Yangtze from Chinkiang (west ‘ of Shanghai), past Nanking to Ta- •' tung,” she wrote. “It has turned the 1 Japanese rear into a Chinese front and ' has had considerable success.” Of radio reception she wrote: ‘ We ; have difficulty if we run out of bat- . teries—which js often due to the cost—- ' or when our precious batteries run low. ' Unfortunately when I am not here no one can take down the broadcasts ' quickly enough, and when there is a typhoon or the radio is broken we can get no news.” Her closely-written letter filled four page* of the stationery of the National It-fid Cross Society of China. Of conditions in her locality she wrote: “ I was in another trerible air raid here recently, and lay in a ditch and watched 111 bombers begin their power dives _ righl aoove me. They bombrd lour villages abound me,”

NEWS and COMMENTS \ «

By "HENRY"

RADIO LOG BOOK IMPROVED A slight improvement in reception of Australian stations has been noticeable lately,. but it has been nothing to enthuse over. Conditions on the short wave bands have been very streaky, as most listeners will have realised from the Daventry rebroadcasts. DOUBTFUL It is stated that the Nazis are using bells to drown the Australian broadcasts to Germany. Maybe, but it, is doubtful df the Australian stations are powerful enough to be heard so far afield, and in any case short wave sets have been confiscated in Germany. LISTENING GROUPS The formation of listening groups in New South Wales to encourage active interest in the talks transmitted by the Australian Broadcasting Commission is proceeding satisfactorily. To date 47 separate groups have been formed. Thirteen are in the metropolitan district and six in Newcastle, but the remainder are distributed throughout the State. Mr Gabriel Parry is the A.B.C. officer who is organising tho groups, and he reports a very definite interest. The success of the innovation, it is realised, will depend largely on the subjects chosen for talks directed to these groups. “ Naturally,” said Mr Parry, “ few listeners are interested in abstract subjects. They want something into which they can get their teeth, something which touches them more or less directly, either as citizens in the mass or as individuals.” •* CAST PRESTIGE OVERBOARD" The National Broadcasting Service, a concern with an accumulated fund of approximately half a million, cast prestige overboard when, imitating the small boy who creeps under a circus tent, it broadcast a cricket comment tary from a building overlooking the Basin Reserve rather than pay the fee asked. The old Broadcasting Companv resorted to this rather despicable course, in connection with races at Ellerslie, but until this year the N.B.S. had not descended so low. The incident reflects no credit on those in charge of the system, which is no more entitled to expect programmes for nothing than the Railway Department to expect free coal or the' Post Office free carriage of mails. Another economy which is not particularly praiseworthy is the manner in which some race results are procured, a proceeding which some announcers nr.* too guileless to disguise. An overhaul of the whole question of sports broadcasts is desirable. Some of these are not 100 per cent., but that may be due to the niggardly rates paid for the work.—‘ Timaru Herald.’ GALLING ! One of the Sydney commercial station directors conceived the bright idea of sending a recording unit away with a troop ship, and having the discs airmailed to Sydney for broadcasting. After waiting two months for a reply from the authorities it has been learned that the Australian Broadcasting Commission has been granted the privilege. It is appropriate, that this feature should be > handled by the national service, but it is galling to the fellow who thought it out first. REVISION NEEDED The person or persons who arranged the original dinner music schedules for the YA stations did a fine job (says an exchange), but the value of their work was lost sight of when the records were played in the same rotation for about three years. When a large number of new numbers were introduced these were less pleasing than those they replaced, and some of these have lost favour. Another revision is called for. “ CUT HATE " ARTISTS The Australian Actors’ Equity, the professional artists’ union, has asked the Federal Government to prohibit a’ny overseas performers from entering Australia unless they are paid £3O a week or more, it is alleged that some foreigners who have been driven out of Europe by the war are working for cut rates in the Commonwealth and keeping Australians out of employment. A £35 limit was imposed on foreigners in Britain some time ago. A QUESTION OF WORTH The managing director of a Sydney music store is advocating that the Government should compel radio stations to broadcast a definite quota of Australian compositions, whether on records or by artists in the studios. He advocates also that stations should be required to use more records by Australian performers and fewer by overseas musicians. If Australian compositions and Australian performers are worth broadcasting the stations will use them without compulsion. It is complained that 95 per cent, of the musical programmes are composed of recordings of non-Aus-tralian compositions. If even 5 per cent, of local composition is broadcast that is an amazingly largo proportion, and any attempt to increase it would result in a lower standard.

SUNDAY’S PROGRAMMES 4YA (7Sokc), Dunedin. 6 a.m.: Recordings. 10: Weather report for aviators. Recordings. 11: Service from St. John’s Anglican Church. 12.15: Recordings. 1: Weather report for aviators. 2: Recordings. 6.30; Big Brother Bill’s song service. 6.15: Recordings. 0.30: Service from St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Preacher, Rev. H. J. Ryburn; organist, Colin Oliver. 7.45: Recordings.- 8.15: Organ recital by Professor V, E. Galway, Mus.D., Dunedin city organist (relay from Town Hall). 8.40: Talk by the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, ‘ New Zealand’s Problems as I See Them.’ 9: Reserved. 9.20: weather report and station notices. 9.25: ‘ Her Shop,’ a comedy by Aimee and Phillip Stuart; adapted! and produced by tho National Broadcasting Service. 10.30: Close of normal programme. During the war this station will be on the air till 12 midnight. To-morrow.—6 a.m.: Recordings. 10; Weather report for aviators., Recordings. 10.15: Devotional service, 10.50: Talk to women by Margaret. 11 (and during the day): Running commentaries on the Plunket Shield cricket, Otago v, Wellington (relayed from Carisbrook). 12: Lunch music. 1; Weather report for aviators. Weather forecast. 2: Recordings. 3.30: Sports results Classical music. 4: Weather report and special frost forecast. 4YO (1,140 kc), Dunedin. 6 p.m.: Recordings. 8.30: ‘Wandering With the West Wind.’ 9: Light classical programme. 10: Close down

4YZ (680 kc), Invercargill. 11 a.m.-l p.m.: Sunday morning programme. 2: Around the bandstand. 2.30: Revels of the fair. 3: ‘A Children’s Overture ’ (Quilter), played by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. 3.12; Famous artists, Norman Allin (bass) and Ania Dorfmauu (piano). 3.30-4: Medley time. 6.30: Gleanings from far and wide. 7: Relay of evening service from Salvation Army Citadel. Preacher, Adjutant Lee. 8.15: A new serial, ‘ Night Nurse,’ drama in a great hospital. 8.40; Talk by the Prime Minister. 9: Reserved. 9.30: ‘ John Halifax, Gentleman.’ 9.45: Slumber session. 10; Close down.

3YA (720 kc), Christchurch. 1 6 a.m.: Recordings. 11: Presbyterian service from St. Paul’s Church. Preacher, Rev, A. C. Watson. . 12.15; Recordings, _ 5.30: Children’s service. 6.16: Recordings. 7: Anglican service, relayed from the Christchurch Cathedral. B.ls:'Recordings. 8.30: State Opera Orchestra, Berlin. 8.40: Talk by the Prime Minister. 9: Reserved. 9.20 : Weather forecast and station notices. 9.25: Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. 9.29; W. Roy Hill (tenor recital), period settings of Shakespeare. 9.42 : Wanda Landowska (harpsichord recital. 9.52; ‘ Do Svenske ’ (famous Swedish male chorus). 9.56; London Philharmonic Orchestra. .10: Close of normal programme During tho war this station will bo on tho air till 12 midnight.

2YA (570 kc), Wellington, 6 a.m.: Recordings. 10: Weather report for aviators. 11: Service from Taranaki Street Methodist Church. Preacher, Rev. R. B. Gosnell. 12.16: Recordings. 1: Weather report for aviators. 2.15: Progress reports Annette Kellerman Cup Three-mile Harbour Race. 3: Talk by the Rev. J. H. Haslam. ‘ Leaders of the Churches in Early New Zealand: Rev. Samuel Leigh and Rev. Nathaniel Turner.’ 3.15: Recordings. 5.30: Children’s song service. 7: Anglican Church service from St. Peter’s. Preacher, Ven. Archdeacon Bullock. 8.30: Boston Orchestra. 8.34: Thomas E. West (tenor). 8.40: Talk by the Prime Minister. 9: Reserved. 9.20: Weather report and station notices. 9.25: Music from the Theatre; ‘ The Magic Flute,’ by Mozart. Part T. 10.45: Close of normal programme. During the war this station will bn on the air till 12 midnight.

IYA (650 kc), Auckland. 6 a.m.: Recordings. 11: Congregational service from Mount Eden Church. Preacher: Rev. Frank cle Lisle. 12.15; Recordings. 3.30: Artur Schnabel and Carl Ulrich Schnabel with the London Symphony Orchestra, presenting ‘ Mozart’s Concerto in E Flat Major. 4.20: Recordings. 5.30: Children’s song service. 7: Presbyterian service from St. James’s Church. Preacher, Rev. H. J. Lilburn. 8.30; Joan Dowding (piano), 8.40: Talk by the Prime Minister. 9: Reserved. 9.20: Weather report and station notices. 9.25; London Symphony Orchestra, ‘Le Coq ’ Suite (Rimsky-Korsakov). 10: Close of normal programme. During the war this station will he on tho air till 12 midnight. SHORT WAVE STATIONS

Empire Station (19.82 m. 25.5 m, 31.55 m), Daventry.

5.57 p.m.: Announcements. , C; To be announced. 6.15: Full news bulletin. 6.45; To be announced. 8: News summary. 8.15: To be announced. 8.45: Religious service. 9: Full news bulletin. 9.30: To be announced. 10.15: Close down.

VLR (25.25 m), Melbourne. 8.45 a.m.; News and recorded music. 11.15: Sporting session. 11.30: ‘ln Quires and Places Where They Sing.’ 12: Light ensemble. 12.15: ‘ Current Books Worth Reading.’ 12.30: New releases. 1.30: Divine service. 2.15: Musical interlude, 2.55: News. _3: Music. 3.30: Close down. 5: Classical compositions. 5.45: An armchair chat. 6: Recorded light ensemble. 6.15: News. 6.25: Recorded music. 7: Brass band recitals. 7.15: Close down.

VLR (31.32 m), Melbourne. 7.J0: Children’s play. 8: ‘ .Adventures in Music and Drama.’ 9: News. 9.30: ‘ AVhen Day is Done.’ 10; Play. 11.30: News. 11.45: ‘ln the Public Fye.’ Midnight: Choral praise. 0.30: Department of information service. 1: Close down.

FADING PHENOMENON

PROBLEM OF " SKIP " DISTANCE HOW SOUND WAVES ARE BLANKETED Listeners have all at different times been annoyed by the fading of their favourite short wave station. Few, Jf any, have any idea of the cause, and the following may help to dear up a few points. Every short wave station which is radiating programmes for public entertainment pays particular attention to the length, direction, and height of its aerial system. The most important is the length for maximum efficiency. _ The aerial must be designed so that its physical length is the same as the ways length of its radiations, thus a station transmitting on a wave length 31,25 metres would have its aerial cut down to this length. This is fundamentally correct, though modern methods have shown that pro-perly-designed additions help considerably. Next comes direction; it must be so placed that its radiations will travel in the desired direction. Then comes the height. This is very important, as the height governs the angle of radiation.

Readers may wonder why the radiations must travel at a predetermined angle. All radiations travel out in concentric circles from the aerial. Talking any particular point of these circles at instantaneous time we find that the particular point travels in a straight line; thus part of the energy will go straight into the ground, while the rest will radiate into space at different angles. By careful calculation it is possible for radio engineers to concentrate the greater portion of the radiated energy in any desired direction. This, then, would be the angle of radiation. As radiated energy can be likened to light, it can be seen that something—some medium—‘-must be present in the atmosphere to bend the radiated waves back to earth. As everyone knows, light rays can be bent by means of polarising or reflecting medium. So it is with radiated waves of a transmitting station. Owing to the earth being a the necessity for the bending or reflecting of this can easily be understood, for radiations travelling in a straight line would leave the earth and be lost in space. What, then, reflects the waves? It has been proved that there exist above the earth a number of layers of heavily ionised air molecules, which form a number of what could be termed blankets. These layers have the peculiarity of being able to stop radiated waves and bend them back to earth. The ability to bend or reflect the waves depends upon the frequency of the waves, the angle of radiation, the height and thickness of the layer. The higher the frequency the steeper the angle of radiation, _aud the greater the possibility of penetration. Thus we find the very high frequencies (low wave lengths) are lost, one might say, a few miles from the station. As tho frequency increases so wo get nearer to light waves, and the only reception is within optical distance of tho transmitter.

However, for general purposes we are only concerned with tnose radiations which have been proved commercially reliable, Let us examine the position. A station radiates a signal at, say, an angle of 45deg. Assuming the angle of reflection is the same angle of deflection, a triangle would be formed with the earth as the hypotenuse. But it has been proved that the layers rise and fall with atmospheric conditions, so that as the layer rises the_ distance between the transmitting station and the point where the wave again touches the earth must increase. . Should it fall there would be a corresponding decrease. Similarly if one or more layers take place the distance between would be greater again. Further, if the angle of radiation should be too small, and the wave was reflected, it would miss the earth on its return path and be lost. We find then that by controlling the angle of radiation we can reasonably expect the waves to be reflected back to earth. By assuming average positions of the reflecting layer wo can calculate just where the wave will again reach the earth. The distance between the transmitter and the place where the wave touches the earth is called is known as the “ skip ” distance. Any receiver in this area would have a very poor reception. Of course, tlie reader will understand that the wave radiated is not just a thin line, but a fairly wide band, which when reflected will cover a fairly wide part of the earth’s surface.

It can easily be seen, therefore, that the rise and the fall of only part of the reflecting agent can bring any portion of the earth’s surface within this skip distance. As the height of the layer and the angle of radiations governs the number of times the wave returns to earth, it can be seen that any movement will have a definite bearing upon the point of return. It has been proved that the reflecting layers can rise and fall as much as 90 kilometres per second. Given such a large movement of the reflecting layer, then a large movement between the points of return may be expected. When one realises the large and rapid movement of these reflecting layers, together with the uncertainty of the movement a better understanding of fading and surging in radio receivers is gained.

News in English. News in English from foreign short wave- stations can be heard as under. (These hours are the same each day, and this list should be kept as reference for week-day use): — 6.15 a.m.: Home. 31.13 m, 25.4 m, 19.61 m. 7: Berlin. 49,83 m, 31.01 m. 20.49 m, 19.86 m. Paris. 41.2 m. 25.24 m. 19.68 m. 9.15: Berlin. 49.93 m. 30.01 m, 25.49 m, 19.86 m 11.15: Home. 31.02 m. Noon: Moscow, 25m. 19.76 m. 1 p.m.; Paris. 25.6 m. 25.24 m, 1.15: Berlin, 25.29 m, 25.42 m, 19.74 m. 3: New York. 16.88 m. Pittsburgh, 25.27 m. Schenectady, 31.41 m, 3.15: Paris, 25.6 m. 25.42r0. 3.30: Berlin, 25.42 m, 19.74 m. 5.30: Tokio, 20.5 m. 6: New York, 30.02 m. Pittsburg, 48.86 m. 7: Berlin, 31.46 m, 19.63 m. 16.39 m. 8: Moscow, 19.76 m. 8.15; Paris, 25.24 m. 19.83 m. 9.30; Rome, 16.83 n» 11: Rome, 25.4 m, 16.83 m. Paris. 19.68 m. 16.8 m. Midnight: Berlin, 21.38 m, 19.63 m, 16.81 m. MONDAY VLR3 (25.25 m), Melbourne. 8.30 a.m.: Weather and news. 9.15; ‘Alarm Clock Hour.’ 10: ‘Morning Melodies.’ 11.30: Morning story. 12: Daily devotional service. 12.15: Close down, 2: Broadcast to schools. 2.20: Stock Exchange report, etc. 2.40: ‘At Home and Abroad,’ “ The Watchman.” 2.55: News. 3.35: Musical programme interspersed with descriptions of the Mootiev Valley races (nows at 6.15). 7.15: Close down.