RADIO RECORD

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 October 1930, Page 8

RADIO RECORD

NOTES FOR LISTENERS-IN

(By

“Reception”)

RESTRICTED BROADCASTS

Further no records would in future bo loaned by gramophone dealers for broadcasting purposes, and the stations would have to purchase their own records. The companies had decided that, where a B class station was operated from a dealer’s premises or. in the event of a dealer being interested in a station to such an extent that lie could supply it with records, the make, title and artist must bo announced. Also, if a number were were given at all it. must be the maker's selection number on the record.

Mr Howie said one of the principal companies was awaiting confirmation of -he proposals from its London office. The oilier main companies were agreeable to the proposals, and when the first company received authority a conference would be held in NovZealand to finalise the arrangements. The restrictions would then lie imposed as soon as possible.

The time allotted by the Radio Ereadcastirg Company of New Zealand. Limited, for tho broadcasting of records al its stations is half an hour out of two hours at the evening sessions. There arc no specific allocations of times for the afternoon, (lance sessions or all-daj’ broadcasts on race days.

The total number of items broadcast from the company's four stations in its evening sessions during the period April 1. 1929. to March 31, 1930, was 37,000. Of this number one-quar-ter was recorded items, 75 per cent, of this being used in dance sessions. The proportion of records to the total number of items presented in concert sessions only was 7 per cent. Expressed in length of time devoted to evening enterl ainmeiit sessions one-fifth was cccupied with recorded numbers, including those used for dance sessions. The proportion of time given to recorded music .during concert sessions only was 6 per cent. A “HELMET” SET. A wireless set fitted to a London pciiceman’s helmet was the most novel display at the Radio Exhibition at Olympia, which opened on September If). The cone-shaped back of the London helmet provides an ideal loud .-.peaker, while the top portion accommodates the tierial and the tiny batteries needed to supply the two-valve set used.

Though the total weight of the com plot - outfit is only ;t few ounces, the wearer can pick up messages broadcast from headquarters within a range of eight miles. RADIO INDUSTRY PROSPERS. The National Radio Exhibition, whirl! opened at London on September 19, was the occasion of an illumin iting broadcast speech by Mr. .1. 11. Thomas, the Dominions’ secretary, who spoke on the position of the radio industrj- of to-day. He stated that this had been virtually unaffected by the present worldwide trade depression, and Hritish radio inanufaz-tureis were now constructing six new factories, which would cover 200,000 square feet. There were no unemployed in the wireless trade, which was steadily absorbing t'D.skiiled labour. The boom had a farreaching effect on other industries. This- year's exhibition is twice as large as that of last year, and shows remarkable advances in efficiency and

economy. 'RUGBY BROADCASTS. The question of broadcasting important matches in New Zealand was brought before the Hawke’s Baj Rugby Union recently, when the Dannevirke Sub-union wrote asking for support in their protest to the New Zealand Rugby Union against the practice. The Sub-union stated that in the season just closed it had been manifest that football gates everywhere had suffered severely by the broadcasting of reports of the principal games. In view of the approaching tours of the South African and French teams it was considered that some protest was necessary. Mr. N. A. McKenzie pointed out that the Otago Union had forbidden iny further broadcasting of games, and ho did not think that either the Wellington or Canterbury Unions would again allow it. There was no doubt that it had greatly affected the attendance at -the usual Saturday games.

On tho motion of Mr. B. Tweedie it was decided to reply that the protest had the union’s sympathy and to ask ,tlla't (be Sub-union'bring the matter up at the next, annual meeting.

To obviate the repetition of gramophone records broadcast by Australian ami New Zealand stations the publishers of the records have imposed a number of restrictions on the broadcasting stations. The decision Was nvide at a conference in Sydney recently of the principal companies and the Australian Performing Rights Association. The restrictions will operate in Australia almost immediately and are expected to be enforced shortly in Now Zealand, states the “Dominion."

Mr. S. Holden Howie, of Howie’s Limited, who recently returned from Sydney, stated that the wholesale broadcasting of records in both Australia. and New Zealand was doing considerable harm to the trade. New records; particularly those of the “light." type, were secured by the stations and played ad nauseam. Mr. Howie made the forecast “that, the proposed restriction in New Zealand provided for the broadcasting of now releases onl.v once a day for a fortnight. by each station, and thereafter once a week. In the case of catalogued copyright, records they could be played only once a week unless special permission was obtained from the Australian Performing Rights Association. The regulations applied not onl.v io the record, but also to the item. For instance, a. station might use a certain item by some wellknown artist or as a violin solo or any other means apart from the record. This would constitute the performance for the day and the station/ would not be entitled to use the same/ item on a record.

THE AMERICAN SYSTEM

The broadcasting stations in Amer - ica employ 16-inch discs with especial 2 ly prepared programmes. The pro - grammes, which are recorded on these 3 records, are usually superior to th*, i “living" performances of many broad • casting studios. Each of the discs fur : nishe.s a quarter of an hour’s select 5 cd entertainment comprising four oi 1 five complete pieces. Intermissions - are provided between each selection 1 thereby leaving time for the local an- “ nouncer to reveal his station’s identity. These records are all of the ; finest, electrical recording systems i known, and assure tone in the reproduction of items.i There are already ■ over 200 different, discs from which to make a selection. These records (which are comparatively new to America) would prove of value to New Zealand stations, but unless the B stations combined the cost, would be high, as they are over £1 each in U.S.A., while the copyright would be extra. A NOVEL EARTH. A writer who recently has been carrying out tests with several different kinds of earths, states that, one that, gave conspicuous good results war. as follows:—--it consisted simply of a coil made from (>ft. or so of copper gas tubjng, such as is used for “remote control" of bypasses. This may be obtained from almost any ironmonger or gas supply company, and is about Jin. in thickness. I Petrol piping from a car is equally good, though rather more expensive to buy. The tubing is formed into a coil of about Gin. diameter, and buried with one end just protruding above ground. To tins end the earth lead is soldered. Tim edges of the tube at this end are hammered out into a small funnel, into which water may he pouted from time? to time. TOO BROAD TUNING. Broad tuning comes about as a rule through attempting to stabilise a set having stray couplings. With stray couplings good coils cannot be used. Poor ones are, therefore, fitted in order to obtain stable working. Perhaps the aerial is connected directly to the grid of the valve or through a fixed condenser instead of to a primary winding or a point on . the coil. This broadens the tuning and helps stabilise the set, but. at the expense of signal strength and selec- ■ tivity. The importance of eliminat- j pig so far as possible, with economy, , all stray couplings (excepting that in the valve, which is fixed) is there- t fore clear. i A TUNING HINT.

One problem which arises from the ’ use of two screen-grid stages is that there must be three turned circuits. ' whilst human beings have been provided with two hands. When one is ' searching, all three circuits must he kept, pretty well in step: but there is mi difficulty about doing this if two of the stages are ganged or. perhaps better still, if two of the variable condensers are coni rolled by a. dual thumb dial. The thumb is Hum placid across both sets of milled edges, rotating this pair of condenser vanes together. When a station has been found, small adjustments can be made by actuating each dial separately if necessary. For long-distance work in summer time there is probably no better combination at present than a. set containing two screen-grid stages, a detector, and a. power output stage. EMPIRE SHORT WAVE STATION. As a result, of a conference in England a formal report will be submitted to the forthcoming Imperial Conference advising that a sum of £23,000 will be found by the Colonial Office for (be erection of a short wave motion, pri-fiunitibiy’at. Daventry. Further, the cost of maintenance will bo met by the Colonia! Office, including a sum of £3OOO for the provision of a special news service by Reuter’s News Agency. The British Broadcasting Corporation will staff the station and technically conduct all transmissions. The details of procedure are not yet complete, but in the course of the earlier negotiations it was announced that the hope was entertained of being able to provide a 24-hour service. This would be desirable in order to give all parts ■ of the Empire flic opportunity of : securing the news. Owing to the

time factor, the quality of reception varies in the different Dominions overseas, so that to give equal service to all, continuity of service and a certain amount of repetition of the important news is necessary. To achieve this it may bo advisable to record the programmes as they are transmitted and repeat them at intervals. All those listeners whose sets are capable of picking up short waves will soon be experiencing the thrill of their young lives. England speaking in your house whenever you so desire!

BROADCASTS IN BRITAIN. An extraordinary picture of growth is revealed by the announcement by the British Broadcasting Corporation that the wireless license holders in Great Britain now number 3,363,000 exclusive of 17,000 licenses issued free to blind people. This is estimated to represent a potential audience of 15,000.000 listeners, which is an estimate on the conservative side in view of the further statement that there is now a. wireless set in two out of three houses in the country. These figures emphasise the tremendous place now being taken by broadcasting in the national life. This matter is emphasised further by the statement made by the Hon. J. Ramsay MacDonald, Prime Minister, in opening the National Radio Exhibition. “In future’." he said, “broadcasting is destined to play a most important part in the cultivation of a friendly understanding between nations. The rapid development, of this new power over Nature gives ns great opportunities, both cultural and industrial, and it is all important that, we should make the best use of them." At the Radio Exhibtion mentioned there will be displayed -100 stands by exhibitors, representing an output of sets and apparatus computed to be worth £5,000,000.