THE WIRELESS WORLD

Grey River Argus, 19 December 1936, Page 3

THE WIRELESS WORLD

NOTES FOR RADIO AMATEURS.

(By

“Cat’s Whisker")

TELEVISION THE LONDON SERVICE It was reported in the cable news that the B.B.C’s television M ervice was inaugurated on Monday, the official speeches and speakers (or the'i'r apparitions) being broadcast from the station at Alexandra Palace, Thus after a long period of preparation the 8.8. C. h.as taken a long step forward A German television service has been in operation for some months, and was used in conjunction with the Olympic Games; but it is still definitely in the experimental stage. Much development work has been done, but the service is not yet a public one, and no receiving sets are offered for sale. In the United States the general atti rude of the expert authorities on television is very guarded; they do not say “just around the corner” nearly as much as they did a year or two ago. “While the London television definition is described by spectators as ‘so. good that it challenges comparison with the cinema,’ they quite generally expressed the opinion that a picture live' by seven inches is not large enough. i SMALL PICTURE ANNOYS. ( “After a few minutes one forgot the wonder of transmitting and receivingpictures by wireless and looked at the screen simply as cinema entertainment.” said the correspondent of London “Observer,” who watched a demonstration in London. “Then came the annoyance , at first subconscious and then definitely conscious, of straining to see in a small picture details 01. facial expression, gesture, etc., which on the large screen of ft cinema theatre are enjoyed with no effort at all. “That large television pictures can be obtained has already been demonstrated in London, but by a mechanical optical, and not by a cathode ray, receiver. There is no doubt that the manufacturers of cathode ray apparatus will have to double the size of their pictures before they make any considerable appeal to the public. “Evidently television is, at its start, in much, the same stage as was broadcasting in the early days. Much work has yet to be done on transmission, but the major problems to be solved lie in the adequate reception of the programme.” Group Listening UN PRISON {AND EAR PARLOUR The BBC has for a long time fostered Group Listening, especially _to broadcast talks, and special Education Officers, who have been instructed to assist in the formation of listening circle, have been appointed throughout Great Britain by the BBC. There are many hundreds of such groups' throughout the country, both small and large. Some meet in the intimacy of the fireside of one. Of their members, others in schools and public lib: raries. The Engineering Division of the BflB.C. also gives assistance by advising on the types of wireless receivers most suitable, and in cases, of difficulty sometimes actually assists in the installation of them. Special pamphlets covering talks designed for recep'ion by' listening circles are sold bv the BBC at a nominal charge. ' One of the strangest listening groups in touch with the BBC was one formed in a famous convict prison to listen to farming talks. The farming talks were chosen not so much bee use the ■ prisoners were farmers, as because regulations did no allow them to listen bo any .of the series broadcast after 7.30 p.m. At one local prison in the Noth of England, official regulations are kinder to listeners, and the prisoners form groups to listen to, "nd discuss all the talks intended for discussion groups. Among the listening groups in England there is one that meets in the bar parlour of a Devonshire inn, -with' a woman as its group leader. There Is another flourishing in a mental home, and the. Education Officers of the BBC were relieved to discover that membership was confined to the 'lnstitution’s staff. Many unemployed men and women are also enthusiasts at this form of listening. The idea of Group Listening was started in England, but has since been taken up by one or two foreign countries. In Sweden listeners have got so enthusiastic that they are willing to listen to a continuous discussion lasting three hours. But that example is not likely to be followed in Great Britain. AUSTRALIAN STATIONS. Australia now has 90 licensed radio stations in operation, three of them being on short-wave. The great majority are, however, operating on low power, 25 of those on the broadcast. . band having an output of 1000 watts i or over, and only five are rated above ! 5000 watts, the power of 2YA, the I weakest of the New Zealand national I stations. Until the 7000 and 7500 watts relay transmitters (five in number) were installed, most of the Australian national stations in the cities were ci-edited with 5000 watts, but now they are shown as follows: 3AR 4500. 2FC 3500. 6WF 3500, 3LO 3500. 2BL 3000, 4QG 2500, SCL 2000.

STATION FOR SPORTS. 2CH Sydney, now styling itself the station for sports, is co-operating with the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association in an endeavour to secure a tour of Australia and New Zealand by Jesse Owens, Johnny W'OOfJruffe, or other American stars The station offers to contribute large ]y towards the cost of the venture in return for exclusive broadcasting rights. The transfer of 2C*TI from the Council of Churches to Amalgamated Wireless has now received official sanction.

WOMEN LISTENERS. So ' fruitful in practical suggestions was ‘he conference of women radio listeners held some time- ago •• t Broadcasting House that the corporation has decided to hold other conferences in various areas. A conference on youth is projected in Scotland. A ch'ldren’s conference on talks in the Midlands have already been arranged', .nd an

- officer has been appointed to the staff( of the 8.8. C. with the sole duty of; handling listener research. These con-:: ferences are part of tho plans of the-l. corporation for getting into closest! touch with the listeners and •inform-; ing itself most fully of programme); bastes. (HIGH (FIDELITY. High fidelity, or wide-range, recordings embody, in their proper relative values, all the musical frequencies of the' original rendition, and thus afford' completely realistic reproduction, but only when played under ideal conditions. Such perfection is not obtainable in broadcasting, unless both the transmitting and receiving apparatus respond evenly ito a band of frequencies much wider than the 10 k.e. P er " mitted for transmitters and adopted as « selectivity standard for receivers It is, however, useless worrying about: the receiver end of the problem whilethe crowded condition of the ether limits the transmitted signal to a width which eliminates some of the quail-; ties of the record. ■TELEVISION (TESTS. The previously estimated range ol| the 8.8. C. television station at Alex-; andra Palace was 25 miles from transmitter. During recent tests, however, it was found that signals were received in places ms far distant as Birmingham, Nottingham, Bournemouth and Felixstowe. While it is yet -too early to say definitely whether such reception is ojily of a freak nature or whether it may be regarded as regular practice, it is now felt by the 8.8. C. that the original estimate was too conservative. This is the more remarkable in that the corporation regards as in a service area only those places where that transmitter puts down a signal that will completely over-aide static disturbances. ( Week-end Programmes j (SATURDAY* DECEMBER 19th. | J IYA Auckland—6sok.c. f 7.0 to 9.0; Breakfast; 10.0: Devotional; 10.15: Recordings; 12.0: Lunch DlUfiiCj 2.0; Recordings; 3.0: He Loadcast of hall by ball description of play in the second cricket test match, England v. Australia; 3.30: Recordings; 4.30: Sports results; 4.45: Children’s hour; 5.30: Rebroadcast of ball by ball description of play in the second cricket test; 6.0; Dinner music; 6.30: Talk, the Gardening Expert; 7.0; News and repots; 7.30: Rebroadcast of ball by ball description of second cricket test; 8.0: Concert programme; 10.0: Sports summary; 10.10 to 11.15: Dance music.

2YA Wellington—s7ok.c. 7.0: to 9.0; Breakfast; 10.0: Recordings; 10.30: Devotional; 11.0: Time signals; 12.0: Lunch music; 1.0; Weather; 2.0; Light music; 3.0: Ball by ball description of second cricket test match; 3.30: Weather; 4.0: Time signals; 4.45: Children’s hour; 5.30: Rebroadcast of ball by ball description of second cricket test match; 6.0: Dinner music; 7.0: News and reports; 7.30: Time signals, descrip’ion of second test match; 8.0 : Popular programme; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.38: Commentary by C; B. Fry on day’s play in second criciket test; 10.0: Sports summary; 10.0 to 11.15: Dance music.

3YA Christchurch 720k.c. 7.0 to 9.0; Breikfast, 10.0: Devo tional; 10.15: Recordings; 11.0; Time signals; 12.0: Lunch music; 1.0; We'ekind weather; 2.0: Recordings; 3.0: Ball by ball commentary on second cricket test match; 3.30: Recordings; 4.o’ft Time signals; 4.45: Children’s session; 5.30: Ball by ball description of second cricket test match; 6.0: Dinner music; 7.0; News and reports: 7.30: Commentary on second cricket •iest match; 8.0: Recordings; 9.0: Resume of day’s play in second cricket test match; 9.10; Weather. Station notices; 9.15: Dance programme; 9,38: Commentary on second cricket test match by C. B. Fry; 10.0: Sport's summary; 10.10 to 11.30: Dance pro gramme. 4YA Dunedin—79ok.c.

7.0 to 9.0: Breakfast; 10.0: Recordings; 12.0: Lunch music; 2.0: Recordings; 3.0: Description of play in second cricket test match; 3.30: Recordings; Sports results; 4.0: Weather; 4.45: Children’s hour; 5.30: ball by ball description of play in second cricket t es t 5 6.0: Dinner music; 7.0: News and reports; 7.30; Ball by ball description of second cricket test match; 8.0: A light orchestral and ballad programme; 9.0: Resume of day’s play in second cricket test match; 9.lo:'Weather; Station notices; 9.15: Dance music; 9.38: Commentary on second crieke-U test match; 9.55; Sports summary; 10.5 to 11.5: Dance music.

Daventry, England; G.S.D. 31.55 metres GS.F. 19.82 metres New Zealand standard time; 8.0: Big Ben; “Turn Round”; 8.30: The second cricket Test maieh, Australia v. England; 8.45: Variety; 9.0; Talk; “iScientists at Work”; 9.20: Harold Ramsay at. the organ; 9.40; The news and announcemen Is; Greenwich time signal at 9.45; 10.0: C !l ose down. Moscow Radio: Saturday, December 19th. 12mdt—12.30 a.ni. RAN 31.b5 metres.

SUNDAY!, DECEMBER 20th. IYA Auckland—6sok.c. 9.0: Recordings; 11.0: Morning service; 12.15: Close down; 1.0: Dinner, music; 2.0: Recordings; 4.30 Close down; 6.0 Children’s song service; 7.0|: Evening service; 8.50: Concert by the Auckland Municipal Band; 16.0: Close down. 2YA Wellington—s7ok.c. 9.0: Recordings; 11.0: Morning service; 12.15; Close down; 1.0: Dinner music; 2.45: Recordings; 4.0: Time signals; 4.30: Close down; 6.0: Children’s song service; 7.0: Evening service; 8.15: Recordings; 9.0: Weather. St'iion nod'ces; 9.5: An operatic rej A:-“Eilsa’s Dream”; 10.1:. Close ! down. 1 "YA Christchurch—72ok.c. 1 9.0: Recordings; 11.0: Morning seril vice; 12.15; Close down; 1.0: Dinner

music; 2.0: Recordings; 4.0: Time sigsignals; 4.30; Close, down; 5.30: Children’s .song service; 6.15: Recordings; 7.0: Evening service; 8.15: Recordings; 9.0: Weather; Station notices; 9.5: Recordings; 10.0: Close down.

4YA .Dunedin —790k.c. 9.0: Recordings; 11.0: Morning service; 12.15: Close down; 1.0: Dinner music; 2.0: Recordings; 4.30: Close down; 5.30: Children’s song service; 6.15: Recordings; 6.30; Evening service,; 7.45: Recordings; 8.30: Presentation of “11 Trovatore”; 10.30: Close down.

Daventry, England: G.S.B. 31.55 metres G.S.F. 1982 mehes New Zealand standard time; 8.0: Big Ben; The 8.8. C. Military Band; 9.0: Weekly newsletter, sports summary and announcements; Greenwich time signal at 9.15; 9.25: Bells and an'Empire service; 10.15: Close down. Moscow Radio:

(Sunday, December 20th. 11 a.m.—l2 noon BNE 25 metres, 3 p.m.—4 p.m. RKh and RNE 19.81 and. 25 metres, 6.30 p.m. —7 p.m.RV96 19.76 metres, 9 p.m.—lo p.m. Com and BNE 1744 and 25 metres, 12 m’dt—l2.3o RAN, 31.25 metres. Answers by radio b listeners questions. Life and work in the U.S.S.-E. Descriptlion of the lives and occupations of the 165 different nationalities the Starlet Union