THE WIRELESS WORLD

Grey River Argus, 7 August 1937, Page 11

THE WIRELESS WORLD

NOTES FOR RADIO AMATEURS.

(By

"Cat’s Whisker’’)

Broadcast Congestion: Congestion on the broadcast bands is quickly becoming an acute problem for DX enthusiasts. # Indeed for that matter, listeners dwelling in remote districts desiring to listen to some of the subsidiary New Zealand transmitters not infrequently meet difficulties, as several Dominion plants are on, or close to, the frequencies of Australians. But still fresh transmitters are built. In Queensland 4ZR, on 1450 k.c., situated at Roma, and 2BE, 1430, at Bcga, are about to make a start with programme schedules, and two other 'Australians, 4SB and SSE, are under construction. There is also a new Japanese, said to be JBCK, on S5O k.c., and another at Singapore, ZHL, on 1332 k.c. The Port Moresby station, 4PM, is now on 1345 k.'c., and has been heard locally in the early evening. A Wellington listener has reported that the telephony of the aeroplanes of the Union Airways can be heard, under favourable conditions, on the second harmonic about 660 kilocycles, but reception would be possible only when the machine were close to the receiving point, as the fundamental wave is 900 metres. ****** Morning Physical “Jerks”: A report has recently been submitted to the French Academy of Medical Science disapproving strongly ol early . morning physical exercise broadcasts. The report says that at least 20 minutes are required after awakening for normal blood circulation being restored, and that setting- ■ up exercises immediately after jumping out of bed may cause serious accidents. ******* A Small World: Coincidences in broadcast programmes are now much rarer than in the early days when so many artists and speakers were coming to the microphone for the first time, and were heard by friends who had been out of touch with them, perhaps for years. Two recent incidents, however, can be .added to the record ol singular events, says the Wireless World. In a radio play from Broadcasting House a telephone number had to be mentioned, and a number actually in the London area was given in the script. It was not until the subscriber on that number, was rung up by several listeners that he discovered why his number had gained such notoriety. On looking through the cast published in the radio programme he saw that it included ihe name of a personal friend. No: this actor was not the writer of the script and was’ not responsible for the inclusion of this particular number. The other coincidence concerned a programme written around the produe tion of “Music Hall.” or the purpose of the broadcast, producer John Sharman invented a number of purely mythical names for the imaginary artists whom he was engaging to take part in a typical music hall programme. It turned out-that one ol the fictitous names happened to belong to a man who had in fact work ed on the variety stage, and a letter reached Mr Sharman from a friend of this artist saying that he had not been in touch with the artist since the war, and asking for his address. ******* Causes of Breakdowns: An illuminating survey has just been made by a group of American servicemen as to the most frequent causes of breakdowns in sets. Exclud ing valve faults, by-pass condensers head the list as being responsible for 29 per cent, of the trouble. Resistances come next with 22 per cent. Rather surprisingly, volume and tone controls cause only 14 per cent of the breakdowns. ,»** * * * * Microphone Efficiency: The substantial advances made in the design and construction of microphones from t'he days of the early carbon type have" been capped by a new instrument which provides uniform wide-angle response from the front side and negligible response at all frequencies from the back. ‘ The device will fill an important studio demand and will facilitate certain , pick-ups” made with difficulty in the past. The construction is similar to that of the velocity or ribbon microphone, but it is pressure operated, or rather a combination of pressure and velocity actuated.

International Short Waves: The International Broadcasting Union, the members of which supply programmes to 230,000,000 listeners throughout the world, _at its last’ meeting in Berlin expressed alarm at the increasing interference experienced in short-wave broadcasting, due to imperfect wavelength allocation. It realises that the position cannot be remedied without world-wide co-op-eration, and it has urged that the mailer be seriously considered at the Telecommunications Conference in Cairo next year.

Jottings: It seems hard to realise that there are still some half a dozen countries without a regular broadcasting service. Their number will be reduced by the entry of Liechtenstein into the ranks of broadcasters. The Government of this small country has just notified its intention of building a 2 k.w. broadcasting station. A claim is being made to the wave-length of 1429 metres, and if this is persisted in a very serious problem of interference will arise.

Dutch broadcasters are complaining of too much censorship. Talks to be given on the air must be submitted with eight typed copies to the Government censor three days before the broadcast. Only press news and descriptions of sporting and other public events are excepted. This method makes talks nearly a week old before they art put on the air.

What is probably a unique depot for servicing wireless receivers exists in Alaska. It is housed in a yacht oft the coast, and belongs to a Seattle radio firm. Apart from servicing radio receivers possessed by the scattered population of this part of the world, it also undertakes repairs to the transmitting and receiving apparatus, installed on board various ships.

Important public events which are the subject of special broadcasts, such as national elections, invariably give a great impetus to wireless licence figures. This fact has just been once more brought out, this time in Finland, where the recent, presidential election resulted in a great increase

in the number of licensed holders. The total number of licences in Finland at the end of 1936 was 176,723. This was increased by 14,000 during January. Week-end Programmes IYA Auckland —650k.c. 7.0 Cricket, New Zealand v. v/aiwickshire, at Birmingham; 7.5. Breakfast session; 8.0: Cricket, 8.5. Breakfast session; 9.0: Cricket; 10.0. Devotional; 10.15: Recordings; 12.0. Lunch music; 1.0: Weather; 2.0. Recordings; 2.30: Running Commentary on the Rugby football match Springboks v. Wellington, at Wellington, 3.0: Running commentary on Rugby football match, relayed from rsden Park; 3.15: and 4.30: Sports results, 5.0: Children’s hour; 6.0: Dinner music; 7.0: News; 7.45: Talk, Better Light—Better Sight”; 8.0: Concert programme; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: Modern dance music; 10.0: Sports summary; 10.10 to i±.nu. Dance prgoramme. 2YA Wellington—s7ok.c. 6.50: Weather; 7.0: Cricket: New Zealand versus Warwickshire, at Birmingham; 7.5: Breakfast session; 8.0: Cricket; 8.5: Breakfast session, 9.0. Cricket; 10.0: Weather; 10.30: Time signals; Devotional; 12.0: Lu ™?h music; 1.0: Weather; 2.0: Light music; 1.0: Weather; 2.0. g music; 2.30: Running description ot the football match, South Africa v. Wellington; 5.0: Children’s hour; 60: Dinner music; 7.0: News and reports, 7 30’ Time signals; 8.0: Popular programme; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: Danes programme; 10.0: Sports results; 10.10 to 11.15: Dance programme. 3YA Christchurch —720k.c. 7.0: Cricket, New Zealand versus Warwickshire, at Birmingham; 1.5: Breakfast session; 8.0: Cricket; 8.5: Breakfast session; 9.0: Cricket; 10.0. Devotional; 10.15: Recordings; 10.30: Time signals; 10.32: Recordings; 12.0: Relay from Addington of New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Clubs meeting; 1.0: Weather; 2.0: Recordings; 2.30: Commentary on Rugby match, relayed from Rugby Pa rk l 4.30: Sports results; 5.0: Childrens hour; 6.0: Dinner music; 7.0: News; . 7.30: Time signals; 8.0: Concert by ■ Benno Moiseiwitsch, world-famous pianist; 10.0: Sports summary; 10.0 to , 11.15: Dance music. , 4YA Dunedin —790k.c. ' 70- Cricket: New Zealand versus : Warwickshire, at Birmingham; 1.5: ■ Breakfast session; 8.0: Cricket; 8.5: Breakfast session; 9.0: Cricket; 10.0: Recordings; 12.0: Lunch music; 1.0. Weather; 2.0: Recordings; 2.4 a: Relay from Invercargill 'of' the Rugby football match Otago versus South-land;-4.15: Sports results; Weather; ■ 4.45: Sports results; 5.0: Childrens hour- 60: Dinner music; 7.0: News and reports; 8.0: A light orchesetra and Ballad concert; 9.0: Weather. ■ Station notices; 9.5: Ringside commentary on professional wrestling match (relay from. Dunedin Town i Hall); 10.0: Sports summary; 10.10 ; to 11.15: Dance music. Daventry, England: i GSD. 16.86 metres; G.S.O. 19.82 , metres; G.S.B. 31.55 metres. new Zealand Standard Time; 4.0: Big Ben; , “London Log”; 4.-10: “Swift Serenade” 5.15: A pianoforte recital; 5.35: , A commentary from the Duke of York’s camp, Southwold, Suffolk; - 5.55: The news and anouncements; Greenwich lime signal at 6.0 p.m.; . 6.15: Operatic music; 6.25: A recital , by Blanche Marches! (soprano); 6.45: < Close down.

3LR Melbourne: 12.45: Music; 1.0: Time Signals; News; 1.0: Weather; 1.15: Music and Sporting programme; 6.30: Finance and Commerce session; 6.45: Sporting News and Notes; 7.10: New Zealand Mail Bag; 7.20: News; 7.30: Queensland and North Australian News; 7.35: Sporting Highlights; 8.0: “Hotch . Potch”; 8.30: A Programme fro n the Melbourne Studios; 9.10: Orchestral Concert; 10.0: Programme from the Melbourne Studios; 10.30: Australasian News Service; 10.50: Mail Bag Session; 11.10: Dan-e Musir. 11.30: Meditation music; 12.0: 'Nose down. SUNDAY, AUGUST 8. IYA Auckland —650k.c. 9.0: Cricket: New Zealand versus Essex, at Chelmsford; 9-5: Recordings; 10.0: Cricket; 10.5: 'Recordings; 11.0: Morning service; 1.0: Dinner music; 2.0: Recordings; 3.54: Recordings; 6.0: Children’s song service; 70' Evening service; 8.15: Recordings' 8.30: Concert programme; Recordings; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: Recordings; 10.0: Close down. 2YA Wellington—s7ok.c. 9.0: Cricket, New Zealand v. Essex, at Chelmsford; 9.5: Recordings; 10.0: Weather; Cricket; Recordings; 11.0: Morning service; 1.0: Weather; Dinner session; 2.24: Recordings; 3.30: Time-signals; 6.0: Childrens song service; 7.0: Evening'service; 8.15: Recordings; 8.30: A programme featuring the Budapest String Quartet; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: The Budapest String Quartet; 10.2: Close down. 3YA Christchurch —720k.c. 9.0: Cricket: New Zealand versus Essex, at Chelmsford; 9.5: Recordings; 10.0: Cricket; 10.5: Recordings; 110: Morning service; 1.0: Dinner music; 2.0: Recordings; 3.22: Recordings; 3.30: Time signals; 3.32: Recordings; 5.30: Children’s song service; 6.15: Recordings; 6.30: Evening service; 8.0: Recordings; 8.30: Concert, programme; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: Ernest Jenner, L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M. (pianoforte recital); 9.28: Recordings; 10.0: Close down. 4YA Dunedin —790k.c. 9.0: Cricket: New Zealand versus Essex, at Chelmsford; 9.5: Recordings; 10.0: Cricket; 10.5: Recordings; 11.0: Relay of service; 1.0: District forecast; Dinner music; 2.0: Recordings; 2.30: “Tintagel”; A tone poem by Arnold Bax; 2.42: Recordings; 5.30: Children’s song service; 6.15: Recordings; 6.30: Evensong; 7.45: Recordings; 8.30: A recital programme; feauring Essie Ackland (famous contralto); Recordings; 8.50: Recordings; 9.0: Weather. Station notices; 9.5: Essie Ackland; 10.0: Close down. Daventry, England: G.S.D. 16.86 metres; G.S.O. .T.',82

metres; G.S.B. 31.55 metres. New Zealand Standard Time; 4.30: Big Ben; Callender’s Senior Band; 5.5: A religious service; 5.55: Weekly newsletter; Sports summary and announcements; Greenwich time signal at 6 p.m.; 6.15: Programme of Welsh songs, sung by the “Gwalia” Mixed Quartet; 6.30: Eisteddfod Week—Machynlleth, 1937. “Wil Ifan”; 6.45: Close down. 3LR Melbourne: 6.0: “In Quires and Places Where They Sing’’; 6.30: “Random Pages”; 6.40: Talk, “Race problems in South Africa”; 7.0: Symphony Hour; 8.0: Talk by Mr. H. Simpson; 8.15: A Two Piano Recital; 8.50: Talk on International Affairs; 9.10: A Film Broadcast; 10.15: Epilogue; '10.30: Close down. *