ON THE AIR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 January 1928, Page 13

ON THE AIR

(By “Wave Length.”)

“Wavelength" Invites readers to lor ward short accounts of their experiences In reception, and Items of Interest on any subject likely to Interest their fellow radio enthusiasts.

2YA Wellington was on the air until 2.30 last Tuesday morning, when an attempt was made to broadcast the arrival of the aeroplane from Sydney. Everything, as far as the station was concerned, went off first-class, and, for a relay, the announcer’s voice came through with remarkable clarity. Doubtless many listeners-in, like the writer, stayed up until a late hour in the hope that the next report from the announcer would be the one they were waiting for, and it was indeed unfortunate that the announcer was not able to broadcast the desired news.

The Christchurch station 3YA was in good form last Wednesday evening, and to the writer’s mind cpiite excelled IYA. A howler made himself very unpleasant, and persistent scale practice of his brought forth no endearing remarks. A little judicious working of the set would eliminate this nuisance. * 4r * # *

A Chicago daily says: “Like the automobile, whose cylinders increased in number from the old-time ‘one-lunger’ until as many as twelve were used, radio receiving sets have developed in number of tubes. It wasn’t so long ago that a three-tube set was considered quite de luxe. Receivers with ten tubes are becoming common now, anil some with as many os> 14. tubes bave been built. ’ ’

The difficulty of pleasing the varied tastes of listeners is now said to have found a solution by broadcasting simuitancously on two different wave-lengths from one station. An educational talk could be sent out on one wave-length, while musical items are put on the. an per medium of another wave-length.

In the Lambeth Hospital, Kensington, London, has been recently installed a radio receiver which is entirely automatic in operation. This has ‘been installed so that the patients can enjoy the broadcasting; and, as this has a certain curative effect, two birds are kuleo. with the same stone. Physicians, to a great extent, have agreed that if the minds of patients are kept occupied on something other than their ailments, their recovery is almost certain to bo more rapid. The hospital’s officials can address the 1400 inmates simultaneously by the use of a microphone in the hospital office; and all sorts of pro grammes can be received 'by oil. patients, for there are 400 pairs of ’phon.es and 67 loud speakers. Several times as many eould be operated, if so desired.

Wellington radio traders report an increasing interest, upon the part of listeners, in short-wave reception _ot programmes from distant countries. Referring to short-wave broadcast reception, London “Popular Wireless says: “One thing is certain, and that is that with a short-wave receiver and a little perseverance it does not take one long to become so interested in the work and to build up such a circle of “acquaintances’’ all over the world that one: will novor give- up this branch of reception.’’

Beginners are sometimes prevailed upon to buy the cheaper American “bootle< r ’’ valves, which perform most efficiently for a while. Experience, however, shows that these cheap * valves lack the staying power of the better brands of valves, and in a few months aro practically exhausted.

New Zealand listeners will have another long-distance broadcast station to seek out as soon as the days get somewhat shorter. The Chinese Government have established a broadcast station at Tientsin, near Peking, which uses the call XOL, and operates on a wavelength of 4.80 metres, with a power of 500 watts'.

Those who are fortunate enough to own short-wave receiving sets will hncl the Russian station, REN, a constant and generally satisfactory performer every evening in the week. At a bt J after last Saturday midnight R 1 -N changed over to a theatre and broadcast what seemed to be Russian grand opera, with a full operation orchestra. The music «.had u distinct Slavonic fi mosphere. The vocalists 'were uncommonly talented, and particularly gifted were the leading soprano and baritone.

Arrangements for the opening of the powerful short-wave station _ m Great Britain for conducting Empire broadcasting services were made so quietly that very few people in Great Britain or this part of the world knew how far advanced the work was. Engineers o± the British Broadcasting Corporation announced two months ago that a short-wave station for Empire broadcasting would be built in Great Britain in time to be in operation by Christmas. Apparently the work on the station has been advanced in a manner which was never expected, and. for the first -time an Empire programme was transmitted on Armistice Day. Even now very little is known about the station which the Broadcasting Corporation used for transmitting that programme. The power used is said to be about kilowatts and the wave-length about _4 metres.

Exact tests carried out from Camberwell, London, recently proved that a small oscillating receiver could interfere with 5,000.000 people. Over an area of nearlv 200 square miles, eon taming something like 5,000,000 people, this oscillator made his dreadful presence felt in no uncertain manner. JI only 5 per cent, of these owned a set and only .1 per cent, of these set owners were Irving to listen to LLO, the •‘howler” wonhl have made - : ><' enemies for life. No wonder we say “don’t do it!” x

Practically all loudspeakers have the terminals marked ! and —. Jfin loubt as to whether the polarity of the lead to the speaker is correct attach the lead at the speaker, turn the set on and dip the cord tips in a glass of water to which a little salt has 'been added. Bubbles of. gas will form the negative (or —) tip.

Now Zealand is supposed to be progressive. This may be true of the pooole, but it is not true of the P. and T. Department. Every other radio authority in the world is conducting shortwave broadcast tests, but the only short-wave work in blow" Zealand is be ing done by the commercial station and the amateur transmitters and even they arc discouraged as much as possible by an archaiac P. and T. Dcpt.-^-‘ ‘N.Z. Radio.”