RADIO NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 19 July 1929, Page 7

RADIO NOTES.

SUNDRY JOTTINGS. (By “Triode.’’) .1 .istenei s regretted that last Saiturday there was. no broadcast of the All Black game. Out, nns announced by theBroadcasting Company, -arrangement could not lie made by them tor the ..'anie to be described over the air. Presumably VK.'EVI it, the short-wave station attached to 3LO -Met bourne, could not be obtained for the occasion. As an, alternative, a land-line to YK2M.It Sydney could have been employed, but tho cost of this may have been .prohibitive.. The •! e-broadcaist, last Wednesday week could hardly lie described as a, .success. Whoever was the announcer, he had anything but a. good! radio, voice, nor did he seem to know much about how to describe .any sort of a game, lie knew Jit-tie about ltugby. liess of the personnel of the All Black team, and still less of the men who made up his home side. It v.as oxaMperating to hear of movements initiated, paw-sos made or missed, etc., and not to hear who was responsible. For the remaining games of the tour that ia>re to be broadcast, one hopes that -Mr Basil Kir Ice will he-at- the "mike.” There is a. possibility 'that legal action may arise out of the- granting by the Government of the contract to the Australian Broadcasting Company for the supply of news and entertainment programmes for three, years. The companies which at present control 2FC, oh Id. 31,0. 3 Alt. oCL and 7ZL have iiilor-refrated linn-neial interests. It is uiKlet's)!nod that, the Melbourne and Adelaide interests have fltuken_ counsel’s opinion as to whether an action would lie against the Federal Government for breach of contract- It is contended that when the Federal Government induced tfhes'3 companies to merge their interests, there was a promise that that there- would he an extension of the existing license to broadea-st. The. companies contend that- the action ot the companies practically compelled them to form- a. merger for unified control 1 : of Australian broadcasting. It is furflier asserted that on the basis of the merger a number of contracts, were entered into, which later had; to- tie cancelled—ait heavy costs- to the companies. it is alleged—when the Federal Government altered its policy, anil de(ided to take- control 1 of the- machinery of broadcasting, and call for tenders for the supply of progra-mmesi only. In anticipation of a. brans-Atlantic aircraft service regularly in the- near future, a powerful short-wave radiophone transmitter has been in-staked a-t Hamburg. The call sign is A KM. Thepower i-s .sufficient to- keep on continuous communication by day for approximately 3000 miles and by night over r.(XM) miles.

The English short-wave station ~><\V has been transmitting experimental!' 1 short wave programmes for the part. ; .two years- and the oontrobing authoi'i--1 it’s are anxious to know how the programme.- have been heard in New Zealand. Thev are- mote especially interested in the strength and quality of recent ion. the times of the dtay the .sagmils were hoard, whether in summer or wintciv. and whether, they are. received ivgula-i'll v or -sipasinodi on.li’.y. ‘Reports should h“ sent to the odie.’- ot An'iilgauiatcd Wireless. .Australia. Ltd., at Wellington or Sydney, where the-v wi-M be (•-')'la ted and sent on to the British Hutlierities. Bv tlic system Ditie situTv ,).[" such renorto it Ms hoped; that- much wifi ! lea rood towards the improvement id' long-distance. shoot-wav.? ( ransmisi-'ions. WORKING HINTS. Heat soften,*! ebonite, thojoiore, after a terminal which is affixed in a patio, has been soldered, it will be tu'crs-sany Ito tighten the fixing nut a. little. What is called fading is,- soiucltmwj nothing mere than the. aerial -swinging across a gutter or -'e-ad pipe, so if you are troubled this way make sure limit your aerial and earth wires are- above suspicion. A steady humming noise in a set is very often due to the- fact that the j aerial or ea-itli wires run too close to the electric light wiring. The noises from an old “B” battery are generally due to imperfect- contact inside it. aml if you a.ssemb'-e your own batteries do not forget that insulation between rows is more important than insulation between individual cells'. When making a set be sure to keep the bench clear of odd bits of wire, etc., or otherwise a damaged l or scratched panel maw easily result. •Metal dust ia one of the greatest i t-ocs of good reception, so he, sure to keep the set free from this if possible when soldering terminals, etc. if flux is splashed about when a- .get i is being made it not only looks bad, but it i-s a source of loss, due to imperfect insulation. Aiwa vs remember to wine: a so'deired loiut w ith a clean cloth whilst the ineitia.l is still hot.