Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1922. THE RADIO-TELEPHONE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 420, 10 June 1922, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1922. THE RADIO-TELEPHONE.

In the latest issue ol one of the Amorican reviews there appears a very interesting article on the "Wonders of the Radio-Telephono,” which aptly illustrates the tremendous advances which have been made with the wireless telephone, It is accompanied by photo etchings showing Lydia Lipkovska, the Russian soprano, “singing for a vast unseen audience”; “invalid soldiers at the Fox Hill hospital listening to tho radio telephone” ; children in the country •■listening to the fairy tales and music that come over the radio-tele-phone” ; and the tanner in his homestead, at the close of his day's work, listening to the news of the day also over the wireless telephone. Wo are | told that there are at present, in the I nited States, live high powered transmitting stations which provide regular concerts by artists in person; “that tho United States Government iias a station at Washington, D.C., and that perhaps twenty more are scattered through the country,” each adding "its part to the ethereal entertainment, so that the owner of a receiving set can generally find something to hear, even ai limes when tho main stations are not operating.” Describing one ol these stations, that at Newark, N.J., the article says the artists sing and play in a room, known as the studio, to their distant and invisible audience. It contains a grand piano, several phonographs and other musical instruments, and does not differ greatly front any other well-appointed music room, except in erne particular—tho walls, windows, and ceilings are covered with heavy draperies, and thick rugs lie underfoot. . . An almost oppressive silence reigns here, because all outside noises are cut off and the voice takes on on unfamiliar purity because of the suppression of echoes. . . A microphone, which resembles an enlarged telephone transmitter supported on a stand, is placed on a certain definite spot and the singer stands before it. A much larger microphone hanging from the ceiling is lowered over _ the. piano. Wires run from both microphones to a brass panel in tho wall. The announcer, who introduces the artists and gives the public any necessary information concerning the programme. stands, holding an ordinary i telephono transmitter, which is also wired to the panel. Pressing a button the announcer speaks into the telephone the station call, its location, and I the details of tho programme to follow, Then, pressing another button, he signals the singer to,begin. Except for the microphones there is nothing unusual about the performances The actual transmitting apparatus is contained in a little room on the roof, which is filled with coils, switches, meters and many other electrical instruments. most prominent of all being a panel on which arc mounted five bulbs, resembling largo electric lamps, which glow with a curious throbbing light, this being the actual transmitter, which speaks “not in sound waves that travel 1000 icet a second through tho air, but in electrical waves that travel 186,000 miles a second through the ether.” The receiving instruments “take the messages from stations hundreds or a thousand miles away,” the voice being “transmitted with astonishing fidelity,” ami wo are further told it is “quite possible to entertain a church, or a theatre full of people with radio music, and radio 1 dances are quite common.” tinder the vigorous action of the Covarainem and

ol the telephone companies the monotony ol lile in the. rural districts is now breaking up. for the farmer “in his own living room can now receive the news of the world the day it happens—up to minute weather forecasts and warnings ol frost or storm—reports on markets, prices of commodities,” and so on, “songs, recitals and complete operas, as produced by the Chicago Opera Company; and, on Sundays, hymns, prayers and sermons from the House of Cod,” and “church services,” we are told in conclusion, “now form a regular part of the schedule ol all stations aide to handle the work.” Truly the present age is erne of marvellous developments, the end of which is not yet in .sight.