RADIO NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 176, 26 June 1926, Page 3

RADIO NOTES.

INFORMATION SERVICE. (By “Q.R.M.”)' To-morrow evening 2YK, Wellington, will broadcast the evening service from the Terraco Congregational Church, at 6.55 p.m. conducted by tho Rev. Ernest Weeks. At 8.15 the Port Nicholson Band Concert will bo broadcast from tho Grand Opera House. Next Tuesday evening 2YK will broadcast the Paramount Theatre Orchestra under Mr R. Caulton, commencing at 7.45. From 9 to 10.10 p.m. studio items and selections from tho Savage Club orchestra will be put on tho air. During tho course of transmission from 4YA Dunedin, this week the announcer stated that next month tho St. Kilda Band would give a concert from 4YA. Several listeners have suggested that the following items bo included in the programme“ll Trovatore,” tho famous overture “Light Cavalry,” selections from “Taunhaußer,” tho “Invercargill” march, “Poet and the Peasant,” tho "Blue Danube” waltz, “Coronach,” and tho hymn “Nearer My God to Thee.” Listeners had the pleasure last Saturday evening of hearing the famous prima donna, Toti_ Dal Morte, from 2FC Sydney. Her items came over the air with striking clearness and with good tone. Tho Theosophical Society of Sydney is building a new broadcast station, call sign 2AH, on a power of 3000 watts on a wavelength of 326 metres. This station, which will bo used partly for the society work and partly for broadcasting of ordinary concerts, will bo ready to bo put on tho air, about tho end of August. The Sydney Trades Hall station, call sign 2KY on 275 metres has increased its output to 1500 watts or the present power of 2BL. Dr L. W. Austin claims that the grinding form of static originates in Yucatan, and is radiated out in all directions from there. A slight delay has occurred in placing the local station on tho air a.t increased power the motor generator, which is being obtained from America, having to be built to suit our voltage which is different to tho standard voltage in the American elec-tric-light mains. The work, however, is being put through as speedily as possible, and in tho meantime tho committee of the club aro getting the transmitting sot, studio etc, in readiness to place 2YF on the air as soon as the generator arrives. Mr E. Ward, of Taranaki, announces good reception of stations KFON and KNY, California, and also the two rarely heard Australian stations, 7ZL and 2UW. Mr J. Bingham is now in Auckland to take charge of the installation of the new broadcast station, after which he will journey south t<f instal and complete tho new Christchurch station. Tire broadcasting of “Just as You Say, Dear” presented by the Victoria University Collego Students’ Association from 2YK on Thursday night, was received with fair tone locally. Tho Sydney Broadcasters’ station 2BL has not been able to be placed on the air at 5000 watts output, because the majority of tho technical staff have been off duty on account of influenza. They have now recovered, however, and the work is going ahead rapidly. A PHENOMENON. A South Island listener states that while listening in recently ho heard a continuous roar coming from his receiver. He immediately disconnected his aerial to ascertain whether tho fault was in the receiver itself, but found everything quite alright. He then found that ho could obtain a series of long blue electric sparks from his aerial, which continued for several minutes, tho roar being heard all the timo. The sparks suddenly ceased and all was quiet. Immediately following this tlio wind, which was blowing steadily, changed suddenly to north-west, and commenced to blow with hurricane force. . Tho writer has often obtained sparks from his aerial after a violent thunderstorm, but never anything approaching the phenomenon as reported by the South Island listener. ANOTHER DELAY FOR VLAK. Tho New Zealand Broadcasting Company was to have had tho Auckland station in operation before Christmas because two 500 watt stations were to have been on the nir by that time. Owing, however, to trouble in regard to orders, shipping, etc., the date for tho Auckland station

(By “Q.R.M.”)

VLAK was postponed until April Ist. The transmitting equipment had not arrived by •that date, so tho Government granted a further extension of timo to July Ist next. The Company now reports that VLAK will not be ready to bo placed on tho air for somo days yet. Tho transmitting apparatus and masts were to have arrived by a boat from Sydney yesterday. The Company has, therefore, only four working days in which to assemblo tho transmitter, erect tho two lattice work masts, and tho hundred and ono different things that have to bo done to place a 500 watter on the ether. Naturally thoy state that they cannot possibly accomplish tho feat in so short a time. All listeners will be relieved to hear that VLAK will bo placed on the air, as a 500 watts output, broadcasting station, sometime in tho future. Meanwhile wo have excellent concerts every night of the week from the Australian 5000 watt output stations. ACCUMULATOR CAPACITY. Some beginners are troubled over what capacity accumulator they should > procure for their special number of valves. The following tablo showing tho various sizes, as used for general work should prove of §ome help : 5 A ono valve set requires a 20 amp. actual or 40 amp hour ignition capacity battery. A two valve set requires a 30 amp., actual or 60 amp hour, ignition capacity battery. A threo valve set requires a 50' amp actual, or 60 amp hour, ignition capacity battery. A four valve eet requires a. 60 amp. actual, or 120 amp. hour ignition capaicty battery. .For five valves and over, a battery having an actual capacity of 100 amps should bo procured, otherwise tho will be required to bo charged too often. A sound rule is to purchase two batteries of equal sizes so that one can bo charged whilst tho other is charging; but the best plan of all is to purchase a small charging plant of your own. If a battery is frequently used until it will not have sufficient “juice” to operate the receiver, it will very soon be necessary to replace it by a new one. /OTAGO SPEAKS TO ENGLAND. Different amateurs throughout New Zealand have several times spoken to England during the last few months. An Otago amateur cf radio fame recently broke all records by conveying with tho Home Country for two hours on end. This, was on the night of June 6th when Miss Bell, of Shag Valley, Otago, succeeded in getting into contact by phone with England after half-an-hour’s trial. “Wireless communication with England is now an everyday affair, and anybody with a reasonably decent set can speak to stations in the Old Country,” said Miss Bell. On this occasion she spoke to her brother, Mr F. D. Bell, who is world famous as ’ a record breaking New Zealand wireless amateur. The previous week Miss Bell spoke to K2OD England, while using 150 watts input on a wave-length of metres, when she arranged for her brother to speak to her. She was unsuccessful during the first half-hour to “reach” her brother, but by a stroke of good fortune she heard him later. Disappointed with England, sho was “raising” a Sydney amateur, whom Mr Bell had got in touch with eighteen months ago on morse. An operator from radio G2ZS was speaking to Tasmania, and he gavo Miss Bell the news that her brother was waiting at , Station G2NM in Surrey, whero ho was ! spending the week-end with the viee-presi- | dent of the International Radio League. Communication with him was then obtained. Miss Bell hopes to do a great deal of telephone communication with England this winter, although speech by wireless is very difficult, especially for long distance iWk. Her brother, it will be remembered, made history in tho radio world for Now Zealand under tho call of 4AA. He was awarded a cup last year in recognition of his two-way communication with Great Bri. tain by the amateurs of New Zoaland he and 4AG being the first amateurs to obtain two-way communication with tho Old Country. Also last year Mr Bell was appointed as a councillor at large for New Zoaland in the International Amateur Radio Union, which consists of -a largo body of amateurs from all parts of tho world. The Bell family stand, therefore, high in tho regard of all New Zealand wireless enthusiasts.