BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 90, 14 March 1935, Page 3

BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

EXCELLENCEOF RECEPTION. (By “Microphone”). Something of what may be expected in the long winter evenings has been the lot of listeners during the past ten days, when excellent reception ol overseas stations and of the lesser ones in the Dominion has been general. From early evening right through the night the dials have yielded a rich result, to a large extent emphasising our dependence on Australia for good programme material and the ease of procuring it. During 1931 the Australian Broadcasting Commission effected a change in the hours of transmitting certain sessions from their Sydney stations 2FC and 2BL, and as a result Dominion listeners are reaping the . At 9 o’clock in the evening (7 o’clock in Sydney) 2FC comes on the air with a splendid session of selected music, providing another alternative to onr own programmes. Similarly, information is being broadcast by 4QG Brisbane (395 metres. 760 kilocycles) and 2RL, both at excellent strength. The ease with which the Queensland national station has been reaching out is nothing short of remarkable. 3AR Melbourne (492 metres. 010 kilocycles) and 3LO Melbourne (375 metres, 800 kilocycles) at this time are also emitting'a good signal. About nine or a little later Adelaide makes it appearance through SCL (111 metres, 730 kilocycles) and relay station SCIv Crystal Brook (1/2 metres, G 35 kilocycles), with 2CO Corowa handling the Melbourne programme on 535 metres, 560 kilocycles. Tlio New Zealand B stations have been very well received of late. Outstanding has been 3ZR Greymoutli in the early evening on 319 metres, 940 kilocycles, with 2ZH Napier (305 metres 820 kilocycles) also very good. The United States is commencing to* make its appearance on the dials of many sets and as the evenings lengthen improved reception may be anticipated. KFT Los Angeles on 162 metres, 640 kilocycles will probably again be the best, and it is already sending out a good signal. KPO San Francisco (440 metres, 680 kilocycles), KOA Denver (361 metres. 830 kilocycles). KNX Hollywood (285 metres, 1050 kiloe iriav reasonably be expected to pvovble fair to good reception up till 8 o’clock (when they close), while WI.W Cincinnati (428 metres, 700 kilocycles) closes about an hour earlier. NEW ZEALAND GIANT. Apparently the. Dominion is to end its prolonged period of modesty in the realm of radio, eased to a certain extent by the erection of the 10,000 watt plant at Auckland and the proposal to use similar power from 3YA and the new 4YA transmitter. It was hardly to be expected that the authorities would, however, make such a statement, as that which appeared last Wednesday to the effect .that a GO.COO watt station is to be erected 20 miles out of Wellington. IYA is now operating on approximately 10.000 watts and the strength of signals from the new station can easily he contemplated. It will be the forerunner of an era ol specially selective receivers, lor this is a huge power which it is proposed to release as a national service. The new stations for Australia, of which mention was made last week, have provision for a similar power, but at present it is not intended to utilise it.

The fluostion arises as to whether such power is warranted in the Dominion. It is interesting to note that the 1 .'50,000 watt transmitter at Droitwich, the 8.8.C.V greatest step forward, which -was to give a service to the British Isl ■es without comparison, has proved disappointing in some respects. Where there used to be fading this continues to take place, with a consequent spoliation of reception. The greater part of the Manawntu is in the fading belt of 2YA, though perhaps the fact of the new station l>eing 20 miles from the city of Wellington may alter the boundaries of this belt. If js a vast experiment, probably taken after consultation on the research made some time ago into fading and distortion, and it seems to set the end to am - scheme of relay stations. New Zealand is entering the realm of “big” radio with the most powerful plant this side of the Pacific and the

result, from onr own experience, will be awaited with interest. AUSTRALIA’S POSITION.

According to the radio authority of a Sydney journal the changes in wavelengths noted last week, and the erection of the new plants, have nut solved all of Australia’s radio problems. The la.tter phase will ultimately give the I complete national network a total of 25 stations, the complete scheme of which, as at present constituted, it is understood, makes provision ior about 30 stations. The network so far has only made use of wave-lengths in the broadcast band, from 550 metres to 200 metres. There are other bands which can bo used for broadcasting, what is known as the long-wave band, and the various short.wave bands. The first mentioned, although fully available for use if required, lias apparently been discarded ns unsuitable for the requirements of Australia. The shorter wave-hands have received some official recognition, and it seems that the complete scheme makes provision for short-wave stations. The PostmasterGeneral’s Department has been transmitting for a part of the day the national programme from the experimental short-wave station 3LR. 'When the station commenced operations it was suggested that it was in some measure Australia’s return for the short-wave programmes that are made available from other parts of the world, but the real reason is probably to determine whether such transmission would he of any benefit to listeners within Australia, especially those situated in areas remote front centres of population. This station has achieved a fair amount of success, and, in some districts, is looked upon a.s the onlv source of the national programme which can be received free from serious interference. For example, in the Northern Rivers district of New /South Wales conditions in tho summer time are far from good.