STATION 2ZF

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 198, 20 July 1935, Page 3

STATION 2ZF

11 YEARS OF ACTIVITY. To-night radio station 2ZF will complete its eleventh year of activity. The opportunity was taken lust evening, when the station was “oil tire air,” to present a special programme in celebration of the event. Actually, it is claimed, the Manawatu Radio Club holds the distinction of owning and operating the oldest radio station in New Zealand. Contributors to the programme included the Garrison Band, the Highland Pipe Band, the Orpheus Male Voice Choir, the Shannon Quintette, Misses Nancy Robertson, Freda Whittaker, June Stagpoole, Zita Leamy, E. H. Prescott, Airs K. Jones, Messrs A. G. Brown, Packer, McLeod, and Hickmott, and Don Gilbert. All the members were entertained at supper at tire conclusion of the transmission.

The opportunity was taken by the club’s president (Air W. A. Waters) to review the history of the club. “Eleven years is a long time for a club to bo in operation with a broadcasting station, especially in view of the fact that broadcasting is only 15 years old and the service of the 8.8. C. in England only precedes that of 2ZF by less than two years,” he commented. “When 2ZF started there were only 37 listeners in the district and all were members of the club, whereas to-day there are over 4000 licensed sets within a 25-mile radius of the station. Throughout all the past years the club has carried on a regular service—sometimes in the face of adversity—in fact, at one time the club was insolvent, but the listeners rallied to assist it out of its troubles. There is nothing unusual about this aspect. It is my considered opinion that all new ventures are started by enthusiasts who have a vision of the future; then later financial difficulties occur and the pioneers are often the subject of derision. But later, when the project is firmly established —of course everyone knew it would he all right. The same difficulty occurred in Palmerston North with establishing the Aero Club and promoting flying. It was left to a few to pioneer aviation and get the aerodrome in operation and now Palmerston North is to lie the centre of the North Island air services, a fitting reward for the pioneering of a few enthusiasts. “2ZF was the first station in New Zealand to broadcast an overseas programme on relay by short-wave, while it was also the'first station in New Zealand to take regular relays from an A station. It was also the first B station to reverse the process and send a programme over 100 miles of line to an. A station. These matters to-day are quite simple routine work, but many years ago they were matters of exneriinent. “During all the years that the club has been in existence,” continued Mr Waters, “we have co-operated, with the old Broadcasting Company and later with the Radio Broadcasting Board, in an endeavour to give service to this district. Broadcasting is now progressing rapidly and when the Broadcasting Board gets its 60 k.w, station going in Wellington, it might mean tliat will •have served its purpose. That is, as a stepping-stone while the bigger developments were coining. ' , , ~ r , “When radio broadcasting first started our pioneer station was on the air at a cost of less than £25 but today a modern high-power transmitting station and building costs anything up to £IOO,OOO and they are very costly to run. However, our transinittei has now a 250 watts carrier and has over £IOO worth of valve's in use every night, so it is at its maximum development as a club on the score of expense , “While we arc celebrating the completion of eleven years of broadcasting I would like to thank those who have helped the club in the past, particularly those whose financial support has been given every year,” added Air Waters. Alessrs Collinson and Cunninghame had given the club the free use of the studio during all the past years—a generous help indeed. The equipment, insured for £I2OO, had been contributed bv listeners. One of the outstanding features was that the members operating the station enjoyed the confidence of.each other and the running of the station went like clock-work. It was to the honorary staff that thanks were due for their work year after year in the serviceof the" district.

The world population of food animals is estimated at 600.000.000 cattle, 750,000,000 sheep and 300,000,000 pigs.