BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 303, 20 November 1935, Page 3

BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

FROM THE WAR FRONT. (By “Microphone.!’) Reference was made in this column a few weeks ago to the broadcasts emanating from the war zone in Abyssinia, usually at a time not very convenient for New Zealand listeners. In the meantime additional information has come to hand from Australia, where apparently the two hours’ time lag improves reception and enables closer attention to be paid to the programmes. Operating on 25 metres, the station of the Imperial Radio Centre has been reported at irregular intervals, but the call appears to beuncertain—ECß or ETB. On November 7 at 9.50 a.m. (Now Zealand summer time) a unique programme was heard when the Emperor Btailie Selassie delivered an address to America, which was afterwards translated by an interpreter. He spoke for six minutes in all, in a clear, steady voice. The programme (as are all from this station) was destined for the Columbia network in the United States. The name of the announcer was given as Joseph Israel, but whether he hails from America as one of the contingent of radio men sent to Abyssinia before the actual outbreak of hostilities is not known.

Short-wave reception has during the past week proved quite entertaining, although static has proved troublesome at periods, but not to the extent to which the broadcast band has been affected. Radio Coloniale (Paris) lias probably been the most satisfactory, a very enjoyable musical programme being provided on Monday evening at about 5 o’clock until the news service in Spanish. A handy time check is afforded by Paris, the chiming of the studio clock being heard exactly twelve hours behind New Zealand time (i.e., 5.30 a.m. chimes at 5.30 here. 5.45 and so on). JVM Tokio has held its strength and Berlin continues to reach out, while the usual tests between JVH Tokio and Berlin and Sydney and Geneva have been unabated. The Empire service has given little of outstanding interest, except the Armistice Day broadcasts on November 11. Apropos of the latter ceremony, the 8.8. C. has furnished a sidelight:— Special measures are always taken by the 8.8. C. 'to ensure that the apparatus necessary to the Cenotaph relay shall not in any unfitting way intrude upon the spirituality of the occasion. No wires or cables are allowed to trail across the street, no microphone is visible. In fact, the crowds in AVhitehall see no indication that the words and music which they hear arc falling upon the silence of homes in all parts of the Empire. The 8.8. C. officials with their ’ vanload of ge.tr take .up their position early in the morning, before the vast crowds begin to throng Whitehall. The point from which the engineers control the relay is established out of sight within an archway on the east side of Whitehall. From there underground cables are run to

a point at the foot of the Cenotaph where the lectern stands, and to another point at the edge of the pavement, connecting, up with a microphone concealed in a tree. The usual double circuit joins the control point with Broadcasting House. A special lectern is used at the service. Built into it is a microphone screened from view by a covering of silk. Ever since 1928 the service at Whitehall has been broadcast. The amateur hand (80 metres) has been particularly active, northern district stations having strength to spare in most cases. By a new rule recently brought into operation not more than two records may be broadcast in an hour, so a great deal of. speech is employed in these transmissions. THE NEW 4YA. The principal event on the broadcast band has, of course, been the opening of the new 4YA plant at Highcliff, Dunedin. This is rated as 10,000 watts and the performance so far in broad daylight seems to indicate that the full wattage is being employed. A pleasing feature has been the absence of the prolonged fading that characterised the transmissions from the old station, but whether this will lie a permanent feature is too early to judge. Possibly the uew type aerial (similar to that at Henderson for IYA) has a great deal to do with the improvement. It will certainly be a fine station in the winter. Some idea of the volume from the new 2YA plant six times the rating (60.000 watts) when it comes on the air will have, been gained. This will be the final link in a chain of sufficiently high powered transmitters. The 8.8. C. announces that, contrary to certain reports, it has no intention of dismantling the long-wave transmitter at Droitwich, which at present radiates the national programme daily on a wave-length of 1500 metres with a power of 150 kilowatts in the aerial. No reconstruction of the station has been carried out, nor is it intended. Contrary to reports, the plant at Droitwich is not out of date but is, in the opinion of the 8.8. C., an example of the most modern technique in the design and construction of a long-wave broadcasting transmitter. Arrangements have now been completed for relaying all the important international Rugby football matches in the Empire programmes. The All Blacks will figure in no less than six broadcasts—against Scotland, at Edinburgh, on November 23; against Ulster, at Belfast,' on November 30; against Ireland, at Dublin, on December 7; against Wales, at Cardiff, on December 21; probably against London Counties, at Twickenham, on December 26, against England, at Twickenham, on January 4. Twickenham will also be the scene of commentaries on the Oxford v. Cambridge match (December 10), the annual Army v. Navy tussle (March 7), and the international game between England and Scotland (March 21)., Other matches which , listeners to the Empire station will be enabled to follow are those of Wales v. England (at Swansea, January 18); Scotland v. Wales (at Edinburgh, February 1); Ireland v. England (at Dublin, February 8); Scotland v. Ireland (at Edinburgh) February 22); Wales v. Ireland (at Cardiff, March 14). In the case of international matches, the whole game will bo relayed in Transmission 3 (2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in New Zealand), other transmissions receiving electrical recordings of the interval summary and the commentary on the second half. In those matches in which the New Zealand team is playing an electrical recording of the whole match will be broadcast in Transmission 1 '(8 p.m. to 10 p.m.).