BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 21, 22 December 1937, Page 7

BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

NEW AMERICAN TRANSMITTER. PLANS FOR CALIFORNIA. (By “Microphone.”) The New Year promises to be one of interesting advances in the field of radio, with more than ordinary developments in short-waves. It has been officially indicated that the 8.8. C. is to set aside two of its 60,000-watt transmitters to carry broadcasts ’ ill foreign languages —it. is expected that Arabic will be used in one instance (apparently as a counter to the matter being transmitted by Italian stations for Palestine); a powerful 100,000 watt Italian station is due for completion at Prato Smeraklo—the transmitting centre of the Italian network; Australia will have two new short-wave transmitters in operation carrying the national programme; it has been hinted that consideration will be given the erection of a short-wave transmitter in this Dominion; and news now comes that work has been started on the first short-wave transmitter in the United States west ,of the Mississippi River, to be located at Belmont, California. In making the announcement of conferring authority to proceed w\th the construction, a Special Service message to this column by the last American mail confirms the indication •given' previously in these notes of interesting developments- along the above lines. The announcement is of very real interest to New Zealand listeners, for it will assure them of excellent entertainment in the evenings, when the present eastern coast American transmitters are off the air. In operating from midnight till 6 a.m., E.S.T., it will provide programmes for _ New Zealand from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the summer time and 4.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. standard time. The waves used will be those at present employed by the Schenectadv stations—W2XAF on 31.48 metres. 9530 kilocycles. when the path between the transmitter and listening points is entirely dark, and W2XAD, 19.56 metres, 15,330 kilocycles, when the path is part light and part dark. READY NEXT YEAR.

In making the announcement of the commencement of work on the transmittei’j it is stated that it 11 should, be completed and ready for broadcasting late next year. Operating on high power, and with specially designed antennae, this station should send American programmes to parts ot the world that receive practically none or this service now.” It is indicated that the best ideas gained from years of experience will be incorporated, with the benefit of the experimentation at Schenectady. Because of the dirference in time it will bo possible to share the waves with these latter stations, causing no interference, but providing a more or less 24-liour service from America. . . . The station will be equipped witn directional antennas of the latest type with beams directed to the Far. East’ and South America. These beams, concentrating the transmitter output within an angle of 30 degrees, provide a signal gain of about 300 per cent over the ordinary antenna. In oidei to serve the Far East at present signals following the Great Circle path from the stations in the eastern part of the United States must pass directly over the North Polar regions. The magnetic field of the earth and the daylight-darkness distribution of this path are subject to extreme variations, and their effect is believed to be the cause qf the failure of transmission to the Orient. On the other hand, the Great Circle path from Belmont 'is a more east-west path and should not be subject to the extreme " variations found in signals from Schenectady. The programmes, it is indicated, will be from the red and blue networks of the N. 8.0., as well as special programmes. Further information will lie published as it comes to hand. CHRISTMAS ON THE AIRWAVES. Christmas is always an event in radio, and especially so since the advance made on short-waves. Undoubtedly the highlight of this year’s irunsmissions will be, as indicated in this column last week, the Empire fetation’s broadcast of the message from King George VI, which will bo heard on its original transmission at 3 a.m. on tho morning of boxing Day, ana that evening" will be repeated from Transmission I. London advices also state that the transmission of the Bells of Bethlehem is scheduled ror 10.5-10.25 p.m. on December 27 as a Blattnerphone recording on the same transmission, though it will be heard before that time and date on other transmisssions from the Empire Station. This broadcast is carried by landline to Cairo and thence sent by beam radio to London for re-radiation. An interesting series of special broadcasts has been arranged in Australia, and should atmospherics spoil reception on the broadcast band VLR, Lyndhurst, will ensure satisfaction on the 31-metre band. New Zealand times are given in the following details:— Thursday, 9.40, Pantomime, “Cinderella.” Christmas Eve, 11 p.m., carols by the Wireless Chorus. Christmas Day, 8 p.m., carols; 8.40, relay from London of talk on “Christmas in England” ; 9.0, “Christmas Garland,’’"music and sketches; 10.0, “The Messiah,” conducted by Professor Bernard Heinze. Tuesday, 11 p.m., “Visitors of 1.937,” recordings by famous artists who have appeared during the year. December 30, 11.30, popular overtures. December 31, 10.30, New Year’s Eve party. 2BL will handle all the broadcast band transmissions. SUCCESS OF TELEVISION.

The excellent progress made in television by the 8.8. C. is indicated from the information that recently a motor race was successfully televised, thus confounding critics. The broadcast came from the track at Crystal Palace, South London, twelve miles away from the London television station. Transmission was by means of radio Jink, signals radiated by the mobile television unit being picked up at Alexandra Palace and rebroadcast. Reception of this broadcast in Manchester, about 200 miles from Alexandra Palace, was subsequently reported. An international road race, in which cars of all sizes' competed, was the event televised. Cameras were mounted near the start and finish of 'the race, and though the' broadcast proved to be one of the most difficult yet undertaken, excellent pictures were obtained, the speed of the cars having no effect on reproduction quality. This was one of the many experimental transmissions that are being undertaken by the 8.8. C. in its search among outside activities for interesting and entertaining material for the television programmes. Many such broadcasts—sports, exhibitions, and ceremonial processions among them have already taken place, and it is hoped to include others as facilities become available.