NOTES AND COMMENTS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6866, 22 March 1929, Page 9

NOTES AND COMMENTS

When making your first panel do not mark it with pencil, because the blackload is not easily seen nor removed, but will remain aud impair the insulation. A. piece of paper should bo pasted round the edges or fastened on with, clips, and all the marking can then be done upon the paper. Australian stations will be received a full half-hour earlier now that the Dominion lias reverted to standard time. Normal winter conditions, always better for distance reception, will favour valve-set operators. ‘Australian musical programmes will bo received from 9.30 p.rn. onwards, when they commence. Telephone receivers used in conjunction with a crystal set should be of the most sensitive type. It must be remembered that the energy available to actuate the phones is only that supplied by the crystal without any amplification. It therefore will be readily appreciated that the more sensitive the phonos the better will be the results. It is advisable in many cases to experiment with various types of phones in order that those most suited to the circuit and the crystal used may bo found. To promote the safety of life at sea all naval stations in tho United States broadcasting weather, hydrographic information and press despatches halt their transmission for three minutes twice each hour to listen for distress signals. The “standing by” procedure started on January 1 in accordance with the regulations of the International Kadio Telegraph Convention. The S.O.S. signals are sent on tho international distress wave of 500 kilocycles.

Under the rc-arrangcmcnt of short wave-lengths as the result of the recent International Broadcasting Convention held in "Washington, tho low wave-lengths used by Station 2FC, Sydney, on its short-wave transmissions, 28.5 and 31.5, have now been cancelled. Tho new wave-length that has been allotted to tho New South Wales Broadcasting Company, Limited, for use from its 2FC station is 31.38. Short-wave enthusiasts should make a note of this alteration.

Wireless goods are to form a large section at the British Industries Fair, to bo held in Britain this year. They •will bo representative of practically the whole of tho British wireless industry, and the product's will merit the earnest consideration of buyers from all over the world. British craftsmanship has an excellent field in wireless, and the quality of British apparatus, with its dependability and simplicity of operation, has been responsible for much interest in tho products of British factories. All varieties of sets and components will be on view, together with a comprehensive display of batteries, accumulators, charging apparatus and battery eliminators.