RADIO NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 4 February 1928, Page 5

RADIO NOTES

(By Electron)

Poor Americans! Mr Pickard, chairman of the U.S. Federal Radio Commission states that radio channels can only be cleared by closing down 300 American broadcasting stations. Plans for this great close-down will he drawn up. shortly. New Distress Call The Rndio Conference in Washington has adopted the word “Mayday" as the distress call for radio telephony. It is derived from “M’aidez” which is a French phrase meaning "aid me" or “help me.” Hand Capacity In some receivers when the phone cords or speaker cord is touched it will give the same effect as hand capacity does to the receivers. A small fixed, condenser connected between “At” and a separate earth will either eliminate or minimise the trouble. More About Short-waves As all radio listeners are aware short-wave development is being brought to such a degree of efficiency that broadcast programmes are being transmitted from every quarter of our globe and are being received in Netv Zealand with a strength that we should call remarkable. The pioneers of these short-wave transmissions were the interested radio men who had gone far enough to install their own transmitters. A few years ago all “shortwave” broadcasts were done on somewhere about 180 metres. The “amateurs” found out that the shorter the wave length, still greater distances could he covered. The amateurs of today with the aid of an ordinary receiving valve and the 230 volts house supply of electricity can communicate regularly with fellow amateurs of many foreign countries. Many transmitting enthusiasts of New Zealand think nothing of “getting across” to America and the. Continent with such apparatus. It is really wonderful to think that with the help of such a tiny instrument friends can be made in many different parts of the world. Strangely enough our world is now not big enough for long distance radio transmission and reception. Did you ever stop to think that amateurs are the only people who find the globe a real restriction on their activities. Can anybody think of any other group of persons whose operations can go no further because the globe is not big enough? Tf amateurs had a larger world to carry on their engagements we could expect bigger things. They are absolutely held down by the dimensions of this pigmy planet. Now if the earth were as big as the great star Betelgeuse the diameter of which is so large that it Lakes radio waves 45 minutes to traverse it, as compared with 1-7 of a second on the earth, imagine sending out a CQ for the Antipodes—going out for lunch and returning in time to slip on the phones and 1 listen for the reply. Yes that would be a new field for radio with a vengeance. RADIO’S COMTNO FEATURES Wurlitzer Organ to be Broadcast The Wurlitzer organ at the Arcadia Theatre, Chatswood —one of the newest toned instruments in the world — will in future be a regular feature from 2BL. New Orchestra for 3LO Joe Aronson’s celebrated orchestra is now saying goodbye "to 3LO after nearly a year of service with that station. Will Quintrell who is wellknown to Australia will take Joe’s place at 31.0. Great Maori Pageant From 2YA On the evenings of Monday and Tuesday, fitli and 7tli February, station 2YA, Wellington, proposes to “put on the air” a special Maori programme in commemoration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. The programme will he in the form pf a Maori radio pageant, which will portray the history of the Maori race, commencing with their landing in New Zealand and in a series of six stages to their present day advocations. Arrangements have been made for a party of the most talented natives from the Wanganui district to come specially to Wellington to present the various items. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and Sir Maui Pomare will participate in the radio pageant on Monday evening. This broadcast will he an event of outstanding importance in the radio history of New Zealand. Great preparations have been made for this programme and the performers are spending some time in Wellington rehearsing for the concert. A Maori speaker will describe nil happenings and every effort will lie made to produce the right “atmosphere.” New Zealand history particularly ns to the Mao’i race will he told in music, action song, hakas, poi dances ami story.