RADIO TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18631, 12 February 1924, Page 3

RADIO TOPICS.

BY THERMION. *' THE BSOADOASTXHG SCEC3ME. As mentioned last week a general outline of a scheme for putting broadcasting on a sound basis, as proposed by a conference of radio dealers held in Wellington, has been placed before Cabinet for consideration. A committee oif amateurs formed locally to discuss tfce proposals has recently been able to elicit from the secretary of the Dealer;;' Executive in Wellington ths details of the proposed scheme. Correspondence • which has passed shows that the dealers are anxious to obtain the listeners' assent to, and assistance in Ihe proposals. The suggested arrangement is as follows: The sum of £20,000 to bo raised by a debenture issue with a guaranteed interest at 8 per cent. The money t'nus raised to be divided between the four centres for the purpose of purchasing the interests of the present commercial broadcasters and for the erection of modern 500-watt stations. Revenue 10 provide for interest on the capital, a sinking fund, maintenance of the station, and the actual entertainments will Tkj obtained from a compulsory pavmeut "by all listeners throughout the Dominion. The amount of the listeners' contribution is yet to lie decided upon and it is for the listener to come forward and express his opinions. ii, is almost certain that the fee to go to the broadcasting company will not be less than £1 per annum, and in addition to this will be charged the Government license tee. The control of the station is to b« supervised by a board consisting of representatives of the P. and T. Department, the listeners, and thie dealers. It is hoped that with a continually increasing number of listeners and a theieiore greater revenue, it will be possible ultimately to direct relaying stations in the smaller centres for the benefit of owners of crystal sets. Such a relaying station would pick up the broadcast from the nearest ■of the four main centres, amplify, and re-transmit it on a low power plant. Further, the idea has been expressed that with a large number of listeners the revenue might become sufficient to repay the debenture holders and the station become the property of the listeners themselves. The proposals are feasible and give a satisfactory basis for a broadcasting scheme more acceptable to the listener than any obtaining elsewhere.

Closely bound up with the proposals is the necessity for the formation of an organisation or association of alB amateurs and 1 , listeners throughout the Dominion. Such an organisation would consist of members (not necessarily members of -wireless clubs) paying a nominal fee. Each town would have its own association and would he affiliated to the Dominion association, In this way listeners would be organised to protect their rights and privileges. Much indirect, benefit would accrue from such an organisation, the idea of which is, of course, not nuw as a similar body, the American Amateur Relay League, has been in action for some time find is doing much useful work. Local enthusiasts will have an opportunity of discussing these ideas at a public meeting to "be held in the Y.M.C.A. buildings to-morrow (Wednesday) evening, at 8 p.m. TESTS WITH ENGLAND. The Radio Society of Christcliarch, 3AC, the headquarters in New Zealand of the Wireless Institute, has been advised by the Victorian Division of the Australian Wireless Institute that arrangements have been made by one of its members now in England (Mr. Newman) with the Kadi© Society of Great Britain for the transmission of low power and low-wwve message from now to the end of March. The English stations will transmit on 5500 metres, calling "Australia de G SAT," follow ad by any code word they like. Owing to the reflations in force in England, on account of broadcasting, they will only bo able to transmit on Sunday evenings. They havo asked New. Zealand to listen-in on the following dates: February 11, IS, 25, and March 3 and 10, from 12.15 a.m. to 4.15 u-m. New Zealand time. If any of tho stations in New Zealand intercepts any messages they are requested to report to 3AC. > Mr. Newman and the Radio Society of Great Britain are also endeavouring to arrange that, vat the opening of the Empire exhibition, a message of the King to the Governor-General of Australia should be relayed through America. As a preliminary, a trial message will be transmitted by an English station every nigh from March 1 to 15 exclusive, and relayed by a Canadian or an American station, most probably 6KA. Further details will bo available later. It is to be hoped that a Canadian station will be chosen to relay the message ? and that success will attend : the effort. NOTES AND HINTS. I An offer of direct interest to amateurs has been made by Mr. Pearson,., of KB, to the effect that he is willing, one night a month, to place his private broadcasting station at the disposal' of any' amateur association. Thin means that on such ;in occasion amateurs can . take ' complete. charge of the programme for that particular evening, thus providing a. type of entertainment which they consider the most suitable. This excellent' idea "will, no doubt, be eagerly acted upon. Mr. Pearson state# that he has the assurance of the Minister that the introduction of a general broadcasting scheme will in no way affect the operation of his station. " Q.5.T.," writing in the T&ranakl Herald states that, on a . recent evening he picked up a pleasing programme from 2FC, Sydney, commencing at 9.30 p.m. He states that the tuning is as easy as for New Zealand stations. The announcer stated that the time was 8.55 when our time was 10.30 p.m. Where more than one valve is uried it is desirable to have a means of varying the number in use from one up to the maximum. For valves on the high frequency side ordinary switches and even those of the so-called " anti-capacity" type are not to be recommended. Any stray capacity in radio frequency circuits will* have a large effect in reducing efficiency. A simple and effective arrangement for cutting into the grid circuits of high frequency valves can be made by connecting with flex an ordinary plug to the grid terminal of the detector valve and having single circuit jacks in the grid circuits- of the high frequency valves. The plug when inserted m the jack preceding a particular valva taps the input to that valve and transfers it to the detector and when' he plug is removed the springs of the jack close, allowing the high frequency valve to again function. On December 8 two-way communication was carried out for the first time between an English anH nn American amateur over a distance of 3500 miles. At 5.45 a.m., G.M.T.. the American, station IMO first received G 2KF, and communication was carried on till 8.30 a.m. 2EF was radiating 1.8 and IMO 2.5 amperes, and each station had a receiver consisting of a detector and one .L.F. stage. IMO was operated by Mr. Warner of the A.R.R.L. Both operators remarked that they would have to go to business without any sleep but as keen radio enthusiasts no doubt the? were used to this. The coming winter should without doubt see the more remarkable achievement of two-way communication between American and New aland amateurs. Even now some of • tHe New Zealand transmitting amateurs regularly CQ the Americans.