RADIO TOPICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20642, 14 August 1930, Page 3

RADIO TOPICS.

THE COMING WEEK, • PROGRAMMES F.ROM. IYA< MUSIC WEEK BROADCASTS. Sunday.—Specially-selected afternoon gramophone concert; relay of evening service from Strand Methodist Mission, a talk oil "Music and Religion," by tlie Rev. T. Olds; relay of special concert by the Auckland Municipal Band. Tuesday.—Lecture on "Voice Culture," by Mr.. Alan McSkimmingj operatic programme by the Monte Carlo Concert Orchestra and assisting vocal artists; talk oil "Music in Nature and Music in our Daily Lives/' by Dr. G. do Give Lowe. Wednesday.—Relay of afternoon community singing gathering; talk on "Health and Diet," by Madam Mabel Milne; programme by th 6 Orphans' Club Orchestra; topical talk on "Music," by Mr. A. B. Chappell, M.A. Thursday.—Programme of part-songs by British composers by the IYA Broadcasting Choir; lecture-recital on "British Composers," by Mr. H. Hollinrako, director of music'at the Auckland Training College. Friday.—Talk on ".Maori Pronunciation and Place Names," by Mr. J. F. Montague; special programme of works by British and foreign composers by the IYA Orchestral Octet; lecture-recital, "The Musical Renaissance," by Mr. Karl Atkinson. Saturday.—Relay of special concert by the Auckland Municipal Band from the Town Hall. iV'erdi's famous opera "Rigoletto" will be broadcast from 4YA, Dunedin, on Monday evening. Described as "the world's love story," the play "My Old Dutch" will bo presented from 2FC, Sydney, nest Thursday evening. Mr. Ted Henkel and Mr. Fred Scholl will give their first broadcast programme since their return to Sydney from 2FC on Sunday evening. " THE FARMER'S STATION." AMERICAN PLANT KOAC. AN UNUSUAL TRANSMITTER. No better title could have been given to the American radio .station, KOAC than the one which has been attached to it by its own followers. KOAC'began as "The Farmers' Station," and without a cloubt it will continue to function in strict accordance with that characteristic appellation. Owned and operated by agricultural experts, and broadcasting more or less solely to an agricultural community, radio-sta-tion KOAC supplies a very definite need in its local area. It is situated at Corvallis, a small agricultural town in tho western American State of Oregon, and it, is controlled by the authorities of tho Oregon Agricultural College, thfl latter institution being affiliated to the United States' Department nf Agriculture. Originally designed and erected shortly after the advent of broadcasting in the United States, the Oregon Agricultural College station has now been "on the air" for some five years, during which lime its programmes have advanced not only in quality and quantity, but also in their general extent and range as well. There was a time, for instance, when station KOAC transmitted nothing but farming news, study-talks on agriculture, livestockbreeding, .poultry farming, and general farm economics and science. During such a period the station operated under the call-letters KFDG. With the alteration of its call-sign to KOAC, the station not only increased its power and lowered its wave-length, but it also extended tho scope-of its broadcasting policy. At the present day, therefore, station KOAC transmits daily entertainment items, • general news, and so forth, in addition to the purely farming and agricultural items which it still continues. Ihe present wave-length of the station is 270 metres. It operates on a power of 500 watts, which enables it to reach out over the entire State of Oregon. Howover, KOAC is by no means satisfied with its present power, and it has before the United States Federal Radio Commission an application to increase its aerial power to 1000 watts. In all probability the required power increase will be sanctioned, and the range of tho station will thus be extended. The transmitting room of the station is of a rather novel design. On entering it ono is not confronted with tho usual assemblage of squat upright panels bearing the radio apparatus. On the contrary, station KOAC seems to like to put all its transmitting equipment away into cupboards. At any rate, that* is the impression one receives when entering the trarismitting-room of this far-western statical. ' The transmitter and control units of 'KOAC's radio installation are built upon massive l tables, each unit, being completely surrounded, top and sides, with a close wire network stretched over wooden sidc-pieces. The reason for this method of construction, it is assumed, is not, only for convenience of operation, but also in order that'"the apparatus may be shielded from electrical interference which may be set. up in the adjacent laboratories of the college. Tho power necessary for the operation of tho installation is taken in tho first place from the mains, but, in addition, a small petrol-generating set is maintained by the station as a precaution against tho cutting-off of the former supply. KOAC's three-wire flat-top aerial system is a landmark in the town of Corvallis. Two short steol towers support the aerial some'sixty feot above tho flat roof of tho college buildings. The transmitting apparatus is housed almost directly below the aerial systom, the studio being contained in tho same building. From this building most of the station's transmissions arc sent, out, although extension lines connect up the transmitter with microphones situated.in other buildings of the college. "NAUTICAL NIGHTS." PRESENTATION FROM IYA. The love of the sea, with its wealth of story and song, is the source which provides what should bo an attractive programmo to be broadcast from IYA on September 4, when a " Nautical Nights " entertainment will be presented. Anything which smacks of the deep water and sailormen is t,uro of its reception with a British audience and such an entertainment /is >" Nautical Nights " is welcome. A' feature of this programme is that it is entirely tho work of Aucklanders. That popular Auckland combination, I,he Minus Fives, who havo been " o'ff the air " for a while will make their reappearance in sea songs and • chanties, and will present a dramatic sketch of the sea entitled " The Signal," written by Mr. E. J. Landon, also of Auckland. The fact that actors and author can all claim experience of the sea, should lend just that touch of colour and authenticity to ttfe evening's entertainment to ensure its attractiveness.

BY TRIODE.

STATION IYA ACTIVITIES. NEW STRING ORCHESTRA. SONG-WRITING COMPETITION, The monthly meeting of the IYA Musical and Dramatic Advisory Committee was presided over by Mr. A. B. Chappell, M.A. lb was announced that a new string orchestra, under the direction of Mr. J. Whiteford Waugh, would be commencing operatioife in place of the present Orchestral Octet, from Friday, August 22. The conditions of the proposed songwriting competition vrcro submitted by the sub-committee set up to deal .with this matter and havo been forwarded to the company's' head office for their approval. The first section of' the' competition will be for: a poem suitable for musical setting, for which a prize of two guineas will bo offered. After the adjudication of this there will be a competition for the best musical setting of the prize poem, for which a prize of three guineas will be offered. Considerable discussion took place on the company's subsidy to local musical societies, and a satisfactory basis of allocation was agreed upon, subject to the approval of the societies concerned. If this subsidy is accepted by the societies, it will meau that tho concerts of the Bohemian Orchestra, the Auckland Choral Society, tho Royal Auckland Choir and the Aeolian Orchestra will bd broadcastVarious other suggestions were brought forward, one with respect to a Maori concert being performed at IYA, and another to hold a three-act play competition. These, of course, are subject to the approval of tho Radio Broadcasting Company of New Zealand, Limited. NEW 8.8.C. ORCHESTRA". " FINEST IN ENGLAND." ANNUAL' COST OF £BO,OOO/ The British Broadcasting Corporation is to have a great national -orchestra of more than 100 players, states the NewsChroriicle. The first conderfc will be given in Queen's Hall in October, and there will be concerts on each Wednesday morning following. The cost will be £BO,OOO a year. , " We hope to make the orchestra the best in England, and one of the best in the world," an official said- " The standard required will be very high- A ( year ago we organised an experimental j orchestra of 98 players for the British Broadcasting' Corporations -symphony concerts at Queen's Hall. The experi- i mental period has now passed., and wo are going forward with the formation of a first-class permanent-orchestra." The new orchestra will. bo conducted from time to time by the British Broadcasting Corporation's new musical director, Mr. Adrian Boult, Sir Hfnrv Wood, and leading conductors from abroad: The orchestra will consist of 114 players, and will include 20 first violins, 16. second violins, -14 violas, 12 'cellos, and 10 double ba3663. The constitution :is the same as that of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, and the Vienna and Berlin State Opera Orchestras, but no other orchestra in the world contains a body of strings of the strength projected by the British. Broadcasting Corporation., The National Orchestra will be so constituted as to permit of .subdivision for various classes of studio concerts. For instance, there will be formed out of its components a " Tristan " orchestra, viz., a second symphony' orchestra, of 17 players similar to'that used in places where there is a permanent municipal orchestra or opera house. Another'subdivision will be a " theatre " orchestra of 34, to which will bo allocated programmes of light music. A third combination will be a light symphony orchestra of, say, 60 players. A final combination is a "Mozart" orchestra, consisting of 46 players. In addition, broadcasting will retain its military band, salon orchestras of the quintet variety, dance band.'s.ncl relays from outside sources;- but in tho main listeners will depend for their'broadcast ~music on the British Broadcasting Corporation National Orchestra, or one or other'of tho combinations which it can provide. . BROADCASTING RUGBY, j \ ' ' STATIONS IYA AND 2YB, *» The following letter has been received from Mr. K. C. Brown, Greenfield Road, Ellerslie: — " After all the controversy • is practically over and the fourth test Rugby match played and won, I should, like .to express my appreciation of tho wonderful rebroadcasb that station 2Y8,. New .'Plymouth, pub ou the air on Saturday afternoon. I was unable to pick up .Welling.ton, so tuned-in to New Plymouth: and heard every word of the-broadcast. Perhaps this station can bo an example in efficiency to Auckland, for 2YB did. not rebroadcasb the Auckland-Tarariaki match, which held just/as much interest for them as for Aucklanders, bub broadcast a match which was of much more interest to every sportsman, and. all• Rugbyites in particular." , ■ j ■ . ■ NOTES AND COMMENTS. Translasman reception during the past week has again been very good. The Australian stations • have all been heard I with good volume. An Auckland shortwave listener reports dear reception of station 3RO, Rome (80 metres). The station has peen picked up about 10.30 in tho evenings. -Although the 8.8.0- has not. yet decided upon a site for tho proposed Northern Ireland regional broadcasting station, it is understood that the Irish Free State Minister of Posts and Telegraphs, Mr. E. BJvthe, has decided to start, the erection of "of a super-power broadcasting station at Athlone. which will.cost about £70,000. The A.W.A. short-wave station 2MB at Pennant Hills, Sydney, has for, some time been conducting teste with' England and other countries. The transmissions can be heard practically any hour of tlw day. Besides transmitting on its usual wave-length of 28.S metres 2ME has been testing simultaneously on 37.7 "metres. Thus if one signal fades tho other may bo picked up wliero two sets are_ installed at the receiving station. .Station 2LW, Tinakori Hills, Wellington,; has been very active recently and it is highly P lO / 5 " able tho tests are in preparation for tho wireless telephone service, between Wellington aud Australia. Built.'for- an exhibition and maintained a* a curiosity, the Eiffel .Tower, Pan?. entered a new sphere of • usefulness witu the coming of radio. The short-wave station there is now to be used as the centie .of. an extensive police radio service Receiving stations will be established all over France aud at boundary towns and seaports. Broadcasts will, lake place fit intervals of an hour at a wavelength unknown to all except the police. The system is to be extended in the future until a net is formed from which criminals will find it very difficult;-to escape.