RADIO IN THE HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21225, 4 July 1932, Page 15

RADIO IN THE HOME.

BROADCASTS FROM IYA. WIDE RANGE OF TALKS. GUIDES AND SCOUTS' CONCERT. The concert to bo given by Girl Guides and Boy Scouts in the Town Hall on Wednesday evening will bo broadcast from IYA. During the week there will bo talks on tho domestic life of the Chinese, football, common colds and dancing. Details of the main features are:— To-morrow.—7.3o p.m.. P. W. SmaMelcl. agriculture talk; 8, recordings; 9.3, E. S. Macplierson, "Domestic Life of tho Chinese." Wednesday: 8 p.m., recordings: B.3o.< relay Guides' and Scouts' concert; 9.2, P. Lucas, football talk, "Humorous Incidents"; 10, dance music. Thursday: 12.30 p.m., service from St. Matthew's; 3.15. home science talk, "Common Colds": 8.9, IYA Choir and Orchestra, "Men of EngJSP.d"! 8.25, cantata, Choir nnd Orchestra, 'The Rose Maiden"; 9.37, recordings. Friday: 12.30 p.m., community einging; 7.30, Sports talk; 8.5, soprano. May Bray; 8.10, liner Rangitiki's Orchestra; 8.27, organ, A. E. Wilson; 8.47, baritone, R, Morgan; 8.52, harmonica, W. A. Woods; 9.40, recitation, J. M. Clark. Saturday: 2.42 p.m., Rugby football from Eden Park; 7.30. W. Priestley, "Ballroom Dancing"; 8, march, the Dominant Seven; 8.7, quartette, the Harmonisers; 8.3 G. contralto, Phyllis James; 8.54, fox trot. Dominant Seven; 9.37, novelty, Ernest and Wendy; 10, sports summary; 10.10, dance music. Regular Week-day Sessions.—3 p.m, eelected recordings; 4.30, sports results; 5, Son ?'Vi S sesfl ' on • dinner music; 7, news; 7.30, talk; 8, concert programme; 9.1, weather; 10. close. Silent day: Monday. ATTRACTIONS FROM IZR. To-day.—ll.ls a.m.. "Titbits," by Maorilander: 7 p.m., music: 7.30, oloSe Tomorrow: 11.15 a.m., Madame Milne, "Diet and Health"; 8 p.m., popular programme, 10, close. Wednesday: 11.15 am Dr Violet Hastings; 7.15 p.m., Rev". Jasper Calder, Criminology"; 8, close. Thursday: 11.15 a.m., W. J. Lyons, "Psychology"; 7.15 p.m., F. R. Field, "The Earth's History'; 8, popular propramme; 10, dance music; 11, close. Friday: 11.15 a . m ., \v. Anderton. 7 p.m., W.. Ilindman, "Sport"; 7.30, community singing; 9, Alice Law, "Brahms": 10, close. Saturday: 10.45 a.m., music; 1.30 p.m., close; 7.15, Junior Chamber of Commerce. J. Rosenberg; 8, popular programme; 10, dance music; 11, close. Sunday: 9 a.m., children's service; 9.45, service with IZR Choir; 6 p.m., music; 0.15, children's service; 7, A. H. Dallimore's mission service; 8.30. standard classics; 9, "The Man Whc Speaks"; 9.30, close. Regular Week-day Sessions 10.30 a.m., devotional service, then recordings; 2 p.m., close; 5, dinner music; 6, children's session. LICENCES* INCREASE. ANOTHER 7258 IN MAY, New licences and renewals taken out in tho Dominion in May totalled 7258, bringing the total to 70,482. The total at tho end of last financial year was 74,741. It may safely be predicted that by the end of this financial year that figure will be exceeded by a considerable margin. Last month's total of 7258 included 6983 receivers' licences. Of the 68,778 receiving sets lawfully in use in the Dominion, 19~,438 are in the Auckland district, the other totals being:—Wellington, 29,449; Canterbury, 10,902; and Otago, 8989. , Another good gain in listeners' licences was recorded also in Australia in May, when the Commonwealth figures showed a net increase of 6339. New South Wales easily headed tho list with 3034, but the surprise of the month was South Australia with its increase of 1207, which has only once been exceeded —1373, during tho cricket boom in July-August,-1930. New South Wales is now only 1070 behind Victoria, and, judging by the relative progress during the past few months, it should be in the lead by the end of the month.

SYDNEY OPERA' BROADCAST. IMPROVED PICK-UP USED. New technical equipment of unusual interest was used by Amalgamated Wireless for the recent transmission of grand opera from Sydney. It was rebroadcast by the four New Zealand YA stations and a chain of 15 in Australia. The equipment made use of a parabolic reflector in conjunction with the microphone and was placed in front "of the dress circle. Sound originating on any part of the stage, which is about 40ft. wide, is focussed with equal intensity into tho microphone by the lens effect of the reflector. In other words, with this system the movement of an artist across the stage only_variecs on the microphone by about one inch, which is negligible. _ " Another important feature is the elimination of extraneous sounds, especially those from wall reflections and the audience. A theatre is constructed so that sounds created on the stage reach the audience to the best advantage, and the parabolic reflector has been designed to pick up the performance from the same position as the best place >in the audience. In past broadcasts" a number of microphones have been placed at various points to compensate for the movement of artists and usually an engineer has been engaged in fading in or out one or other of these movements in order to maintain the volume of'sound picked up. This is a long step in the direction of better and more faithful broadcasting and is entirely new in Australia. A great deal of attention has been given to the development of the broadcasting stations and household receivers, but this is the first major improvement that has been made i*J tho pick-up and has solved the difficult problem of getting a proper balance between stage and orchestral performance. Hitherto, operatic artists have been diffident about allowing their performances to be broadcast, but .with this new development they feel that the listening public is ahle thoroughly to appreciate their work. A.B.C. OF THE 8.8.C. The romantic story of tho growth of broadcasting in England is engagingly told by Sir Harry Brittain in "The A.B.C. of the 8.8.C." Ho has succeeded in making the book more than an austere recital of dry fact. Of particular interest are chapters dealing with the new Broadcasting House in Portland Plac. London, the birth of broadcasting, and the place of music and drama in programmes. J In a foreword Lord Riddell says: — " In places the talented author is quite lyrical, but it must bo confessed that the romance of broadcasting fully justifies his enthusiasm. . . . Mankind has discovered a new servant." " The A.B.C. of the 8.8.C.," by Sir Harry Britlain (C. Arthur Pearson, Ltd.).

MORE PARTS THAN SETS.

Increased activity in assembling and making radio sets in the Dominion is indicated in customs returns for May> which show an increase of about £7OO in the value of radio, parts imported, as compared with the figure for May, 1931. On the other hand, the value of radio sets imported has dropped by about £4OOO. The respective amounts for complete sets and parts imported in May this year are as follows, those for May, 1931, being given in parentheses:—£B7lß (£12,624) and £10,708 (£10,016). In contrast to previously the balance is now in favour of parts.

(To be continued daily.)