WIRELESS NOTES

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11661, 27 October 1923, Page 9

WIRELESS NOTES

By

RADIO

NOT CHILD’S PLAY -Do not let amateur wireless people run away with the idea that it is just child's l lay to make up an installation which is going to bring in the news and. concerts* from all parts .the world. Even tho greatest experts are only on the fringe of this great science, and have ' only faint ideas of whait they may be ablo to accomplish by its aid in the course of a few years. Even t‘he possibilities as we see thorn to-day were undreamt of 20 years ago, and immense strides have been made sirce them. In a very few .years communication with all parts of the world by telegraph or telephone by wireless will be accomplished with ease and far 'greater accuracy than is tho case at present.

TWO STICKS AND A WIRE 'There are thousands who have not yet ventured into this very fascinating hobby, which at tho same time can be made to serve a very useful purpose. But those who contemplate delving into it don’t think it is merely a question of putting up a- couple of posts and a length of wire. At the some lime tho simplicity of the thing has been brought down to a. fin© art, and it is well within the capabilities of anyone with a fair amount of intelligent and a few tools to construct a small set which will give them some pleasure and insight into the game.

NOT QUITE FINISHED The ret which is being made at thin office is not quite complete, but it is hoped to have it in working order in the course of n few days, and a complete description of how it was made will be given for the benefit of those who majy like to try what they can do. If any readers are in doubt or difficulty on any matter connected with wireless let, them drop a line to “Radio,” and they will be given the most expert advice on anything they want U. know. This column has been established for their benefit, and it is desired to help them in every possible way. ARE YOU THERE? Already electricity is getting so that it will answer the > phone. A -device is now being tested to take a ’phone message on. a cylinder in case no one answers tho call, so that the message can be delivered to, the subscriber on his return homo What will the late hubbies say when the old excuse that no one answered the ’phono goes by the board?

CANADA TO MOTUEKA - Mr W. K. Lane, whose telegram was published last week about receiving music from Canada, supplemented his telegram by the following letter:— “On listening-in on the evening of the 17th on nvy reflex set T heard a station sending music and speech, and on listening. for the code call I heard him say quite distinct ‘Radio, C.F.A.C., Canada.’ He mentioned some name between C.F.A.C. and Canada, which T cannot pronounce, as it sounded like the name of theiirm who owned the station. J was listening to -this station for about an hour, and in that time heard him say C.F.A.C. Canada six times. I listened in for the same station to-night, hut the. static was so bad I did not keep on This, I think*, is wonderful to bo able to receive Caiiada on b Do Forest Reflex set. Do you know anything of C.F.A.C. Canada, The station is not quite os loud ns K K.J., but con hear it on: loud speaker o.k. Also the same evening, 17th inst., I heard another station sending speech and music, but T could not get the cod© call on account of the way it was pronounced, but heard tim say quite clearly after each time he gave the call: San Francisco. lam going to keep on with this station until 1 get the .call.

“Also I received K.H.J. and K.F.I very loud tho same evening, nnd two clher stations, one very loud, I did not g6t the call, as I listened to him for some time when he was sending music. Then I switched up to K.11.J., and when I came back to him 1 heard him say, ‘Good-night.’ Tha othcT station was not quite so loud, but I have not bothered about it very much. I intend listeningin Saturday and Monday evening, and get ns many as X can (code calls) and then I will let you know. “I am going to get • the M P. to come down and hear these stations and then get him to vrite to tho ‘Times.’ The M.P. *s in Wellington nt present, so' 1 will get him as soon as he comes back. I just use mv 'phones for tuning in these stations, and then have the music on loud speaker. Cheerio for present, will let vo'.t know when I receive the other stations.” •

VALUE TO AEROPLANES An interesting indirect result of the US3 of radio by aeroplanes has been the development of a new' type of altimeter by tho U.S. Bureau of Standards. Until the radio compass .was developed for .aeroplane use, ’planes did not dare ascend during a fog. Now, however, that the radio compass makes flying possible .during tho heaviest fog; pilots no longer hesitate to ascend, knowing that they will not lose their way. FLYING' IN FOG. In descending in a fog, however, the radio compass gites them no indication of. their height, and the aneroid altitude, while supposed to indicate altitude, is subject to error, .due to. varying barometric pressures in different weathers. The new altimeter, consists of a standard movable dial, whereby a correction can be made by the pilot for the error in reading brought about by stormy conditions. Thereby he is enabled to know at all times his actual height above the ground, and, guided by the radio com-, pass, can descend in ' the thickest fog.

WHERE THEY DO THINGS While hotel men from all over the coiintry were dining at the Hotel Commodore in New York recently, their ladies assembled at the Hotel Aetcr, a mile away, listening-in to the same programme of speeches nnd entertainment. l,n each hotel a Western Electric public address system is permanently installed, ,'and the two systems were linked by telephone wires tor the evening’s performance. First a part of the entertainment at the ladies’ party was transmitted to the men, and then the songs and *>torie« at. tho Commodore were sent over to. the Afitor. This is the first time that lwo auditors have participated in each others’ programme. By means of a wire ' connection. <*•'■

THE VALVE QUESTION The vahe question is one that is having, and will continue to have, a farj'reaching effect in wireless matters, and naturally as tho amateurs become more expert this is the line of study they will follow. While it is possible—by not conforming to regulations, and thereby interfering with other listeners-in—to pick up long-distance stuff with one valve, three or five valves are necessary ti conform to the regulations. One valve, however, is enough for local work, ami it is one of tlie eatisfactory features that one valve af n time can he. added .without scrapping existing ■plant. An operator can start with 'a single vahe and build it up piecemeal until t lie tlcsi red result is achieved. In this way one need spend but. a very few pounds at a lime, whereas a fiveval.ve set at tlie present moment would cost e£.V) or more. In any ease it is better for newly-fledged amateurs to begin in a modest way, and build up their

knowledge as they build up their plant. What is more, this ingenious device is a British-made article, in fact it is produced on tile other side of the Tasman. Although America lias had claim to having some big things in wireless, the fact remains that the English companies spent many thousands of pounds in the experimental stages when the chances of getting any of it back ware remote. Who will begrudge them a little harvest now? it is limited, anyway, for the English Government has limited the amount of dividends.

AN IMPORTANT DISCOVERY A., examples of persons who had been discouraged by people who were supposed to be absolutely right and who, by persevering, had .succeeded, Marconi and Armstrong, are mentioned by “Australasian Wireless.” The latter discovered the principle of regeneration whilst still a student at college. He asked his father to give him some money to patent the idea, but was refused on the ground that scientists who had been studying wireless before he was born had not < iscovored the principle, and therefore Armstrong’s idea was of no value. .A friend suggested that he should get the principle witnessed bv a lawyer. He cbd so and some years later, when a case came up in court, the date of his document was held to be the date of the invention, and Armstrong was thus officially recognised as the originator of the principle of regeneration in America.

WIRELESS EXHIBITION Th© Wireless Institute of Australia has made arrangements to hold a Wireless and Allied Electrical Exhibition in Sydney for a week in December. It ''ill provide an opportunity for the general public to see wireless equipment in its various wonderful stages of development. The members of the Wirelef-fc Institute of Australia are an enthusiastic body of men who devote much of their time to experimenting and carrying out unusual tests with the object of discovering some thing new in radio work. Their activities are purely voluntary, and in no way connected with commercial enterprises.

VALUABLE RESEARCH WORK Many of the ingenious pieces of apparatus designed and very often made by these experimenters will he on view, and will serve to give the visitors to the exhibition some indication of the valuable research work carried on by members of th© Wireless Institute.

Already many firms have arranged for stands to show wireless apparatus for broadcasting, ships, aircraft, inland telegraph and telephone services, and then* will even be some information in regard to tho giant international station which will veiy shortly be built to place Australia in direct wireless communication with the United Kingdom and other parts of the world.

EDUCATING THE PUBLIC The popular interest will doubtless bo centred in broadcasting features, and on many stalls broadcasting receivers of various types, but all made in accordance with the Government requirements, will h« on view. This will provide the general public with an advance introduction to broadcasting receivers, and, no doubt, many mental notes will be made as to the type of receiver that will be purchased for the broadcasting service*, which will then be about to commence A great variety of the more important parts used in conjunction with broadcasting receivers such as valves, telephones, and loud speakers will be displayed on a liberal scale, and in many cases practical demonstrations will t© given for the benefit of all those visiting the exhibition. For the experimenter the many exhibitors will display all sorts of apparatus and parts so that the man with a scientific turn of mind will be able to select the very latest and best equipment for his requirements. WIRELESS IN WAR “Startling possibilities are conjured up by the rumour that a method of wireless control has been discovered by which aeroplanes in flight can be brought to a standstill and compelled to descend to earth. Since the war the Germans have been' working hard to discover some means to bring down aeroplanes, either by wireless or chemical gases, the idea being to stop the action of the magneto or the engine. It i.s rumoured that success has followed their efforts. Some Germans boasted recently that they could bring a motor-car to a standstill by outside means operating at a distance, and it is said that a number of civil aeroplanes flying over Germany since the Ruhr . occupation have been compelled to land for some unaccountable reason. “The question is whether this was due to German intervention. In this country we have been" directing our efforts solely to fighting aeroplanes by aeroplanes, but it seems likely that ’ protection will be found in other and more scientific methods.

“ft is said by experts that .protective measures are more likely to be found in the laboratory than in the aeroplane factory. One thing is certain,, the world is on the edge of remarkable developments in connection ; with mysterious forces which have only been disclosed during recent years.’—“News 'of -the World.” Truly “wireless” looks like revolutionising warfare, or it may do better still, revolutionise it.

WIRELESS AND MOTORING ' Broadcasting will soon become an ordinary addition to the comforts of motoring. Since the start made with one or two experimental cars some months ago progress in this direction has been rapid, and many car manufacturers have been approached by customers for receiving installations to be added to their ear*?. The Daimler Company, in conjunction with the Marconiphonc Company, has recently succeeded in eliminating what was considered rather a drawback, and also an unsightly appendage, namely the wireless frame aerial on the top of the car. They have now evolved an aerial which is practically invisible. As a commencement, eight of their new cars are being fitted with, this installation, together with twelve cars used in their private hire service. It is intended ultimately to fit all the 400 cars in their hire service fleet with receiving sets. As a result of recent improvements not only is audibility rendered practically perfect, but motorists can listen-in at ease while travelling- at five or fifty miles an hour. It should be pointed out that wireless receiving for motorists is not a luxury confined to the few, but can lie applied to practically all makes of cars.

TRAIN WIRELESS Wireless tests have been carried out on tho London-bound express leaving Liverpool, and proved most successful, Y\ itli the help of a five-valvo amplifier and a loud “speaker,” and using an inside frame aerial, audibility was practically perfect during the whole journey. A PRACTICAL IDEA

On arrival at Elusion, Captain Willans. who was in charge of the tests on bclmlf of the Marconiphonc Department of the Marconi Company, said the resi.lt of the experiments had. exceeded I heir expectations. The receiving of broaden'd ing programmes in trains had been proved to be a perfectly practical proposition, and there was uotniug to prevent the universal adoption of wireless b3' railway companies.

SPECIAL WIRELESS SALOON When the express drew in, an intereded audience, which included many o': the employees of the railway, gathered round the doors of the special wireless saloon and listened to the late ‘news bulletin, which happened at that moment to be broadcasted. WIRELESS IN MINES Further experiments have been conducted in America by the U.S.A. Bureau of Mines in conjunction with the Westinghousc Company, in order to gauge the suitability of wireless communication for rescue work. Two hundred metres C.W. were used, and. signals were distinctly heard through 50 feet of coal strata. Single turn loop aerials were found to be the most efficient, and the result* were considered to justify further experiments.

HELPFUL HINTS One often experience© & certain amount of difficulty when working out a conventional circuit diagram and changing it into a working diagram, with component parts in position on the back of a panel. When a circuit is sketched out on paper it will be found that on actually wiring it becomes difficult to follow owing to the component parte being reversed by reason of working on the back of the panel, and the following hint has 6aved considerable time and trouble. QUITE. SIMPLE YOU KNOW

“When drawing the actual wiring diagram” (writes T.V.L.), “place underneath the ordinary paper a piece of carbon paper (as used for taking copies of letters), with the carbon side uppermost, so that when the pencil makes a mark on the top side of the paper the carbon paper reproduces the mark on the under side, and on reversing the drawing paper one has a back view of the panel. This greatly facilitates the wiring, and at the same time is a protection'against wrong connections.” KEY WEST TO NEW ZEALAND Wifeless music from the R.H.S. Key West radio station in Florida, was clearly received in Hamilton by two amateurs this week, usinj a Do Forest reflet set. The music was first picked up at about 630 p.m. RADIO HUMOUR Question: I have an aerial across the backyard 100 ft long and lead in 75ft to the kitchen and 40ft along the wall to the living room. On my Crystal set I cannot hoar American concerts. Do you ihink I should move the set nearer the aerial? Answer : No, you should move the set nearer to America Quoston: I cannot get my regenerative receiver to oscillate. without wetting my fingers, and touching the terminals of my condenser. This does not always work. Is there any easier way of bringing about the oecDlating condition? Answer: Try throwing a couple of wet towels across your ground clamp. Question - I rn&do a reflex set which the diagram says is portable. It takes 135 volts on th.e plate. The storage battery weighs 501 b and the B. battery weighs 251-b. What do %ou use to make it portable? Answer*. Try a good wheelbarrow in series with the aerial. BROADCASTING CONCERTS On Monday night, October 22nd, an ox ceptionallv good concert was transmitted by the Wellington Broadcasters, Ltd., from Fcr.l Building, Wellington. Miss Florence Penny, late of Annette Kellerman Company, rendered the following «ongs- in attractive style : —Waltz song from “Tom Jones” opera, “Annie Laurie,” “The Lament of Isis,” “Big Lady Moon,” “From the Land of the Sky Blue Waters,” “Somewhere a Voice is Calling ” Mis© Florence Penny’s voice i.s especially suited for broadcasting and the songs- come through with exceptional clearness and the tone- was wonderful. Mr Frank Andrews, that wellknown versatile artist at the piano, late of Join Fullers’, Ltd, rendered the following items at the piano. •Mr Andrew© has proven before that he is wonderful nt the piano and the Australian Press call him the human pianola:— “Bells of St. Mary’s,” “Lead, Kindly Light,” “Latest Theatrical Scandal,” “JnzritU.” “Cinema Serial,” “Ticno Oddities,” “Three O’clock in the Morning.” Also that National Anthem, “Yes, We have no Bananas.” The conceri was one of the best that have been sent out for quite n time, and was well received nl! over the country. Mrs Chan. McDonald, late of Blenheim, made a fir«t-rate accompanist, and accompanied all Miss Florence Penny’s songs. FOR NEXT WEEK The following mtists will he appearing nt the Wellington Broadcasters, Ltd., ! broadcasting station during next week: — Mr Harry Avery, Mr P. Fitzgerald, Miss G. Harbixjp, Mr .lack Harper and his Columbians, that well-known orchestra, and Mr South. BY WIRELESS ’PHONE Lord Burnham, addressing the Science Exhibition, predicted that future Imperial Conferences would be conducted by wireless telephony. It was essential that the Empire’s Parliaments should be enabled, to listen-in to declarations by British Prime Ministers of any policies affecting the British Commonwealth. BROADCASTING IN THE FUTURE An interesting possible development in broadcasting on the stereoscopic principle is discussed by Captain C. A. Lewis, deputy-director of programmes, British i*o adcast in g Co m pah y. “A\ man who is blind in one eye,” says Captain Lewis, “has not got the same judgment of distances and positions in space as tho man with, two eyes, because these two eyes have slightly different views of the objects at winch they, look, ; and are therefore able (by simple triongulationi to locate the object in space. “Precisely the same tiling is the case with a single microphone. Whether it is in the studio or on the stage at Covent Garden one microphone, collecting sound from one point of view, cannot give the same effect as two ears sitting in the auditorium.

“You must have two microphones, two transmitters, two wave lengths, two receiving sets, and an earpiece for each ear 1

‘“£he 8.8. C. have always had at the back of their mind the idea that a single service could not meet the approval of everybody—two or more services 'mi different wave lengths were essential. Supposing two services were established—not such a ' remote possibility—then, on certain evenings it might, be decided to combine the two and give, say, a Shakespeare play, or an operatic performance. Both transmitters would be kept working on their respective wave lengths, each would be connected up to a microphone iu the same studio—and our end for steroscopic work, would be complete. Tho listener who was fortunte enough to have two sets (two crystal sets don’t cost very much) would tune each to the two wave lengths respectively, and got the stereoscopic effect. T venture to prophesy that all broadcasting in years to come will work on this principle.

WIRELESS STATION AT ZURICH AERODROME

In connection with the extension of the Handle.y Page London-Paris air service to Zurich, a temporary wireless telephone station was established at the Zurich aerodrome by Marconi’s Wireless Telegraph Company, at very short, notice. Within eix days of the order being received in London the station was in operation at Zurich. It consists of a Marconi standard A.D.2 aircraft trans ’matter •nd Tec&'.'ver, with sub-control attachment.

Marco-ni aerodrome stations arc now in operation at Croydon, Haven. Ostmul, Cologne, Geneva, and several aerodromes in Spain.