THE WIRELESS WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19014, 9 November 1923, Page 2

THE WIRELESS WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES. (By Magna Vox.) [ltems of news, comment, suggestions, etc., will be welcomed by “Magna Vos’’] A' large meeting was bold in the Grand Theatre on Tuesday night to discuss (he present problem with which broadcasting is faced in Dunedin and to make some arrangement to put it on a better basis. Several opinions were put forward; and finally a committee was appointed to draw up a definite scheme to submit to a future meeting. Everyone knows that broadcasting cannot be carried on without the expenditure of a large sum of money, and, as it was pointed out at the meeting, it costs at least £SOO a year to run a broadcasting station satisfactorily. It is quite plain, therefore, that the local broadcasting stations cannot continue their transmissions without receiving some substantial financial aid, and it is also obvious that unless local radio enthusiasts ore prepared to contribute an annual sum for the maintenance of broadcasting, Dunedin will lose the distinction of being the best radio centre in the dominion. There will, however, be a certain amount of difficulty in the levying of these proposed fees, for it will be no easy matter to ascertain the number of possessors of wireless sets now that the indoor aerial system has come into existence. It was mentioned at the. meeting that it would be necessary to rely on the honour of the members to pay up regularly, but one needs only to imagine what would happen if a system of voluntary payment on tramcars wore introduced, to consider the feasibility of such a plan. However, the position is as yet too vague to discuss to any length. After the second meeting, when it is to hoped somouimg definite will he done, there will be more scope for discussion. Mr G. W. Kerens has forwarded the following suggestion, which, as far as 1 can see. is quite sound:— “As I am interested in the development of wireless broadcasting I submit the following proposition as a solution of the present crisis, in the hope that from this rough plan there may eventuate a scheme which will assure the ‘listeners-in’ a regular broadcasting service. My idea is to establish a limited company with a nominal capital of, say, 2000 shares of £lO each —that is, £20.000 in all. These shares would be offered to the public on a basis of £2 .on allotment of shares and the remainder on call—such calls to be made at the rate of £1 per annum and no more. The objects of the company would be to acquire a toll broadcasting station and' to maintain a regular service so many nights in the week. If such a company could ho floated there would be straight away the sum of £4OOO in cash —a sum quite sufficient to purchase and maintain a station for one _year. 1 here would be an assured revenue of £2OOO per annum for eight years, which on the present figures would meet all running expenses, improvements, etc. Even ICOO £5 shares, £1 paid up and (he balance over a period of four years, would meet the case, but I,am suggesting the higher figure, as I anticipate that hundreds more will obtain sets. This scheme would embrace the trade as well as (he listeners in. It would be quite a reasonable proposition that the wireless dealers take up anything from 25 to 50 shares and each listener-in one share. It was suggested at the meeting on Tuesday night that there should be voluntary subscriptions and that the “listenors-in” would be on the r Honour to pay. \\ ith all due respect to the gent If man who suggested that, I really do not think it would last. long. Under this proposed scheme the listener-in would subscribe just the same, but be would hold a share and thus would be entitled to his say in the management and control of the company. Then the question arises, how about the position of the company in five or eight years or whatever the time may he'i I do not think I am too optimistic in saying that in eight years the company would be at the least self-supporting and perhaps paying a dividend. When one sees bow rapid has been the rise cf broadcasting one cannot but think (flat it is here to stay, and if that is so people will in time pay for the broadcasting to say their picture palaces, tea rooms, etc., of good musical programmes. Such a service is, I believe, in existence already in the United States. The company would be an ordinary limited liability company under The Companies Act. 1908.’ and all the usual provisions as to increase of capital, calls, annual meetings, rotation and .powers of directors would apply.” ’ ACTIVITIES OF 4AG. Mr 1C Slade, of 4AG, forwards the following very interesting letter under date November 6: Dear “Magna Vox,”—ln answer to your invitation to correspondents I enclose a few notes off my • transmissions power ‘ transmissions at 4AG. —W ave length, about. 175 metres at present. Much to my pleasure I received my license to transmit on October 13, and began experimenting the some night. Tho first experiments were with the Colpitts circut, butowing to the extreme difficulty of adjusting it to suit tho conditions, 1 discarded it, and commenced trying all tho other transmitting circuits. Finally, the Reversed Feedback circuit was adopted as being the easiest to adjust, and, besides, tho most efficient. On Monday night. October 13, I commenced transmitting in earnest, using two V 24 receiving valves as transmitters, and using 90 volts on tho plate (dry cells). For tho whole week, until Friday, I called up everyone I could think of, and received not a single answer. However, on Friday night, after calling up CQ at 9.5 p.m., I heard ?.AA calling mo up. Station 2AA is owned bv Mr J. M. Bingham, of Levin. This was when I was using 10. volts on the two V 24’s. tho input being 1.9 watts. 2AA got all my Morse and parts of the speech, and we worked each other for practically the whole night The same .night, at 10.40, I received a call, from 3AA (Mr Orbell, Christchurch), saying that the CW was “0.K.” there. On Sunday night I again worked 3AA about midnight. The same night I logged 29 American amateurs using the clestcctor alone. On October 23 I tried to work 3AA and 2AA. but tire QRM from the valves rendered it almost impossible. On October 25. at 11.8 p.m., I heard 2AP (Wellington) calling me. and we worked each other till midnight. Tho following day I again worked 3AA. The results on this occasion were very satisfactory. Mr Barnett, at the University, happened to have a test on with 4AA and 3AA. However ho could not get down to 3AA’s wave length for receiving, so the services of 4AG were, offered. After Mr Barnett finished calling 3AA, I relayed Mr Orbell’s speech to Mr Barnett, and I do not" think a word was missed either way. At this rate we shall soon have an American Relay I/eague in New Zealand also. On the Thursday night, by the way, I managed to receive all 6K.Vs messages from the United States to 3BM (Mr Love, Australia). On October 27 4AG gave a concert on a small scale, and, judging by the reports, it was hoard nil over the town. On Sunday, October 28, at 5 p.rn.. I called up Mr Orbell, 3AA, and conducted a lore power lest with him. Starting with a little over two watts input. I gradually decreased the input until it wav about point three of a watt. However. 3AA lost me after I had lowered the input below 1 watt. The same night we again worked each other from 10.30 onwards. On October 30 and 31, I managed (o work IAA (Mr Edwards,’ Auckland), 2XA (Mr Shrimpton, Wellington), and 2AE (Gisborne). On Thursday. November 1, I worked 3AF (Mr Ball. Christchurch) nearly the whole night. 3AF is loud here on one valve. He uses chemically rectified A.C. and it is almost pure too. His speech came in very well except for the usual QRM from valves. On November 2, at 8.37 p.m., I heard someone calling 4AG. and it happened to he 2AS (Mr Coutts, Taihape). The same night I worked 2AC, who is easilv the loudest amateur in New Zealand, and 2AU. After this I had some hard luck with the valves. However, I managed to scrape together some mere dry cells, and now I am using a single 5 watt Cunningham transmitter with 150 volts on the. plate and an input, of 3.5 watts. Evidently this increase of power has its effects, for several reports havecome in-saving that now the CW cannot he heard. Only the key clicks arc audible. Last night I tried some experiments with the transmission of music from the piano, hut I do not think it was much of a success, although several people in Dunedin seem to have received it satisfactorily. To-night I had a test on with 4AD. bill did not got him. However, at 11,15 p.m., I AT) (Mr Spademan, Auckland) called me and said that my “signals were very clear on one valve " We worked for a while, his signals being quit*' readable on one valve also, although a certain amount of fading was noticeable. This time T was using an input of 3.4 watts. Although 4AG has not been “on the air 1 ’ long, his ambitions are growing, for soon he hopes to raise Australia.