THE WIRELESS WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23220, 18 June 1937, Page 2

THE WIRELESS WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES

By Magna Vox

Items of local Interest are invited by " Magna Vox" for publication in this column It Is necessary that such matter should reach this office by Tuesday of each week for Insertion on the following Friday IYA. Auckland.—6s K.C.. 526 metres 2YA Wellington.—s7o K.C., 52G metres 2BL, Sydney.—74o K.C.. 405 metres. 2FC Sydney.-610 K.C., 476 metres 3AR Melbourne.—77o K.C., 390 metres SCL, Adelaide.—73o K.C.. 411 metres. 4QG. Brisbane.—Boo K.C.. 311 metres. 3YA. Christen urch.—72o K.C.. 416.4 metres. 4YA. Dunedln.—79o K.C., 379.5 metres 4YO. Dunedln.—ll4o K.C.. 261 metres ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS " Fade-Out," Hampden.—l should say, from what you tell me, that there is an intermittent short circuit in your loudspeaker. Your aerial is completely clear of all obstructions, is it? If I were you, I should let a serviceman have a look at the set. "Earth," Oamaru.—(l) Whether you can operate the set without an earth will depend on whether the chassis is earthed to one or both mains by condensers. If this is the case, it is possible to get a shock when touching the chassis, which may be severe or otherwise. (2) If the set. as you state, operates satisfactorily without an earth, and there is no necessity, as far as the set itself is concerned, to provide an earth, the set will not be harmed. From the other point of view, however, an earth whould be an advantage, and the hum should not be present if an entirely separate earth is provided. Should a -hum appear, however, the set should be checked by a serviceman, as there Is then a definite fault which should be rectified before any permanent harm is done. " Seven," Waipiata.—The rattle in the speaker is almost certainly due to a fault in the speaker itself. A long aerial would not cause a rattle. It is possible that the voice coil has gone off centre a little and rubs against the core, or else some dirt has become lodged between the coll and the core. If you have not had experience in remedying this trouble your.self, I should advise you to get a serviceman to do the job for you; he would remedy the trouble In a very short time I. M'G., Dunedin.—(l) In the case of a .bad fault, I invariably recommend that the services of a competent radiotrician be enlisted. A radio receiver is a highly complicated piece of mechanism, and even amateurs who have a fairly good knowledge of its principles are liable to slip on some matter which, although small, may be of vital importance. I have seen, and heard of, too many good receivers harmed, not to know what havoc some amateur radio mechanics can wreak when they set their minds to it. (2) So far as is known, metal and glass valves have about the same life, and only time will tell whether the metal ones, as a class, will outlast glass. (3) It depends largely on how the set is functioning and whether it Is properly treated. Nine months, with the use you give your set, is certainly not reasonable. Two years would be nearer the mark. " Mug," Waihola.—l am afraid I cannot understand your Question. Can you not give fuller particulars? SPECIAL SHORT-WAVE BROADCAST A special talk on Dominion affairs by the New Zealand Trade and Tourist Commissioner for Canada and the Eastern United States will be broadcast from the two short-wave stations W2XAD and W2XAF at 4.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m., New Zealand time, on Sunday. The wavelengths and frequencies of the two stations are: W2XAD, 19.56 metres and 15.33 m-cycles; W2XAF, 31.48 metres and 9.53 m-cycles. The general manager of the Tourist and Publicity Department, Wellington, would welcome reports on the reception of these broadcasts. BROADCASTS OF SPRINGBOKS Arrangements have been made for all the national broadcasting stations to rebroadcast a commentary on the play in the Springboks' match against New ! South Wales to-morrow. The broadcast will be from 4.45 p.m. to 6.25 p.m. Test match commentaries will also be broadcast on July 10 and July 17. RADIO PANORAMA Arrangements have been completed for a special broadcast by all the YA stations at 9.5 to-night of a radio panorama depicting 70 years' progress in railway development and achievement. This will serve as a prelude to a broadcast by all the national stations at 10.30 a.m. to-morrow of the ceremony of the opening of the new railway station at Wellington. DOMINION LICENCES The latest returns issued by the Post and Telegraph Department show that radio sets in New Zealand number 226,476. Wellington leads the other three main centres with a total of just over 80,000 licences, and Auckland comes next with nearly 73,000. The southern districts, however, lag behind considerably, the totals of Christchurch and Dunedin being 42,000 and 31,000 respectively. COMING ATTRACTIONS Within the next two or three months there are going to be interesting radio visitors to the Dominion, the National Broadcasting Service having completed arrangements for tours of outstanding importance. Miss Thea Philips, an English soprano who has been touring for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, began a New Zealand engagement at IYA on Wednesday, when she sang a programme of songs by Handel. Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Rachmaninoff. Next month, Miss Essie Ackland, accompanied by her husband, Reginald Morphew, an English baritone, will be heard from the national stations. Miss Ackland visited New Zealand in 1923, and the promise she gave then has since been fulfilled. She is now one of the most popular singers for the gramophone, and in the last month or so she has been having remarkable receptions in Australia The best news of all, however, is the announcement that the National Broadcasting Service has engaged the Budapest String Quartet for a Dominion tour. This' quartet, which consists of Joseph Roismann, Alexander Schneider. Boris Kroyt. and Mischa Schneider, is one of the finest instrumental combinations in the world. The tour will begin on July 25. The programmes will be selected from the wide range covered by Beethoven. Schubert, Mozart, Grieg, and Vaughan Williams. Vaughan Williams is now acknowledged as the greatest living English composer, but as his major compositions are not known as well as they should be, the presentation of his music by this famous quartet is specially welcome. Of course, all listeners will not enjoy classical string music, so it is pleasing to hear that the National Broadcasting Service has a nice sweet in the bag for the "lowbrows." Joseph Kaartinen, a Finnish saxophone wizard, has also been engaged for the national stations. He will be accompanied by Lou Topano. whose chosen instrument is the pianoaccordion. A COP/IMONWEALTH PLEBISCITE A plebiscite recently taken by the Australian Broadcasting Commission placed talks in the following order of preference:—lnformative, popular .science, social science, travel, public policy, literature, humour, art. That humour was low on the list was natural, in view of the puerility of much of the stuff put on the 'air, but the position of art is not so easy to understand, when it is considered that the vote was taken among listeners who applied for the monthly talks booklet, and who presumably were interested in this section of the programmes. Possibly the result was due in part to the affectation of the commission's principal literary man. but the poll furnishes another demonstration that the average listener does not desire an overdose of culture with his radio. A LACK OF WARMTH The fate of radio performers, announcers, and programmes often hangs on little things, says the New York Times. And when listeners wonder why so-and-so is on a programme or why he vanished, that, too, may be explained by some little incident that occurred far behind the scenes. The

professional radio showmen frequently are over-ruled, because a sponsor may not like the orchestra's tempo, his wife may not like the singer's voice. A search is now on for an announcer for a symphonic concert to replace one who is noted in radio circles for his ideal voice for such broadcasts. Some of those being auditioned have no musical training: in fact, they are news commentators. It seems that the sales manager happened to inquire of his chauffeur how he liked the company's radio concert. The driver turned up his coat collar and exclaimed: "I can't listen to it; the announcer's voice chills my blood." And with a wave of his hand, when he reached the office, the sales executive ordered ethereal execution of the distinguished announcer, whom, letters reveal, music lovers in general praise. A TELEVISION TEST Television was given an important test on Coronation Day, and it came through with flying colours (says an English correspondent of the Evening Post). Some 30,000 people saw the scene at Hyde Park, though they were far from the royal route, seated in drawing rooms, shops, offices, and cinemas. The 8.8. C. announced that the procession was seen by television as far away as Brighton and Ipswich. Both sound and vision were received perfectly. From Fleet (Hants) and Rochester (Kent) also came reports of good reception Reception was good despite the rain, but it would have been ' much better in sunshine The downpour continued during the whole hour's transmission, making the worst possible conditions, short of fog. The 8.8. C team, having waited from 4 a.m., were greatly disappointed. The weather's perversity was emphasised when immediately after the transmission the light improved considerably. Such details as the emu feathers in the Australians' slouch hats and the plumes in the Guards' bearskins showed plainly on the screen. As the procession passed in review, bands playing, cavalry and infantry marching to a steady roll of cheers, the glamour of the occasion was captured by radio in • a manner never possible before. Owing to the rain, the Empire Premiers and Mr Baldwin were not seen, but the angle of vision into the coaches improved later and a glimpse was given of the Duchess of Kent. Queen Mary could be seen through the glass panels distinctly, though the two Princesses were not visible. The brilliant uniforms of the Indian Army and horses prancing momentarily sideways to the camera heralded the climax. A few minutes later the State coach, drawn by the Windsor greys, was in sight. Then for just a brief moment th* King was seen wearing his crown. Finally came a last view of the procession from the rear, passing towards the Wellington Arch. A commentary was given throughout. The pictures were transmitted by the Marconi-E.M.I. system, whose Emitron cameras were used. Drill and concert halls and many other buildings were temporarily employed as demonstration theatres by television manufacturers. At Ranelagh polo ground a set was installed in a marnuee. One wireless dealer organised a special demonstration for crippled children unable to attend the L.C.C. parade. The patients and staff of the Brentwood Hospital also saw the whole of the procession with a set installed for them.