THE RADIO WORLD

Southland Times, Issue 18967, 14 June 1923, Page 15

THE RADIO WORLD

It is reported that lectures given at the Sorbonne, the College de France, and other seats of higher education in Paris are to be broadcast by wireless. At first lectures will be confined to topics of general interest, but if the experiment succeeds, it is hoped to send out courses on specialised and technical subjects. Mr Ben Tillett is to ask the Prime Minister whether he will consider the practicability of arranging for the proceedings of the House of Commons to be broadcast, in order that there may be closer touch between Parliament and the people. An American telephone and telegraph company, through its station, Weaf, New York, is permitting advertisers to broadcast messages. The New Zealand regulations forbid the broadcasting of advertisements. As an experiment the American company is charging £25 for a 10 minutes talk of an advertising nature. American radio journals foretell that in time the receiving aerial will disappear and the radio amateur will use the electric lighting wires for reception of concerts. Mr G. M. Wilford informed Aerial that using an English electric lighting plug attachment instead of an aerial at No. 16 Hawkestone Street, Wellington, recently, he heard the Wellington concert astonishingly loud on one valve. He attached one side of the plug to his aerial post on his set and the other aide to the “earth” on his set. An amplifier, using 60 cycle A.C. supply for the anodes and filaments, has been developed by the Bureau of Standards, U.S.A. It has three stages of H.F. ampli I fication, a crystal rectifier, and two stages of A.F. amplification. The Canadian Marconi Co. have decided to build a new station in Vancouver, the cost of which, when completed, is expected to be in the neighbourhood of 2,000,000 dollars. While listening-in to an, American broadcastirig station, Mr J. E. Samuel, of Aberystwyth, Wales, England, distinctly heard the clapping of hands by people in the room when an orchestral item was encored. The Auckland broadcasting station announces that they have run out of valves, and have to await shipments from Vancouver. They were not transmitting last month, but expect to resume shortly, using about 25 per cent, of their full power (4 k.w.). TRANS-TASMAN TESTS. The Radio Society of Christchurch has arranged to conduct a series of tests, both ’phone and C W with amateurs, in New South Wales. Arrangements should be complete by the middle of next month and the Society is already engaged in sending out particulars concerning this test to amateurs in all parts of the Dominion. An entrance fee of half a crown is being charged for each receiving or transmitting sta tion. The exact wave lengths and secret code to be used, and the times, etc., will be forwarded to those who intend to enter for the tests. Any inquiry for information will be gladly answered on receipt of a stamped and addressed envelope for reply. All correspondence should be addressed to Mr L. R. Steel, 94 Fitzgerald street, Christchurch. It is to be hoped that some local amateurs will consider it worth their while to enter and thus give radio in Southland a boost.

BROADCASTING IN WELLINGTON. The new broadcasting company just regis tered in Wellington intends to revolutionise the existing station on the top of the big Ford building, Courtenay Place. The work of altering the station is put in hand at once. The transmitting aerial is to be lengthened. A 50ft. Oregon mgst is to be erected at the southern end of the roof, which is 100 ft. above the ground. A new mast will be placed at the northern end. The aerial will comprise five lines each of seven strands of 16 gauge wire. The lead-in will be taken from the centre of the aerial so that it will be non-directional . —tljgt ig to station shouldy.be heard ( with equal strength in all directions. At present the lead-in from the existing aerial favours the south-east. Wellington Broadcasters, Ltd., as the new local company is named, has a 250 watt motor generator to operate the 250 ■ watt De Forest Oscillon transmitting tube which has arrived from America. The transmitting set now in use will be readapted to the gteater power. A counterpoise will be suspended' under the new aerial similar in type to the existing one. If the present effiiiency of the Wellington station can be taken as a basis, when the power is increased from the existing 15 watts to 250 watts, the station should be heard on any efficient one-valve equipment at the furthermost point in New Zealand, and the best three-valve sets in Australia should be able to pick up the music. Another development in connection with the new Wellington Company is an arrangement with Messrs Fuller to send out from Fullers’ vaudeville theatre a few choice items from each programme. It is intended that microphones will be placed around the balustrade of the dress circle f{icing the stage, and microphones will also 'be stationed, one on each private box next to the footlights. A wired connection will pass through the managerial office of the theatre overhead to the broadcast station which is only a few doors away from the theatre. Mr William Burton, local manager for Messrs. Fuller, who is himself a radio amateur, wall have a controlling switch in his office, and a special microphone, so that he will be able to announce the items from the theatre direct to the listeners-in. Radio amateurs may count themselves fortunate in having the good will of Mr Walter Fuller, general manager of Messrs. Fullers’ New Zealand circuit, and Mr W. Burton, the local manager. Even the modest crystal sets owned by innumerab;'' small boys within 20 or 25 miles of Wellington will receive the music from the new station. A special operator will be appointed to attend to the broadcasting. It is on the cards that the station will transmit concerts on at least three nights per week, instead of two, as at present. If arrangements can be made with the authorities, Sunday nights will be used in the near future.—Dominion.