RADIO NOTES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 78, 11 March 1931, Page 3

RADIO NOTES

HISTORIC RADIO STATION DISCOVERED ON LONG ISLAND A deserted shack which for years has stood neglected on Long Island, U.S.A., has been suddenly discovered to be of great interest as an historical landmark of the early days of wireless. It has been identified as one of the first wireless stations in America, and was used by Marconi in 1900. The building has now been removed, and an effort will be made to restore it to its former condition as a wireless station. It was in the late autumn of 1900 or early in 1901 that Marconi located his Long Island transmitter near the coastline, where his wireless station might have best communication with incoming Vessels while they were still some distance from New York harbour. During the years that followed the building was abandoned- for larger quarters. AMERICAN INQUIRY America has carried out a fairly extensive inquiry into radio programmes. About 52 per cent, of ' broadcasting time is devoted to music and 33 per cent, of this to jazz. This compares with about 50 per cent, and 7 per cent, respectively in Jiurope. About 8 per cent, of the* time is given to advertising. American churches get five times as much airing as European—s per cent, against 1 per cent. American stations devote about 1 per cent, of tne time to education, while European stations devote about IS per cent. Drama on both continents takes up about 3 per cent., and children's hours 2 per cent. America gives 1.0 per cent, to sporting broadcasts and Europe .22 per cent. The Roman Catholic Church takes most of the church time in America, owning seven stations outright and taking time on 30 others. Four national Jewish organisations use from ten to 18 stations in network, with CO rabbis broadcasting regularly from local stations. MAN-MADE STATIC SEVERE PENALTIES IN' BELGIUM

Belgium seems determined to stamp out, as far as possible, all interferences to listeners caused by industrial motors. Several towns have begun a campaign against "man-made static," and the municipality of Ciney, in the province of Namur, has warned every possessor oC electric apparatus that he is bound to put it, and keep it, in such a state as to cause no trouble to wireless reception. A maximum penalty of seven days in gaol may be inflicted on those who transgress a second time. Similar measures are being taken in other towns. • ' .-, PICKS UP FROM ALL^ A wireless aerial picks up signals from every transmitter within range; and anything up to 20 stations may be coming along. The signals are all assimilated by an antennae, and run down all tbe time. It is tbe tuning coils which enable the receiver to select the particular station desired. RADIO IN CANADA Radio in Canada is in a parlous state, as the air is dominated for hundreds of miles north of the border by the big American stations. Canada is at last beginning to show signs of revolt. At the next sitting of the Dominion Parliament a big effort is to be made to recover the air from the tentacles of the advertising octupus and vest it in the people, on lintes similar to the British Broadcasting Corporation. The American listener pays no license fee, the [ stations being supported by advertisers, who have been paying up to £3,000 an hour for national broadcasts. It is reported that this charge s to be increased. / j SPECIAL BROADCASTS The main Sydney stations have been making a special of broadcasts of well-known plays and operas. Last month 2FC put. over "Monsieur Beaucaire," "Gipsy Love," "The Vagabond King," and "Lilac Time." "The Sign

of the Cross" was scheduled for Wednesday last, but it was "The Silver King" that went on the air. "Monsieur Beaucaire" is listed again for March 19, from 2BL, and from the same station on March 25 "High Jinks" is promised. PROBLEM SOLVED If American claims prove to be well grounded, the problem of power for radio receivers in remote districts has been solved. What is styled as "Air Cell" receiver is announced, with an A battery that will run for a year without recharging. A twovolt valve is part of the outfit. The Air Cell battery uses a liquid electro-, lyte, but until placed in service it is dry. In the dry state it is inert ;no depreciation occurs. It therefore may be placed in service at the end of any elapsed time after manufacture and still deliver its full quota of amp-ere-hours. To energise the battery for service it is only necessary to till it up with water. It takes about, t! quarts. Distilled water is not necessary. Any water suitable for drinking will do. The battery consists of two cells, assembled in a moulded container and permanently connected in series. The nominal voltage of the battery is 2.5 volts. While (he voltage is not absolutely constant in (he strictest, sense of the word, the decline in voltage from beginning to |

end of life is only a fraction of the decline in the dry cell and is well within the leeway of * permissable voltage range of the two-volt tube filament. USEFUL RADIO HANDBOOK A radio handbook that has long been awaited is shortly due to make its appearance in "Radio Sir," a 72page book published by the famed Philips organisation. Recognised by a gaily-coloured cover, "Radio Sir" contains a host of useful information which will interest everybody from the schoolboy to the experienced experimenter. From whatever standpoint the book is viewed its expression is clear, con-; cise and easily understood. The en-I gineers in Philips Australian Labora-, tories have been engaged in design-' ing special receivers and amplifiers ' for publication in this book, and! noteworthy among their achievements i are an "Auto Set," which will do j much to introduce radio as a dis- I tinct and added enjoyment to motor-

ing, the PCJ-5, a remarkable twostage SO short-waver; a 400-volt Penthode amplifier, and remarkable improvements on the popular A.C. 3-33 and D.C. 3-33 models. • Profusely illustrated articles on valves, audio frequency coupling units, power socket apparatus, D.C. to A.C. conversion, chokes, coils, speakers, condensers, etc., provide a Ifuud oC general rafllo knowledge from an entirely new angle that, every enthusiast will find engrossing. This miniature encyclopedia, which will be scfkl for sixpence (it has cost nearly' a shilling to produce), will be re-read many times before it finds a place oT honour on a bookshelf or is stolen. NOTES After Saturday with the return to standard time, the Australians and Japs will appear to come in half an hour earlier. * * . * Power rating seems to have little relation to volume from stations nowadays. 3UZ Melbourne is listed at 500 watts, 2UE Sydney at 250, and 3DB at. 500, yet thoy frequently come in as strongly as 3,000 and 5,000watters. * * * Some remarkable records of reception in high-country locations, away from all power and other lines, are reported at times in New Zealand, but. nothing so extraordinary has been heard of as the claim by an Australian that he has*logged within. the last three years 554 stations on the broadcast band, including 152 Americans. He is located at Arcoona 1 Station, via Pimba, South Australia —in the interior. The results he claims to have achieved —and states ; he has verification cards to prove— \ were obtained with earphones plug-1 ged in one stage of audio. I