RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 13, 6 April 1927, Page 11

RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

THE radio beginner

By RAYTHEON With the beginning of the new radio-licence year and also the close • ooroach of the winter season, there till doubtless be many who intend to ioin the increasing ranks of the listeners -in. To such and also others it is hoped these lines -will be helpful. 1 probably one of the beginner’s first uestions is: How shall I begin? It also one of the most frequent questions asked of the radio dealer. The average layman, or the beginner unversed in radio, usually has a yery erroneous impression of the whole •cience. More than likely he or she may approach it by reading some of the technical articles appearing in the more popular radio periodicals, and «s a result receive the idea that the working of a radio set is a complicated undertaking. As a matter of fact the reverse is the case, the working of a set being really very simple. THE EXPERIMENTER OR AMATEUR There are several different classifications of those concerned when one considers how to begin. First, there is the experimenter or amateur. He is a man, or possibly a woman, who likes to work with radio apparatus for the fun they get out of it, or for the valuable information that they may obtain in their experimental work. This class as a rule do not listen to broadcast programmes for the sake of the entertainment, but rather as a means of testing some circuit or some new connection in a circuit which they may have made. BUILDERS AND BUYERS The next class is the one who would like to build his own set. Of course, the experimenters also come in this class to a certain extent, but here I allude to the individual who desires to own a set, but in so doing have a genuine pride in announcing that they built it themselves. However, we have here also two types to be considered. In the one case the person who builds his own does so to save expense, while with the other money is no object. We now have the man who wants a receiving set but desires to have the lame completely equipped and installed, so that all he has to do is to turn the dials and listen to proSrammea. Naturally here again we ave those who desire to buy the best get money will provide, and those who want to buy at as reasonable a price aa possible. THE AERIAL Whatever the class, the first thing required Is a good outdoor aerial and a ground connection. Both of these will be connected by means of wires to the place where the radio set will be located. The construction of aerials and simple ground connections will be dealt with at an early date, as this is just a general discussion for the beginner. SET BUILDING CONVENIENCE For the man who desires to do a little experimenting with different types of circuits without buying too many different or duplicate parts, a good idea is to use unit panels. These, however, are not so easy to obtain ready built up as formerly. Again, if separate parts are purchased they can be used in what is known as the “breadboard-layout” system. This does away with panels and cabinets, thereby causing all expense to be incurred in the necessary components only. Such a layout also permits the changing of circuits, etc., with a minimum of expense. SIMPLICITY BUILDING The third type of builder is the man who desires to build a good but simple *et. Possibly he does not desire to study technicalities that will lead him Into future trouble. On the other hand, he is quite prepared to tackle a multi-valve set as long as the instructions are clear. To such a man there are now many good kit sets offered, complete to the last detail with the possible exception of a cabinet. These are worth his inspection. READY-MADE SETS Now we come to the straight-out buyer. If h€t knows nothing about radio, about the best thing he could do is to go to some well-known reliable radio dealer and inquire regarding the purchase of a complete set, with all the necessary accessories. At the same time make sure of the price for metalling the same set. At the beginning give the dealer an indication of about how much you wish to go for the completed work, and then' get him to demonstrate the best he can offer you at the price. DE LUXE RECEIVERS In regard to the one who desires to Purchase the very best possible in receiving sets, those initiated in radio Immediately think of a super-hetero-dyne set or something similar. There are several good makes on the market to-day, and also in kit-set form if he th ß * res to construc f bis own, although these are naturally not so easy as other types to construct. However, to the buyer with plenty money at his disposal ease of construction does not apply, as he usually Prefers a factory-built model. In any event one thing the beginner t n ra ?*° should do is to become jmuiar with different radio dealers’ stores in his locality. Nowadays they sually have quite a lot of pamphlets, Jj*- elating to the particular lines tHK stoc k- These are generally disgratis, and will be found to , n quite a lot of Interesting and aa> e J U inf °rmation. By talking to the al* Sn^ en stores also, you will bm° • ean . information and knowledge. r . * n doing this keep in bounds and nthi ember he has work to do and otters to attend. “R.F.” AND “A.F.” timi 10 aI>OVG tu 'o abbreviations somemystif y a radio novice. R.F. freonf 8 ra< iiO”frequency, which is any uSSn**'' th * radio range, i.e., or in *° 30,000,000 cycles per second, *° 30,000 kilocycles per second. U audio-frequency, which jo frequency in the audible range, A.F 10,000 cycles per second, the im/?!. a ? (sounds) can be heard by mu, ded huma » but R.F. sigx flrst be rectified, or "door orv., i an au< J f t>r> (vacuum valve) •WMbl. x d< 2 ector - and then made •Peat-.- X. bead-phones or a louder before they can be heard. P-C.J.J. BROADCASTS *>r«Tdca:l? , i<re remln <icd that special ’«atlon ... ,t StS are beir >K Siven by the thoven T lO above call at Kinana Fria olland - to-morrow. Thursdav, On Safura y ' c ™ rnPni 'inr at 2.45 a m turday the time will be 5.54 a.m.

Times given are New Zealand time, and the wave-length 30.2 metres. OVERLOADING Do not blame your loud-speaker entirely if you get blaring on loud signals. This may be due to the signal being so strong that it causes a sort of temporary paralysis of the audiofrequency valve, or valves, by placing so large a charge on the grids that the plate current is stopped entirely for a moment. This is known as “overloading.”