RADIO

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1929, Page 15

RADIO

G LEANINGS FROM THE AIR.

PROPOSED RELAY STATIONS.

(By

"B.C.I.”)

From reports from other centres it eceins that listeners are getting impatient for something definite relative to the system of relay’ stations proposed by the R.8.C., and claims are made that since the public announcement was made no further steps have been taken. If listeners will stop to think and review the activities of the company during the past few months they will realise that an immense amount of pioneer work has been undertaken.

Does the public for a minute think that all the land-line relays undertaken, and. there have been a great many, are solely for the purpose of giving listeners additional entertainment and a change in fare? The writer Thinks decidedly not. They have undoubtedly been undertaken for the prime purpose of testing the best possible means of relaying from one distant point to another, and to test and find the most suitable apparatus and methods of relaying. Does the public suppose that any concern would order machinery off-hand without finding out the conditions it had to work under, and what was most suitable for their requirements ? The establishment of a chain of relay stations will be a very costly matter, and listeners should be glad that the company is approaching the question in no haphazard fashion and thus .conserving the none too large revenue for programme purposes.

An interesting experiment is to be carried out shortly when a band concert from Whangarei will be broadcast by all four stations, the only rebroadcast being in the case of 3YA, which will not be connected by line to 2YA. No news is so far to hand as to whether 2YB will be included in the schedule, but it is more than likely that something of the nature will be attempted in the .near future.During a recent visit to Wellington, “8.C.L.” took the opportunity to investigate the report mentioned in these notes recently that 2YB was poorly received in Wellington. On the contrary She found that apart from an occasional partial fade accompanied • by blur-

ring, reception is remarkably.good, with ample volume and general steadiness, and is quite a favourite on 2YA’s silent night. Howling valves are, of course, fearful on Wednesday nights, and even when 2YA is on the air fearful howls are heard at times on all sides. Taranaki is remarkably free in comparison from this form of trouble.

REVENUE OF DEPARTMENT. Very little is heard now in Wellington of the P. and T. trouble shooting van, and interference is being experienced in many quarters. Neither are any howlers ever shown the error of their ways. The department seems to be on a pretty good thing, with the five shillings they deduct from our license fees and the very large amount they must receive annually out of the balance for the use of their post office lines for relays. The amount of work and time involved in fixing the connection for a relay is practically negligible, and in the majority of cases lines are used for which the department is already in receipt of an annual rental as telephone lines. Seeing that the amount of revenue available for the company is small enough out of which to maintain and extend its stations and provide programmes, the department might well afford to reduce its charges for lines, etc., and yet show a reasonable profit after paying for the labour, etc., involved. Just how far America has advanced in wireless matters was indicated by the answer to a question put to Mr. Ross Hull, late of the staff of QST, at a recent meeting of the Wireless Institute of Australia. He was asked just how far the crystal receiver had got in America, and replied that during the whole term of his stay somewhere about 2J years, he did not remember seeing a crystal receiver employed by a broadcast listener. Probably the reason for this is that on account of its inherent unselectivity it is difficult to separate one station from another on a crystal hook up. As so many stations operate in America the use of crystal receivers would be most unsatisfactory. If any increase in the number of licensed stations is made by the Commonwealth Government the same condition is likely to occur in Australia. The crystal receiver will become extinct and will eventually be

•replaced by' one and two-valve receivers which are capable of being made sufficiently selective to eliminate unwanted stations.

Recent copies of Australian magazines to hand contain full-page advertisements of the A.B.C. inviting artists to apply to fho company for engagement ■when they take over control of the present Australian services. It is understood that the company registered as 2FC, Limited, which inaugurated public broadcasting in Australia, and is the holder of the No, 1 license from the Postmaster-General for that purpose, will not be wound up when 2FC station passes to the control of another organisation next month. The future activities of this company in the realm of broadcasting will be of particular interest to listeners. Important developments may be looked for toward the end of the month.

Continuity of service for Sydney listeners has been assured by the Australian Broadcasting Company in its appointment of Mr. Oswald Anderson as general manager for New South Wales and of Air, H. P. Williams as assistant manager. Both gentlemen nave been associated with 2FC almost since its formation. They were appointed to similar positions when the New South Wales Broadcasting Company, Limited, assumed control of both 2FC and 2BL. Mr, Oswald Anderson was actually the first broadcast announcer in Australia, his service dating back to 1923. Almost all members of the staffs of 2FC and 2BL will be transferred to the new organisation when the change-over taktfs place.

BROADCASTERS’ PARADISE.

Australia is a veritable broadcaster's paradise so far as concerns atmospheric conditions, according to Air. Ross Hull,

a well-known wireless engineer who has returned to his native land after several years in the United States. Writing in the Sydney Wireless Weekly, Air. Hull says: —“A few hundred nights of experience in listening on the broadcast frequencies in various parts of America has convinced me of this fact. On the Atlantic coast, in particular, conditions arc so wretched that one wonders how broadcasting in that section has made any advances at all.

"Aside altogether from atmospheric disturbances, which, in the summer, make anything but local reception almost an impossibility, transmission characteristics appear to be so poor that it takes a mighty fine six-tube receiver to provide the equivalent performance of a couple of valves in Australia. In Connecticut, located almost centrally in a nest of the world’s most powerful stations, one usually must be content to listen to the local transmitter's, even in winter, if one is to avoid a dozen different varieties of fading and distortion.

“After experience with Australian conditions the 50-kilowatt transmitter of WEAF, at 90 miles distance, sounds as if it were three thousand miles away. WGY’s magnificent transmitter of the same power, when heard at 100 miles to tlyj south-east,-sounds for all the world like a dizzy one ilea-power amateur station located at the west end of the Great Australian Bight. These conditions, of course, are not found throughout the United States, but it is in very few locations that radio wares appear to perform in the same way as they do here. We are, indeed, fortunate.” Listeners are assured of a musical treat on Saturday night from 2YB, when the orchestra of the Boys’ High School, assisted by other well-known local artists, will put on a special programme. Next Wednesday will be “Old Time Night,” when the songs and melodies of yesteryear will delight all listeners and bring back tender memories to not a few.

An advertisement in a Sydney paper announces that the new Australian Broadcasting Company will spend £5OOO on their first week’s programme, and that world-famous artists are now on their way from England and America. The new company’s income is insufficient to maintain weekly programmes costing £5000,. but it is good policy to open up with a brave showing. But all the same, from previous experience we “hae our doots.” It savours too much of the American film advertisements from which Mr. Doyle apparently takes his cue.

All listeners who can pick up the Australian stations will be interested in the announcement that on Saturday night, July 20, 2BL Sydney, by arrangement with Messrs J. C. Williamson, Ltd., will broadcast the full performance of the musical comedy, “The Desert Song,” from the theatre in Sydney. This will be 2BL’s final night under the old management, and those artists who have been, associated with 2BL since its beginning will also contribute to the programme on that night. “THE LATEST!” At one homo in Wellington a lady football enthusiast who was listeningin for the first time when 2YA Wellington was rebroadcasting the description of the All Blacks v. New South Wales football match, exclaimed: “Just fancy playing in the pitch dark. I suppose they have got the electric lights turned on!” And it y/as quite dark in Wellington during the latter stages of the game, but the lady was not aware- of the hour and a-half difference in time between Sydney and Wellington.

WIRELESS PROGRAMMES NEW ZEALAND STATIONS. IYA Auckland. —3 p.m., afternoon session; 4.0, literary selection; 4.8, further s’tudio items; 4.25, sports results to hand; 6.0, children’s session; 7.0, talk, Mr. Frank Sutherland; 7.15, news and information; 7.30, market reports; 7.40, talk, Mr. R. Howard-Taylor; 8.0, chimes; 8.1, band, Regimental Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards; 8.9, contralto, Miss Irene Frost; 8.16, instrumental; 8.25, choral, Don Cossacks Choir; 8.29, organ and vocal, Mr. Arthur E. Wilson and Mr. L. North; 8.49, soprano, Miss Mary Cofield; 8.56, 'cello, Miss Mollio Wright; 9.0, evening forecast and announcements; 9.2, baritone, Mr. L. North; 9.8, talk, Mr. A. B. Chappell; 9.21, instrumental; 9.29, contralto, Miss I. Frost; 9.33, organ and vocal, Mr. A. E. Wilson and Mr. L. North; 9.53, soprano,'Miss M. Cofield; 9.57, orchestral; 10.1, God Save the King. 2YA Wellington.—3.l, selected studio items; 3.40, relay; 4.0, studio items; 4.30, sports results to hand; 5.0, children’s session; 6.0, dinner session; 7.0, news session, market reports and sports results; 7.40, lecturette, Mr. Dan McKenzie; 8.0, chimes; 8.1, overture, orchestra; 8.9, soprano solo, Miss Ena Rapley; 8.13, baritone solo, Mr. Arthur Brady; 8.17, pianoforte solos, Miss Paul-

lino Rodgers; 8.27, tenor solo, Mr. Edwin Dennis; 8.31, instrumental selection, orchestra; 8.39, humorous sketch, Airs. E. Carte and Aliss Rose Carte; 8.46, contralto solo, Aliss Madge Freeman; 8.50, vocal duet, Aliss Ena Rapley and Air. Edwin Dennis; 8.54, selection, orchestra; 9.2, weather report; 9.4, vocal quartette, Philharmonic Quartette; 9.8, soprano solo, Aliss Ena Rapley; 9.12, instrumental, orchestra; 9.19, humorous sketch, Airs. E. Carte and Miss Rose Carte; 9.26, vocal duet, Aliss Madge Freeman and Air. Edwin Dennis; 9.30, baritone solo, Air. Arthur Brady; 9.34, Military Band; 9.42, tenor solo, Air. Edwin Dennis; 9.46, contralto solo, Aliss Aladsre Freeman; 9.50, ballet music, orchestra; 10.0, close down.

3YA Christchurch.-—3 p.m., afternoon session; 4.25, sports results to hand; 6.0, children’s session; 7.0, news session; 7.30, talk; 8.0, relay from Temuka of Children’s Choir Festival. /

4YA Dunedin. —3.1, selected gramophone items; 4.25, sports results to hand; 6.1, children’s session; 7.0, news session; 7.30, leeturette, Air. H. Greenwood; 8.1, overture; 8.9, contralto solos, Aliss Helen Roy; 8.16, instrumental; 8.22, tenor solos, Air. W. Harrison; 8.29, musical monologues, Aliss Eileen Cooper; 8.36, relay from Ritz; 8.46, chorus; 8.54, ’cello solo, Air. P. J. Palmer; 8,59, vocal duet, Alisses Roy and Wynne; .9.3, weather report; 9.5, instrumental; 9.11, soprano solos, Aliss Olga Wynne; 9.18, orchestral; 9.26, pianoforte solo, Airs. Ernest Drake; 9.32, musical monologue, Aliss Eileen Cooper; 9.37, relay from Ritz; 9.47, tenor solo, Air. W. Harrison; 9.51, violin solo, Aliss Eva Judd; 9.55, chorus and orchestra; 10.3, close down.