RADIO

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1930, Page 13

RADIO

2YB ON THE AIR AGAIN.

IMPROVEMENTS AT STATION. (By 8.C.L.) For the first time in the new year 2YB was on the air on Wednesday night. Crystal users particularly have had rather a thin time, but now once again all is well and many good programmes are promised. Opportunity has been taken by the technical staff during the enforced silence to effect improvements in the station equipment, including the installation of a new control panel to facilitate the handling of relays and studio programmes. A crystal set owner in Inglewood is said to .be getting excellent results from 2YB’s transmissions. This is very satisfactory, as Inglewood is well outside the average crystal range of the station. SPECIAL LECTURES. Station 2YB, New Plymouth, has taken the opportunity afforded by the holding of the teachers’ summer school in New Plymouth, of arranging for a short scries of half-hour lectures to be given from the studio by some of the ■visiting experts. Listeners will, undoubtedly, appreciate the privilege of hearing" what must prove to be most interesting and instructive talks. Following is the short syllabus arranged: — Saturday, January 18, 8 p.m. —Miss King, MA., “Poetry of To-day.” Sunday, January 19, 8.30 p.m. —Mr. Johannes Andersen, “Bird Songs.” Monday, January 20, 8.30 p.m. —Professor Adams, “Our Greek Inheritance.” Wednesday, January 22, 7.30 p.m.— Mr. Hollinrake, “Music.” KING TO BROADCAST SPEECH.-' BROADCAST IN NEW ZEALAND. The general mapager of the Radio Broadcasting Company, who has been in communication with the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding the speech which is to be made by the King ou January 21, states that all the New Zealand stations will endeavour to pick up and rebroadcast the short-wave transmission from SSW. New Zealand listeners will thus be able, if atmospheric conditions permit, to hear the voice of the King in the first broadcast speech he has made since his serious illness.

The speech will be made at the opening of the international conference on naval disarmament in the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords. It is to be broadcast by means of relay lines in Britain and the Continent, and by shortwave transmission throughout the rest of the world. His Majesty will speak at 11 p.m. New Zealand time. It is not known at present whether 2YB will rebroadcast or not, but doubtless an attempt will be made, conditions being favourable. GENERAL NOTES. A unique broadcast is to take place from 2YA on January 29, when the wedding of Aunt Gwen and subsequent reception will be broadcast for the benefit of hundreds of boys and girls, old as wel las young, who have learned to love the sound of Aunt Gwon’s voice and her wonderful radio personality. Aunt Gwen is New Zealand’s most popular radio aunt, and has won her way into the hearts of old and young by her cheerful voice. All listeners will appreciate the kindly thought of Aunt Gwen in allowing the great radio audience to be guests of honour' on the great occasion, which, by the way, will be New Zealand’s first radio wedding. All listeners will join with B.C.L. in wishing Aunt Gwen a prosperous and happy future. The civic farewell to Sir Charles Fcrgusson will be broadcast by 2YA on February 6, and in all probability may be rebroagrast by the other stations. The speakers will inelude the Governor-Gen-eral, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice and the Mayor of Wellington. According to the radio correspondent of a Wellington paper, the genera 1 manager of the R.B.C. has stated that during the coming winter silent days are to be eliminated. This is to be followed by an early afternoon session from noon to 2 p.m. Considering the number of licenses and the income of the R.8.C., this will represent about the maximum service that listeners can expect, if the standard of the evening programmes is to be maintained and improved. Certainly saturation point has not been reached yet, but one cannot expect the same percentage of increase of licenses from year to year, and another 10,000 will take a lot of getting. Listeners who talk glibly of an all-day service have little idea of the enormous expense of running a broadcast service. The American Academy of Arts is reported to be drawing up rules for a competition for wireless announcers, and a medal will be given to the best exponent of the language. The chairman of the committee stated the idea was not merely to improve the diction of the announcers, but to aid in raising the standard of spoken English throughout the United States. Members of the judging committee will decide on articulation, quality of tone, accent and general cultural effect.

The steady and substantial increase in the number of licensed listeners in New Zealand is a reliable indication of the popularity of the programmes. Wherever programmes have been poor in other countries the number of listeners have substantially decreased, and when programmes have improved the reverse has resulted. It has been notorious in Australia that the programmes by 4QG, Brisbane, have fallen off in merit during the past 12 months, and so during the past year Queensland has fallen back nearly 2000 licenses, whereas South Australia has increased by about 0000. The main cause in the latter case has been the relays of good programmes from Melbourne. As relays may be expected from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane under the new regime, there is every reason to expect that 4QG will go ahead once more.

One of the “tallest” wireless stories on record is related with a due amount of scepticism in Time and Tide. It appears that in the early hours of a recent morning a listener endeavouring to get America was surprised to receive at exceptional strength a programme of

classical music. This roused his curiosity, as American radio programmes at this time are usually devoted to classical music, and it was increased when he heard the items announced in English as spoken in England. He wrote down the particulars of the music performed with the object of identifying the transmitting station. The mystery deepened when he obtained proof that that the programme had not emanated from any station working at the hour he heard it. His astonishment may be judged when, after what must have been a weary search, he discovered that the programme tallied exactly with one broadcast from 2LO in 1927, two years previously! Here, indeed, was an echo from the depths of space which might well frighten the boldest. For how many programmes could we endure twice? Probably the best cables in the world for broadcasting purposes are those now in use in Germany. The German Post Office has worked hand in hand with the broadcasting authorities in the production of cables specially suitable for musical transmissions, and the result is the evolution of a new form of cable in the centre of which are sev-al heavily-

insulated lines reserved exclusively for broadcasting purposes. It is stated that relays with the new cable, which runs from Berlin to Cologne, are singularly free from extraneous noises and distortion. The British- Pose Office is watching the experiment with interest, and it is highly probable that similar tests may be carried out. WIRELESS IN OTHER LANDS. Soviet Russia cannot be said to lag behind in radio development. There are 78 broadcasting stations scattered over Russia and Siberia, many of them being super stations of 10KW and over. Although there is such a large number of stations there are said to be only 370,000 receivers in use. This is due to the fact that nearly every town and village has its clubs and community receivers, and the public listen-in in a body, comparatively few individual receivers being in use in private homes. A permit has been granted for the erection of a 50KW plant for WABC. New York, the key station of the Columbia Broadcasting System. This is the maximum power allowable by law. Extensive tests are being made to find a suitable site, which will probably be in the southern part of New York State, or on Long Island. Field strengths are being estimated from a number of points, using a 50-watt portable transmitter, the object being to obtain the best average strength in all directions, and avoid interference in congested areas. According to the belief of radio experts, the station will have a reliable average day and night service area of within a 125-mile radius of the transmitter. Under good radio condition.?, however, the station will have a range of as high as 1000 miles, the 125-mile rating being only a reliable average under all radio conditions.

According to an article in the Madrid Gazette the Spanish Government has taken over the organisation of broadcasting in that country. The arrangement is similar to that of the Australian Government, except that Spain goes one step further than Australia in handling the administrative as well as the technical departments. Contracts have been let for the erection of and care of 18 transmitters, which must be placed in the principal cities, spread all over Spain. The energy of the station in Madrid must be brought on 20KW., and a short-wave transmitter has to be built, the energy of which may amount to 40KW. This last transmitter is intended mainly for broadcasting to the Spanish-speaking countries in South America. The wave-length to be used will be 100 metres. The energy of the main station at Barcelona is to be increased and brought up to 10 K.W. The new stations and the technical alterations on the existing transmitters must be accomplished within two years. The income of the managing company consists of 90 per cent, of the listening dues received, and in addition of a part of the money resulting from advertising by radio. However, the stipulation is made that for this purpose not more than 100 words an hour may be transmitted.” The Government itself keeps 10 per cent, of the listening dues as indemnification for the administration. AUSTRALIA’S NEW STATIONS. Contracts have been let abroad by the Commonwealth Government for the first two of the contemplated relay stations in Victoria and New South Wales. Mr. J. C. Eldridge, M.P., who asked questions of the Postmaster-General in the House of Representatives on the subject, stated recently that he had been informed by letter that the tenders were let to an oversea company primarily because of the excessive cost which would have been incurred if the order had been given to an Australian tenderer.

The reason the Australian tenders were so high, said Mr. Eldridge, was that the specification was drawn up in such a way as to enable the oversea manufacturer to supply practically a stock model station, whereas Australian manufacturers who could supply equally good stations of different design would have had to install a special plant to

make a station to the specifications as they were drawn. Mr. Eldridge added that he would urge the Federal Labour Party to use every possible endeavour to ensure that in contracts for future relay and other radio stations for Australia the specification be drawn in' such a ma- ler as to prevent an unjust discrimination against apparatus manufacturers in Australia.

WIRELESS PROGRAMMES NEW ZEALAND STATIONS. I YA, Auckland—3 p.m., afternoon session—selected studio items; 5, children’s session; 6. dinner session—“ His Master’ Voice” hour; pianoforte, Mischa Levitski; Flonzaley Instrumental Quartet; 6.30, New Symphony Orchestra; violin. Fritz Kreisler; New Light Symphony Orchestra; 7, news and information and market reports; 8, chimes; relay of concert from Lewis Eady Hall; 8.31, instrumental, Edith Lorand Orchestra; baritone, Mr. Ernest Snell; instrumental, Studio Trio; contralto,' Miss Phyllis Hazell; choral, Berlin Union of Teachers; pianoforte, Mr. Erie Waters; 9.2, weather report; orchestral, ' Edith Lorand Orchestra; - baritone, Mr. E. Snell; flute solo, Mr. George Poore; soprano, Margherita Salvi; ’cello, Miss Molly Wright; 9.31, Berlin State Opera House Orchestra; contralto, Miss Phyllis Hazel; flute solo, Mr. George Poore; instrumental, Studio Trio; choral, Sieber Choir; 10, God Save the King. 2YA, Wellington—3 p.m., chimes—selected gramophone items; 4.55, close down; .5, children’s session; 6, Amner music session, “Coliinfbia” hour; Herman Finck’s Orchestra; Marimba Orchestra, Rio Marimba Orchestra; 6.30, Bayreuth Festival Orchestra; waltz, Eddie Thomas’ Collegians; Wurlitzer organ, Stanley MacDonald; Regal Orchestra; Marimba Orchestra, Rio Marimba Orchestra; 7, news session, market reports and sports results; 8, chimes; overture, 2YA Orchestrina, under the eonductorship of Signor Truda; soprano, Miss Ena 'Raplcy; baritone, Mr. Arthur Brady; violin, Albert Sammons; tenor, Mr. Edwin Dennis; operatic selection, 2YA Orchestrina; 8.33, entertainers, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Russell; contralto, Miss Ruby Jackson; ’cello, Gaspar Cascado; vocal duet, Messrs. Edwin Dennis and Arthur* Brady; operatic selection, 2YA Orchestrina; 9.2, weather report and announcements; soprano, Miss Ena Rapley; baritone, Mr. Arthur Brady; musical comedy selection, 2YA Orchestrina; entertainers, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Russell; contralto, Miss Ruby Jackson; 9.31, Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards; vocal duet, Miss Ena Rapley and Mr. Edwin Dennis; sextette with chorus and orchestra, Marie Gentile, Dino Borgioli, G. Vannelli, G. Baccaloni, G. Xessi, I. Mannerini and La Scala Chorus; tenor, Mr. Edwin Dennis; operatic selection, 2YA Orchestrina; 10, God Save the King.

3YA, Christchurch.—-3 p.m., afternoon session; 4.30, close down; 5, children’s hour; 0, dinner, session—“H.M.V.’ hour; Piccadilly Orchestra; . Hawaiian, Kolomoku’s Honoliiluans; Piccadilly Orchestra; 6.30, selection, New Mayfair Orchestra; Warin’s Orchestra; Hawaiian, Kolomoku’s Honoliiluans; orchestral, Victor Concert Orchestra; orchestral, Piccadilly Orchestra; waltz, International Concert Orchestra; 7, news and information session; 8, chimes; overture, Percival Mackey’s Band; baritone, Mr. A. Gladstone Brown; dance music, Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; dramatic sketch, Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Bailey; 8.35, cornet and trombone, Brown and Remfrey; organ solo, Terence Casey; recitation, Mr. W. H. Moses; dance music, Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; male quartet,. Shannon Male Quartet; 9.2, weather forecast and announcements; Irish hornpipe, Flanagan Bros.; baritone, Mr. A. Gladstone Brown; daneo music, Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; sketches, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bailey; 9.32, mezzo-soprano, Mrs. Maud Wood; novelty, Flauagan Bros.’ Novelty Orchestra; recitation, Mr. W. 11. Moses; dance music, Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; male quartet, Shannon Male Quartet; dance music by the BaileyMarston Dance Orchestra until 11 p.m.; 11, God Save the King.

4YA, Dunedin.— 3p.m., chimes, selected gramophone items; 4.30, close down; 5, children’s hour; New Light Symphony Orchestra;, violin, Erica Morini; 6.30, New Light Symphony Orchestra; violin, Erica Morini; Marek Weber’s Orchestra; ’cello, Lauri Kennedy.; 7, news and information session; 8, chimes; overture, Royal Opera Orchestra; contralto, Miss Ida Lungley; violin and guitar, Guilietta Morini; recitation, Miss Nellie Osborn; 8.29, instrumental trio, 4YA Broadcasting Trio, Schumann Trio; baritone, Mr. A. W. Alloo; piano solo, Mrs. E. Drake; soprano, Miss Rae Stubbs; 9, weather forecast and announcements; suite, Royal Opera Orchestra; contralto, Miss Ida Lungley; violin and guitar, Guilietta Morini; recitations, Miss Nellie Osborn; instrumental trio, 4YA Broadcasting Trio; 9.33, baritone, Mr. A. W. Alloo; ’cello solos, Mr. Phil. Palmer; chorus with orchestra, Mixed Chorus.; soprano, Miss Rae Stubbs; instrumental trio, 4YA Broadcasting Trio; 10.2, God -Save the King.