RADIO

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1930, Page 11

RADIO

POPULAR PROGRAMMES. THE SUCCESSES ■OF 2Y’B. The unsettled nature' of the weather has mitigated against good and consistent reception of late. American stations have nevertheless been received at' good volume. IYA has much improved of late but is handicapped by being down'in the “noise area” of power lines, etc. This station, by the way, has altered its wave-length from 333 meters to 329 meters, or from 000 to 9.10 kilocycles. This change has been carried out with the consent of the P. and T. Department to counteract the interference caused by KHJ heterodyning IYA. The shift has had the desired effect.

2YB during the week has had some particularly good programmes. On Sunday evening the band of, H.M.S. Dunedin gave some very fine items which were interspersed ■with items by members of the ship’s company and local artists. On Monday evening another vei’y successful community singing evening was held. Without doubt nothing in the way of programmes over the air is more popular than community singing at th© present time, and judging by the number of telephone rings re-' carved by 2YB on Monday last the efforts of those concerned were if anything more popular than eVer, For both of these programmes 2YB had in use one of the very latest types of condenser microphones which are used for th© recording of talking pictures. These microphones are even more sensitive than those used in the main broadcasting stations. The beautiful clarity, absence‘of hiss background and faithfulness of tone -were particularly noticeable after the conventional carbon microphones usually used, at the station. Unfortunately this particular microphone was on loan to the station and is not part of ( the station’s regular equipment, unless perhaps some generous friends of the. station would come forward with the wherewithal to pur-, chase one. It would certainly improve the transmissions of our most popular station. ’

A resident of New Plymouth who recently visited the east coast districts reports that 2YB is most popular over there and is received particularly well. A great many reports from all parts of New Zealand have been received by 2Y'B recently, and they all point to the great popularity of the New Plymouth programmes.

Severe static prevented the rebroadcast of the King’s speech at the opening of the Indian conference on Wednesday night. Although North Taranaki sometimes complains of reception conditions average reception is much superior to that in other places.. Jn Wanganui during the early part of the week it was found that all-round reception was much below that experienced here. Interference was also severe, from the automatic telephone systein. Power and tram noises were on a par with those experienced in New Plymouth. SIGNAL STRENGTH OF 2BL. Complaints are being made in Australia .that station 2BL cannot now be as satisfactorily received as at the corresponding period last year. In some areas, it is alleged, there is. a definite weakening of the signals from this station, both by day and night. Officially this station is, rated at five kilowatts, but experts contend that the present power in the aerial does not exceed two kilowatts, and that frequently it- is much less. Oversea radio engineers who have made tests assert that it is now no better than stations of the same rating in Britain and the United States five years ago. The apparatus in the 3BL station is now much as it was three or four years ago. It was. largely obsolete when taken over by the Post Office Department eighteen months ago. That was the opinion of the engineers of the department when they were making a valuation before its transfer to the G.P.O. wireless branch. It was then recommended that 2BL should be removed from the thickly populated area of Coogee and transferred to Pennant Hills, Windsor, or some other area on the outskirts of the metropolitan area, where it would cause little interference with the majority of listeners. Under the contract with the Australian Broadcasting Company, Limited, the Post Office Department retains 12s of each license fee, of which 3s is paid as royalty fees for patents to Amalgamated Wireless, Limited. The remaining 9s a license has given the Post Office Department during the last 15 months almost £200,000 for transmission costs. On the basis of operating charges when the A class stations wore under private control these costs for the period should not have exceeded £lOO,OOO, leaving a like amount for the erection of new “A” stations, as well as the relay stations provided for under the contract. Consequently there should be sufficient funds available for the purchase of new transmitting apparatus for 2BL, and the removal of that station outside the range of interference. A deterioration in the strength of 2BL’s signals has been noticed in New Plymouth. On small sets loud-speaker volume of 2BL is often difficult to ob- [ tain. The transmission of 2FO Sydney [ is by far the best of the trans-Tasman stations. AUDIBLE FREQUENCIES

PROBLEMS OF CONSTRUCTION dangers of toleration. The ultimate &im of wireless reproduction of sound is that the vibrations of air which reach the ears of the listener should be indistinguishable from those which fall upon the transmitting microphone, so that speech and music may seem to have entered the home by

a magical invasion with their quality and beauty untarnished by the long ohain of transformations which they have undergone (writes John Harmon in the Wireless World). . Such perfection is almost within our grasp at the present day; but its price is one which we cannot afford. For example, the reproduction of an orchestra is imperfect, because it seems to come from a point, whereas the instruments are actually grouped over a considerable area. The illusion could be improved by using two microphones, two channels of communication, two receiving sets and two loud-speakers, but such a system would obviously be commercially impracticable. A refinement of this kind is one we have to learn to do without, just as we are accustomed to put up with flat photographs, pictures and cinema shows, because the stereoscopic production of these things involves too much bother and expense, RANGE OF HUMAN EAR. The ear has a range of ten octaves extending from 20 to 20,000 cycles per second, but it is seldom called upon to listen in the lowest or highest octave of this range. The highest octave, from 10,000 to 20,000 is not considered to have any musical value, and, indeed, it would be difficult to construct a musical instrument which would give appreciable intensity in this region. Some insect noises lie in this qompass, such as the call of the grasshopper, and for all we know some may lie above it and be for ever inaudible to our ears.

The lowest octave, from 20 cycles to 40 cycles, is reached by the deepest notes of the organ and piano, but not by any sounds in Nature eave, perhaps, the roll of thunder. No voice of beast enters this region; even the lion cannot get below 50 cycles, but it may be that soine great reptile in a far-distant age roared on a note deep enough to tex the lower limit of hearing of the mammalian ear. However that may be, there seems to be no survival value to-day in a capacity to hear in the range between 20 cycles and 40 cycles, or between 10,000 cycles and 20,000 cycles; probably Nature has declined to devise a sharp cut-off in these regions, and the imperfect sensitiveness found in them is the result of an extension of efficient hearing in the range from 40 to 10,000.

This latter range, then, is the one which is of importance in-the interpretation of sounds, and we should endeavour to preserve it in the chain of apparatus used in wireless communication of speech and music. It is true that music is not scored for frequencies higher than , 3400 cycles, the highest note of the piccolo,, but the overtones which accompany the fundamental note, and which are. necessary for the preservation of the quality peculiar to each instrument, carry the limit S! 10,000.

The frequency of the- lowest note on the piano is 27 cycles, and it may seem at first sight that the reproducing apparatus should transmit down to this frequency. But, in fact, such low notes contain very little energy jn the fundamental, or even the first overtone. They are heard almost entirely on higher overtones, and can be reproduced perfectly by suitable combinations of pure tones, none of which has its frequency below 50 cycles. The chief reason for the absence of these tones is that the piano frame cannot vibrate at a frequency low enough to reinforce them. The same lack of fundamental power occurs in deep organ tones, though in this case the explanation is not so simple. PECULIARITIES OF EAR. The lower limit of reproduction can accordingly be raised to 50 cycles with perfect safety; indeed, it can be raised much higher owing to a peculiarity of the ear, which is the salvation of many a wireless constructor. The ear, owing to certain dissymmetries in its construction, acts as a rectifier, and, like a rectifying valve, gives rise to beat tones between the frequencies which fall upon it. Even if the fundamental and a few overtones are absent, it can reproduce them by beat tones between the remaining overtones to such an extent that the fundamental pitch of the note is clearly heard. When a filter is used to cut out the fundamental component of a bass voice singing “Ah” on middle C ('256), no alteration in pitch or quality can be detected, but as the cut-out frequency is raised the quality gradually changes to that of a soprano trying to force her voice down to middle C.

In brief, we may say that unimpaired reproduction from 50 to 5000 gives excellent, well-nigh perfect results. As

the upper limit recedes to 4000 treble notes become thin and colourless. As the lower limit rises' to 200, low notes, though still of considerable intensity, are strangely altered, emasculated and reedy. It is estimated that half tae wireless sets in' use to-day transmit only between 250 and 3500; their owners are probably satisfied with their performance once their ears have become accustomed to it. Therein lies a great public danger. Since speech and music tend increasingly to reach our ears by mechanical channels rather than directly, there is a prospect that toleration of imperfect reproduction may lead to decay in the standard of pronunciation and lack of appreciation of musical quality. TO-NIGHT’S PROGRAMMES NEW ZEALAND STATIONS. IYA, Auckland. Afternoon session.-—3 p.m., selected studio items, including literary selection; 5, children’s session; 6, dinner session; Milan Symphony Orchestra; H. T. Amers and the Eastbourne Municipal Band; Jean Lensen’s orchestra; Symphony Orchestra; violin, Toscha. Seidel; lean Lensen’s orchestra; Gallico’s orchestra; 6.30, H. G. Amers and East-

bourne Orchestra; Galileo’s orchestra; 11. G. Amers and Eastbourne Band; Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra; violiu, Toscha Seidel; Symphony Orchestra; 7, news and market reports; 7.40, talk, Mr. F. R. Field.

Evening session.—B p.m., chimes; Studio Trio; baritone, Mr. John Bree; clarinet, Mr. S. C. Lewis; dialogue, Miss Maisie Carte-Lloyd and Mr. Alan McSkimming; 8.34, Studio Trio; mezzo-so-prano, Madame Mary Towsey; violin, Mi. J. Whitford Waugh; dialogue, Miss Maisie Carte-Lloyd and Mr. Alan McSkimming; evening weather forecast and announcements; 9.1, baritone, Mr. John Bree; clarinet, Mr. S. O. Lewis; dialogue, Miss Maisie Carte-Lloyd and Mr. Alan McSkimiuing; piano, Mr. Cyril Towsey; mezzo-soprano, Madame Mary Towsey; studio trio; 9.33, gramophone lecture-recital; 10.3, God Save the King. 2YA, Wellington.

Afternoon session.—3 p.m., chimes; selected studio items; 3.30 and 4.30, sporting results to hand; 5, childrenis session; 6, dinner music session; Dajos Bela Orchestra; Grand Symphony Orchestra; Dajos Bela Orchestra; Grand Symphony Orchestra; Edith Lorand Orchestra; Par lophone Dance Orchestra; 6.30, Orchestra of the Opera Comique; ’cello, Gregor Pittigorsky; Edith Lorand Orchestra; Grand Symphony Orchestra; y, news session, market reports and sports results; 7.40, Mr. Colin Smith, “Radio Reception”; 8, chimes; a special programme of excerpts from comic opera and musical comedy by the Wellington Operatic and Theatrical Society, assisted by the 2YA Orchestrina; overture,. Orchestrina; chorus, Wellington Operatic and Theatrical Society; baritone and <chorus, Mr. Ray Kemp and the company; selection, Orchestrina; 8.30, contralto and chorus,. Miss Pauline Shotlander and the company; sextet. “Correct”; saxophone, Andy Sanella; soprano, Mrs. J. F. Woodward; chorus, The Company; selection, Orchestrina; 9, weather report and station notices;' selection, Band of H.M. Coldstream Guards; humour, Mr. Will McKeen, in ten minutes of humour from musical comedy; double sextet; selection, Orchestrina; 9.33, 'chorus, The Company; soprano, Miss Joyce Woodward; viola, Lionel Tertis; chorus, The dances, Orchestrina; 10.3, God Save the King. 3YA, Christchurch.

Afternoon session.—2l noon, results .of Metropolitan Trotting Club’s meeting at Addington; 5, children’s hour; 6, dinner session; Charles Ancliffe’s orchestra; Squire’s Celeste Octet; Gil Dech Ensemble; Regal Cinema Orchestra; organ, Quentin Maclean; Squire’s Celeste Octet; 6.30, Debroy Somers Band; Squire’s Celeste Octet; organ, Quentin / Maclean; Kotelbey’f. Concert Orchestra; Squire’s Celeste Octet; Ketelbey’s Concert Orchestra; orchestral, Gil Dech Ensemble; 7, news session.,

Evening forecast. —8 p.m., chimes; popular and dance programme; overture, 'Band of Grenadier Guards; humour, Mr. Jock Lockhart; guitar, Andy Sanelia; light baritone, Mr. Arthur T. Couch; Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; 8.27, steel guitars and ukulele, Elaine Moody’s Hawaiian Trio; novelty description, Raymond Newell;' sketch, The Mascots; Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; weather 'forecast and station notices; 9.1, waltz, International Concert Orchestra; humour in song and story, Mr. Jock Lockhart; organ, Reginald Fobrt; light baritone, Mr. Arthur T. Couch; BaileyMarston Dance Orchestra; sketch, The Alascot; 9.35, steel guitars and ukulele, Elaine Moody’s Hawaiian Trio; BaileyMarston Dance Orchestra; duet, The’ Trix Sisters; Bailey-Marston Dance Orchestra; duet, The Trix ; Sisters; 10.5, dance music until 11 p.m. - ‘ ' 4YA, Dunedin. .

Afternoon session.—3 p.m., ichimes; selected gramophone items; 4.25, sporting results; 5, children’s hour; 6, dinner music; Concert Orchestra; Squire’s Chamber Orchestra; Menorah Symphony Orchestra; 8.8-C. Military Band; Sqiiirq’s ■ Chamber Orchestra; 6.30, New Queen’s Hall Orchestra; 8.8. C. Wireless Band; Classic Symphony Orchestra; Squire’s Celeste Octet; Poltronieri String Quartet; Squire’s Celeste Octet; 7, news session. ' '

Evening forecast.—B p.m., special “Mozart” evening; Berlin State Orchestra;, duet, Miss Mae Matheson and Mr. 11. A. Johnston; lecture, Mr. Max Scherek, president Otago Society of Musicians, “Mozart”; Mr. Max Scherek and String Quintet; 8.34, baritone, Mr. S. Falconer; State Opera Orchestra; quartet, The Harmonists; violin, Mr.' J. A. Wallace; contralto, Miss M. S. Green; 9, weather report and station announcements; Venetian Players; solo and chorus, The Harmonists; Mr. Max Scherek and quintet; 9.31, tenor, Mr. H. A. Johnston; harp, Wanda Landowska; duet, Miss Mao Matheson and Miss M. S. Green; Mr. Max Scherek and StringQuintet; soprano, Miss M. Matheson; selection, Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra; 10.4, God Save the King.