AMERICA’S DILEMMA.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 17773, 8 October 1927, Page 15

AMERICA’S DILEMMA.

TOO MANY STATIONS. Now Zealanders cannot realise the extent of the trouble occasioned in tlie United States through the superabundance of broadcast .stations. Recognising thfe new radio act lias failed to prove a panacea’ for broadcasting ills, a. number of members, of Congress already are planning to propose amendments!. , ‘ ‘ Many radio experts feel that satisfactory reception .conditions never can be established ■ .with the present 097 stations on the air. For ideal conditions 300 stations are practically the limit, according ,to this view. Since tho Government cannot arbitrarily cut down the number of stations without confiscating properly, a violation of constitutional right, a plan for congressional appropriation of about 10,000,000 dallars (£2,000,000) to buy up tho physical equipment of several hundred stations lias been suggested. Opponents of tin's scheme insist- that limitation of stations to 300 would immediately set up a- dangerous monopoly, a cry already raised by smaller stations and would-be broadcasters who have not obtained licenses. Lentil authorities insist that to a certain degree, the commission already has confiscated radio property by placing some of the stations m the lower congested wave bands where their efficiency lias been decreased. Several stations which had advertising contracts have complained to the commission that this business lias been withdrawn as a result.

ATMOSPHERICS. Have you ever wondered what is the origin of those sharp, angry sounds which you sometimes hear in your phones or loud-speaker and which the books tell us are due to “atmospherics” ? Three Distant Types. There are at least three distinct types of those sounds. First of all there is that ominous, prolonged rattle which sounds as if somebody were stirring most viciously a great tub of empty tills somewhere. Then there is that sharp, angry noise which reminds one of a motor-bus changing gear. Lastly, there is that gentle sizzling noise which has been compared, rightly or wrongly, to the noise made by a rasher of bacon being done to a turn on a gas-ring. The scientist tells us that the atmosphere is responsible for these natur-ally-occurring wireless signals, but it is not generally known amongst wireless listeners how "the atmosphere produces these unwanted noises in our wireless receivers. Atmospherics are caused by lightning, and it is indeed a fortunate thing that tho effects of these discharges of lightning are leiss marked on the broadcasting band of wavelengths than on the higher wavelengths used in commercial telegraphy. QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

The purpose of a fixed condenser across the high tension battery. Tincurrent (low from such a battery is very seldom smooth, due to inherent defects in the cells. By the use of a. large fixed -condenser of 1 or 2 microfarads tire discharge of the battery will become much steadier. AVhy is it not safe to use a gas pipe for an earth? —Because there is thr risk that in the event of the aerial being struck by lightning, the gas pipe wou’d be fractured and the gas ignited, and besides such an earth is napoo. Do you hoar me Air L.AV. ? You will get better results if you use the illumes to tune in with. How long should the earth wire be? —Make the earth wire as short as possible and as direct as possible. Is it better to use a variable leak or a fixed one? —If you procure a good and reliab’e variable leak then use one. Personnllv 1 use a variable and find same O.K.

Should you bo experimenting with your set, do not touch any electric switches that may he near, even if yon are wearing headphones, do not touen. The folly of doing so may cause a nasty accident.

THE “WOWSERS” MAKE GOOD. Australian broadcast listeners, as indicated by a popular vote, have shown a greater preference for religious programmes than anything else. 'they cared the least for fashions. SHAKESPEARE UP-TO-DATE. ‘‘When shall we three meet again—in thunder, lightning, or in rain?” “No, for there is too much static then.” —David Ferris Kirby. AMATEURS AND MUSIC. The Commonwealth Director of Postal Services (Mr Ti. P. Brown) intends to take steps to stop amateur wireless transmitters from broadcasting musical items as part of their experimental work. This appears to he a. retrograde step, and requires some explanation. Anent the above the Melbourne “Argus” says: “At present half a dozen or more very tine amateur stations are regularly combining their experiments with tile transmission of first class programmes, which are used by thousands of broadcast listeners. These programmes are particularly valued, by liteners because they are broadcast at a time when the main stations are not transmitting.. The amateur stations are, therefore, a va’uable adjunct to the A class and B class stations in Melbourne. How far, the Postmaster-Gen-eral's Department,intends to carry the threat to see that these stations do not combine musical.programmes with their experiments lias not been announced, but if any attempt is made to limit the present. operations of the .stations there will be protests from thousands of listeners.”

• Many fans have wondered what the sUflix or prefix “dyne,” which has been used to name many new circuits, means. . This' comes from 1 the Greek word dypainis, meaning power j in physics this means force.