Radio IN THE HOME

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18617, 12 July 1930, Page 14

Radio IN THE HOME

TELEVISION COMING. Make no mistake about it, television will be available in the home in the not-too-distant future, says Captain Robinson in the “Observer,”. London. At present it is in about the same relative state as was wireless telegraphy 30 years ago, four years after Marconi had taken out his first patent. It is quite probable that neither Mr Baird nor any of the many scientists who are investigating the problems on the Continent and in the United States will discover their complete solution. Possibly a real discovery is required akin to Fleming’s historic work on the thermionic valve, or Lee de Forest’s invention of the grid or control electrode. Whatever it is we are waiting for it will come. Scientists, statesmen, musicians of international reputation will no longer be names or voices; they will become personalities known to all. An important step in this direction was taken on March 31, when the 8.8. C. started a series of transmissions in which sound augmented sight. A number of well-known people, scientists, politicians and actresses helped ill the experiments. Both the Brookman’s Park transmitters were used, the Regional for speech and the National for television. To see and hear two receivers were necessary, one with a special television attachment. At present results are crude, but very interesting from the laboratory viewpoint. Much has been done; but very much remains to do. What all investigators are seeking is some means of freeing television from its studio head and shoulders limitations, and making it available for use anywhere —in the theatre, the concert hall, the football field. When this is done we may expect to see television apparatus as simple and nearly as cheap as broadcast receivers.

“UNWANTED FREQUENCIES.” The idea that there could be anything wrong with the transmitters at 2YA has long been ridiculed by the “Radio Record.” At one time complaints were told of heavyside layers and later of clashes at certain points between ground and air waves. Now we have the following naive admission that there was something amiss:— “Listeners are pleased with the ‘cure’ applied to 2YA, Wellington, by Mr J. M. Bingham, chief engineer for the Broadcasting Company. ‘Switch’ understands that the trouble with 2YA was that it was transmitting all frequencies too faithfully, including the undesirable, which the modern radio set also reproduced. These ‘shadows,’ interesting as they may be to the scientific minded, badly mutilated speech and music from 2YA. The cure applied by Mr Bingham was the installation of a low-pass filter which cut off the undesirable frequencies. The

improvement in reception was, of course, immediately evident. The unwanted frequencies could not be heard at a range of 50 miles from Wellington, now they are silenced ccmpletly.”

“Out on the Mountains” is back on the roster of 3ZC. In another week it will become a request item. 3YA will soon require a new record for “In a Clock Store.” Even celluloid will wear out.

| A PAT ON THE BACK. A week or two ago a writer in a Wellington publication protested against the announcer at a Sydney station advising listeners to give themselves a pat on the back, before going to bed. 9pparently the growier was not aware that the announcer was merely referring to the song of the A.B.C. Optimists’ League, the chorus of which runs:— j “Give yourself a pat on the back, pat on the back, pat on the back, And say to yourself, “Here’s jolly good health, I’ve had a good day to-day.” Yesterday was full of trouble and sorrow, Nobody knows what’s goin’ to happen to-morrow, So give yourself a pat on the back, pat on the back, pat on the back, And say to yourself, “Here's jolly good health, I’ve had a good day to-day.” ABOUT WIRELESS. The antenna used in conjunction with a modern radio receiver may be of almost any type or form. In most cases, use is made of an outside antenna consisting of a single piece of wire from 20 to 100 feet in length suspended in the air by means of insulators. Indoor antennas consist of a single wire wound around the molding of a room or strung up in the attic. Some receivers give excellent results wtih “light socket” antennas, consisting of a plug which is screwed into a light socket. Inside the plug, is a small fixed condenser one terminal of which connects to one side of the a.c. line, and the other terminal of which is brought out to a binding post on the side of the plug. Connection is made between this binding post and the antenna terminal on the receiver. Some sets are designed for the use

with a loop antenna, frequently concealed inside the cabinet of the receiver. But no matter w r hat type of antenna is used its purpose is the same—to intercept a small amount of the radio - frequencypporerw r er radiated through the ether from the broadcasting stations. The antenna used at the broadcast transmitting station must send out through the ether thousands of w 7 atts of power—the antenna connected to your receiver must

intercept but microwatts of power. A broadcasting station antenna might transmit, for example, say 25,000 watts and the antenna on the set intercepts but millionths of a watt of power! The broadcast station antenna is suspended by means of insulators, and when the station is “on the air” the voltage across these insulators may be 10,000 or 50,000 volts. The voltage across the insulators of the receiving antenna is only millionths of a volt. These figures give some idea of the differences between antennas for transmitting and receiving.

WAVELETS. 2YB, New Plymouth, has closed | down pending removal of the plant to | new premises. DGW. Naueen, is a wen-known German station, but there are six other short-wave transmitters in that town. A permit has been granted for the contraction of a short-wave station in New York, to be known as W2XE, with a power of 20,C00 watts. For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth monthly statistics, as compiled for May, show an increase of licensees in every state, and an addition of over 2500 to the national re-

gister. The total is now 311,322, Victoria still retaining pride of place with 141,000.

The Maori entertainment to be presented at 2YA on July 15 should be an evening well above the ordinary standard. The presentation, entitled “Hawaiki Calling,” is to be rebroadcast by 3YA and 4YA. but there is no mention that IYA will share Wellington's effort.

Listeners continue to complain in the “Radio Record” of the rather sloppy “Goo-00-ood Night” of 2YA’s announcer. They can easily escape it if they dislike it by tuning out before it comes. The best of the “intimate” good-nights is that of Announcer Cochrane, of 2FC.

Most people who listen-in to 3YA were glad when the Radio Exhibition in Christchurch concluded. The relays from the Art Gallery were not good, and demonstrating sets were

heard in the background while the announcers were at work.

Plans for the inauguration of an international receiving station have just been completed by the Tokio broadcasting station (JOAK). The station will be used for picking up European programmes. It is understood that in the near future the station will also establish a transmitting plant for broadcasting Japanese programmes to Europe.

The lost radio soul which has been making the ether hideous for some time is apparently still enduring the tortures of the damned. Shrieks, wails, and groans rend the atmosphere nightly and it is high time some kindly official secured peace for this uneasy spirit.