RADIO CLUB NOTES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20105, 11 May 1935, Page 10

RADIO CLUB NOTES

Hon. Secretary and Treasurer— D. W. Beswick, 197 Otlpua Road. It was decided at last week's meeting to hold a community sing in the Theatre Royal in order to raise further funds to keep the Hospital installation up-to-date and to pay for replace ments. Either the best radio fidelity possible should be available or, if the original installation is neglected, none at all. This is an expensive matter, as replacements are costly, and, no matter how carefully the equipment is looked after, there are always headphones to be replaced or valves to be renewed. A good night’s enjoyment at the community sing is assured with Mr Allan Brown as song leader. The syllabus for the next few months has been finalised and is as follows: May I—Social activities; May 16—Talkie, “At the World's Fair.” May 29—General business; lecturette; June 12—Talk, Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P.; June 26 —General business; lecturette; July 10—Talk, “Newspapers”; July 26—General business; lecturette; Aug. 7—Debate;

Aug. 21—General business; lecturette; Sept. 4 —Talk, Rev. Llywelyn Williams,

“American Life.” Sept. 18—General business; lecturette Oct. 2—Talk, Mr A. M. Paterson; Oet. 16—Pictures, Mr H. D. Oddie; Oct. 30—Talk, “Sport in South Can terbury.”

Next Wednesday, a “talkie” will be shown of various exhibits and doings at the World's Fair at Chicago 1934. The talkie apparatus is a sound-on-disc method of reproduction.

Reception last week-end was very noisy from a static point of view, but this did not affect to any great extent the rebroadcasts of the Empire stations at Daventry of the Jubilee celebrations. The Australians are practically at full strength early in the evening, and the Americans are very good from 6 p.m. until they close at 7.30 p.m. Toe H has appealed for assistance In providing radio entertainment for the men in the wayback unemployment

camp at Lake Ohau. A receiver has been donated, but a set of batteries is required before the machine can be installed. The equipment needed comprises one 6-volt “A” (accumulator) battery; four li-volt cells Uarge type —not unit cells), and two 45-volt dry B batteries. batteries may be left at the C.F.C.A. office, or with Mr D. W. Beswick, secretary of the Club. Time Signals Sudenly in the middle of the afternoon programme proceedings are held up while a series of curious chirrups and blasts monopolise the entire power output of station 2YA for a matter of two or three minutes. Not the slightest inkling Is given as to how it is possible to set one’s watch to this manifestation until it is all over, when the announcer belatedly draws one’s attention to the fact that the last blast occurred at exactly two minutes after the halfhour. Whether it was the beginning or the end of the blast is never mentioned. If these time signals are to serve any purpose not served by the post office clock (states the “Dominion” it would surely assist if some idea could be given beforehand as to what was coming. Just how many people have set their watches two minutes wrong by this time signal, thereby missing the bus, boat, tram, or car home will never be known. Doubtless navigators, who rely upon the signal to save them from running ashore, know exactly what to expect. Broadcasting is, however, paid for by listeners as a body and not by navigators, and the time has come when they should be let into the secret. A short announcement. before the outburst would explain it away better than any other method.