ON THE BROADCAST BAND

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXX, Issue 20165, 20 July 1935, Page 10

ON THE BROADCAST BAND

CHURCH RELAYS Morning—lYA, Congregational; 2YA, St. Peters, C.E.; 3YA, St. David’s Presbyterian; 4YA, Church of Christ Evening—lYA, Methodist; 2YA, St. Gerard’s, R.C.; 3YA, Anglican Cathedral; 4YA, Baptist. One of the visiting artists on the YA circuit appeared to be suffering from a head cold on one of his recent appearances, as he developed some very nasal notes. Before one can obtain a listener's license in Roumania, it is necessary to secure certificates, including one from a priest, that the applicant is a person of “high moral integrity.” YA announcers appear to be missing an opportunity to indulge in an extra bit of swank. They all pronounce Vienna as Vee-enner, but Richard Tauber, an Austrian, renders it as Veeamer. YA station directors have a queer sense of proportion. Relays of commentaries of international cricket testa are carried out by auxiliary stations, but precedence over everything is given by the main stations to broadcasts of descriptions of the buffonery of the wrestling combine, whose antics have been aptly described as the “art of faking pains.” Evidently the worker is expected to be up with the lark in Germany. The main German stations now transmit 21 hours per day, opening at 5 a.m. The 5 d.m. sessions are designed to provide “mental recreation for manual workers, particularly those engaged in agriculture;” and concerts from 6 a.m. are given for the benefit of factory operatives.

From the beginning of March 1933, when members, of the Timaru Radio Club took over the radio equipment at the Timaru Hospital, just on £IOO has been expended on material for replacements and extensions. The receipts from various sources during that period have been about £lO5. A detailed statement will be prepared shortly, for the benefit of contributors and the public generally.

Static and fading rather marred reception on Gladys Moncrieff's two first "appearances” over 2YA, but she was in better voice than at Auckland, where she seemed to be troubled by a cold. Miss Moncrieff will be at 3YA next week, and then should be heard at her best. So far she has not sung one highbrow or “coloratura” number, and this has not detracted from her popularity with the main body of listeners.

Listeners will be pleased to learn that there is a prospect of a marked reduction in the signal strength of the particular dia-thermy stations which have caused so much interference here. At the request of the local radio inspectors, the owners of these machines, one of which is a portable, have consented to install filters, and it is expected that these, while they will not altogether subdue the noise, will abate it very considerably. It is understood that one filter has already been constructed by a local electrician, and that a second will be ready shortly.