RADIO NEWS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 16212, 29 September 1924, Page 6

RADIO NEWS.

(We shall be glad to receive in- , formation from Thames and other amateurs for publication in this column on Mondays. Information can be handed in during the week. —Ed., Star.) The South African installation, to-. ;ether with the stations planned for Danbda, Australia, and India, and the existing stations in England and Egypt vill form an Empire wireless system, > ac h one being designed to communi:ate directly with the Mother Country n- with any of the other Dominions. * • * * Mr Charles E. Forrest, of Wellington who is on a visit to Sydney, whites: —“Since the new regulations came into force over here radio is really marvellous, and Sydney seems to have gone radio mad. There is a tremendous demand for crystal sets and every other hobby has been deserted:” * * e •

The Rev. Byran King, of Dunedin, ; an enthusiastic radio reports that, using one valve, he follows the words and music from ICGO quite clearly. He states that he heard the announcement from KGO that the power of that station had been increased to 5000 watts. KGO is now transmitting up till 8.30 o’clock on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday evenings. New Zealand time. • * * •

The Auckland broadcasting station, IYA, is now transmitting music from the Lyric Theatre orchestra as broadcasting from IYA is as near perfect as the most critical listener-in could desire. Through the pick-up microphone there is a current of 14 milliamperes and 5 stages of amplification an amplification of 518,000— are employed before the output is applied to the broadcasting plant. • * * * “If the wireless public of New Zealand and the local radio dealers permit 4YA. to close down wireless will receive a Severe set-back, as Dunedin possesses the only 500-watt station in the Dominion.” * * * * Mr Allan Evans, of 2GO, Taranaki Street, Wellington, writes advising that be has been granted a grade 11. amateur transmitting and receiving license called sign 2BJ. He would like lis-teners-in in the country to drop him a line reporting strength of signals, modulation, etc. * * * * The closing down of Mr F. J. O’Neill’s big Dunedin broadcasting station, 4YA, is regarded as almost a calamity by listeners-in throughout' New Zealand. In the course of a conversation .with a Dunedin writer, Mr O'Neill said that next Saturday would he the third anniversary of his commencing broadcasting, and that during the whole of that period he had l’eceived very little support. As he had gradually increased the power of his station till he now used 500 watts, the cost of maintaining the plant had become correspondingly heavier, and the lack of support was enough to discourage even such an enthusiast as he was. ‘‘l have treated the public fairly,” said Mr O’Neill, “but I find that the time has come when I do not feel willing to continue regular transmissions for the benefit of an unappreciative public. During August I was obliged to replace three valves at a cost of £25 each, and the expense of broadcasting during that month amounted to close on £IOO. In the three years the 4YA has been broadcasting I have received £23 from amatehrs desirous olj helping to defray the cost of transmissions, and of that sum £B/8/was given by one local citizen.”

“THE BOYS’ WIRELESS BOOK”

(Angus and Robertson, Ltd., ,-yduey, IN.S.W.)

We are indebted to this will-Know n Sydney firm for forwarding to us a copy or die Boys' Wireless Book, published by bJtieni. It is claimed for this publication, and with perfect justice, too, that n is suited not only for the reading of boys, but 'of“old boys'" also. The wireless hobby is constantly gaining 1 new devotees, both young and old, and many ol these, on first taking it up, know so little, if anything, of the theory and pracice of wireless, that a book which explains matters in simple language must be highly welcome. This is what the Boys’ Wireless Book does, leading the reader from first steps to more advanced knowledge with as few technicalities as possible. A summary of the chapters will illustrate this: Theory of All about Aerials, Receiving Sets, Uses of Wireless, Short Wireless Talks, Knotty Problems Solved. The book is excellently illustrated, and there are numerous diagrams. Perhaps the best feature of the book from the student's point of view is the simplicity of the language and the clearness of the explanations ,which make it something which every professor of a wireless set ought to have. Indeed, when it comes on the local market, which should not be long, there should be a steady demand for it.