RADIO TELEPHONY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17246, 12 January 1924, Page 1

RADIO TELEPHONY.

WONDERS OF “ LISTENING-IN.” HOBBY RAPIDLY GROWING IN CHRISTCHURCH. (Written for the “Star.”) On© cannot help but notice, while walking in the suburbs of Christchurch, the number of mast« and flagpoles on all sides. To people unacquainted with their purpose it would almost seem that residents of this city are a colony of reired seamen. A careful observer will notice, however, that these masts are generally in pairs and that a wire connects the two. In some instances there are two or more wires kept some distance from each other by a speaker. These are nothing more or less than the

antennaa systems of a multitude of wireless receiving sfets. It is quite evident that wireless »s rapidly gaining great popularity as a means of recreation and instruction. Although'slightly more* advanced ia the North Island thanm the South, broadcasting is becoming rapidly more be fore the public, who are learning that, far from requiring a wide technical knowledge, the man in the street can learn to work a simpler receiver in half an hour. It. ia no more complicate j than taking a snap with a kodak ! For a moderate outlay an efficient re ceiver can be bought which will pick up music from any transmitting sta tion in N.ew Zealand. There are no records to buy or needles. Be sides music, farmers can receive the latest market quotations and. weather renorts. and time signals, so that it is not necessary for them to have to make a t dimis journey to town to keep up with the affairs of the world. Music can he heard night of the week. 1 ne study of the science is a fascinat ing hobby indeed. At present there is a.-scheme afoot- in New Zealand for the amalgamation of broadcasting stations, and represents tion will be made to the Government to allow a. subscription to be made, half of which will go to the State. The other half would be given to the transmitting stations, one of which would he situated in each -centre. At presen no station ■ may levy a charge cu listeners-in and no commercial use may b° made of broadcasting stations. If this scheme is carried out much will be done to improve the quality of the transmissions, although these are at present quite good considering that they are run by amateurs "with no monetary recompense for their efforts. . I e-mcr one stage in audio-frequency amplification, a Napier experimenter who constructed a set of his own was r’F'e to hear music from Oakland, Cali fornia, and Colorado. U.S.A.. quite easily, despite the distance of 10.000 mil®s. Til’s distance has been covered easily by New Zealand experimenter* on many occasions, and experimenters here have communicated with l«ss power than 7s consumed in an ordin ary 50 candle power electric light!