RADIO

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18208, 15 July 1927, Page 14

RADIO

(BY

"AERIAL.")

NOTES. Was greeted by loud jazz music on tuning in KFON, Long Beach, shortly before five o’clock last night. But for a stray crackle of light static everything was quiet, and as a result KFON came through crystal clear and was fairly steady. Closed down for a while at 5.30, when KFON was up to comfortable strength, until the trams got over their busy period. Heard some good vocal numbers just before 6.30, when all was fairly quiet—but not for long, for Morse came along with a hefty hand. Tried the Australians before they closed their afternoon sessions, and found 2BL, Sydney, and 2FC, Sydney, at very good strength and clear. Plenty of volume from KFON after 6.45, but very erratic. One minute it would come roaring in, but the next would fade almost right out. Found KFSD, San Diego, just nicely audible on the speaker. Much steadier than KFON. All jazz music. Again the loud hissing noise, only a bit later than the previous night. Heard it shortly after 2YA, Wellington, on the air at 8.15, giving details of Saturday night’s programme. The announcer called 3LO, Melbourne, and 2FC, Sydney, and hoped they were receiving the message all right. A very bad generator hum noticeable. IYA, Auckland, again came in volume sufficient to drown the light static.. Fairly steady. 4YA, Dunedin, was at good volume, and unusually steady for this station. Seemed much clearer, too, although speech from the stage during the students' concert w T as hard to get hold of. The hissing noise was again let loose for a few minutes before nine o’clock. The Australians all came in at good strength, but bad fading spoilt their transmission. * SC 51 Christchurch outdid itself last night w'ith one of the best concerts put on the air in months. Mr Percy Nicholls and his party are to be congratulated on the type of music given us. Only one suggestion might be made: Three consecutive instrumental trios are more suitable for the recital than broadcasting, where the very mixed audience might not appreciate too much chamber music. However, let us have more of this tj’pe of concert.

‘’Trirdyn” writes: I heard 2YA testing at about 7.55 last night. An orchestra, mainly strings, was playing. It came through crystal clear and ab solutely without static, but a few* minutes later a bad generator hum became very pronounced. Everyone who possesses a listeningin set will be tuning in to 2YA tomorrow, when the official opening is to take place. Most people have heard the new station conducting its test operation in connection with the Ranfurly Shield match and the Trentham races. These were daylight transmissions and demonstrated conclusively the power and qualits r of the station. Never before have sporting people who stayed at home had such a treat. It may be some time before they have such another. The week’s sporting broadcasts showed that when the opportunity presents itself the Broadcasting Company can rise to the occasion. Saturday evenirig's broadcast will be of an entirely different calibre. The official opening will comprise speeches by the Prime Minister, the Hon W. (Mayor of Wellington). The concert programme will be of exceptional merit. There will be some silent nights at 2YA next week. These are unavoidable in the opening of a new station. On Sunday evening, following the official opening, a church service will be broadcast. On Tuesday evening there will be another concert, also on Thursday and Saturday.

Mr Jack Lumsdaine, a very popular Sydney artist, known as the “‘Radio Rascal.” will sing at 2YA on Saturday, July 23. Mr Lumsdaine has sung at IYA. lie was one of the artists whose items were recently re-broadcast by 2FC. The first address to be delivered frm 2YA will be by Mr Douglas E. Tayler, the newly-appointed Supervisor of Voice and Music under the Education Department of New Zealand. Mr Tayler recently arrived in New Zealand from Britain, and it is distinctly appropriate that he should have secured for the opening lecture of New Zealand’s big station, for he will speak on “ Music and Happiness.” On Sunday 4YA will relay the service from Knox Church, when *fie preacher will be the Rev Tullock \ uille, M.A., 8.D., who will take for his subject “What’s Wrong with the Church.” This sermon will no doubt be of universal appeal. CRYSTAL SET WITHOUT COIL. N. K. Pizzev, aged fifteen years, of 467, Gloucester Street, writes:—“After practising with your one shilling wireless set as sketched in the “Star” some time ago, I find it possible to get 3YA without any coil at all: just a crystal and catswhisker mounted in a matchbox as show'll in accompanying sketch.

This set can lie made for the small sum of sixpence by cutting a crystal in half. In this case a 28ft pole with about 100 ft aerial was used.” The explanation of this is that the aerial in this case must be of just the right length to tune in 3YA. Where this can be done no coil is necessary.