RADIO

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18468, 21 May 1928, Page 16

RADIO

(By “AERIAL.") TODAY'S PROGRAMMES. Following are details of to-day’s programmes received from New Zealand and Australian broadcasting stations: — No details have been received from 3LO, Melbourne. IT A, Auckland. Silent day. 2TA, Wellington (420 m.). 3 to 5 p.m.: Chimes. Gramophone items. Sporting results to hand. 6.0: Children’s hour (Auntie Gwen and Uncle Jeff). 7.0: News session. 7.40: Mr 11. C. South, “ Books-v-Grave and Gay.” 8.0: Chimes. 8.1: Overture, The Orchestra, “ Peter Schmoll.” 8.9: Ariel Singers, "The Winds.” 8.13: Tenor, Mr C. A. Williams, “ The Rose’s Lament,” “ Marie.” 319: The Orchestra, “The Swan,” “ Valse Caprice.” 8.27: Sketch (three characters), Mr A. Stanley Warwick, “ Cupid in the Kitchen." 8.42: Mezzocontralto, Miss Ngaire Coster, " Caro Mio Ben,” “ Sing, Break into Song.” 8.48: Symons-Ellwood-Short Trio. 8.58: Humour at the piano, Mr A. E. Sargent, “ Beware of the Maidens,” “Peter.” 9.3: Weather report and announcements. 9.5: The Orchestra.” 9.13: Soprano, Miss Jeanette Briggs, “ Mignon's Song,” from “ Mignon.” 9.17: Bass, with male chorus, Mr J. M. Caldwell. “ What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor?” “Can’t Ye Dance the Polka?” 9.23: Elocution, Mr A. Stanlej’- Warwick, "The Hill.” 9.28: Piano and violin sonata, Mr Gordon Short and Miss Ava Symons. 9.35: Duet, Miss Jeanette Briggs and Mr C., A. Williams, “ Mountain Lovers ” '•Squire). 9.39: Ariel Singers, “The Ash Grove.” 9.43: The Orchestra, request items. 9.51: Songs at the piano, Mr A. E. Sargent, “ The Fine Old English Gentleman.” 9.56: Bass, Mr J. M. Caldwell. “ The Border Ballad.” 9.59: The Orchestra. “Nell Gwynn Dances.” 10.3: Close. 3YA, Christchurch (306 m.). 3 to 4.30 p.m.: Selected studio items. Sports results. 6.0: Children’s hour (Uncle Jack). 7.15: News and reports. 7.30: Mr E. J. Bell, on “ Books.” 8.0: Chimes and relay from Strand

Ihcatre. 8.10: Christchurch Municipal Band. 8.17: Tenor, Mr Frank Morrison, “ The Willow Tree.” 8.21: The Band. " H.M.S. Pinafore.” 8.31: Mezzosoprano, Mrs K. Henderson, “If Only the World Were Mine.” 8.35: The Band, “Silver Showers.” 8.42: Humorous recitation, Mr J. P. Darragh, “ Cohen Buys a Wireless Set.” 8.47: C ontralto. Miss Alice Yinsen, “ Mignon. 8.51: The Band, “In a Persian Market." 8.59: Popular song, Mr W alter I airburn, “ The Long, Long Trail. 9.1: Weather report and forecast. from Strand Theatre. •M 0: Mezzo-soprano. Mrs K. Henderson, Open Thy Blue Eves. My Beloved,” “Violets.” 9.16: The Band, “John o’ Gaunt.” 9.24: Tenor, Mr Frank Morrison, “My Love the Swallow,” Lo’a.” 9.30: The Band, “Scottish Gems.” 9.36: Contralto, Miss Alice \ insen, “A Summer Night.” 9.40: Humorous recitation, Mr J. P. Darragh, " Isaacsteiii’s Visit to New York.” 9 45: The Band, “ Argandab.” 9.52: Popular song, Mr Walter Fairburn, Sunshine of Your Smile.” 9.56: The Band, “ Machine-gun Guards.” 10.3: Close. 4YA, Dunedin. Silent day. f 2BL, Sydney (353 m.). 9.30 p.m.: Scotch night. Chimes. 9.31: Peter Sutherland (basso). 9.38: Wurlitzer Organ. 9.45: Phydlis Atkinsoji (soprano). 9.52: Piper M’Kay. 9.57: Bunty Stuart (contralto). 10.4: C. L. Robertson (elocutionist). 10.11: Douglas Graham (Scotch comedian). 10.18: Iris Norton, “Movie Plays and Players.” 10.30: Chimes. 10.31: Lance Jeffree (tenor). 10.38: B.M.S. String Quartet. 10.45: Peter Sutherland. 10.52: Piper M’Kay. 10.57: Phyllis Atkinson. 11.4: C. L. Robertson. 11.11: Douglas Graham. 11.15: String Quartet. 11.25: Lance Jeffree. 11.32: Bunty Stuart. 11.43: Wurlitzer Organ. 12.0 to 1 a.m.: Dance music by Romano's Dance Orchestra.

2FC, Sydney (442 m.). 9.15 p.m.: Graham Kent, Bridge Talk, “Experts.” 9.30: The Masonic Club, Sydney*, on the occasion of the farewell concert tendered to Raymond Ellis, who is returning to England. 2FC Studio Orchestra, overture, “ Poet and Peasant.” 9.40: Raymond Ellis, English operatic baritone, request numbers (with orchestral accompaniment). 9.50: 2FC Studio Orchestra, “ Catherine”; Margaret James, soprano. 10.6: Brunton Gibb, entertainer. “ Scots of the Riverina,” “ The Breakdown.” 10.13: Peggy Dunbar, contralto. 10.20: 2FC Orchestra. “ Three Frivolities.” 10.30: From the Conservatorium Hall, Sydney, items from the violin recital by Sophie Freedman, and solos by Madame Vera Tasma. 10.55: From ihe Studio, late weather forecast, Medley and Motley. 11.5: From the Masonic Club, Sydney, continuation of the programme in connection with the farewell concert to Raymond Ellis. 2FC Studio Orchestra, “ Les Deux Pigions.” ‘11.20: Margaret James, soprano, and Raymond Ellis, baritone. 11.25: Brunton Gibb, entertainer, “The Vicar of Mirth.” 11.32: 2FC Studio Orchestra, “ Serenade,” “ Moonlight in Venice.” 11.40: Peggy Dunbar, contralto. 11.45: Duet, Raymond Ellis and Margaret James. 11.58: 2FC Studio Orchestra, “ Prelude in A Flat ” (Chopin). 12.0 a.m.: From the Studio, Len Maurice Dance session until 12.30 a.m. 4QG, Brisbane (385 m.). 9.30 p.m. to 11.40 p.m.: A concert by Mr Sydney May’s party, followed by half an hour’s impromptu band programme by the Brisbane Citizens’ Band. Notes and News. No reports have come to hand so far regarding local reception of PCJJ’s special broadcast on Saturday. Was engaged all day, so had no opportunity of testing. Plenty static—and more than plenty of the “ roarer ” between 6.30 and S—on Saturday evening was sufficient to cause an early retirement. The New Zealand stations, IYA, 2YA and 4YA, were heard fairly well, but even 2YA gave evidence of severe fading occasionally. Both IYA and 4YA put up a good fight against static, but reception was none too pleasant. Heard portion of 2YA’s session yesterday afternoon; also the last portion of lYA’s session. At 3.40 tuned in 2BL, and shortly afterwards 2FC. Volume was fairly good. Tried again towards five o'clock. Very great improvement. Put on the short-wave adapter and heard 3CM going well. Modulation was quite good. Was too late for 2XAF. No sign of an3*thing but Morse on from 15 to 100 metres when tried at odd times between 2 and_ 4 p.m. A considerable improvement in re-* ception conditions was noted early last evening in that there was little interference from static. Fading troubled all stations during the evening. Very good volume, with clear reception (when the “roarer” wasn’t on) was obtained from 2BL, 3LO and 2FC between 7.30 and 8.30 p.m. Once again it is necessarx* to complain of Morse code stations coming on the air during broadcasting hours and interfering with reception of all stations operating on from 350 to 450 metres. This has occurred on several nights recently. Listeners will be very pleased when all ships are fitted with valve instead of spark transmitters. Something went wrong with 2YA’s transmissin during the relay at about 5.30 last night. Those who were listening to 3YA's rebroadcast of 2YA may have thought that 3YA was at fault. It wasn’t. Tried both stations. 3YA’s reproduction was O.K. When your Set Fails. „ Numerous S.O.S. calls have been answered during the past month to cases where owners have found their receivers failing to reproduce signals. Here are a few- tips on how to detect faults. A systematic .examination of the entire installation is necessary if the signals of the receiver are weak or if the set stops operating entirely. Use a process of elimination. First make sure that all the valves are lit (in the case of bright emitters) at the proper voltage; examine the aerial and ground and see that the connections arc all tight and that there is no chance of aerial leakage. Check the B batteries with a voltmeter and see that the proper B voltage is supplied to each terminal in the set at its indicated value. Be sure that the C batteries are fresh. These batteries are often permitted to stay in a set over long periods, but should be re-

newed at least twice a year for best results. See that all valves are in their proper sockets. A defective grid-leak may often cause trouble, and it is well to have an extra one of the same value or several values that may be substituted. Test for defective fixed condensers and coils with a pair of head ’phones in series with one or two dry cells. Tf after these tests have been made the trouble is not yet located, examine the loud speaker. These usually have some form of adjustment on the diaphragm. Tighten all loose connections. either at the batteries or set terminals, and make sure that the A battery is fully charged. Test trickle chargers, or any other type used, to determine whether or not they are supplying the output at which they are rated. A run-down A battery is a very common cause of poor reception, and many set owners who are using trickle chargers with sets of the large multivalve type never have the battery up to the point where good reception is possible. If the set emploj r s more than five valves of the 201 A type, use a charger having a two-amp. output. A little suspected source of trouble is the loud speaker plug. The holding springs for the speaker cords should be cleaned, if they can be got at. To test an audio transformer, connect one terminal of a weak dry cell to one binding post of the transformer primary and fasten the two tips of the ’phones between the other battery terminal and the remaining post of the transformer primary. If the primary is all right, a sharp click will be heard in the ‘phones. If no sound, or just a slight click is heard, the primary winding is broken. The secondary winding seldom gives, trouble. 24 Valves aad 600£t Aerial! Two dozen radio valves, incorporated in a receiver de luxe, are bringing 2LO, London, to America in the daytime, says a New York message of March 8. This elaborate outfit, carefully designed and constructed by Wellington Muir, of Lockport, a research engineer, is aided by an aerial approximately 600 feet long. From its loudspeaker London’s signals have been fed into the transmitter of WMAK and rebroadcast to American listeners. Few such receivers have been put together, and it was only after much experimentation that that one was evolved. While the set has twenty-four valves, it contains but twelve sections, each stage of amplification using two valves in parallel. Twenty-two of the valves are 201 A’s. The others are 210’s, which are placed in the single audio stage. The volume is almost as great as a set with two steps of audio, giving remarkable clarity to the signals when the 4500 miles they travel is taken into consideration. In designing his recover Muir was careful to avoid interstage coupling, which makes itself very evident when more than two or three tuned stages are used. A Novel Loudspeaker. An iron-handled coal shovel hanging from a hook attached to a water pipe at Kalmar Fire Station, Sweden, reports a Home journal of April 12, has lately been displaying mysterious qualities as a loudspeaker in disseminating wireless broadcast, it is said, with perfect enunciation and intonation. Local experts are now busy on the investigation of the phenomenon. Possibly they will find the secret lies in the circumstance that one edge of the shovel touches a power line supplying Kalmar wireless station . « Notes From the Studios. Most of the numbers to be sung at 2YA this evening will be of the popular type. Mr Stanley Warwick and his assistants will present a sketch, while Mr A. E. Sargent will entertain with his humour at the piano. Mr E. J. Bell, Christchurch Public Librarian, will give a talk on “ Books ” this evening at 3YA. Artists assisting the Municipal Band will be Miss Alice Vinsen, Mrs K. Henderson* Mr Frank Morrison, Mr Walter Fairburn, and Mr J. P. Darragh. Silent day at 1 YA and 4YA. ANSWERS TO INQUIRIES. “ Aerial ” will be glad to answer any questions pertaining to wireless, or give advice on the subject. Correspondents should give their names and addresses, not necessarily for publication. TEST TRANSMISSION MADE FROM HOLLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, May 20. A test transmission by PCJJ, Holland, on 31.4 metres, to Australia and New Zealand was received in Auckland. Its reception was most satisfactory. It was the best from Holland. Announcements were made clearly in the English language, the programme, made up of English compositions, coming through very clearly. PCJJ made a special announcement to Australia and New Zealand, and asked for cooperation in transmission to both covintries.