RADIO

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19119, 11 July 1930, Page 4

RADIO

(BY

“AERIAL.”)

RECEPTION NOT GOOD. A NEW TUNING SYSTEM. Noisy Down JBclow. Did not have much opportunity for listening last night until late. Am advised that reception of the local station was as good as usual. Made the rounds from 10.30 and noted conditions as follow:—2HD, Newcastle: Not much static. Loud generator hum. modulation bad, fading severe. Much static and sharp fading on stations on 250 and 260 metres. Another on 270 metres was very “ burbly ” —curious sound, just like someone trying to sing under water! Several more higher up were too unsatisfactory to waste time over, although a number of Oscillating Oswalds thought otherwise. IYA Handicapped. IYA Auckland was heard at good strength but badly handicapped by the attentions of several loud-voiced Oswalds and persistent static discharges. No signs of noticed. SCore Oswalds. The local Oswaldian fraternity were out in full cry after 2BL, Sydney, although that station exhibited great volume, with little fading, during the time devoted to it. Static in one continuous mushy roar with occasional bursts did nothing towards inducing one to “stay put ” with 2BL for entertainment purposes. Static was also very unkind to 3LO, Melbourne, whose signals, too, were on the weak side. More Oswalds out op the loose here. Somewhat Better. Although generator hum was a feature somewhat noticeable during reception of 4QG, Brisbane, static was so little intrusive that signals came through more pleasantly than from any DX station further down the Scale Scarcely any farlin^ Not Too Good. 2FC, Sydney was off colour last night. Must be a sou’-west storm brewing or en route. Static wasn’t heavy but fading was both frequent and severe. Speech was very “ fuzzy ’’ —almost distorted at times. No Oswalds. 3AK, Melbourne, was no better than 2FC—srme conditions ruling with both stations. Nothing doing worth mentioning from 7ZL, Hobart. 55 Wonderful Selectivity. Reference has already been made in this column to the further demonstration of the Stenode Radiostat, which was recently given to the technical Press at Home. Since then another illustration of the effect of the new principle in wireless reception has been shown by the British Radiostat Corporation at their new laboratory near Hanover Square, London, according to advices by the last mail. The inventor of this new principle is Dr James Robinson, M.8.E., D.Sc., Ph.D., M.1.E.E., late chief of the Wireless Research Department of the Royal Air Force. Its effect is to multiply amazingly the number of stations which can be received without a shadow *f interference. The generally accepted position at present is that satisfactory reception cannot be secured unless the receiver responds not only to the carrier-wave frequency, but to a band of frequencies approximately 5000 cycles on each side of the carrier wave. That is the reason why wireless authorities throughout the world have insisted on separating telephony stations by 9000 or 10,000 cycles. It was claimed that if stations were placed closer than this, the so-called “ sideband ” frequencies would heterodyne with each other and so cause interference, and also that the carrier waves would heterodyne and produce an audible beat note. All this is in strict accordance with the facts so far as they were known prior to Dr Robinson’s discovery of the new principles of reception, and tuning. It is also in accordance with the facts so far as receivers constructed on the old principle are concerned. The Stenode—or “ narrow path” —Radiostat, however, completely changes the effect of the existing conditions. It consists essentially, to put it into the simplest language, of a crystal “ gate ” which serves to pass the carrier frequency, with a very few cycles on either side instead of 5000. This involves a special detector and a special form of amplification. Tuning in this receiver is so abnormally sharp that even the finest vernier dials have proved far too coarse, and a small variable condenser of the single plate variety has to be placed in parallel with the tuning condenser. The general effect of this new principle is that stations instead of being separated by 9000 cycles need only be separated by 1000 cycles, and thus nine times as many stations as at present can be fitted into the normal broadcast band. Tuning can be made even finer than this, but the figures given are sufficiently revolutionary. The principle is applicable with equal effect to telegraphic and cable communication. While existing systems enable four Morse messages to be sent simultaneously over a single wire, the Stenode system multiplies the number almost indefinitely and will thus enormously cheapen and quicken communication.

TO-NIGHT’S COHCBBTS. IYA, Auckland (333 metres). 7.40: “Maori Pronunciation,” talk by Mr J. F. Montague. S.O to 10.0: Concert by the IYA Orchestral Octet and assisting artists, from the studio. 2YA, Wellington (416 metres). 7.40: Lecturette, Mr D. M’Kenzie, “The Laws of Rugby.” 8.0: “A Day in Arcady.” A musical whimsicality in three acts, presented by The Arcadians Musical Comedy Company, assisted by the 2YA Orehestrina. Act I—The Home of the Pools, Ngaio; Act 2—Arcady; Act 3—Same as. Act 1. Cast of characters (in order of appearance): Monica Pool, Miss Gracie Kerr; 'Peter Pool, Mr Cedric Gardiner; Father Time, Mr Arthur Brady; Dante, Mr Eric North; Galatea, Miss Madge Freeman. The musical numbers will be rendered by the following members of the company; Ena Rapley, Arthur Haley, Arthur Brady, Edwin Dennis and Madge Freeman, with choruses by the company. 3YA, Christchurch (306 metres). 7.30: Talk, Mr D. Cossgrove, radio service talks (first of a series). S.O: Band of H.M. Coldsteam Guards, “Down South.” 8.5: Baritone, Mr A. G. Thompson, “Fairy Lights,” “Your Looking-Glass.” 8.10: Studio Instrumental Octet, “Magic of Love,” "Auhado Printaniere.” 8.1 S: The Dulcet Duo, “Nile Waters.” 8.21: Teftor, Mr Douglas Suckling, “The Fairy Tales of Ireland.” 8.25: Instrumental Octet, “Serenade d’Amour,” “Pizzicata Polca." 8.32: Contralto, Miss Nellie Lowe, “Two Eyes of Grey.” 8.35: Mr Thompson, “Thinking of Mary.” 8.38: Huxnour, Mr Jack Darragh, “The New Recruit.” 8.43: Instrumental Octet, “Andantino,” “Czardas.” 8.51: Dulcet Duo, “Grey Days.” 8.55: Mr Suckling, “Land of Delight,” “Blarney.” 9.1: Weather report. 9.3: Instrumental Octet, “Selections from Musical Comedy ‘Sally.’ ” 9.15: Miss Lowe, “A Farewell to Summer," “Ma Curly-Headed Babby.” 9.21: Mr Darragh, “The Groom’s Story.” 9.26: Instrumental Octet, waltz, “All Alone.” Dance music until 11 p.m.—Foxtrots, “Walking with Susie,” "Used to You,” “Breakaway,” “Why Can’t You?” 9.42: Hawaiian, Lizzie Alohikea and Chorus, “Nani Kauak”; foxtrots, “The Egg Song,” “I’m Wild About Horns on Automobiles,” “Jericho”; one-sttep, “Shinaniki Da”; waltz, “Lady Divine.” 10.0: Organ solo, Milton Charles, “Love's Old Sweet Song”; Orchesti-a, “OF Man River”; foxtrots, “I’ve Got a Feeling I’m Falling,” “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man,” “Perfume of Roses.” 10.15: Vocal duet, Layton and Johnstone, "Carolina Moon”; foxtrots, “She’s Got Great Ideas,” “I Lift Up My Finger,” “That’s Her Now”; waltz, “Underneath the Russian Moon.” 10.30: Organ solo, Milton Charles, “From the Land of the Sky-Blue Water.” “At Dawning”; foxtrots, “Wake Up, Chill’un,” “Me and the Man in the Moon,” “I’ll See You Through”; waltz, “Billie.” 10.45: Hawaiian, Lizzie Alohikea and Chorus, “Liliu E”; tango, “Senorita”; foxtrots, “Get Out and Get Under the Moon,” “I Fav Down an’ Go Boom,” “Evening Star”; waltz, "By and-By, Sweetheart”; reel, “Turkey in the Sti-aw.” 11.0: Close.

SZC, Christchurclx (50 7.0 p.m.: Evening - concert session on short-wave—“ Waltz Orchid,” Hungarian Orchestra, “The Gypsy Trail,” Arthur Middleton (bass); “Rondlno,” Carl Flesch (violin); "Charmant Oiseau/' Stella Power (soprano); "Carnival of Venice/' Bohumir Kryl (cornet); "Pinafore Airs,” Light Opera Company; “How I Love You,” Frederick Kinslfey (organ); “Kashmiri Song,” Walter Scanlan (tenor); “LJn peu d’amour,” Georg© Hamilton Green (xylophone); "Any Old Port,” Gus Reed (basso); “Barber of Seville,” overture, Creatore’s Band; "Una Voce Poco Fa,” Stella Power (soprano); “Melody in F,” Moskowitz (violin); “Absent,” Hardy Williamson (tenor); "The Lance of the Elves,” Ferdinand Himmelreieh (piano) ; “Polonaise Militaire,” United States Marino Band. 8.30 p.m.: Closp down. 4YA, Dunedin (461 metres). 8.0: Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, "Ballet Egyptien.” 8.0: Baritone, Mr C. S. Hawes, "The Old Superb.” 5.13: 4YA Studio Trio, “Trio No. 3” (Mozart). 8.23: Sketch, Miss Pennie Marshall, “Matilda Who Told Lies.” S.2S: Piano, Mrs C. Drake/ “Impromptu F Minor” (Schubert). 8.35: Soprano, Miss F. Sumner, “My Gentle Child,” “Thte Glorious Land of Spring.” 8.40: ’Cello, W. H. Squire, "Slumber Song.” 8.44: Tenor, Mr E. W. Robbins, "King Ever Glorious.” 8.47: 4YA Studio Trio, ‘"‘Allegro” (Tchereprine); “Song of the Mountains,” “Slow Waltz” (Carse). 8.54: Contralto, Mrs A. H. Ritchie, "The Praise of God.” "Ring, Bells, Ring.” il.O: Weather report. 9.2: Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, "Ballet Egyptien.” 9.10: Mr Hawes, "The Sweeper,” “The Devout Lover.” 9.16: 4YA Studio Trio, "From Sonata in D” (Mendelssohn). 9.26: Miss Marshall, "The Kings,” "Dom'estic Asides.” 9.32: Miss Sumner, “I Am Longing for You.” 9.35: ’Cello, W. 1-1 Squire, “Sicilienne.” 9.39: Mr Robbins, “Less Than the Dust,” “Kashmiri Love Song.” 9.45: 4YA Studio Trio, “Andante from Trio in C Minor” (Brahms), "Scherzo and Finale from 2nd Trio” (Beethoven). 9.56: Mrs Ritchie, "Harbour Night* Song.” 9.59: Band of H.M Grenadier Guards, "Benediction, ties , Poignards.” 10.3: Close.