RADIO NOTES

Wairarapa Age, 6 October 1926, Page 3

RADIO NOTES

BY

“DETECTOR.”

Upwards of 1600 people availed themselves of the oppodunity of inspecting the studio of IVA, Auckland, when it was thrown open to visiters on Monday, SepUniocr 27. Amongst the visitors were two members of the Blind institute, who le* •£»•?<! a great deal about the working or the studio, and in end to im'-.r*, what dti-y IcurnwJ io *1 eir fellow?. A musical programme is being arranged by members of the Jubilee Blind Institute, which is to be relayed from the IYA studio probably in the near future. Station 2FC, Sydney which has reduced its wave length can now be picked up on most receiving sets. The dial settings are a little above lYA’s settings. A welcome event during the past week was the “arrival” of the Sydney Theosophical broadcasting station, 2BG on its full output of 3000 watts. The writer heard this new station m last Sunday week when the first official concert was broadcasted. Although the volume of ’this station is not quite as loud as 2BL the tone is good. Fading was scarce and hardly noticeable. The wave length of 2BG is stated to be 326 metres and the dial settings are to be found below 2BL’e. Last Monday evening Station 3YA relayed an excellent Scotch concert, the volume being good and farding was rare. The Christchurch station is considerably below its official wave length and is “crowding out” Brisbane station to those whose sets arc not very selective. The receptions from Australian stations have been week of late Station 2 BL, Sydney now leads in volume with 2FC ranging next. The strngehts from stations 3LO and 4QG are very poor and the modulation far from good. The programmes from New Zealand stations have been particularly good during the past week especially 3YA Which has provided plenty of variety. lYA’s transmission was not up to the usual standard on Saturday evening although the tone and volume have otherwise been consistently good for the past twq Weeks. On Saturday afternoon a choice programme was rendered from Christchurch the “air” being perfect. But early in the evening static began to set in and became very severe later. Following the successful September Bride Competition held by 3LO Melbourne, 2FC Sydney has organised an October Bride Competition. The lucky winner will receive gifts totalling £553, and will have her marriage broadcast on or about October 28. Last Thursday evening an instructive lecturette to farmers was broad-e'l-ted from iTa's studio. It is es::mated that over our- million farmers n-e now receiving first Ciass technical :t struct] oo by ralH in America. JOTTINGS.

From Friday last and for a period of two months, longitudinal wireless signals will be exchanged between a chain of .observatories round the globe, the Dominion Observatory, Wellington, being pne. As a result of this intensive time signal interchange it is anticipated that much valuable data will be acquired for subsequent use of astronomical and other scientific calculations. World longitude determination being one of the main reasons of the tests, the signals are of the so-called rhythmic type, spaced so as to be 61 per minute for five minutes, making 305 in all. Some enthusiasts may have. detected these signals, and wondered what they were. The activities with which the Dominion Observatory is most closely interested relate to the accurate determination of local time. The military authorities have lent their latest example of sound ranging apparatus. This, it is anticipated, will be of great assistance in accurate recording by means of a photographic film. An item culled from an exchange:— “Wire|ess accessories on the easy payment plan are advertised in a Scottish newspaper. A sheer waste of space! As if payments could ever be easy in Scotland.” If anyone does not see the point of this story, it will be explained in next week’s notes. In cities where the installation is surrounded by a number of sources of interference a shorter aerial may be desirable. In the country, far frpm broadcasting stations and other causes of disturbance, a longer aerial may be better from the standpoint of the greater volume and distance obtainable.

Almost any convenient object, such as houses, trees, sheds, poles, etc., may be used for supporting outside aerials. Care should be taken, however, to place the aerial insulators well out beyond projections such as limbs of trees or the gutters of house roofs. This precaution is necessary to ensure that the effective part of the aerial (the part between the insulators) will not be brought into contact with objects when it sways in the wind. The aerial wire should be stretched tight enough to prevent it swaying in windy weather. Some little slack must, however, be left, in order to ensure against the wire breaking from over tension. This point should be noted when attaching an aerial to trees. A strong spring should be attached to one end of the aerial wire to allow for the tree’s swaying.

Only the best insulators should be used in an aerial, and it is preferable to use a string of small egg or shell insulators for maximum results. Ifi cities a string of about three or four insulators at each end of the aerial is always advisable as soot collects on them in time and considerably impairs, their efficiency. If you are using a valve set build the best aerial possible, but with a crystal set a large, long aerial is not necessary.

With a good crystal set a wire 35 to 50ft. long and about 20 or 25ft. high is ample.

Crystal sets are coming into their ' own in Christchurch, says a southern writer. Traders report a brisk business. The crystal is the first step in wireless for most people, but it is curi- ) ous to notice that, for the majority, it ' is not the only step. The next is ampli- I fication and loud-speaker reception 1 Already several who started off (with 3YA) with a erystal set are going into the intricacies of valves, transformers, batteries and a loud-speaker. This will last most of them for a period then, like those who fell under the spell years ago, they will catch the lust for “long-distance 1 ” and then—well—mother can expect to find father ••'mussed up” with wires, cabinet, ebohite, solder and flux evenings and weekends! There wili be quite a number of neglected fowl-houses and vegetable gardens this summer!