RADIO AND RECEPTION.

Waipawa Mail, Volume LXVI, Issue 99, 27 May 1938, Page 4

RADIO AND RECEPTION.

Saturation point must eventually be reached, but it is reasonable to expect that within the next twelve months the number of radio licenses in New Zealand will pass the 300,000 mark.

Owing' to the fall in the level of Lake Monowai, current has been rationed in Southland, with the result that electrically-operated receivers have to observe silent hours. Battery sets are not affected, and when sporting broadcasts are in progress car radios are in high favor. In one country township where power was cut off, a big crowd gathered round a car to listen to descriptions of the trotting championship at Addington.

During the last year 5000 records which had been used for broadcast purposes were presented to London hospitals by the 8.8. C. and gramophone companies. “It is a pity some New Zealand stations cannot find somebody on whom to unload wornout discs,” says the radio writer of the Timaru “Herald.”

The rebroadcasting by IYA stations of the eye-witnesses 1 , accounts from the Daventry station of the big cricket matches in which, the Australian eleven have so far taken part in England have been appreciated by listeners. They have been received clearly and handled most capably by experienced commentators. A. E. Gilligan covered the first match broadcast and Percy Fender the second. W. A. Oldfield, the famous Australian wicket-keeper, regarded as the greatest wicket-keeper of his time, who is accompanying the Australians on their English tour, is to describe the next big match, Australia v. Middlesex. The YA stations will rebroadcast the first day’s play at 9 a.m. on Sunday, May 29th, at 7.50 a.m. on the following Tuesday, and at 8.15 a.m. on the Wednesday.

The outback listener’s battery problem is not nearly so acute as it was a few years ago. No longer is it necessary to have an untidy box containing A, B and C batteries connected to the set by a confusing array of wires. The battery unit-is housed unobtrusively in the cabinet. Many sets outback in Australia now run on an air-cell, which is guaranteed to give 1000 hours of service. Those who prefer wet batteries are able to install a wind-charger—actually a windmill connected to an electric generator, which brings the spare up to full voltage again. Another device is a power-charger, a four-cycle single cylinder, air-cooled petrol engine which drives the generator. The price of the wind-charger outfit and of the power-charger is slightly over £2O. LOOK TO THE AERIAL. Once an aerial is erected, it receives no attention from the average owner until a gale blows it down or until it falls from corrosion. The engineers of a big American factory point out that the elements (sun, wind, rain, etc.) have such a damaging effect upon the aerial system over a period of time that they strongly advise that a new aerial be erected every year or so to ensure efficient operation of the receiver'. Rapid deterioration of the aerial is move noticeable in some sections of the country than in others, particularly in and around industrial centres, where smoke and soot are extremely heavy and contain chemicals which collect on the insulators, aerial wire, lead-in and antenna transformer, causing leakage, corrosion and the changing of the original characteristics of the aerial system. This results in weak pick-up of the radio signal. One of the most common causes of weak reception, when the aerial becomes defective, is leaking insulators. Dust and soot collect on the insulators, resulting in the aerial wire being partially shorted to ground. This condition causes what is known as loading of the antenna circuit, and replacement of the insulators is the only remedy. OVERSEAS ARTISTS. Two outstanding personalities in the musical world will arrive in Wellington in June under contract to the National Broadcasting Service. Danny Malone, Irish tenor of international fame, is the first. He is already well known by his many recordings frequently heard from the National stations. Listeners will be given frequent opportunities of hearing through the YA microphones. . Closely following this popular tenor comes the world-renowned Russian bass-baritone, Alexander Kipnis, who’ has been engaged by the N.B.S. for a series of public appearances. Public concerts will be given in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Auckland (two in each city), affording admirers of his magnificent voice the opportunity of seeing as well as hearing him. Frederick Collier, Australian bassbaritone, recently returned from England to his native land after extensive experience as an operatic singer and with a record of high achievement and assured fame. His repertoire ranges from ballad to oratorio. He will sing at 2YA to-night, Sunday and Tuesday, the first appearance of his six weeks’ engagement. RADIO SERIALS. Another dramatic serial is to be launched from 2YA on June Bth. On that evening and on each Wednesday night for twelve weeks, the station will broadcast episodes of “Shanghai,” described as an original radio play of the China seas, written by Edmund Barclay. The production is by the National Broadcasting Service. The service has recently secured the New Zealand rights of four new serials—-“ Singapore Spv,” a thrill- • mg jjia.y uy Aiiumuiiu Barclay; "’Little Women/’ a dramatisation of Louisa

WIRELESS NOTES OF INTEREST.

M. Alcott’s famous hook; ‘ ‘ Trilby, ’ ’ a serial version of du Maurier’s play; and “David Copperfield,” a dramatisation of the novel. The production of a very comprehensive repertoire of Shakespearean plays, embarked upon last year, is still proceeding. “Hamlet” was the last play broadcast from 2YA, and “The Merchant of Venice,” and “As You Like It” are to appear shortly. After these “Othello” is scheduled for production.