Listen In !

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19829, 2 May 1927, Page 8

Listen In !

1? NOTES AND PROGRAMMES «

(B? “Detector.")

Reception on Friday showed p. decider! improvement, only an hurst of static being heard. The Australian stations were in good form, especially 2FC, who relayed* the play “The Cousin From Nowhere.” This was a real titbit, every word being heard distinctly. Nothing doing with the Yanks during the past week. Too much interference in the air. “Detector” will be pleased to receive and publish reports as to reception; or of anything of interst in the radio world. 2GB, Sydney, came through at good volume and clearness on Friday night, as also .did 2KY, of the same city. SCL, Adelaide, was the best it has been heard for some weeks on Friday. Nine o’clock chimes heard at great volume. With the coming of the frosty weather listeners can expect good radio evening!. Local /dealers are experiencing a mild boom at present in regard to the sale of receivers. It would pay prospective purchasers to get in early and get the full benefit of winter reception. The number of homes in Great Britain is reliably 'estimated at approximately seven millions, and recent figures show that about one m every three homes possess a wireless set. The proposal to place 2YA, the new Wellington station, on 380 metres is very disturbing news to listeners. Surely 2YA’s super power will have enough blanketing effect without jamming it on top of good Australian stations. 2FC and 2BL, Sydney, are heard at really good loud-speaker strength at 5.30 every evening now. An hour s racing and football were heart! from these stations on Saturday. A slight sizzling sound was prevalent early on Saturday evening, so don’t be ' blaming the receiver! The exciting finishes of the motor cycle races relayed by 4QG, Brisbane, on Saturday night, were well described by the announcer. “He’s thrown him right out of the ring!” That was what was heard when 3LO, Melbourne was turned in at 11 p.in. on Saturday. A wrestling match between Edwards and Meeske was being staged, and it was very rough by all accounts. • 2GB, Sydney, again put on a fine programme on Saturday which was received with excellent volume. Station 2FC, Sydney, was the best station on the air during the week-end. Good programmes, great volume, and beautifully clear. Slight static of the frying-pan variety was in evidence during the week-end, but did not cause much annoyance. The volume from most stations just about obliviated it.

Since the change of wavelengths 3YA, Christchurch and 4YA, Dunedin, are a wash-out. We are now paying a license fee of 30/- to hear IYA, Auckland. It is about time the proposed local radio society was formed so that it could look after the interests of listeners. The co-operation of societies of this kind would have a big say in regard to wavelengths, programmes, etc. What about it? 2FC, Sydney, answered a correspondent in San Francisco, on Saturday at 11.30 p.m. He was asked to write if he received their message. Distance is nothing nowadays. It is stated that 80 per cent of New Zealand listeners are tuning in to Australian stations for their evening’s entertainment. It does not say much for the N.Z.B.C. All the church services were heard very clearly last evening. Good volume prevailed from most of the stations. The re-issuing of radio licenses has been proceeding since March 31, and it is expected that all applications will be completed shortly. Already last year’s figures have been exceeded. Auckland receiving licenses total 8860 and dealers’ licenses 405. Figures for other centres are: Christchurch 4410 and 195; Dunedin 1564 and 109; Wellington 3346 and 478. Total: 19,367. Reproducing the full musical scale on a cone speaker with ample volume and exceptionally fine tone quality. On a Single Tuning Control Set, Emmett’s, of Victoria Avenue, are demonstrating the finest Radio Set on the market today. It is a “Gilfillan.” Six valves are used including a power valve. The three radi? stages are enclosed in separate metal shielding which gives the highest degree of selectivity, clear reproduction, and purest tone quality. The cabinet is hand carved brown mahogany with a handsome satin finish of a very attractive design. Tho careful workmanship and the special features give a purchaser a radio outfit that will repay him with many years o*f keen enjoyment.*

Don’t be too hard on the announcers —they are trying. It woulri. be interesting to know if some of those “howlers,” who are constantly on the air, possess licenses. The orchestra at the studio of 4QG. Brisbane, is noted for its musical ambition, and listeners will note with interest that on May 11 the members will tackle a number of selections from Tschaikowsky’s opera, “Eugene Omgnine.’’ This will be a rare opportunity of hearing a very uncommon bit of Russian music, and by a composer whose work is very popular. A fortune is awaiting the one who successfully arranges some means to blot out atmospherics, which, without exception, are the greatest nuisances the wireless user has to contend with. What is wanted is something which while cutting out the foreign noises, will not interfere with genuine rccep tion. The writer, last Wednesday afternoon listened to quite good afternoon reception from 2BL and 2FC, Sydney. The set being used was a console model 6-valve Crosley. Listeners were provided with firsthand results of the municipal elections last Thursday from IYA and 3YA. This was an enterprising move on the part of Mr Prentice, which was much appreciated throughout both islands. Crystal, one and two-valve sets are of no use to Wanganui listeners. Five, six and seven valve receivers are the ones in general use, and you cannot, do better than inspect one of the various makes as supplied by Whitehead and Stone, Dublin Street and Aramoho. Call at once and arrange for a demonstration in your own home.* The announcer who relayed,’ the election results from IYA, Auckland, last week, had an excellent voice. Every word was heard distinctly. He would be an admirable addition to the stafi of IYA. An American magazine estimates that there were 6.500,000 radio sets in use in the Unwed States on January 1. 1927. There were 60.000 in use in 1922. The stupendous sum of £101,200,000 was spent in 1926 in the United States on sets, parts land accessories, as against £12,000,000 in 1922. A correspondent of an American paper states that he had picked up the following New Zealand stations on his Super-Zenith receiver:—2YK, Wellington, 285 metres, 120 watts; IAR, Auckland, 330 metros, 200 watts; VLDN, Dunedin, 310 metres, 500 watts. Marvellous, Mr Yankee, marvellous! It is almost certain that the ground connection receives less attention than any other part of the receiver, probably because it is out of sight. The possibility of trouble at this end of the antenna circuit must not be neglected, however. Test the receiver by disconnecting the earth while the set is in operation.

Many listeners were inclined to blame their sets for the idcafening noise which was experienced on 3YA’s wavelength on Wednesday evening. The trouble was, and now is. that 3YA is right on top of SCL. Adelaide, since the alteration of wavelengths. It is understood that the Broadcasting Company is not credited with the alterations, but it is the work of the Government. As I have already stated in recent notes, the change in wavelengths is absolutely ridiculous and quite uncalled for. “Aerial.” in Ihc Christchruch Star, anticipated trouble, for on Tuesday he wrote the following:— Owners of multi-valve sets who are within a. radius of five miles of a broadcasting station operating on a power of 500 watts or over, are unable without wave traps (and sometimes not even then) to tune out that station in favour of any distant station operating closer than 20 metres to the wavelength of the local station. The now allotment of wave-lengths means that listeners possessing sets of less than five valves—(l) In Auckland, when IYA (420 metres) is going, will be unable to tune in 3YA (405 metros), 4YA (435 metres) and 2FC (442 metres). (2) Tn Wellington, when the new 2YA (380 metres) is on, will he unable to tune in 3LO (371 metres) and 4QG (395 metres), but. owing to 2YA’s great power, it is not likely Wellington listeners will be able to get past 2YA for 3YA (405 metres) and 2BL (353 metres). (3) In Christchurch, when 3YA is operating, will be unable to tune in IYA (420). and 4QG (395). (4) Tn Dunedin, when 4YA (435) is on. will be uanble to tunc in TYA (420) and 2FC (442). It is suggested that the Government,, of New Zealand should cancel tho new wave-lengths and, in place thereof put IYA on 475 metres, put the new 2YA on 250 metres, 3YA on 310 metros, and 4YA on 510 metres. As the main Australians are 2BL. 353 metres; 3LO. 371 metres; 4QG, 395 metres, and 2FC, 442 metres, the alteration suggested would not only be of benefit to the rsulti-valve set owner but would enable the “single-valver ” to try out for “long distance” any night he chooses, instead of having to wait, for the local station’s “silent night” in order to, as most of them would say “get some fun out of the set. ’ ’

The reason given for this change is because the Australian stations, or some of them do not keep very accurately to their proper wave-lengths, and tho New Zealand stations, therefore, are apt to clash. 3YA possesses one of the very latest gadgets for measuring wavelengths, the most up-to-date machine south of the line, and can be absolutely certain of its wavelength, but the wave-length measures across the Tasman are more ancient and less accurate, the result being that their measurements arc more or less approximate, and, apparently, none too accurate.

What is claimed to be a record wireless communication on a twenty-metre wave-length, was established by Mr I. O’Meara, of Gisborne, and an amateur in New York last Monday. The distance traversed by the signals is estimated at 16 000 to 17.000 miles. The feat was performed under daylight conditions, which fact makes it certain in the minds of wireless experts that the signals travelled, not in a direct route lo New York, but via Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. Thursday evening’s reception was quite good. Our old friend “Static” was having an evening off after his strenuous work the day previous. AU the “Aussies” came in well, good programmes being on the board. The New Zealand stations were troubled with fading—especially IYA. 3YA, Christchurch might as well have been off the air. The “Radionts,” variety entertainers, who wore heard from TYA, on Thursday, provided a welcome change from tho ordinary routine. 4QG, Brisbane, is not not up to str'.nriard it was a few weeks ago. The programmes arc excellent, but the volume is not there. Mr Prentice, on Thursday evening, continued his talks on “Foreign Affairs.” Ho dealt very extensively with file trouble in China and showed that he is well versed with the situation. It is h's intention to make these talks on international questions a permanent weekly feature from IYA. When “B” batteries have been allowed to stand, dust gathers quickly. Moisture in the atmosphere makes the dusty surface a fairly good conductor and this results in deterioration of the battery and noisy operation. When dusting off the radio set. it is a good plan to remember the batteries also, even though they may be located out of sight. Feodor Chaliapin, Russian basso, who is now in America, said after broadcasting: “I tell you, this is much harder than a concert! It is much more difficult. When I stop and think I am singing not for 2000, but perhaps for 1,000,000 persons, it makes me nervous.” Going to switch on the radio the other evening I found the batteries run down. Another member of tho family put on the gramophone and the record happened to be, “Oh, How I Miss You To-night,” and the following verse rose to my lips:— Oh, how I’ve cursed: them to-night, Cursed them for being low; Oh, how I’ve cursed them to-night, More than they’ll ever know. They went “dead out” after awhile. Oh, how I’yo pxpect me to smile? But while I’m busy “hating,” The battery’s sulphating, Oh, please come and charge it, to-night. An enthusiastic listener wrote to station KFI, Los Angeles, as follows: “T listened to your programme one night last week—or maybe it was the week before. I'm sure it was Los Angeles because T distinctly heard the song “California, Here I Come! Please send a verification stamp.”

MRS DOOLEY TALKS “ME HIMPRISSIONS” (By Leonard L.) “God-day to ye,” says oi to Mrs Murphy. “ ’Tis a foine day,” she says to me, quick like, “and ’ow are ye,” oi says; but Mrs Murphy niver answered at all, at all. You know Mrs Murphy’s ’usband works at won of thim woireless places, and iver since ’er ’usband hinstalled won of thim ’ere earials, the street is niver woide enough for ’er. she ’as a grand air ’as Mrs Murphy. I niver forgets the toime ’as she asked Phat an ’ me in to ’ear the woireless. ’Tis a book oi could write erbout mo first himprissions. Mrs Murphy’s ’usband ’e was all shaking, like as though ”e ad just been missed by a train. ’E touches this an’ that an’ after erwhile a noise like Phat makes whin ’e erslcep starts coming hout of a ’orn like thim ’ear gramophones an’ Tim, that’s Mrs Murphy’s ’usband says ’as 'ow’s that was the hcether. Oi says, “Was that wot the dintist uses,” an’ Mrs Murphy looks at me scornful like. “Urrah! for ould Oiland,” says oi, but would yer believe me, hout of that there thing comes, “For the Wearing o’ the Green.” Oi began to get excited Like an‘ oi says to Phatrick Dooley, “it’s a jig will ye be dancin’?” Thin the band began to play an’ oi says, “sure an’ it must be Queen Alexandra’s Own. It was a broth of a band, an’ after erbout tin minutes the apparatus broke, an’ a spalpeen says ’as ’ow he was in Milbourne —would ye believe it? E’ says, ’as ’ow ’e was 3LO or somcat like that. Oi ups an’ calls 'im a liar, the dirthy mongreal, to make respectful people believe ’as ’ow he was speaking acrost all thim tousands and tousands of miles, an’ me sitting hin the room. Oi calls hit disgraceful, ’e oroused mo indignatation. “ ’Ow! yer wretch, Phatrick Dooley,” oi says, “ ’tis not at ’ome that wo arc, ’tis the dog that you’ll bo thinking oi am? Tim kept on movin’ things on the front ov the box. First ’e turned thim

that way, thin ’e would turn thim the other way. ’E says ’as ’ow ’e was tuneing hin to somat else. “4QG, Brisbane, speaking; alloa everybody,” says he, an’ thin he says as ’ow the weather was, an’ ’ow much pigs was worth and ’s says as ’ow it was ’ot. Oi looked at Phatrick an ’ oi could see as ’ow he thought it was ’ot as well, ’e shuffled* erbout a bit, an’ ’o caught me eye on ’im an’ ’e Stopped shuffling. Tim started to turn the things agin and all of a sudden ’e jumps hup as though ’e was bit, ’o says as ’e ’ad picked hup a ship wot was whalcing at sea, ’an sure ’e did. Oi ’card thim. After ’e ’ad finished Tim says ’as ’ow ’e was going to bring in America. ’E gets a bloke a’speakin’ somewhere in California ’ow says as it was the day before where ’he was, oi thinks to meself it is no wonder; the poor buoy if he ’ad been dri-nkin’ the stuff as we reads erbout hin the papers as they consummes over there. Oi noods mo ’ead an’ oi scz nothing. Prisintly there was a flash an’ it was blinded oi am. Poor Tim Murphy ’e just stood as ’c was, oi niver seen ’an himprission hon ’is face before. ’E was stoopified. ’E says as ’ow ’e ’ad burnt hout ’is valves. ’E said ’as ’ow ’c ’ad to hexperiment to find hout ’ow much ’is valves’d resist.

Oi looks at Mrs Murphy sort of ammused loike an’ she says as ’ow some people was brought hup. “Whil! Whil! It was foine; it was a grand evening to be sure.” TO-DAY’S PROGRAMMES IYA, Auckland. Silent Day. 3YA, Christchurch. 3 to 4.30 p.m.: Afternoon concert. 7.15 p.m.: News and reports. 7.30 p.m.: Book talk by Mr E. J. Bell. 8 to 10 p.m.: Chimes; studio concert by the Christchurch Regimental Band under Lieutenant E. C. Hopkins; march, “Number Three,” the band; mezzo-soprano solos (a) “Dancing Time in Kerry,” (b) “Love Was Once a Little Boy,” Miss E. Clarke; waltz, “Contemplation,” the band; baritone solo, Mr Percy Davies; two-step, “Waiting For Robert E. Lee,” the band; soprano solos, (a) “Loves Echo” (Newton), (b) “Scottish Bluebells” (Barker), Mrs A. Macgillivray; selection, “Ole Kentucky,” the band; tenor solo, “Big Ben” (Pontet), Mr S. W. Drayton; march, “The Hazard.” , the band; soprano solo, Miss M. Miller; , baritone solo, Mr Percy Davies; intermezzo, “Love Bells,” the band; soprano solo, “May Day Morn” (Slater), Mrs A. W. Macgillivray; cornet solo with band accompaniment, “Up From Sommer ville”; mezzo-soprano solo, “Carissima,” Miss E. Clarke; march, “The Britisher,” the band; tenor solos, (a) “Dream Enthralling” (Schubert), (b) “I Love Thee” (Adrian Armadio), Mr S. W. Drayton; selections, jazz numbers, the band; soprano solo, Miss M. Miller. 4YA, Dimedin. Silent day. 2YK, Wellington. 3 to 4.30 p.m.: Afternoon concert; studio items and relay of Manuel Hyman ’s Exhibition Band from the New Adelphi Cabaret. 7.15 p.m.: News and reports, etc. 8 to 10 p.m.: Studio concert of operatic numbers by the pupils of Signor Lucien Ccaseroni; relay of Manuet Hymtin’s Exhibition Band from the New Adelphi. Cabaret.