Listens In!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20106, 27 March 1928, Page 10

Listens In!

NOTES AND PROGRAMMES «

(By

“Detector.”)

What Do You Want — There has been a fair amount of discussion, and also criticism, of late in regard to the ariety of programmes broadcast from 2 YA. We are now endeavouring to find out what the majority of listeners want by the means of a ballot. Now, on this page is a list of items that represent the general run of programmes presented. Decide what you like best, and mark against it. If you feel you want to criticise, write on a separate sheet of paper, Fill in the form to-day. The boxing match, Johnny Curley v. Billy Jones came through exceptionally well on Saturday evening from 2BL, Sydney. Of course the usual howling fraternity had to have a shot at picking up this station, consequently making things unpleasant for a while. It is announced that the trio at IYA Auckland will play “Andante and Scherzo ,1 from the trio by Reinecke tonight. and “on the lighter side” a selection from “Tannhausen” The man before the average set. however, does not regard Wagner’s music as “on the lighter side.” 2ZF, Palmerston North again broadcasted an excellent programm * of selected grampophone items on Sunday afternoon and evening. The afternoon transmission was excellent, volume being three times that of IYA, which was also on the air. Modulation and clarity were quite good—the best yet. For the first time since the opening of the new station the full power of 50 watts was used, and this, no doubt, wont a long way in making the noted improvement. The evening transmission was not so good, but perhaps the static, which was also the best heard for some time, had something to do with it. The electrons, tiny specs of negative electricity, so small that even the most powerful microscope cannot detect them, give the radio valve its ability to promote progress in radio. One scientist estimates that if a drop of water, which includes a vast number of electrons, because of the hydrogen and oxygen within it, was magnified to the size of the earth, each electron, magnified in proportion, would be about as large as a grain of sand.

Simple and direct in action, stili more simple in control; the whole selective range Is obedient to one main dial, battery current is controlled by a master switch, and a minor fitment increases or soften the tone volume. This is a highly efficient “shielded” set, so perfect in its operation, that, if working from a properly situated interior aerial, all local and Australian stations can be tuned in with ease—-

this is the Bremer-Tully Counterphase as supplied by D. A. Morrison and Co.*

Listeners who are troubled by loud howls from their sets when the last stage of audio frequency is brought into operation, although the set functions well when only one stage is used, may be interested to learn that it has been found in a number of cases that seldom does the fault lie in the receiver itself. Usually it is caused by rundown B batteries. Substitution of new batteries is the only means of determining if this is so in any particular instance. The greater the number of valves employed in the set the more likely it is to be so.

Saturday night proved quite good for radio reception. There was static, of course, but not enough to cause much annoyance. The New Zealand stations were heard quite well, especially 2YA. AH the main Australian stations were good, (‘specially 4QG, Brisbane, reception of which has been distorted for some time past.

On the short waves, 2XAF. NewYork. was heard quite well on Sunday afternoon, between 3 and 4.30. Some splendid orchestral numbers were listened to.

Quite a number of interesting facts were elicited at the listeners’ meeting held in Auckland last week. One, on the authority of the editor of the “Radio Record,” was that the Broadcasting Company pays that periodical for the weekly publication of the company’s programmes. The public may not. be aware that the daily Press publishes these programmes gratis. Surely this expenditure is an anomaly. Though the majority of Radio sets to-day give very pleasing reproduction, for abso’ute refinement of tonal qualities and the natural re-creation of music and speech, w r e understand the combination of the Bremer Tully Counterphase Receiver with the new Bremer Tully Speaker is supreme.* Studio News. This week’s studio opera production by the Madame Irene Ainsley Quartet will be from “Madame Butterfly.” The second act will be broadcast from IYA this evening. The opera is full of good items. Operatic and humorous numbers will be' sung by the Orpheus Quartet this evening when a bright and varied entertainment will be broadcast by 2YA. Mr J en Barnes will sing the “Toreador Song” and Mr Arthur Coe will sing Schubert’s famous song “Who is Sylvia.” Other artists will be the Studio Trio. Air Haywood, Air A. H. Wright (saxophone) and Afiss Effie Brice (elocutioniste).

To-night is band night at 4YA. the instrumentalists being the St. Kilda Band. Good vocal artists are support-

Renewal of Licenses. All radio licenses expire on Alarch 31, the end of the radio financial year, and the officials of the Post and Telegraph Department urge that renewals should be made early in order to avoid the eleventh-hour rush. There will be many hundreds of licenses to be renewed in Wanganui and an early visit to the postal money order office should relieve the strain and expedite the renewal for both post office officials and licensees.

It has been suggested that dissatisfied listeners should not renew their licenses at the end of the month. Such an attitude is to be deprecated, and there is nothing to be gained by it, as it is more likely to retard than assist the development of local broadcasting.

A most interesting series of lectures on “Old New Zealand” is being broadcast on Tuesday evenings from IYA by Air A. B. Chappell. The most satisfactory solution to the “B” battery problem yet conceived is a rechargable wet Edison type of battery with a small trickle charger incorporated in the “B” unit. The Edison type of battery being almost indestructible should last in constant use quite a considerable number of years and all that is needed to keep the battery up is to plug into a heating or lighting point once a week for a few hours. When your dry “B’s” give out it will pay you to replace with this latest type. 90-volt blocks complete with charger cost £5 15s and 135volt blocks cost £7 7s. Thes? are otocked in Wanganui by D. A. Alorrison and Co., the Radio People.*

A correspondent writes:—At about ten minutes to five last Tuesday I had my machine sot on 2YA when 2FC, Sydney came in and drowned out Wellington. It was exceptionally loud. The announcer gave out two or three items which only lasted for a few lines of music, when other items were announc-

ed, the last being a piano accordion. The announcer then stated: “The time is now 11.45. 2FC closing down till

7 a.in. to-morrow.” I cannot understand how the two stations got mixed up. Could you enlighten me?

Yes. It was a gramophone record. There are quite a number of different skits on radio on the market at the. present time. You must admit it was a clever imitation.—“ Detector.”