BROADCASTS FROM 2BL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 427, 19 November 1930, Page 10

BROADCASTS FROM 2BL

WEAKER SIGNAL STRENGTH RECEPTION IN WANGANUI. Complaints are being made in Australia that station 2BL cannot now’ be as satisfactorily received as at the corresponding period last year. In sonic areas, it is alleged, there is a definite weakening of the signals from this station, both by day and night. Officially this station is rated at five, kilowatts, but experts contend that tho present, power in the aerial does not exceed two kilowatts, and that frequently it is much less. Oversea radio engineers who have made tests assert that it is now no better than stations of the same rating in Britain and the United States five years ago.

The apparatus in the 2BL station is now much as it was three or four years ago. It was largely obsolete when taken over by the Post Office Department eighteen months ago. That was tho opinion of the engineers of the department when they were making a valuation before its transfer to the G.P.O. wireless branch. It was then recommended that 2BL should be removed from the thickly populated area of Coogce and transferred to Pennant Hills, Windsor, or some other area on tho outskirts of the metropolitan area, where it would cause little interference with the majority of listeners.

Under the contract with the Australian Broadcasting Company, Limited, the Post. Office Department retains 12s of each license fee, of which 3s is paid as royalty fees for patents to Amalgamated Wireless Ltd. The remaining 9s a license has given the Post Office Department during the last 15 months almost £200,000 for transmission costs. On the basis of operating charges when the A class stations were under private control these costs for the period should not have exceeded £lOO,OOO, leaving a like amount for the erection of new “A” stations, as well as the relay stations provided for under the contract. <’(>nsc<|iiently, there should be sufficient funds available for the purchase of now transmitting apparatus for 2BL, and the removal of that, station outside the range of interference. A deterioration in the strength of 2BL’s signals has been noticed in Wan-

ganui. On small sets loud-speaker volume of 2BL is often difficult, to obtain. The transmission of 2FC, Sydney, is, by far. the best of the traus-Tasinan stations.