Listen In!

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 279, 25 November 1931, Page 10

Listen In!

*8 NOTES AND PROGRAMMES *8?

(By

“Detector.”)

KFI Still Holding Up. Reception of American stations has not been worth while during the week, although on some occasions KFI, Los Angeles, has been heard at fair strength between 7 and 8. Reception. Severe static, which is common at this time of the year has kept listeners on many nights to the nearest stations, while on other evenings reception has been normal with perhaps a diminution in volume as compared with a month or so ago. Radio Dismissals. Notice of dismissal was served last Thursday on the twenty-five persons in tho employ of the Radio Broadcasting Company at Christchurch; employees of the company at the other three stations also received similar notice. In all, sixty-nine men and women will be without employment as from December 31 this year, when the company’s license expires unless they are re-ap-pointed by the new controlling body. The notices served on the staff at 2YA suggested that they should reapply for employment under the new board, but as its personnel has not yet been announced the staff are in a quandary and do not know to whom they should make application. The company had no alternative but to dismiss its employees, said Mr A. R. Harris, manager of the New Zealand Radio Broadcasting Company. The expiry of its license and the setting up of the new controlling organisation took broadcasting out of its hands. The artists engaged more or less permanently by the company were also affected by the decision. Take It or Leave It. In the large American cities, on account of the extremely low prices and the small margin of profit left to tho dealer, the demonstration of midget receivers is reduced to a minimum. The dealer will demonstrate the machine to a client but does not leave the set for several days and make several demonstrations, but expects the buyer to arrive at a reasonably quick decision without many unnecessary demonstrations. Australia’s First Announcer. The honour of being Australia’s first broadcast announcer is stated to be held by Mr G. A. Saunders, “Uncle George” of 2GB, Sydney. Mr. Saunders started at 2BL, Sydney, in September, 1921, and in 1927 joined station 2GB. Sydney Changes. The programme director for the Sydney stations of the A.8.C., Mr Ewart Chapple, has resigned to take a similar position at station 2CH, Sydney, which will come on the air about Christmas. Mr G. Vern Barnett, who is known in Australia and New Zealand as. an adjudicator on music, has taken his place. Radio Servicemen's Exam. For the radio servicemen’s examination, to be held on December 4 of this year, there are 367 entries, including seven from Wanganui. We understand that the P. and T. regulations have been removed from the syllabus owing to impending charges. Election Results, Very full arrangements are being made for the dissemination of election results from all YA stations on December 2. As was done in 1928, all stations will co-operate with the Post and Telegraph Department and local newspapers, in order to give listeners throughout the Dominion the fullest and promptest results of the polling. 2YA will naturally play a key part in the broadcasting of that evening. To-day’s Outlook. ”The introduction of the midget has sounded the death-knell of many a manufacturer. Factories should produce three times the number of receivers to maintain their turnover, but actually the output has decreased by 50 per cent, and more,” stated Mr E. R. Boucher, after his recent visit to America. Representatives Wanted. The Secretary of the Post and Telegraphs is circularising known radio societies and clubs intimating that nominations for representatives for the listeners will be accepted by the Department to fill the new Advisory Council which is to act in conjunction with the Board of Control of Broadcasting. Australian Reception. The following contributed table shows the relative signal strengths of the main trans-Tasman stations at 9.30 p.m. for the week ended Tuesday:— Signal Strength. Station. (Maximum R-10) 2FC, Sydney 8 2BL, Sydney ........ 7 3LO, M elbourne .. ~ .. 6 2NC, Newcastle 6 3AR, Melbourne 6 4QG, Brisbane 6 4RK, Rockhampton .... 5 7ZL, Hobart 4 SCL, Adelaide .. 3 6WF, Perth 2 Up in the “Air.” Tests were recently conducted in the Empire State Tower, New York City, at a height of 1250 feet above ground, on the 103rd floor in fact. It was found that the results were not what were hoped for, the signal strength being but little better thaa that obtained with the same receiver on ordinary antennae on the ground. Perhaps the only advantage was the elimination of electrical interference and a resulting good tone practically free from a disturbing background. Reception of European stations was distinctly disappointing.

.Empire Short Wave Station. I With tho establishment of the Emjpire short-wave broadcast station, short wave reception should receive a great fillip among listeners in general. Those who have broadcast receivers should not feel that their sets are out of date or that they will have io buy an additional receiver. If they want to listen to short wave broadcasts direct all that is required is what is known as a short wave, converter, which when connected to the broadcast set makes i + into a powerful short wave suj/erheterodyne receiver. The Empire station will not be ready to send out its first transmission for at least 12 months. Microphone Improvement. Much is being heard of the latest improvements in radio apparatus, in all types of which certainly great improvements have been made and in comparison with other apparatus perhaps the greatest improvements have been made in the microphone. In tho very early days of broadcasting each artist, where more than one was performing simultaneously, held what was very similar to an ordinary telephone transmitter before them. The results were, to say the least, indifferent. The early 8.8. C. stations used a microphone which in many respects resembles tho presentday moving coil speakers without, the cone. This was followed by tho Reis type of carbon microphone which while giving fair results had the same trouble as all types of carbon microphones, background hiss. In America the double button type of carbon microphone enjoyed popularity for a long time and is still used by a great many stations, although for the better class of work has been, like the Reis or Phillips type microphones, discarded in favour of the electrostatic or condenser microphone, which was developed primarily for the purpose of recording of talkies, where background hiss could not be tolerated. This type is now practically standard in both England and America for broadcast purposes. A further development of the silent background microphone is the ribbon microphone, which has the characteristic of having a very restricted angle of pick-up, an advantage in avoiding extraneous or unwanted sounds. “Lead-ins.” Notwithstanding repeated advice published on the subject, some listeners run the aerial and earth leads quite close together. Apparently it is thought that because they are covered with an insulating material the wires will not affect one another.. It should be remembered that high-frequency current will cause a condenser effect between two wires if they are run parallel, say half an inch apart, even though the intervening space is filled with “insulating” material. Connecting a Pick-up.

It is not difficult to connect a pickup to the wireless set enabling gramophone records to be played electrically at any volume required through the loud speaker. All that is necessary is to break the connection between the grid leak and the grid terminal of the detector valve holder. Then connect the lead from one side of the pick-up to the grid of the valve, and after putting a bias of about volts negative in series with the other pick-up lead, connect the positive side of the grid bias battery to earth. The grid leak of the receiver is, of course, left disconnected. This will prevent the pick-up from distorting due to overloading of the valve. A further refinement in the form of a volume control in the pick-up circuit is advisable, however, so that the music may be faded in and out at will. Service! Make use of our Radio Repair Service. Radio is our speciality, therefore bring your repairs to the firm who specialise in this work. All and any classes of sets repaired. Valves may be the cause of poor reception, jo bring them in, and we will test then free. — D. A. Morrison & Co., Avenue.* Pure Reproduction. To the music-loving radio listener, the pure reproduction of any musical offering is preferable to the best that is accompanied by any form of noise, interruption or distortion. Hence it is that the man who bought hid wireless set some years ago—the man who is also a lover of music—finds, as time goes on, an increasing disinclination to bother with tuning in distant stations for anything but some special event that is not available from his local station. When, however, that event takes the form of a musical entertainment. he rarely perseveres with it if extraneous noise accompanies its reproduction. Such a man often discovers, with surprise, that the local programmes are really better than he had thought. It is quite tho usual thing for the traveller who is interested in radio to find that, in Auckland, it is common talk that lYA’s programmes are “too bad for words” —or words to that effect. In Wellington he hears the same with regard to 2YA; also in Christchurch and Dunedin with regard to 3YA and 4YA. He is told, more or less emphatically, by people who, so one would think, ought to know, that the station in ( an y other place than that of their home town) presents really wonderful programmes. As it would seem the opinion is unanimous about every station it follows that all the station present, on the whole, quite good ra<l: programmes. You may not agree with that righ off. But, think it over. And here’s r point that, from personal experience seems to be one that will not bo con tradicted: The longer one possesses r radio set the more attention one devotes to reproduction of concerts put over by the local stations.

Broadcaster for Hamilton A new “B” class broadcasting station at Hamilton, Victoria, known as 3HA, was officially opened on Saturday, October 24, for the purpose of providing the people of tho West of Victoria with improved radio facilities. Tho station was designed, constructed, installed and is being operated and maintained by Amalgamated Wireless (A’sia) Ltd. It has a power of 200 watts in the aerial, and is similar in every respect to the stations recently established by Amalgamated Wireless at Bendigo, Perth and Townsville. The proprietors of tho station are tho Western Province Radio Pty., Ltd., in which company the “Age” newspaper, Melbourne, is substantially interested. Hamilton is one of the finest towns in Victoria, being the centre of a largo wool and agricultural district, and the establishment of a broadcasting station will make it known throughout the greater part of Australia. Reports to hand indicate that the new station is being well received by listeners. House-to-House Radio. Speaking at the official opening of the Inter-State Conference of the Wireless Institute at Sydney this week. Mr. E. T. Fisk, managing director of Amalgamated Wireless, suggested that there were great possibilities of radio development in the micro rays—those | below ten metres. Mr. Fisk remarked I that in these low wave lengths there ! was a great field of research awaiting j experimenters. It might even be possible that communication by wireless from house to house might ultimately be effected by means of these very short waves as they afforded an almost unlimited number of communication channels. Mr. Fisk paid a tribute to the work of tho early radio experimenters in Australia, particularly Messrs C. P. Bartholomew, C. Maclurcan, J. Pike and Max Howden, and of later years by J. Reed, J. Davis and S. Newman. TO-DAY’S PROGRAMMES Following are the programmes of Australian and New Zealand stations scheduled. for to-day. In the case of Australian- stations Australian time is given in each instance, which is two hours behind that of New Zealand IYA, AUCKLAND. (875 Kilocycles; 333 Metres.) 3.0: Chimes. Selected recordings. 3.15: Literary selection 4.30: Sports results. 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner mime session. 7.0: News and market reports. 7.30: Talk — Mr. E. H. Nepia (under the auspices of the Akarana Association) “Maori Pronunciation.” 8.0: Chimes. Programme in commemoration of St. Andrew’s Day. (A Braw Scotch Night by the Caledonian Concert Party). March—Auckland and District Highland Pipe Band. Chorus—Company. Humour—Mr. Elton Black. Popular Scotch songs —Miss Alice Bennetto. Tenor—Mr. A. L. Macpherson. Mezzo-contralto —Miss Beryl Barker. Contralto—Miss Kay Christie. Scottish Humour and Song—The Twa Macs. March—Auckland and District Highland Pipe Band. Soprano—Miss Reta MacCullay. Humour—Mr. Allan F. McSkimming. Mezzo-con-, tralto—Miss Beryl Barker. Scottish Humour and Song—The Twa Macs. Vocal duet— Misses Kay Christie and Reta MacCullay. Patter and song—Miss Alice Bennetto and Mr. Elton Black. March—Auckland and District Highland Pipe Band. Finale —The Company. 10.0: God Save the King. 2YA, (720 Kilocycle*). 10.0: Chimes. Selected gramophone recordings. 11.37: Lecturette— "Hollywood Affairs.” 12.0: Lunch hour music. 2.0: Selected recordings. 3.30 and 4.30: Sporting results. 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music session. 7.0: News, reports and sports results. 7.40: Lecturette—Mr. A. E. Wilson.. “Tourist and Health Resorts.” 8.0: Chimes. International programme. BYA, CHRISTCHURCH. 4980 Kilocycles). 8.0: Gramophone recital. 4.30: Sports results. 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music session. 7.0: News and reports. 7.30: Addington market report. 8.0: Chimes. Relay of Concert by the Christchurch Orchestral Society from the Radiant Hall. Mozart programme. Overture—Orchestra. Contralto— Mrs. F Nelson Kerr. Clarionet concerto— Mr. E. M. Withers and Orchestra. 9.0: Weather report and station notices. 9.10: Choral —Choir of Holy Trinity Church, Avonside, with orchestra. 9.30: Selection—Orchestra. 9.48: String quartette—Mr. C. R. Moon, Miss F. Nolan, Miss L. R. Robertson, and Miss P. Stringer. 9.54: March—Orchestra. 10.0: Dance music from Studio—Recorded. 11.0: God Save the King. 4YA, DUNEDIN. (650 Kilocycles). 3.0: Selected recordings. 3.15: Talk—“ Eat What You Can, and Can What You Eat.” 4.30: Sports results. 5.0: Children’s hour. 6.0: Dinner music session. 7.0: News and reports. 7.15: Talk—Mr. C. V. Dayus, under the auspices of 4YA Primary Productions Committee, “Live Stock/’ 8.0: Chimes. 8.9: Presentation by “Harmonists” Quartette of Lehar’a Light Opera. 8.30: Trio-Misses Ethel Wailace and Baker and Mr. Blyth. 8.40: Act IL—"The Merry Widow.” 8.56: ’Cello—Mr. J. Blyth. 9.0: Weather report and station notices. 9.2: Act lll.—"The Merry Widow.” 9.12: Trio—Misses Wallace and S. Baker and Mr. J. Blyth. 9.20: Conclusion of “The Merry Widow.” 9.30: Dance session—Recorded. 11.0: God Save the King. 2YB, NEW PLYMOUTH. (1230 Kilocycles). 6.30 to 7.30 p.m.: Children’s session. 7.30 to 8 p.m.: Sports talks. 4QG, BRISBANE. (395 Metres; 760 Kilocycles). 6.0: Shipping. 6.2: Expreat train information; mail notices. 6.10: For the Children, "The Sandman.” 7.0: Sporting and news session. 7.59: Eastern Australian Standard Time Signals. 8.0; Studio concert. 10.0: Weather information. 10.10: Dance music from the Trocadero. 11.0: Close down. 4RK, ROCKHAMPTON. (329 Metres). 6.6: News aervice. 6.10 to 11.0: Relayed from 4QG. IFC. SYDNEY. (451 Metres). 5.45 p.m.: Children’s session. 6.45: The A.B.C. Orchestra. 7.20: A.B.C. sporting and news items. 8.0: Studio concert programme. JUL. SYDNEY. 858 Metres). 6.15 p.m.: Dance music. 7.5: Country eeasion. 7.20: Dance music. 8.0: Studio concert programme.