RADIO NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume 103, Issue 17410, 24 May 1928, Page 15

RADIO NOTES

The Broadcasting Company is to ho | congratulated on its enterprise in inau- | gurating a professional orchestra at , 2YA, Wellington. The combination all performers at the of their profession —has been well selected, and when it is on the air listeners enjoy a real treat. . It is good news to hear that a similar orchestra is to perform from IYAI Auckland, and-as there is the talent available a very tine combination should be secured. While not wishing to say against the performers in the various trios and quartettes that we have had from the different stations, I think then efforts were not appreciated. Not from any fault of the performers, but from the fact that small combinations do not seem to broadcast well. There is a greater fullness about an orchestra, which carries better over the ether, and it cannot be gainsaid that orchestras and bands are easily the most popular with all classes of listeners. From all parts of the country there comes a chorus of approval of Wellington's new orchestra. The same, I feel sure, will happen at Auckland, and in this connection might I suggest tha; the Broadcasting Company should adopt a similar system to that of Australia, and allow these orchestras to perform where the public can also pay to see them. Such a proposal would not prevent people buying sets, and those who had them would like to see the people they had been listening to. AN ELABORATELY FITTED YACHT. The mojtor yacht Crusader, owned by Mr A. K. Macomber, of California, is, from the wireless point of view, one of the most elaborately fitted private yachts afloat. Wireless programmes can be picked up by this yacht over long distances, and it is probable that in these days of extensive wireless broadcasting there are few parts of the world where the Crusader will ever be without wireless entertain'ment. Nearly every room has its wireless loudspeaker; and, not content with receiving wireless from outside sources, Mr Macomber has arranged to transmit his own wireless programmes from the yacht to his camp whenever he may be ashore. For instance, he is shortly to take part in a big-game hunting expedition on the Fast Coast of Africa, and while on shore the hunting party will carry a number of portable receivers, which will enable them to pick up telephone conversation or music transmitted by the wireless telephone transmitter installed on the yacht, which will he anchored off the coast. Amusement is not the only use which Mr Macomber makes of wireless. Ilia yacht is also equipped with a complete and up-to-date wireless installation for the transmission and reception of commercial messages,, news and weather reports, so he may keep in close touch with the outer world. A li k.w. quenched Marconi spark gap transmitter enables the ship to keep in communication with commercial wireless stations over long distances; while the ship's wireless receivers are capable of receiving messages from all classes of wireless stations. The yacht is also fitted with a { k.w. telephone set which is very easily operated, and supplies the party with private telephone service between its headquarters on the yacht and any camps which may be established during the expedition. ADJUSTING GRID BIAS. In order that an L.F. valve may work at greatest efficiency and give the greatest purity of reproduction it is, of course, necessary that the grid bias voltage be suitably adjusted. Sometimes this voltage is very critical, so critical, perhaps, that a variation by IA-volt tappings is not sufficiently fine. It is not practicable to obtain a finer adjustment by using a potentiometer connected across the G.B. battery, as the battery would then be quickly exhausted through the poteniiometer winding.

STATION ORCHESTRAS.

INTERESTING JOTTINGS.

(By “Rheostat.”)

There is, however, another way in which a potentiometer may be used to enable a fine adjustment of G.B. to b-. obtained. This is to connect the potentiometer across the filament battery, and to connect the positive e id of the G.B. battery to the slider of the potentiometer. Goarse adjustment can then be obtained by altering the tapping point on the G.B. battery and fine adjustment by moving the potentiometer slider. HOW A GOOD AERIAL HELPS. Mr D. C. Williams, of Dargaville, has an efficient aerial-earth system. Needless to say, his results are in keeping with the installation. The set is a home-built B-D with two stages of R.F. amplification. Mr Williams says: “I have a fairly good aerial. The wire, No. 12 G, is suspended 50 feet above the earth in a clear space, the lead-in coming from the exact centre of the horizontal portion straight down to the lead-in tube of porcelain, through which it passes, and direct down to the set A term. 4 feet below the lead-in tube. The leadin is clear of all iron, etc. The earth lead is 6 feet long and is an iron drum buried 5 feet in the sandstony soil, with a continual stream of water flowing through the drum. All joints are soldered. The complete system is about 150 feet above sea level. “Last night 2UE came in at fair L.S. strength. Could be heard about 75 yards away. I notice 4YA has not been received in Auckland too well. I am approximately 80 miles north of Auckland, and they can be heard 50 yards away from the speaker, sometimes even further than that. This is to give you some idea of the results from the set as it is.” A SOLDERING HINT. When soldering very small objects it is generally most convenient to hold them by means of a pair of pliers, as if they are very small and light they are apt to stick to the soldering iron the moment the solder touches them. When you are holding the work in the pliers of 'Course one hand is entirely occupied, and you have only one hand to work with.' It is oflen very useful, therefore, to have the work held automatically in the pliers (in the absence of a small handvyce), and this can be accomplished by taking a strong elastic band and slipping it over the handles, doubling the elastic band if necessary to get sufficient force. The handles of the pliers are forced apart against the tension of the elastic band, and the work is inserted in the jaws of the pliers. The action of the elastic band then makes the pliers grip the work, and it is much easier to do the soldering. VARNISH FOR COILS. In winding coils the usual finishing process is to coat the wire with some preparation that will render the insulation waterproof and moisture proof, will hold the wires in place, and at the same time give a mechanical protection to the insulation. Ordinary varnish and shellac has a high distributed 6apacity effect that will lower t.hc efficiency of your coil considerably. A much better material to use can be easily and cheaply mad.; by dissolving some old scraps of photographic film in acetone. Scrape the gelatinous ernulsibn front the film by immersing it in lye. water, hot water, or household ammonia. The coating can be easily removed. Plac; 1 the cleaned pieces of film in a bottle of acetone and cork tightly. Shake the bottle until the pieces dissolve. If the mixture is too thick add more acetone. If too thin add more scraps of the celluloid. This material will be easy to apply, dries quickly, has a beautiful gloss, io transparent, and does not change the colour of the insulation of the wires, and binds the coil windings together.