Over The AERIAL

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19456, 21 December 1934, Page 5

Over The AERIAL

BY RHEOSTAT

THE COMING WEEK

Sunday. —lYA: 11, church service; 3.30, talk; 7, service from Baptist Tabernacle; 8.30, recorded opera, “La Boheme.” 2YA—II, church service; 2, “The Messiah”; 7, service from St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral; 8.15, studio concert. 3YA —11, church service; 6.30, service from St. Peter’s Presbyterian Church; 8.15, recordings. , Monday. —lYA: 10.15, civic reception to Duke of Gloucester; 3.30, home * science talk; 8, studio concert; 10, dance music; 12, relay of Midnight Mass. 2YA —11, Plunket Shield cricket; 11.30, talk, "Helpful Advice for the Home”; 8, studio concert; 10. 8.8. C. programme; 11.58, relay of Midnight Mass. 3YA—2.30, home science talk; 8, studio concert; 11, dance music; 12, Christmas bells. Tuesday.' —lYA: 10.30, service from Pitt Street Methodist Church; 3.30, talk; 8, Christmas music; 1.-45, 8.8. C. . special Christmas Empire broadcast 2YA; —2, Plunket Shield Cricket; 8, studio concert. 3YA —7, Plunket Shield review; 7.30 carol service; I. Empire broadcast. Wednesday. t YA: 12, Auckland Racing Club’s meeting; 8, .8.8. C. programme; 9.20, 8.8. C. Christmas programme; 10.30, dance music. 25A 11. Plunket Shield cricket; 7.30, gardening tall;; 8, studio concert; 9.20, .8.8. C. programme. 3YA —10.15, Plunket Shield cricket; 8, studio concert; 10.30, dance music. Thursday —lYA; 12, Auckland Trotting Club’s meeting; 3.30, home science talk; 8, studio concert; 10.10, relay of Monetary Reform talk; 10.30, dance music. 2\ r A —11.10, Plunket Shield cricket; 8, studio concert; 10.10, Monetary Reform talk; 10.30. dance music. 3YA —10.15, Plunket Shield cricket; 8, recordings; 10.10, Monetary Reform talk; 10.30, dance music. Friday. —lYA: Auckland Racing Club’s meeting; 7.30, sports talk; 8, studio concert; 10.30, dance music. !2YA —8, studio concert;. 9.30, dance music. 3YA —10.15, Plunket Shield cricket; 8, studio concert; 10.30, dance • music. !. Saturday. —lYA: Auckland Trolling Club’s meeting; 7.30, gardening ta.k; B,' studio concert; 9.30, radio drama; 10, sports summary; 10.10, dance music. 2YA—11.15, Home Science talk; 8, studio concert; 9, dance music; 10, sports summary. 3YA — j

8, . concert from 4YA, Dunedin; 10, eports summary; 10.10, dance music.

MUSIC CATERING. | BANDMASTER’S STRONG VIEWS, i Major 11. E. Adkins, Mus. Bach., ' L.R.A.M., A.8.C.M., conductor and director of music at Kneller Hall, • where the Imperial Army bandsmen : are taught music, recently startled a \ number of people by expressing de- 1 oided views "on the so-called intellectual person who wishes to cram, highbrow music down the throat of j the man in the street." j “Our hand at its concerts runs the ; whole gamut of music—high brow, j middle brow and low brow,” said the! famous conductor. “A versatile or- j ganisalion, we can play not only classi- | cal music, but also sing sea chanties." ! "Of course lliere are always a lot J of people who atlcnfl concerts who

like popular dance” music, so to please them the band becomes a dance orchestra of 50 pieces," said Major Adkins.

"You know it is foolishness to try and make some people enjoy classica music. We make it a point to caler to the likes of all music lovers at our concerts."

Kneller Hall has been in existence since 185-4', providing bandsmen for the Guards regiments, infantry of the line and cavalry regiments.

“The men who are with me now are selected from the bandmasters’ course of the college, and when they graduate will eventually become bandlasters of various regiments of the ;rmy,” he explained. The majority of the students of Kneller Hall are drawn from the "hoys”—on strength of various regiments and attached to Urn regimental hand. Major Adkins himself, who has. been director at Knel or Hall lor J 3 years, started his military career as a “boy” in the Gloucester Regiment band. The members of the visiting band represent no fewer than 32 famous regiments. * l I was with the Suffolk Regiment before 1 took over at Kneller Hall," said the major, "but really 1 started with the Gloucester's,. My father and grandfather served with that regiment.” *

THE ART OF TUNING.

ELIMINATING INTERFEBEXCE

Though it is not always realised, there is a good deal of art in tunmg a receiving, set, particularly one ol Die "straight” type containing a small number of valves. In the hands ol an unskilled operator the average threevalve set of good quality may bring in but two or three stations; the same set handled with reasonable skill may prove capable of receiving anything to a dozen or a score or more.

j Here is a useful lip for three-valve ! or four-valve straight sets which have ! both reaction and volume control j knobs. The effect of applying reaction 1 is to increase both the sensitiveness ! and the selectivity ol the apparatus, ; and good use can be' made, of tills. Try this little experiment. Set the I volume control at maximum and tune ; in the local of some other powerful ! station which comes in '•strongly, with the reaction knob at its minimum position. Y'ou will llnd that the transmission spreads over a considerable portion of the tuning scale. Now cut down the signal to something quite small by turning Ihe volume control back, and bring it up to normal strength again with the help of reaction. Movement-.of- the tuning dial backwards and forwards will show that the spread is now greatly reduced. The spread of a;local station is often very troublesome to,•those possessing small straight sets who wish to be able to receive distant stations The method suggested will be of great help in many cases. Suppose,, for instance, that Auckland and Los Angeles almost overlap with vour set, and you desire to receive the latter station without interference. Begin your search with both reaction and volume control knobs at about their half-way.i>(feilions. When Los Angeles is first heard there will probably be interference from Die home station., Leaving Die reaction knob alone for the moment," cut down the volume gradually until Ihe interference almost if not'entirely-disap-pears. Now bring up Los Angeles’ strength with, the reaction knob, and if necessary take the volume control knob still further back.

By working the volume control against reaction in this way, and making sure at the same time that your set is sharply tuned to Los Angeles, you may be able to reduce interference from the olhei,' stations to such small proportions that it is unnoticeable —except possibly as a background during intervals in the station’s programmes.