RADIO INSPECTORS

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19664, 26 August 1935, Page 3

RADIO INSPECTORS

THEIR WORK DESCRIBED. EXPERIENCES IN FAULT-TRACING. In these days of the 'all-wave radio, when the listener ranges the world for his entertainment, the question of Interference with reception of radio signals is of great interest to a wide circle of readers. They will be reassured to know that this problem is being watched constantly by 21 radio inspectors of the Post Office, and also receives expert attention from the Department’s engineering staff. In addition, there are at a number of post offices throughout the Dominion officers -of the Telegraphic Branch, etc., who attend to interference complaints as occasion requires. The full-time inspectors are stationed at Auckland, Whangarei, Hamilton East-, Hamilton West, Wellington, Masterton, Nelson, Palmerston North, Wanganui, New Plymouth, Napier, Gisborne, 'Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, and, there are parttime inspectors at Blenheim and Greymouth.

What is the most common source of trouble experienced by the radio listeners? Electric power lines are so prominent a feature of the New Zealand landscape that there is a very natural tendency on the part of listeners to regard the reticulation system as the source of most of their troubles. The listener is right occasionally, and if there is a fault of this nature It is quickly remedied, for the electric supply authorities of the Dominion co-operate with the Postal Department in a most prompt and effective way to eliminate this oause of radio interference. However, ith-ejre are many localities in which it is almost Impossible to secure perfect reception. A house is sometimes found to be electrically shielded, and radio signals extremely weak at that point, although a few yards further along the same street reception will be perfect from the nearest broadcasting station.

Rival Deteotlves,

Radio inspectors almost rival, criminal detectives in their capacity to trace mysterious troubles. They are equipped with portable receiving sets and arc 'thus independent of the set owned by the complaining listener when the trouble is being demonstrated. This is highly important, because so many cases of complaint are eventually found to be located in the listener’s own set. The inspector then points out the cause, and it is the task of a radio service man to sel it right. Faults are sometimes found in bouso wiring. The defect may not be dangerous from a fire hazard point of view, tout a slightly corroded wirg. while giving ordinary service, will make itself evident in the radio receiving set, especially if the latter is used with a high degree of amplification.

In the electric transmission lines there are fuses as a protective device, and some radio interference complaints. of recent months have .. been traced to faulty fuses.

Radio inspectors are also responsible for the examination of operators of ships’ wireless, they Inspect the radio apparatus used on ships,- and when an amateur wishes to secure a transmitting license he,, has to pass through a critical survey and satisfy them that his knowledge is sufficient, among other things, to enable hint to operate a set without interfering with the entertainment of listeners' who use the broadcasting band.