Over the Aerial WIRELESS NEWS FROM FAR AND NEAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 236, 5 October 1928, Page 15

Over the Aerial WIRELESS NEWS FROM FAR AND NEAR.

(By "PHONOS.")

The first act of "The Student Prince" may be heard from 2FC at 0.30 this evening, while the "Merry Widow" will be presented from the same station on Wednesday next at 10.45 p.m. Though conditions were disturbed on Wednesday night, they have been generally good for distant reception during the past week, and owners of good sets — and aerials —have had little difficulty in securing good volume and clarity from Sydney right after dinner. An increasing namber of gramophone records is making its appearance in radio programmes, both in Australia and New Zealand. Judiciously selected, and duly announced as records, they meet with general public favour. The writer has heard no complaint voiced against them, except that listeners like to be told when a record is being used. ' Last Saturday's relay of "The Belle of New York" broke further new ground in local broadcasting, and was keenly appreciated. It is a pity that the performance was put on the air on a Saturday night, the evening of the week when most listeners are themselves out "doing a show."* There will be really more to attract listeners during the return voyage of the Southern Cross than there was in the first Tasman flight. Mr. McWilliam is not likely to labour again under the disadvantage of a few weeks ago, and those who are in touch with the aviators anticipate a good and plentiful service of messages as the 'plane flies Sydneywards. Various official and unofficial suggestions have been put forward for the curtailing of the Municipal Band programmes. It is devoutly to be hoped that there will be no curtailment of the broadcasting of these, for in these relays IYA offers a musical treat that is not excelled by any of a similar type in Australia. At least one young wireless enthusiast in Auckland has discovered quite a legitimate way of obtaining current at a cheap rate. The lad in question possesses a trolley, and with this he visits regularly a suburban dump where numerous discarded dry cells repose among the litter. These cells he carts home, and by a process of "doctoring" and connecting, he obtains quite a respectable, though short-lived "B" battery supply. Addressing the executive of the Amateur Radio Society of Wellington recently, Mr. J. Johnson, of the Radio Transmitters Association, said that noises are sometimes caused in a receiving set through the earth wire being fastened to a v/aterpipe which is not firmly secured to the building. People walking about in the house, he said, are likely to cause the water-pipe to vibrate or shake in its fixture and thus send sounds back into the receiving set. In fact bad plumbing can be another source of crackling sounds in a receiving 6et.

There is a promise of good fare from IYA next week, with a rearrangement of the usual nights of concert parties. On Tuesday Madame Ainsley's party will continue their weekly operatic presentations, giving excerpts from "Katja, the Dancer." The second effort at a full radio play will be made on Wednesday, with "Oliver Cromwell." Listeners will recall the success of the initial venture several weeks ago, and will be interested to compare it with John Drinkwater's play. The Lyric Quartet appears next week on Thursday, and Madame Towsey's quartet provides the Saturday programme. Listeners will welcome the recentlyintroduced amendment to the Copyright Act as another legislative step to safeguard their interests. Broadcasting has brought to owners of copyright a revenue beyond the dreams of bygone days. Demands for fees which have been made upon broadcasters here and elsewhere have been far from small, and the late Royal Commission in Australia had several pertinent remarks to make upon the charges levied. At various times the R.B.C. of New Zealand has referred to the big drain upon its revenue which copyright claims have made, and now the Government has stepped in to protect the company from possible exploitation, and, in so doing, to protect the listener as well. If is a pity, perhaps, that the amendment did not include some provision for adjustment of royalties demanded from amateur operatic and dramatic societies, for these bodies are viewing with increasing favour the broadcasting of their productions. The i-cw amendment will do much if it brings finality to the very vexed question of copyright claims.

BOOHING NEW ZEALAND.

Australia has been particularly successful in its short-wave transmissions, which, it is claimed, are advertising the Commonwealth in a remarkable manner. Station 3ZC, Christchurch, hopes that similar results will follow the inauguration of its short-wave broadcasts from the Dominion, and has placed its plant and staff at the disposal of the Government to enable it to make the attractions of the Dominion better known, not only to New Zealanders but also to potential tourists. It is proposed that when overseas vessels are within three days of the New Zealand coast an officer of the Tourist Department should broadcast special talks for the benefit of tourists who may be aboard. They will be given information regarding the first port they will land at, and the various attractions which the Dominion has to offer will be fully described and suggested itineraries outlined. The new plant for 3ZC will transmit on a wave-length of 50 metres, its power being 250 watts.

BROADCASTING ELLERSLIE RACES.

The Broadcasting Company will make an effort to-morrow to supply its patrons with a full account of all races as they are run at The ban upon relaying from the coarse itself still exists, but this does not deter the officials of IYA, who will describe the events from a vantage point outside the grounds, and will endeavour to provide running descriptions such as we had in the pre-ban days. Distance, of course, may minimise the details that could be given from a closer viewpoint, yet from a broadcasting point of view the attempt, if successful, will be far more popular than the mere detailing of finishing positions. Saturday afternoon's relay will be followed with the keenest interest by the large number to whom racing descriptions are one of the most attractive of listening features.

EMPIRE BROADCASTING COSTS.

Although short-wave broadcasting from Britain—especially from SSW, the 8.8.C.'s short-wave station, and from 2NM, the privately owned station of Mr. Gerald Marcuse—is very much appreciated abroad, particularly in the Dominions, the question of expense is giving rise to a good deal of discussion. For instance, SSW costs at least £10.000 a year to run, and every penny of this money is paid by listeners. * The appropriation is made from the license revenue handed over to the 8.8.C. by the Post Office, and listeners are certainly justified in asking why they should pay for SSW when its transmissions are of no interest or value to listeners in this country. It is understood that the 8.8.C. is in touch with the Dominions Office about this matter, and that it is hoped that some sort of arrangement may be aiTived at whereby the Dominions Office will share some of the responsibility for the upkeep of SSW. It is suggested that Dominion governments might also contribute a little towards SSWs upkeep. The station has proved its value, but it is maintained that a short* wave Empire broadcasting service should not be paid for entirely out of the license revenue contributed by listeners in this country.

Mr. Gerald Marcuse, of course, pays for the expenses of his privately owned station entirely out of his own pockct, and his short-wave concerts have already attained international fame and popularity. Mr. Marcuse is really the pioneer of short-wave Empire broadcasting, and it was chiefly due to his example that the 8.8.C. decided to build SSW. Mr. Marcuse states that the Post Office has renewed his special license for another three months from September 1.

NEW AUSTRALIAN CONDITIONS.

In order to secure effective control of broadcasting through Australia, the recommendation to the Government by a specially appointed board contains amongst other provisions, one that the supply of entertainment and news programmes for all the States shall in future be under the administration of one company, and that the PostmasterGeneral's Department shall be able to impose on that company such conditions and restrictions as will ensure adequate protection of the rights and interests of .listeners. The broad principles for the new contract have been agreed upon. These will be considered by the Federal Government in due course. If not approved of in detail, the matter will be referred back to the Advisory Board for reconsideration. If approved by the Government, the Advisory Board will at the earliest possible date proceed with the drafting of the details of the specifications on which the new contract will be based. It is understood that these details will provide heavy penalties for the failure on the part of the contracting company to rupply a news and enter* tainment programme up to the standard to be approved of by the Advisory Board, and even for the cancellation of the contract if the programmes provided are not of an approved standard. In such case it will be open for the Post Office Department to place another contract or even to undertake the full responsibility of administering the broadcasting stations of Australia through a board of control.