BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 215, 11 August 1937, Page 7

BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

NEW AUSTRALIAN TRANSMITTERS AUTHORITATIVE STATEMENT. (By “Microphone.”) During recent months indefinite reports have been circulating concerning the probable construction of now transmitters lor the extension of the Australian National short-wave service, at present operated wholly through 3LR Lyndhurst, Melbourne. Tnmiirfps t.n t.lio wptp nrl- '

dressed to the Broadcasting Commission by “Microphone” and an authoritative statement, which will be of interest to short-wave listeners, has been received. The primary object of 3LR was to make the Commission’s programmes available to distant listeners in the Commonwealth and its dependencies. Reports received from Queensland, the Northern Territory, and New Guinea indicate that the station is rendering valuable service in these parts, it is stated. The PostmasterGeneral’s Department now proposes to extend and improve the shortwave service by establishing new transmitters in Victoria and West Australia. By placing the transmitters in Perth and Melbourne, respectively, advantage is taken of the well-known fact concerning short-wave transmission that a transmitter- should be placed several hundred miles from this region to be served. The signals then tend to skip the intervening distance and return to earth at distant points. “Pending the provision of new transmitters it is proposed to make an immediate improvement by increasing the power of 3LR to more than double that at which it is now operating. This work is already in hand,” adds the writer. This latter information is of particular interest and value. From weekend observation's it would appear that the engineers have almost, if not altogether, completed their task, for 3LR. has been giving splendid service at unwonted volume. It has been operating with 1 kilowatt, and now with 2000 watts in the aerial—twofifths the power of 3ME—will render splendid service to New Zealand listtners, especially in the summer months, when static spoils broadcast band reception. . From another source it is learned that the Australian Postmaster-Gen-eral has also announced that plans have been prepared for the construction at St Albans of n new transmitting plant to serve the three Melbourne broadcasting stations, 3LO, 3Alt and 3LR. The contract for the equipment for replacing 3LO was let some time ago, the power to be 10 k.w. Transmitting plant for the three stations will occupy one building to be erected at St. Albans, and there will be room for apparatus for a fourth. At present tho transmitting stations are separate, 3LO being at Braybrook, 3AR at Broadmeaaows, and 3LR.

SCHENECTADY’S 100 KILOWATTS. A Special Service , message to tins column from Schenectady announces one of the most important power increases in the history of- short-wave with the proposal to convert the famous W2XaF and W2XAD stations to 100,000 watts, permission for the erection of the plant having been granted by the federal Communications Commission. The new equipment will involve a cost of more than £20,000 and will increase the signal to more than twice its present strength, affording much stronger and clearer reception throughout the world. (The new Empire stations are officially rated at 50,000 watts, though it has l>een stated by a London journal that they are capable of an output of 100,000 watts.) The new transmitter will be a. linear, radio-frequency amplifier, and may be used by either of the two stations. The present strength of 18 to 25 kilowatts for W2XAD and W2XAF, respectively, has rivalled the world’s strongest stations in the past. At present the former station transmits for about 220 hours a month and the latter for 290 hours, and it is anticipated that this schedule will be increased as the result of the greater range of the new transmitter, which is expected to be completed by the early part of next ye<il ' VALE STATION 2ZF. Although published reports from other centres have indicated the closing of stations of long standing, Palmerston North listeners were taken by surprise at the sudden closing of station 2ZE, on Sunday night, despite the indication given recently that the M.anawatu Radio Club had accepted an offer for the plant. It is understood that the officials received word only about Friday that it was the intention of the Government to dismantle the plant, which operation has already commenced; the equipment is being transferred to Wellington, though its ultimato destination is not known. There is probably more sentiment attached to a radio station than to any other modern institution, and the passing of a well-known call-sign is always a matter for regret. When 2ZW Wellington was closed some years ago the sentiment then displayed was most marked; when 4ZO Dunedin recently left the air in Dunedin a miniature j tombstone was erected in the Octagon j to mark the event. 2ZF, one of the i

most historic call-signs in tho Dominion, left the air with little ceremonial, but when tlio switches were pulled for the last time and the microphone Aook the call for the final “Goodnight” it was not a happy moment.

Delving into the early history of tho station, it is learned that on July 9, ■ 1924, a small number of enthusiasts met and decided on a transmitter with ! a modest power of 5 watts and it was ‘put into operation a fortnight later, operated by batteries. Mr F. J. Nathan was the first president of the club and lio was followed by Mr A. H. M. "Wright, and until now by Mr W. A. Waters. The first secretary was Mr J. Johnson, with Mr 1. N. Leet as assistant secretary. After eight months Mr Johnson resigned and Mr Leet took over the secretarial duties for seven years. Mr F. J. Swindell had been I treasurer ever since the commencement. The initial membership of the | club was 37, but in those days receiving sets were few and far between. There were no special electrical gramophone pick-ups in those days, the difficulty being overcome by playing a gramophone in a small studio, the music being picked up by a microphone. Late in 1927 the club started to build the transmitter that has been in use till Sunday with a power of 150 iwatts. The original station worked 1 under the call letters 2GI which were changed to 2ZF when the Government commenced licensing stations. At first only two sessions weekly were coni' ducted, then three sessions weekly, j and then six. The station was first loj caled in the Linton Rifle Club build- ] ing in King Street, but was transfer- | red to Messrs Collinson and Cunningj liame’s buildings in 1926, the firm ! gratuitously adding to the studio acjeommodation as the occasion de- ! manded.

| NEW HASTINGS STATION. I It is learned that the Government ' intends to erect a new transmitter with j a rating of 5000 watts —as powerful as I the old 2l'il —in the vicinity of HastI ings, with the object of serving the I Hawke’s Bay area, which experiences I bad reception. Apparently Palmerston North will now be without the services of a National relay station to handle the 2YA programmes, a convenience on nights of severe static. At one period the erection of a relay transmitter at Woodville was mooted, but nothing has been heard of that proposal for some time. The report of the Broadcast Coverage Commission appointed in February, 1932, a document of 61 typed foolscap pages, makes interesting rereading. Since then the big 60,000watt 2YA transmitter has come on the, air, surpassing the modest recommendations, though the need for such a station was realised. “The need for the establishment of relay stations as part of any medium-wave scheme suited to the needs of the Dominion should be apparent,” it was declared. “The true or useful service of a station is restricted by the serious fading which . sets in at night within the limited range of the transmitter, irrespective of its power. Increasing the power ef-. fectively increases the daylight range, i but does not. to any extent, increase! the high-grade night service area, excepting a.t comparatively great dis- j tances.” Between 80 and 200 miles , from a transmitter, it was noted, fad- j ing was severe. Palmerston North falls within this category so far as Wellington is concerned, and without a relay station still is subject to fading signals from 2YA.