WIRELESS NOTES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 20 July 1929, Page 9

WIRELESS NOTES

Official European returns for 1928, when compared with those for 1927, show generally a most gratifying state of affairs. The number of actual licenscholdcrs in Europe (Russia not included) rose during 1928 from 5,897,000 to 7,103,000, an increase of about 21.4 per cent., representing in persons as distinct from home an increase of about live millions. Tim percentage increase is lower than in 1927, which is traceable to a slight slowing-up in the Swedish rate of increase and to a somewhat stationary state of affairs in Czechoslovakia, the Irish I roe State, Italy, and Norway. The new high-power stations projected foi. all these countries should bring them into line once again with tho progress being made elsewhere. __ The problem of amplification of the very short wavelengths has been exercising the minds of radio engineers for some considerable time past. Opinion is very much divided on this subject. One school stoutly affirms that, although a high frequency valve can be made to hand on high frequency energy with no serious loss of volume—-i.e., so that, it is not definitely worse than a simple detector arrangement—it cannot be made to give any appreciable amplification effect over a reasonable wavelength band. Others, on the other hand claim that with correctly designed apparatus and careful construction, real amplification is possible, although this may not be of very high order. Even an amplification of two or three serves to give a margin of reserve over and above the oidmaiy detector circuit, which makes tuning easier and tends to minimise the disadvantage of fading. . , Tt. has been found that aftei a short-wave signal has been received from " distant station it is followed about one-seventh of a second later by an “echo,” this being a similar hut verv much weaker signal, which is apparently due to the original impulse having travelled right round the world and back again to the reception point. . . , , , A commencement is to he made almost .immediately ori the erection of the new Government radio station on (he Tinakori Hills, Wellington. It is estimated that the station will cost about £6OOO. It will he much more efficient than the present stations at Awanui and Awarua.