Listen in There Lots to Hear.

NZ Truth, Issue 1108, 24 February 1927, Page 2

Listen in There Lots to Hear.

NEW RECEIVER

i : Advice to Those Who Contemplate ■; : "' : '-V;v:l ":y : ::::. Purchase - _.

With the approach of the coming winter many people will, during the next few months be thinking of .taking up radio, and perhaps a few words of advice on the choice of a receiver, and the necessary accessories to be purchased before the receiver is i;eady to be used, would be appreciated.

THE. first item to be considered is the receiver, the choice of bourse depending to a large extent upon the amount of money at thY intending purchaser's disposal. < We will, therefore, consider first of all the cheapest' and most economical type of receiver. 'This is the crystal set. The initial outlay is very little and when once the receiver is installed the upkeep is practically nil. It should be understood that a crystal set can only be used within a radius of .& few miles from a broadcasting . station. . ■"■ ■■■''- '"'■ • The reception from these small sets is remarkably clear and sweet, and to those who are content tq, listen to the lodal programmes '.nothing could* be >better. „ „ The draw.back .to a crystal set is the limited ■ volume ' ' which. . is obtained, making it possible to receive only m the headphones. If •■ it., is desired, a one" or two-valve audio amplifier can be connected to the crystal set, the .volume- thus being : amplified. ' „ ' "' This" is sufficient to work a loud speaker comfortably, the music still retaining its original clarity. ',' " ' Wider. Bange . ,;: There, are a great number of people who desire to reach out beyond the local station, and this class of listener must necessarily spend more on his receiver than the one who is content to listen to his local 'station.^ These people also, can be again put into two classes: . (l.)j' Those< who .liVe m the. couritry 'districts and who -only wish to, receive New Zealand-stations.' (2. ): : The people, who wish to- receive Australian arid foreign transmissions. The-, first class would require, say, a three -valve, receiver. : \. ■.[-■'■■ This would enable them to receive New Zealand stations with fair volume on the loud : speaker, with a medium outlay. '."'■": Those people who wish to receive - Australian, and \foreign broadcasts wilj require 5 valves or more, with the exception probably of the Browning-Drake circuit which is • a special 4-valve circuit designed ' to give the volume and distance of a 5- valve set. Then there ;is a certain class of people, who do not like their houses surrounded by wires and poles. This class will, require a superheterodyne set", or one of the hew type i 8 -valve luxury sets now appearing on our market. /'• - . ■::- ..-'.-. ■ ■ : ■-.-"-• i It has-- been the 'custom ofri'adio traders^ in the past> to quote a. certain < price for the receiver^ only. Valves,. 'A , and B hat'teri'es, lAiid Speaker andvaerial all being quoted separately. • There-;' fore, befbre finally • deciding, > to „pur- ; chase rti'aker.quite sure" - - that your; outfit includes all' accessories. , -. ? : =;'- ]\.r- , Jhe radio firm .from whom the

receiver is being purchased will usually be only too pleased. to, give any advice as to the choice of valves and batteries; but the choice of a loud speaker must be left to the individual taste. The present trend of design m radio receivers is towards 5, 6 and even Bvalve receivers with one single control enabling the' merest novice to tune m to some far distant transmission "with the greatest ease. People who have m the past refrained from entering radioland because they . feared the number of switches, etc., need no longer worry on that account. Neither, need the housewife worry because of the network of wires which used to be associated with the. old\ type of receiver. All the necessary wires can now be stowed away m the inside .of the receiver.