RADIO INTERFERENCE

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 25, 22 April 1938, Page 4

RADIO INTERFERENCE

ANOTHER OPOTIKI INSPECTION SOURCES OF TROUBLE G ENEE AL STATEMENT The following departmental letter in connection with representations made with regard to radio interference and other matters has been received by MV. A. G. Hultquist, M.P.: 1 beg to. refer to your further representations on the subject of radio interference, at. Opotiki and \\ hakatane, and to state that the second visit of the radio inspector to Opotiki, as promised in mV previous communication, resulted in the location or sev. eral definite sources of interference. Faulty insulators were discovered on the power circuit supplying the St. John Street, area and were brought under the notice of the local Power Board for attention. In addition, a further source* of trouble, which affected listeners in the vicinity of the main street, was found in the direct

current generator at the picture theatre. A suitable filter device was demonstrated to the owner of apparatus, and arrangements were made for one to b© fitted permanently. The same action is being taken in the case of a milk-shake motor.

In the course of investigation oi complaints-, of interference, one of the chief difficulties encountered in endeavouring to provide relief is that the disturbance is often intermittent in nature and is not in evidence during every visit of the Inspector. it would: appear that this was the case during the first inspection of the Opotiki area.

The report of the radio inspector after his first visit that reception conditons were satisfactory was in accordance with the standard fixed by my Department for interference elimination as it affects radio reception in particular districts. Tins standard is set by the station which provides the normal coverage in the area and, in the case of Whakatane and Opotiki, that station is IYA. Investigations have shown that excellent daylight reception is received from IYA’; whereas 2YA and the commercial stations are received, poorly. This, however, cannot be attributed to interference, as the latter stations cannot at present be regarded as providing a satisfactory service in the area under review.

It is noted that you suggest as a remedy an. increase in the power of stations 2YJA and 2ZB. In this connection, I have to say that 2YA is already one, of the highest-powered stations jn the Southern Hemisphere but, even so, due to certain effects, its transmissions are not received satisfactorily during daylight hours in certain areas in the Dominon. • In such circumstances, the increase in power that would be required to .enable station 2ZB to provide asatisfactory service, in the Whakatane and Opotiki districts will be readily appreeiat- • ed.

It should also be mentioned that the trouble which is experienced with reception from station IZB owing to the clashing of the' wave-length with Australian stations cannot be. avoided. This difficulty is not, however, experienced within what may bo regarded as the reasonable service area of IZB. I need hardly say that my Department is called upon to deal witli a largo number of complaints of serious interference concerning very wide areas. It has been necessary, therefore, as a general policy, to direct officers