RADIO BROADCASTING

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 150, 18 February 1932, Page 2

RADIO BROADCASTING

FUTURE IN- N.Z. ti V ~ OVERSEAS METHOD WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION At the present time, when the future of New Zealand broadcasting is in the melting-pot, it is interesting to note the various proposals to better the service and make it available . to a greater circle of listeners. The usual proposition heard is to considerably increase the power of the three smaller "A" stations and to provide a limited number of additional stations of moderate power — each of these stations to cover a substantial area. The basic idea of this scheme is therefore the use of a eomparatively limited number of stations of moderate to high power. A recent communication- received by the chief radio engineer of Philips Lamps (N.Z.) Ltd. is of particular interest in that it records that a new school of thought has arisen in other parts of the world concerning radio broadcasting methods, and its proposals are at least worthy of eonsideration. These proposals, modified to suit New Zealand conditions, would involve little or no increase in the power of existing stations, but allow for a subsidiary station for each population centre of importance. The novelty of the proposal lies in the extremely small powers proposed, as each. subsidiary station is intended for purely local coVerage — the basis of 1 watt per 1000. of population is suggested. Thus a town of 5000 population (e.g. Ashburton) would have a 5-watt station. Timaru, with a population of 15,000 ,a 15-watt station, Wanganui, with 25,000, a 25-watt station, and so on. Even the largest of these centres would require only a miniature station, the initial and upeep expenses of which would be very small. The programmes would, of course, be provided by landline from the nearest existing "A" station. From the efficiency point of view such a scheme is excellent, as it would provide "local reception" eomparatively free from interference and static to a much greater percentage of listeners, and practically all the power would be usefully spent — where as with large stations a very large proportion of the total power is expended uselessly on areas where little or no population exists (e.g., much of the power of 1YA, 2YA, 3YA and 4YA goes "out to sea"). One disadvantage of the scheme is the availability of sufficient operating channels, but as the radiated powers would be so small, and New Zealand is such a long narrow country, two or more stations could worlc on one channel without serious interference. With stations in a certain area transmitting. the same programme the seeking of distant stations would decrease, and with the modern technical advances it would seem that synchronisation of these stations on one of two wavelengths per group would not be an insuperable problem. — Board and Council.