RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 291, 29 February 1928, Page 14

RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

Conducted for THE SUN by C. M. Taylor, A.M.I.R.E.

THE SITUATION AT IYA The latest change in the directorship

of Station IYA is arousing much comment, particularly in the diametrically opposite statements of Mr. A. R. Harris and Mr. Trevor Stringer as to the declaration that no reason was given lor the change. The writer saw Mr. Stringer immediately after the message from Mr. Harris, which was published in The Sun on Saturday night, and Mr. Stringer was still in the dark as to the reasons for his dismissal, but as he remarked, the way had been paved for him by the previous directors. The improvement of station IYA, particularly in the way of interesting relays and novelty stunts, has been largeij' due to the late director, and from this point of view the listeners should demand an adequate statement of the whole case. Another reason is contained in a statement made by the general manager himself. viz., “The Radio Broadcasting Company’s position is not that of a private company formed to exploit the public, but that of a public company formed under Government regulation to administer a public utility in the interest of the community.” This being so. the listeners who have to pay their fees to a Government department, and who are menaced with the law for any breach of the regulations, have a definite right to demand from the Govern-

ment that, at least, an Inquiry be made, when a crisis like the present arises. If incompetence, or any such reason, be proved, then the company would have the support of the listeners in a step designed to improve this public service. We do not want the tense feeling that was so detrimental to radio listening in New Zealand, caused by the J. M. Prentice incident, \*Vien all was speculation and conjecture, but nothing definite was told by either party to the listeners. What is wanted is a full statement of both sides of the case from both parties. MR BINGHAM IN AMERICA This situation is almost reminiscent of “A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur,” when wonderful deeds were done and wonderful tales were told. “Radio Dealer” has summed the position up in a very amusing way, and his remarks contain much that is hard common sense. To wit:—The fact that Mr. Bingham is: the chief engineer of the R.B.C. That the money from licences is actually spent in programmes or maintenance and erection of the stations. The latter part calls for some explanation on the part of the Government, which has compelled the listeners to accept the statements that the Government is satisfied with the way the revenue is being spent. If, and we have no reason to think otherwise, revenue is being spent as it should be, .and not on erection of sta-

tions, then what are we to believe? Would it not have been better if he had given a little information about our stations which would correct a list published in the Radio Supplement of one of America’s big daily papers? The list is of the New Zealand stations and dated January 4, 1928: Auckland, 420 rr.| res, IYA, 500 watts. Christchurch, 4uo metres, 3AC, 500 watts. Dunedin, 380 metres, 4YA, 110 watts. Wellington, 295 metres, 2YK, 60 watts. EXPLORERS AND RADIO Radio equipment has become essential to the modern geographical expedition. Exploration to-day demands radio communication with the outside world. Not only must the explorer himself receive time signals, weather reports, news and amusement from the air, but a world public must be kept in daily touch with the party’s every movement. The annals of the National Geographic Society reveal a graphic account of this development of radio. When Peary discovered the North Pole it was five months before the news penetrated to the civilised world; yet this was no longer ago than 1909. In contrast, every schoolboy remembers the eager interest with which the world followed the polar flight of Commander Byrd by means of the radio. BYRD FULLY EQUIPPED Radio equipment was installed on the ship which carried Byrd into the Arctic for * his successful dash to the Pole. On his transatlantic flight Byrd was equipped both to send and receive wireless messages. Radio as a factor in Arctic exploration was emphasised by the MacMillan expedition in 1925. The deadly monotony of life in the frozen North was accounted a greater hardship than snow and ice. To alleviate this condition, as well as to send out news, MacMillan gave valuable space to radio apparatus, both sending and receiving A unique feature of this expedition was the assistance of amateur code stations in all parts of the country. Through them messages of news were relayed to the American Press. Messages sent out by the MacMillan expedition were received as far away as New Zealand. RADIO IN THE JUNGLE In contrast to the frozen Arctic wastes are the tropical jungles of Brazil. Members of the Hamilton-Rice expedition attest the value of radio. Regular communication was maintained with New York concerning the expedition’s work in the field, and messages were exchanged with San Francisco, London, Chicago, and New Zealand. Amazon Valley Indians, s. primitive people, were impressed with jazz a la Pittsburg when invited to “listen in” while on a visit to the expedition’s camp. TtC sss NEW APPARATUS Most of the dealers are making full arrangements for the coming season, which will start almost with the reversion to normal time. A and B elim- ! inators and A.C. valves are going to be features of this winter. From Messrs. Radio, Ltd., The Sun I has had a new France A eliminator, which gave up to 6 amps without I overheating, or allowing the voltage ! to drop below 6.2 volts. This, of course. ! was a criminal over-load, but it was tried in the last stages of a test. Four ranges are supplied for different sized * sets, the control being a small, rotary

click switch. The rectifier is the copper oxide covered plate in contact with a lead plate type, and the filter is a liquid condenser using an alkaline solution. During the test a pair of sensitive phones were kept across the output terminals, and at the worst a hum so faint that it was an effort to hear it in the phones resulted. At the British General Electric Co., a four-valve set was shown to The 1 Sun as one of the new products oi the Gecoplione range. The cabinet would be an ornament to any room. Completely screened coils with vernier con- ■ trol condensers made up to tuning units. The circuit is of the balanced type, and should appeal to the morse j enthusiast, on account of its range, which is from 200 metres to approxi- ] mately 3,000 metres. Osram D.E.H. . 10 valves are used in the first three : stages, and the well-known D L.SA. in the last stage. A unique feature is , the socket installed in the pane) for , using the audio stages in conjunction with the new Gecophone gramophone pick up. The whole outlay is of the type we are accustomed to and should please the most exacting. Mention has already been made of the new Mullard, Phillips, and Cossor screened valves. Other newcomers are the Sovereign A.C. valves, which may be fitted to existing sets with but small alteration. Phillips have a new 6 volt , range of the three electrode .06 amp. new R.I. Varley Audio coupling units show an excellent new feature in that the terminals are mounted on the base instead of on the top as has been the conventional British practice. These units consist of transformers well-known to constructors, R.C. units with wire wound resistances and chokes for both L.F. and R.F. uses. ?£? iw BEWARE OF H.T. LINES A tragic lesson for radio fans in erecting an aerial conies from Buffalo, N.Y., where three members of a family were electrocuted. Fred J. Voltz, ~jun., and his 17-year-old son were stringing the wires across the roof when it came in contact with a high-tension power line. Both collapsed on the roof, instantly electrocuted. Mrs. Voltz, seeing them fall, rushed to their aid, and when she attempted to clear of the bodies of the wire, received the fatal charge. Radio experts, commenting on the j accident, deplore the fact that laymen, j inexperienced in electricity, attempt | installations in dangerous locations. ! They point out that no wire should be strung where it may touch another, should either become slack. RADIO TRAFFIC “COPS” Copenhagen traffic policemen are to be reinforced by a “wireless traffic cop,” i according to reports from Germany telling of the purchase by the Danish j capital of a new device developed by j two young Danish radio engineers. By raising the energy of vibrations j caused by approaching vehicles and j caught up by antennae strung across • the streets certain distances from a crossing and transmitted to a radio apparatus, a system of lights is set in operation which warns the drivers of automobiles or wagons that the cross- j ! ing is not clear and that they must . drive slowly. While the automatic traffic cop canj not halt reckless drivers by force and ■ place them under arrest, it is expected ! to do good work at the numerous right- ! angle “invisible” crossings at present j unguarded by the traffic police.