AMERICAN STATIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 391, 27 June 1928, Page 8

AMERICAN STATIONS

RECEPTION IN NEW ZEALAND Interesting details of some of the lesser known American broadcasting stations are contained in letters acknowledging reception of them by Mr. | D. W. Tapp, of Rotorua. : A letter from the American Red Cross I Army Station IvFUP, Fitzsimmons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado, says j that Mr. Tapp’s is the most distant re- ! port of reception that has been received. S The letter adds that the station is on a different basis to most of the broadcasting stations, in that its programmes are presented for the entertainment of patients who go to the Red Cross in person, and broadcast for those who are not able to go to the house, and at the same time provide recreation for those who are interested in the type of programme presented. Reports of reception have been received from the United States, Canada and Mexico. The writer concludes: “I think the fact that we have reached out as far as New Zealand clearly indicates thi r. our station is producing splendid results, when one considers that we are c nly using 100 watts and 1,320 kilocycles.” The Farm Bureau, San Jose, California, station KQW, 500 watts, 296.9 metres, writes: ‘‘This is the first letter we have had from New Zealand. Your logging was correct. . . . KQW has the reputation of going out better on the loud-speaker than any other station in California, except KFI.” In reporting correct logging by Mr. Tapp, the Main Auto Supply Co., Fort Wayne, Indiana, station WO WO, 5,000 watts, says, inter alia: ‘‘We read your letter over our station and it created considerable comment among our listeners. We Americans are much more interested in international affairs than the world would give us credit for, and for that reason we are quite interested in knowing what is going on throughout the entire world, and radio reports from such distant points as yours are extremely interesting to our people. There are some very great changes taking place in our broadcasting laws and in all probability you will soon hear new stations which you never heard before, and others you did hear will never be heard again in your country. Our law-makers in Washington have a very serious problem on hand, as we have almost 700 broadcasting stations and do not know how to arrange them so as to be of the most benefit to our people, and for that reason this entire new change will take place in about six weeks’ time. (Letter dated April 10.) “Fort Wayne is a city of 118,000 population and is in the very heart of America’s industrial life . . .” Brinkley Hospital, Milford, Kansas, station KFKB, also acknowledges reception. C. Mervyn Dobyns, owner and director of station KGER, Long Beach, California, writes, inter alia: “We have just installed new condenser microphones, which are far superior to the old type; also new towers 180 feet from the ground level, which partly accounts for your success in hearing us so well. But even at that, we think you must have a wonderful set. KGER is operating on only 100 watts.”

NOTES AND COMMENTS

It costs from £I,OOO to £2,000 a month to operate a broadcasting station in the United States. * * . * A company is to be formed in England to produce television receivers at a cost of about £2O each. * * * The Canadian National Railways operate a chain of 11 broadcasting stations. u * * The names of between 30 and 40 missing heirs are broadcast every Friday morning through Station WOKO at Peeksville, N.Y.