B.B.C. WORLD SERVICE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 May 1941, Page 3

B.B.C. WORLD SERVICE

COMPLEXITY OF UNDERTAKING. JAMMING BY AXIS STATIONS. As the war spreads and more and more countries are drawn within its orbit, the task of the 8.8. C. in placing a fair service of the daily news before the world's many peoples, as well as the dissemination of the British viewpoint in many languages,. becomes increasingly complicated. Sometimes as many as four different programmes are being radiated on short wave at one time and this has necessitated the international registration of a number of additional frequencies in the already crowded radiation bands. On February 16 last six new frequencies were brought into use, and these are by no means all that have been added to the 8.8. C. list since the outbreak of war. In a recent statement the chief engineer of the 8.8. C., Sir Noel Ashbridge, explains the way in which endeavour is made to keep the service as simple as possible. The same service is maintained on the same frequency in the same waveband, but it is n'ot always possible to do this for technical .reasons.

Sir Noel Ashbridge makes a plea to receiving-sei manufacturers. He draws attention to the usefulness of the 13rnefre band ,21,45 to 21.75 megacycles). This band, he points out, is least affected by atmospherics and is at present used by few world stations. Mutual interference is at its lowest, and many 8.8. C. listeners report the best reception in this band. He makes it clear that transmission in the 26 mc/s band is not at present contemplated. Referring to the jamming of 8.8. C. stations, the statement says that it is principally the transmissions in certain languages—for example, French and Italian—that are affected. Jamming by Germany is operated with reasonable efficiency. The jamming station is switched on to cover the radiation of a particular bulletin and switched off as it finishes. On the other hand, the Italian jamming is not as well arranged. The station is often left on after the bulletin is finished and musical hems have begun. This interference is the greatest nuisance in Europe, and Sir Noel suggests that a frame aerial will go far to reduce its effect. Speaking generally of the present 8.8. C. schedules, Sir Neel says ’that at most times of the year listeners in all parts of the world are able to -receive the B.B.C’s. service in English through most of their waking hours.