Better Radio for Bay of Plenty

New Zealand Listener, Volume 17, Issue 435, 24 October 1947, Page 12

Better Radio for Bay of Plenty

Plenty district have always had to rely on the Auckland, Napier, and Wellington stations for their radio programmes. And as they have been screened from those transmissions by mountainous, heavily-wooded country, reception generally has not been satisfactory. But the NZBS hopes that by the end of 1948 the principal population centres of Tauranga, Rotorua and Whakatane, and the areas in between, will be listening to their own station. This is part of the NZBS expansion programme which was delayed by the war. Because of the screening effect of the mountain ranges, increased power at Auckland, Napier and Wellington would ‘not mean much improvement, hence the ‘decision to provide an additional station ‘for the area. After investigations as to the most suitable location for the transmitter, Paengaroa, near the famous Meori centre of Maketu, was chosen. It is near the sea coast and will give good transmission to Tauranga and Whakatane. And its central position will also provide the best transmission path to Rotorua. Power of 10 Kilowatts The new station will have a power of 10 kilowatts in view of the difficulties presented by the broken country. The decisions regarding the power and site for the transmitter were made after actual tests had been conducted in the neighbourhood with the Service’s mobile test transmitter. This transmitter has a power of one kilowatt and the equipment is mounted on a special van, having with it an electric-power generating set, carried on a trailer. For testing, a temporary aerial system was erected on the site and the transmitter connected to it. Measurements of the received signal strength in the various localities it is intended to serve were made on a special calibrated fieldstrength instrument which is transported by car. This was an exacting task, since it is not always easy to find suitable areas for making such measure- { in the Bay of

ments, as the apparatus must be well clear of fences, hills, and overhead wires, . to arrive at a correct reading of the field intensity. The transmitter has been on ‘order from Amalgamated Wireless, Australia, for some months, and delivery from the works is expected in the near future. It will have a 500ft. mast radiator of steel lattice construction, triangular in shape, supported on an insulator and held up by insulated guy cables. It has -been designed and is being manufactured by Johns and Waygood, Ltd., of Melbourne. Two Studios To avoid using building materials required for essential works elsewhere, the NZBS has bought from the War Assets Realisation Board buildings formerly used in military camps. These will be taken to Paengaroa and re-erected to provide a transmitter building and the initial staff quarters. Rotorua and Tauranga are two large population centres and, as their cultural and entertainment needs cannot be supplied from one studio only, the plan is to have a studio at each place. The first to be built will be at Rotorua, where a suitable site has been chosen. And here again, the buildings have been obtained from the War Assets Realisation Board for temporary studios. When timber is more plentiful, permanent studio buildings will be constructed at Rotorua and Tauranga, with all the latest advances in style and technical efficiency. Both of these studios will be connected with the transmitter by landline, and already the Post and Telegraph Department has this part of the job well in hand. One transmitter will serve both studios, each of which will share the time on the air by arrangement. Although the Tauranga site has been bought, it will be some time before, the studio can be built and put into operation. Delivery of the mast radiator for the transmitter may be delayed as the manufacturers are having great difficulty in getting the special angle-iron steel required. a The call-sign of the new station will be 1YZ,