Distant Hills Look Green—But Are They?

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 3, 5 August 1927, Unnumbered Page

Distant Hills Look Green—But Are They?

The appended article from "ex-Ma orilander"’ is interesting in presenting the other side of the picture regarding broadcasting in the Commonwealth. We print it merely to show that there is this other side and not in any desire to obtrude such complaints regarding o thers-complaints which undoubtedly are due to causes at present beyond sta tion control.

(By

Ex-Maorilander

Here, in Australia, complaints are rife about the broadcasting by the ‘wonderful’? Commonwealth — stations. Evidence is not wanting that in some areas the mighty "A" class stations are giving wretched reception, and the vag: aries in some districts seem to baffle all experts. , , I hear that the New Zealand stations are subject to "fading" in some portions of the Dominion, but as far as I can gather the trouble is not nearly so pronounced as with the Australian stations as reported from some inland towns. All kinds of theories are being advanced to account for some places being more affected than others, but in the meanwhile broadcast listeners who ate paying for a service and are not receiving it are-up in arms The much-extolled 2FC, Sydney, and its brother, 2BL,, Sydney, are blurred and distorted in the Maitland district, only 100 miles from Syduey, and cannot be received at night-time at all satisfactorily. One of the Sydney wireless journals las received numerous complaints of poor reception of the Australian "giant’’ Stations, and has published a selection of these. The following Jetters will serve as examples :- SOME SELECTED COMPLAINTS, Dear Sir,-When 2FC were on their long waveletgth their night transmission was excellent, but since they have been on the lower wave it is impossible to listen tothem. During the daylight the transmission is pertect, but at might they distort and break up. This is the experience of all of whom I have made inquiries in Lithgow, and if it were not for the excellent tramsmiss.on {rou. 8L0 and 40G we would get little joy out of radio. It may be said that Lith: gow is not a good place for radio reception, but I can assure you that this is not correct. I was hoping that ere this something would have been done to clear up QFC’s transmissions, for if 8LO0 and 40OG can zive satisfaction on a low wave, surely it is not impossible for a large station like 2FC to do likewise. The poorness of their night transmission is doing a great deal of harm to the radio industry in the country districts, especially in this locality, as the majority of people listen-in in the night time and when they cannot get their

local stations, tle query is: ‘What's the good of having a set?" ‘This question of poor transmission should not be beyond the power of 2KC’s engineers, who could satisfy themselves that something ‘s very much amiss if they took a trip to the various localities from whence the complaints arise.-Yours, etc., "RADW." Lithgow. SOUTH QUEENSLAND. Dear. Sir,-The transmission from 2C in this district has not been up to their old standard since their wavelength was shortened. We now cannot get a sound from them in the daytime, whereas they used to come in at great strength; in fact, on a five-valye set they were clearly audible 200 yards away. . This, of course, means that we have no daylight service, and has had a very adverse effect on sales in this aret, as 4QG in addition to giving practically no day service, is very weak and frequently quite unworke able before dark. This, of course, means no demonstrations during the day, aud I may mention that mot One night in the past ten has 4QG been workable, owing to static, which is not bad as a rnle until sunset. In fact, the shortening of 2FC has had a most disastrous effect both on the dealers’ business and the uumber of new licenses taken oue. NO DAY SERVICE. There is constant reference to the ‘small number of sets in the country. I assure you that until the country is able to get a day service this is likely to remain the case, as what chance has’ the dealer of making sales when it is impossible’ to demonstrate? Putting the matter plainly: How many sets would be sold in the cities if the deal-

ers were unable to let the possible purchaser hear a set working? I have sets from 3 to 8 valves in stock, and am quite unable to demonstrate for day after day, In the case of the country dealer’ this is particularly serious. as the possible purchasers from the sheep and cattle stations are frequently not in town more than one night a month, and in many cases on their occasional visit they clear ont again before dark. 2BL is peculiar, as at times their strength is tremendous, and at other times no stronger than 2GB. Also, for half an hour at a time they are horribly distorted at times, then clearing Up again. 40G fades a lot here, and 8L0 is strong and clear usually, and is easily the favourite station in this district.Yours, etc., I’. If. Smith, Roma, Queensland. MAITLAND (100 miles from Sydney). Dear Sir,-I have experienced dis tortion with 2FC and 2BL ever since 2C changed their wave-length. It+is quite impossible to get these stations clearly at night. I have tried several receivers to get Sydney stations, and I am reluctantly forced to tune-in to in-ter-State stations. I find that every listener in the Maitland district and coalfields is having the same trouble. Could not something be done in order to give this district a better service? Otherwise [ and many others will be compelled to cancel our licences.-Yours, etc., DISAPPOINTED, Morpeth. Dear Sir,-As a constant reader of ‘Wireless Weekly’ I feel disgusted when I read of excellent reception overseas of 2BL and 2FC, yet the Maitland district, only 100 miles from Sydney, cannet receive these stations at nighttime satisfactorily at all, both stations bes ing very blurred and distorted, It does not seem fair for fiundreds of listeners in this district to maintain these stations by paying a licence fee and get this unsatisfactory service, whilst oversea listeners pay nothing at all and get excellent reception. Is 1t any wonder that country licences are not increasing to the extent that they should. If some of the staff were to come to this district and hear the reception of their respective stations, I am sure they would not broadcast again.-Yours, etc., DISGUSTED, West Maitland. NEWCASTLE, Dear Sir,x-I am very much disap-

pointed in the transmission of 2B and 2VC at night‘ time. In the daytime they are really good, but as soon as night falls, it is nearly impossible to listen to them, yet 3L0, Melbourne, and 4QG, Brisbane, are nearly perfect at night, As -here are so many complaining about 2BL and 2KC, I think the only way out of the difficulty is to erect relay stations where the reception is bad. Some time ago I read, in a Newcastle paper, where 2B, and 2FC were going to erect relay stations in Newcastle. Yet now it seems as if they have forgotten all about it. I think if a relay station was erected in Newcastle, there would be about twice as many miore licences around Newcastle and Maitland, and in the long run it would pay for itself, and there would be a lot more satisfied listeners-Yours, etc., J.B., New Lambton. KUNGHOR, Dear Sir,-I am situated abont 400 miles from 2B, and 2FC. and find that they "comee-in’" excellently. Day light re-eption is almost impossible with a three-valve set, but at night the reception is very good. Perhaps it world be better for correspondents to blame district conditions rather than the transmission from these A class stations. Such things do occur I think the stations have been too long in the game to make such a mistake as faulty transmission.-Youts,etc., R.B., Kunghur, Far North Coast, NEW ZEALANDERS NOT TO GRUMBLE. It can be seen from these letters that everything in the garden is not beautiful over here. New Zealanders who are disposed to grumble about the fading of the Maoriland stations should pause before rushing into print, seeing that the Australian broadcasting which they hold up as a paragon suffers the same disabilities in some districts ‘The proprietors of the Australian stations could promptly disprove the veracity of the above letters by test, but they know too well that the complaints are well founded, | CONFIRMED BY EXPERTS. Experts have already toured the country, testing the receivine conditions in certain districts, and their reports ap-. pear to confirm the allegations embodied in the complaints. The N.S.W Premier, Mr. Lang, has lent an ear to the protesters, and he has stated that his Government purposes erecting a high-power "A" class station in Sydney which will be linked with smaller relay stations erected in country districts, to provide a satisfactory service for those who are at present unable to receive the present transmission, |

Convicts of the Pennsylvania East ern Penitentiary, their identity hiddeu by their numbers, broadcast a radio programme recently through two eastern stations. ‘fhe outstanding song hit was a Chinese solo by the only Oriental in the prison, which was announced as "I Wish I was in Pekin Peekin’ In, Instead of In Here Peekin’ Out."’ Another interesting number was ‘Eli, Eli,’ in Hebrew.