NEWS AND NOTES

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 11, 30 September 1927, Page 8

NEWS AND NOTES

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Yelevision for the masses is ow neat at hand. Mr. John L. Baird, the young Scotch inventor’ of television, states that’ he has established television between ‘London and New York. He proposes to give a radio telephone television demonstration ‘shortly between Yondon and a New York shop. A special receiving set has been con‘structed for the occasion. ‘If Mr. Baird’s proposed London-New ‘York ., television." demonstrations are ‘successful, Television Ltd., the company ‘of which he is technical director, will place a television receiving set on the market at a cost of £30, The Baird Television Development Company, Ltd.,. has been formed to develop and exploit commercially the vast possibilities opened up by Mr. Baird’s invention. Many influental and wellknown people are directors of the new company. Mr. Baird is at present concentrating on perfecting his system of television by eliminating the flicker and making the received image sharper and clearer, When we are able to purchase a ‘television receiving set for £30, and the system of broadcasting by televi-. sion is developed in this part of the world, the popularity of radio will receive an amazing impetus. Imagine | sitting at home to witness a theatrical broadcast, a football match, a boxing contest, a horse’ race, a parachute ‘deseent, a cricket match, a "tin hare" " race, a military review, 2 riot, a bog fire, etc. . Up to June 17 the total number of trans-Atlantic radio telephone .calls from Great Britain had been 485, a

daily average of three. From the United States there had been 612-a daily average of four. The number of calis originating im London was 441; in the provinces, 41. In the first few months of its operation the trans-Atlantic wireIess teleplione service had received sufficient revenue to cover the working expeuses. The tinie may not be far distant when a radio telephone service will be established between New Zealand and Australia, seeing that the ‘Transatlantic service has received sufiicient patronage to cover working expenses. ‘the business communities in the Commonwealth and the Dominion would, no doubt, find it a tremendous boon. I see the comps. and readers of Sydney "Radio" have not realised that 2YA_ Wellington, has placed the New ZeaJand capital on the map. Above an article descriptive of «ur Great Voice" appearing in the Sydney journal, is the title "The Grand Studio at 2YA, Mulberry." This, of course, is merely beating about the (mulberry) bush, for every listener in Australia has no ‘doubt about the locality of 2VA. | _ Broadcast listen'ng has captured Australia. There are now 225,000 licensed ‘listeners in the Commonwealth. Seeing that there is probably an average of four persons to each receiving set, who regularly listen-in, the radio audience in Australia is about a million. The death is announced of Mr. Norman A. Cooling, whose deep bass voice used to be heard all over New Zealand when he was announcer at 40G, Brisbane, about the time that station first went on high power. The broadcasting of addresses on controversial subjects is wisely banned by the New Zealand Government. On ‘Tuesday, October 4, at 8 p.m, in the Sydney Town Hall, the ease for and against prohibition is to be debated. The advantages of prohibition are to :be stated by the Rev James Barr, . member of the House of Commons, ' Madame Wolfcarnis, and the Australian ‘champion, Rey R B. S. Hammond. ‘The case against will be taken by three members of the Svdney Schiool ‘of Arts Debating Club Station 2FC ‘has bought the sole rights of broadcasting the debate, which will be the "star item" of their programme for that evening. ; Station 2BL, Sydney, 1s prizes for the hest suggestions for broadcasting, A recent prize-winner suggested that 2B, "should go over

the Gap or some other suitable plac and broadcast the roar of the waves dashing up against the cliffs." "Tt would," says the writer (W. P. Thorne ton, of 4 John Street, -Wollahra), ‘make those in the arid outback realise that after all they are not so fag away from the ocean. A convert pare ty might accompany the announcer and sing old sea chanties as a fitting, ace companiment, and perhaps arranges ments could be made for a descripe tion of the signal station snd light house at South Head." The wholg thing seems to indicate that the res sourcefulness of the 2BL, directorshig has reached its limits. The population of Holland is about 7,500,000, and there are estimated to be 150,009 broadcast listeners who pay; an annual license fee of about £1, There are very few crystal sets in uses The most popular type of receiver has four valves (one radio-frequency, one detector and two audio). Holland has only one broadcast stas tion, apart from the famous PCJJ, which works on short waves, The wave-length of the Holland siution is 1050 metres. As the Dutch listenerg are able to pick up broudcastine from various European countries on waves lengths varying from 200 to 300¢ metres, their receiving sets are equip ped with plug-in tuning coils to adapd them to the wide range of waves lengths, "Tmprove the tone of your receiving sets" ‘is an up-to-date slogan, for lise teners. One of the best: and casiesd methods is to insert a C battery in the audio circuit The commonesd way to insert the C battery is to connect the positive terminal to the negative terminal of the A_ hatte and the negative termingl of the battery to the secondary winding of’ the transformer.

The Melbourne station 83L0 is employing GUOU watts aerial power for its new short-wave broadcast transmitter, The Wave-length is 29.5 metres. The equipment is designed on lines similar to the Australian beam transmitter, e¢xcepting, of course, that the beam SVstem is not uscd. It is possible that at a future date the new low wave transmitter at oLO, Melbourne, will be employed to supplement the Lroadcast wave-length at present used, simultaneous transmission faking place on both wave-lengths. Should this be done, it is probable that a wave-length in the vicinity of UU metres will be used The adyantage which would result trom the possible dual transmission on two wave-lengths by 8LO, Melbonrne, would be that fading and distortion, such as ts at present rendering*the re ception of the Melbourne station dificult in some portions of Victoria, would be overcome. However, at the present time, the equipment is not suitable for simultaneous transmission, and the short Wave set can only be used when the regular broadcasting service has ceased for the day. , According to the statistics compiled by the Society for Electrical Development of New York, New York State contains 655,850 receiving sets, aud is thus alicad of all other States in this tespect Penusylvania and Illinois are Hext on the list with 503,100 and 468,000 teceivers respectively, The poorest State from a wireless viewpoint is Nevada, which has only 5200 sets. Recently the Adelaide station 5CL broadcast an amusing comedy which necessitated the broadcasting of a scene in which both a motor-car and motor-cycle appeared. ‘This was done from a position outside the actual studio, and when the time came for the broadcast torrents of rain fell ‘Those taking part in the lay, together with members of the etigineering staff, were wet through after completing their parts, and more than one cold resulted Atmosnherics and "static’’ is credited with a lot of noises caused by bad connections even in a crystal receiver Sometimes the sprinz on the "phone iack is faulty and causes the noise Periodically go over all connections. tightening any loose nuts, and re-solder-ing any faulty joints, and much of the foreien noise will be eliminated. Apropos of Gerald Marcuse’s at tempt to entertain us on a short-wave transmitter in London, as far hack as February, 1925 Mr Max Towden, of Melbourne, was able to transmit speech fo Eneland and the Continent with only 140 watts input on 87 metres, and, he says, "had we then known of the wonderful stahilisine effect of ervstal control, together with the greater ficiency with which it can he modufated, manv other Australian experimenters would have been heard usine sneech instead of code." Met a man the other dav who rete rood loudspeaker volume from 2A Wellineton, on his erystal receivine set He leaves the set connected at all times to the aerial and. earth, and his folk can hear the afternoon and evening transmissions withont having to connect up the sect. He has no batteries or valyes ta wear ont, and hie keeps everyotte happy.

an Belgium, which is encouraging aviators to make its air lanes their path way, lighting them at night with pro jectors, is also inauguratimg a tadio dispatching service, which. will be com-' pleted within eighteen months, un the Rrussels-London route. Radio installa tions ate being erected at Ghent, Strombeek and Evere. By this means constant communication will be main tained with all ‘planes suitably radio-. equipped; schedules will be expedited, the risk of collisions minimised, and help sent at once in case of accident. The famous old cathedral of Notre Dame (Paris). has a touch of modernity in the shape of a latest model radio microphone in the carved pulpit, and. loudspeakers, which have invaded the solemn gothic arches 700 years old. As further proof of the magnitude and strength of the United States industry the fourth annual radio world’s fair will be staged in Madison Square Garden, New York, September "19 to 24 inclusive. Tivery square foot of space has been reserved. and at least 2000 different types of receivers and accessories will be on display. For the first time the public will have an opportunity to see radiovision devices at work, and to observe telephoto ap-. paratus in action. Twelve masts, each 800 feet high, support the largest aerial in the world. This is at Hillmorton, near Rugby, where the British Government has the largest wireless station in the world. _It is possible, if you stop'in wooded country, to have good radio reception by driving a large nail into a live tree abont three or four feet above the ground. Attach your aerial binding post to this and the earth binding post to a metal rod driven into moist ground. In this case the tree becomes the aerial, and good reception can be had. Of course, however, a better system is to throw an insulated wire over the limb of a tree as an aerial

Mysterious failures of dry cell A and B batteries often are due to keeping them where the summer sun shines on them for several hours cach day. Under such conditions they reach a tempera: ture much too high for best results. Dry cells are dry only ontwardly. Inside there is considerable moisture, and the functioning of the cell depends on this moisture. Excessive heat seems to drive it out through the pores of the retaining material, and the useful life of the cell is shortened. — The transmission and reception of moving pictures is not as siimple as the talking pictures as displayed in ‘the movies" ‘would lead one to believe. The application of radiovision to a broadcasting station like 2YA, Wellington, would involve serious changes. The frequency band necessary for transmission is much higher than the band used for broadcasting and there is no chance at present of transmitting any image that is not close up to the ‘electric eye’ of the sending equipment. .

Messrs. Farmer and Co.’s — station, 2FC, is preparing to pick "up aud relay as often as possible the programmes broadcast by Mr. Gerald Marcuse, the London amateur shortwave transmitter. : It will be found that when two pairs of phones are to be used on a set that if the phones are connected in scries the signal strength will not be materially reduced, but if connected in parallel the signal strength will fall to almost half its original value, therefore connect the phones in series. It is doubtful whether any Australian station can eclipse 5CL,, Adelaide, for quality of tone. This great performer, however, suffers badly from fading spasms some nights. The meaning of the word "dismantle’? in the amateur radio regulations provided argument in the Auckland Police Court recently, when A. W. Thomas was charged with failing to renew a radio license. The defendant said that parts of the set had been hanging up in his summer _ cottage since February, but he had not lived in the cottage since April. Mr. N. R. W. Thomas, who appeared for defendant, submitted that the set had been. dismantled in accordance with the accepted meaning of dismantled. The Magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean, held that the set had not been dismantled within the meaning of the Act. A fine of £5 1s. was imposed to enable an appeal to be made, Austria is the first country to take up systematically the collection of radio equipment and funds te furnish all its sightless unfortunates with the consolation of radio, There have been distributed 910 sets, almost all of the crystal type. Germany, following the example, has collected already 421 sets and over 800,000 marks for the purpose.

A woman in England who was fined. recently for owning and operating a wireless set without a license gave the explanation that she thought a set was like a dog: so long as it was not over six months old it need not be licensed.

It is reported that a Scotsman whe bought a valve used it for three years and then too. it back to the shop and said he’ had just learned that it contained a vacuum and he would lke either a gas-fill:d valve in exchange, or his money back.

Good public relations constitute the spirit of the Broadcasting Company’s entire organisation. A scheme is being prepared, and will be the subject of a statement by the general manager shortly. It will provide an opportunity for those who are served ‘to co-operate with those who serve.