Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 26, 13 January 1928, Page 14

Our Mail Bag

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. **D.T. (Rotortia) reports that he has logged just a dozen Yankee broadcast stations since December 1 last. He remarks: "So summer does not altogether make DX work impossible.’ The present period is in the depths of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which may favour reception from North America.‘ Our correspondent complains about powerline interference, which, however, is a most difficult problem to combat for all parties concerned, ‘The locating of the line leakages is none too easy, "DI." mentions having recently received KI‘KB, Dr, Brinkiesy’s Hospital broadcast: station, Milford, Kansas, 241.8 metres, 1000 watts. Another station he has heard is KGER, Long Beach, California, 215.7 metres, which is listed as using only 100 watts power. iYA Appreciated, Captain Bayley (Silverdale) : 1 would like to give greater publicity, through your columns, to the local appreciation of the efforts made by the Radio Broadcasting Company to entertain listeners during this festive season from IYA. ‘the morning broadcast; the engagement of an instrumental trio (which We trust will be permanent); the high class of the artists to whom we have. listened, and the untiring efforts of the station staff, from the director downwards, have all contributed to our pieasure. An Auckland Appreciation. I. Reading Carlsen (Auckland): It five» me great pleasure to again com-. pliment the New Zealand Radio Broadcasting Company for the splendid progtuummes arranged for the benefit of lixieners-in. The items are of exceptonal merit, and do credit to all concerncd. I am sure those people who ire not vet in possession of a radio svt of some kind, either valve or crystal, are missing some real cnjoyment. icing the possessor of a crystal set, I, c} course, am only able to get IVA, lut the items from that station are revcived by me in excellent volume, even when, as is often the case, I have us many as four or five ’phones attavind to the radio receiver, The Auckland station, [YA, notified us that they would attempt to rebroadcast the jtogramime sent out by the station at Chelmsford, England, at 3.45 on Christmus morning, New Zealand time. It Wus very interesting and instructive to lear voices singing, bands plaving, cud, lastly, to hear Big Ben striking the Lour in dear old Rngland. We are mew on the eye of the New Year, and wish the company and all of the artists who have given us so much enjoymet, « happy and prosperous New Year. vrogramme Suggestions. (. R. Jackson (Masterton), as a sul» teriher, [ would like to congratulate sou on the publication of the "New Zalanl Radio Record." Besides publishing weekly programmes for the New Zealand stations, your paper coltains many articles of interest, and is well worth reading by those who have no radio sets. IL wish vou cyery. snecess for 1928. } Regarcing the programmes, no douht i, is an extremely difficult mattcr to calcr for all tastes, and, I assume, just as dificult to obtain the artists. It is, of course, apparent that some of those ccutributing to the programme; are anything but finished musicians, still this cannot very well be helped. 1 have discussed the matter of prograuunes with many Wairarapa radio set Owuers, and im practically cevers ivstance their opinion 's the same-I might state that these opinions apply principally to 2YA, as Christeburei to a large extent and Auckland to a lessor extent do vary their pro. graumies. My own opinion, and as before stated the opinion of many other scl owners in this district, is that Wellington should have less yocal aml inore instrumental items, not forgetting such instruments as the steel guitar, etc. Band music is always acceptable-it is often felt too that during the course of an evening’s progranime, a little dance music now and again and light catchy tunes help one to digest the heavier music. At radio evenings young people like to have a whirl round the room to some catchy dance tune--this need not he a regular item-still now and again during the week it would be greatly appreciated. Why not go a little further and periodically-principally during — the

winter tnontlis-have a dance evening -parties can then be arranged beforeliand as the ‘Radio Record’ would contain all information as to when this class of music would be broadcast, : Now, sir, a large percentage of set owners are business men, and if busy, have little time to spare for listening in. Could it possibly be arranged for the broadcasting of instrumental items including gramophone records (not vocal) during meal hours, say from I p.m. to 1.80 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 6.80 p.m. Not every day but say three times a weck. ‘The children would, no doubt, enjoy half an hours’ music (6 p.m, to 6.30 p.m.), just as much as their parents. JI am certain that a little musie during meal hours would nore than be appreciated hy every set owner, It is quite an easy matter to bore a hole through a wall and place your loud speaker in another or the next room, or if necessary longer cords can be obtained for a few shillings. Although | netice it has been mettioned several times in the ‘Radio Record," I would like to emphasise tle fact that the Dunedin station is a complete wash-out. I do not know of any Wairarapa Listener-in who has obtained any decent result from this station, With a five-valve set you can only hear a faint whisper. Cannot the station be improved? It is useless as it now is and not worth its upkeep. [Your suggestiotis are welcomed. Last winter several special dance programmes were put on from 2YA, and the same course will be followed this winter, The other suggestions will be considered ‘The Dunedin station has beet much improved as will become apparent when summer time and its disadvantages depart.---Téd.] Dunedin’s Probiem, Vor 4YA (Dunedin) writes: In the past there have been many grumbles throughout New Zealand, but I think that the Dunedin (Otago) — listeners have a genuine complaint. During Christpias week, 1, 2 and 8YA_ had daily sessions from 12 on without a stop--even on the silent days. Such effort on the part of the Broadcasting Company was creditable, but what about 4¥YA? [s the company deliberately trying to avoid and to let Dunedin slide? ‘The complaint is insufficient licenses. The reply is that our imeuey is going north to 2 and OYA, the favoured stations. The dealers licre had to demonstrate on distant stations, which in many cases proved fatal, as any radio-set owner who knows mid-city daylight distant reception is like will know; I mean interference gencrally. Thus J] take it that 4YA to jog along because the Dunedin service is too limited. Under an ordinary week 8YA broadcasts 27 hours, while 4YA 18 hours. J would like to ask one question, but I very much doubt if it will be answered: (1) Is Dunedin to receive a new station? (2) Is the old one to be done up? or (8) are things to go on as they are? The general manager seems to be disappointing to New Zealand listeners by his secretivetiess. Cannot he make a statement, or is it not the method of the company? In view of the fact that the total Otago and Southland licenses — total 2100, our correspondent’s suggestion that the money derived therefrom is heing diverted from Dunelin to run the northern stations is, to say the least, somewhat huimor ous. A moment’s thought will show that to be impossible. The Dunedin station and service has lately been very much improved, in line with a full statement made by the general manager some three months ago, and in view of that, while sympathising with our correspondent’s desires, we think his lctter is really a little ungrateful. Td.