Summer Time and Broadcasting

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 27, 20 January 1928, Page 14

Summer Time and Broadcasting

CORRESPONDENTS?’ DIVERSE VIEWS Our invitation to readers, particularly country readers, fer their views on the effect of "Sidey" time on radio reception bids fair to draw some interesting letters. Below we give the first instalment, and expect a further interesting collection next week, from which some general conclusion may be drawn.

"The Worst Thing Ever." V.J.M. (VPahiatua). Just a line in rmierence to ‘‘Sidey Time.’ I consider ic the worst thing that could have happened as regards radio reception. I hove a ‘‘Browning-Drake 5" and I can assure you it takes me all my time to hear 8YA at 8 p.m. ‘‘Sidey Time.’ Goodness knows how country chaps with two or three yalye sets get on. In fact there are five people I know who are talking about "chucking" radio up. lt takes a real good set to pick up 8YA and LYA in daylight. I have tried quite a number of sets and I can assure you that the average five vilve set will not pick up the two aloye stations in daylight. Of course J am referring to country places only. Ik is one thing to be under an aerial eof a broadcasting station and another thing to be about a hundred and fifty mniles away from a station. 2YA, of: course, is AL as far as power goes, | but there are times when we want 1V.\ or SYA programmes instead, How does the two or tliree valve chap get on then at anywhere up to 9 p.m.? with not only the niusical part, but the news and market reports; for instance 3YA’s stock report which, of course, interests the furmer mostly. My slogan is down with "Sidey Time," not only me but © per cent. of radio people here. Thanking vou for vour invitation for readers’ vicws.

Hope it is Cut Out. K.S. (Hastings) Your reference to "Sidey Time" im this week’s issue of thi: Record, prompts me to write and say I have every sympathy with the country listeners-in. = I know that I ds not derive half the pleasure from my set as formerly. I hope _ that eSidev Time’? is cut out. Local Conditions Blamed. S.j.T. (Hillgrove).-As a country I would like to express my disagrecinent with the letter from "ALR." in this week’s *‘Record." If "AR." cannot get daylight reception trom Dunedin, Wellington, or Chiristchufch, then there must obviously be Senne local condition which militates acainst radio reception. In any case, wWicn signal strength is so weak that daylight reception is impossible, then it would be spoiled practically every night by static, to a great extent. The same thing applies to Australian stations, also, at this time of year, *‘Sidey Time" or otherwise. In regard to 4VA and the small number of licences, the broadcasting Co., while citing the immediate increase in Wellington and Christchurch on the erection of modern stations, apparently, for some reason Peculiar to itself, refuses to admit the ' ‘ty of the same thing occurring at Dunedin. Dunedin has not, and

| never has had, a station comparable with any of the others. Here (50 miles away), while the yolume is ample, tlic guality is so poor compared with the other stations, that we seldom listen to 4YA at all. There has been a slight improvement lately, but only slight. Reception is Affected. A. Dawe (leatherston).-You asked -im-your Jast ‘‘Record" what effect the daylight saving has on reception. Well, I must say that to-night is perfect, as I aim at present listening-in to 1YA at 8 p.m., and it is very good. Christchurch and LYA always comes in good, and clear, but 1YA is off and on, kind of the way, but Australian stations are poor-yery poor at times. ‘To-night 2BL, Sydney is fair on the headphones. 9 pan. My set 1s a five-valve, but I inust say we wouid get far better concerts if we had this hour taken off, Tor myself, I should like the ordinary time,

A General Supporter. Listening In (Ohakune): Your correspondent, 108 miles from Dunedin, who condemns sumuner time, makes, in my opinion, one great mistake. Many opponents of reforms die hard, and ‘those of summer time are no exception, ‘I have heard of one farmer who has suficient imagination to tell us his cows give less milk under summer{time milking. Instead of setting out to blame summer time for all the ills we have, let us start by trying to discover atry other reason, I have no tickets on summer time, but I believe it has come to stay, as) many who were absolutely against the innovation are now right out for it. I speak principally of farmers, I care little for or against summer time, but I know it is responsible for our set failing to get much that we did get over the air two months ago, and I wrote to you, Sir, a few weeks ago, pointing ont that as we were now unable to get any news from any stations except Wellington that it would be a great boon to listeners-in if 2YA would arrange to be on the air on Wednesdays from 7 to 8, as that being silent day for 2YA we in the hackhlocks were that day without anything on the air till about 9 o’clock. Dunedin station should, and I fell sure will, be improved, but your correspondent must remember conditions plav a big part in reception. We are 200 miles froin Wellington, and get that station any’ time it is on the air, but we have a friend near Te Kuiti who gets very poor reception from Wellington, but gets Auckland and Christchurch at 3 in the afternoon. Last winter we rot Dunedin splendidly, and we hope to do so again, but as you ask for suggestions I would again say give us 2VYA on Wednesdays from 7 to 8, and we in this part will have little te complain about.