NOTES AND COMMENTS

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 37, 30 March 1928, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS

(By

Switch

_ | The Japanese Broadcasting Association have commenced a scheme to increase the power of the existing stations ten times. The idea is to stabilise crystal receivers. he purchasing power of the masses in Japan limit them to the crystal set. ; Already the Police Department at Sydney has its own wireless station for sending directions to its patrol cars. A message is sent from a _ broadcasting station at Willoughby to the patrol cars, which immediately hurry to carry on instructions. Recently ‘the radio patrol, after a wild drive from the city, caught a girl who was about to throw herself over the Gap. If you have a "B’’ battery eliminator (power unit) do not make a practice of tinkering with the interior of the re ceiving set while the power unit is turned on. ‘To be sure, there may be times when adjustments are required with the set "‘live’’ and, when they are, strict precautions against short circuits should be taken; such as the use of insulated tools. ‘These are important because, while with batteries such a short-circuit of the "B’ wer might mean merely a running-down of the batteries; with a "B’" supply device it may well mean the burning-out of equipment, such as transformers, costing several times more than batteries. On the night of January 31 the broadcast stations in New York suspended operation from 9.25 o’clock till 9.46, and avain from 10.6, until 10.55 o’clock ow. ing to the shipping distress signal, SOS, being heard from a steamer off the coast during a heavy storm, The vessel, the Elswick Tower, 3920 tons, had grounded in a heavy fog. An American radio writer recently described a device for picking up the conversation of birds. ‘The system 1s reversed by a Dutch farmer, who has installed loudspeakers m his orchards, to frighten birds away from the fruit trees. If this method is adopted in England, unkindly suggests a British paper, "a use will be tound for those educational talks which we hear so much about." Radio pirates in Germany are termed Schwarzhorers (serves them right). A big sweep through the country found no fewer than 1003 unlicensed listeners, as against 558 in 1926 for the same period, and 502 for the year previous. The primaries of audio-frequency transformers sometimes burn out when the plate circuit is opened suddenly. In cases like this, possibly the hest method for repairing the damage is to obtain a new transformer and to be more careful in the future. However, if a variable high resistor, of approximately 600,000 ohms maximum, is conected across the primary terminals of the broken transformer, this stage may be converted into a resistance-coupled amplifier, and the set may be used in this manner until the new transformer is procured Sir Harry Lauder says that he does not like the American system of broadcasting, and (savs the Sydney ‘Wireless Weeklv’’) thinks that he will not broadeast during his coming tour "over there." An English paper, commenting on the fact, says: ‘With all due respects to such a great artist, we venture to say ‘Softly does it.’ Biz is biz, and even Sir Harry does not work solelv for his health. I have no doubt he will hear big figures talk when he gets to the U.S.A., and if he is the big man I take him for, he will reconsider his thoughts. Why not?" ‘This summary looks black for Australia. Sir Harry Larder has included the Conmonwealth in his tour, and it was hoped that listeners would have an opportunity of listening to him. However, if "hig figures" must first be reckoned with ----- Trickl2 chargers, designed for charging 6-volt batteries, can he easily adapted to 4-volt batteries without much expense and without any changes in the regular construction. Jt is necessary only to attach the end of a resistance winding from a 6-ohm rheostat to one of the posts on the charger. ‘The resistance unit taken from one of the aircooled type of rheostat is best for this purpose. Successful tests were carried ont in Melbourne recently by the Wireless Department, in conjunction with 3AR and 3LO, enabling the Department to obtain some idea of how close wave Jeneths can he allotted without interfering with either local or inter-State stations. The first radio announcer in Ting: land was Mr Arthur R Burrows, who is at present in Geneva. He is interested in the new station to be built by the League of Nations. An analysis has been prepared by 5SW, the British low-wave experimental station, Reports show that though reception was excellent ‘in Canada, U.S.A., Buenos Ayres, Rio De Janeiro, Lima (Peru), West Indies, South Africa, India, China, Japan, and Egypt, Sydney (Australia), did not report such good reception We in New Zealand have had very fair reception of 5SW, Chelmsford. A new station at Taibach, JugoSlavia, is expected to he ready by Faster. It will operate on the normal broadcast hand,

Imagine a sick clergyman lving itt bed preaching to thousands of listeners through a microphone, Rev. W. C. Keeler, of Iowa City, Ia., U.S.A. preaches from his bed of sickness to his congregation at the Methodist Episcopal Church. A loudspeaker occupies the pulpit. * Radio fans sometimes are moved té attempt to outrival their fishermen friends in the stories they tell. For example, a letter which came from a faraway T’rench colony states: ‘I wag sitting beneath my tent with my wife when a huge tiger crept up to the opening. We were fascinated and could not move. ‘The animal crept nearer and nearer and prepared t spring. Just then a voice came from our loudspeaker. ‘This is the Hiffel Tower, Paris, calling." .... The tiger turned and fled, and so did we!" The straight line frequency condenser provides equal separation of sta« tions over the entire dial instead of bunching them at the lower end as i6 the case with a straight line wave length condenser. The 10,500,000 people of New York State use about one-seventh of all the electricity produced in the United States. Their use is increasing rapidly. About 20,000 meters are installed every month. A considerable propor tion of the current is used for radio batteries. ‘ Increased activity in radio requires twelve examiners at the United States Patent Office now to do what three did in 1918. During his recent visit to the United States Marconi said: ‘here are three things that haye attracted my attention since I have Leen in New York¢ First, the enthusiasm for radio; seca ondly, the practical purposes to which radio is utilised here; and third, [ am surprised at the general knowe ledge of radio among the younger generation. The elders are dragged into radio for entertainment, but youtlis are in it because they find it fascinating, and that is most fortunate. Youth has the punch and the go. That is what will send radio ahead." A Tennessee University professor re+ cently announced: "We hope to be able to predict just as the weather ig; forecast what radio reception condi« tions will be thirty-six hours in ad¢ vance. Theré is some disagreement as to whether this short range radio reception prediction can be done, but I have found it to be fairly accurate for the last two years, When there is a storm to the north-west of the station the reception will be weakest. Signals also will be weak when they have to pass through a storm area. Thunderstorms can be heard by a Tadio set for from 1500 to 3000 miles, That accounts for seasonal static. In summer there are more thunderstorms in range, Therefore there is more static. If you take a weather map and see in what directions the storms are moving in relation to your locas tion you can tell whether or not your radio reception will be good." Only long-published music and liters ature, on which there are no royalties to be paid, are being broadcast by Vrench Government stations. There was a certain amount of liberty taken with modern works until recently, when damages were assessed against Goyernment officials for failure to pay rovaltics. The average radio receiver is used three hours a day, or alout 1000 hours a year. Very often in amplifying circuits where ‘"‘high-mu" tubes are used, @ how] is noticed in the loudspeaker, which is not changed by adjustments of the recciyer. If this happens the yalvea are said to be "imicrophonic." ‘his coms dition can usually be corrected by move ing the loudspeaker away from the re« ceiver; although it may be necessary td mount the yalyes on sponge rubber te dampen the vibrations. ‘There are o the market at present several types o shock-proof sockets which are helpful in preventing this microphonie ringing, Hxchanging valves in the socket is alse, helpful in some cases,

Radio sets may come and radio sets may go, but burned-out valves and batteries. still bring joy to the dealer, A tragic lesson for radio fans in erecting an aerial cores from ‘iuffalo, N.Y., where three members of a family were electrocuted. Fred J. Voltz, jun., and his 17-year-old son were stringing the wire across the roof when it came in contact with a high-tension power line, Lotl collapsed on the roof, instantly electrocuted. Mrs. Voltz, seeing them fall, rushed to their aid, and when she attempted to clear the bodies of the wire, received the fatal charge. Radio experts, commenting on the accident, deplore the fact that laymen, inexperienced in electricity, attempt installations in dangerous locations, ‘hey point out that no wire should be strung where it may touch an electric lighting or Power wire, should either become slack. Erratic reception prevalent in many home-built radio receivers often may be traced to grid leaks of improper value. The higher the resistance of the grid leak the more sensitive the detector action. However, when a leak of high value is used cn nearby stations the tone quality suffers. A variable grid leak, or two or three leaks of different values might be kept at hand for use in meeting various reception conditions, . An American broadcasting authority States that with the.use of a double microphone system, studio engineers are able to do a better jo of monitoring a programme, for they control the solo and accompaniment parts separately, aud can thus get better balance. The material from which conductors are made goverus their resistance. In addition to this, the length and cross section determite the resistance of the two conductors of the same substance. The resistance of two conductors of the saine material are directly proportional to their length and inversely proportional to their cross section, _A spider web antenna arrangement is employed by the Swedish. The wires are all brought to a central ring. From here they radiate to the roofs of many houses around. The lead-ins are taken off the centre of the wire. Lose or dirty battery connections often account for some of the noise heard | i a receiving set. The terminals on a storage battery are coated with lead ty withstand corrosion from the spray of electrolyte, but nevertheless they oxidise quickly. Clean them with a tag dipped in household ammonia. Radio development in Denmark and Norway is said to he undisturbed by atmospherics, static being almost unknown. . Plate glass which if is planned to use as an insulator or panel may be drilled. easily with a three-cornered file lubricated with turpentine. The glass should be placed upon a flat level surace. A- whistle or hum may be caused from any of the following :- Microphonic tube in detector socket; speaker too close to set; trouble in B power unit; run down B battery (especially unit or section supply voltage to detector tube); heterodyne of two broadcasting stations; no contact at grid or plate tube socket contact of detecior or A. F. tube; grounded A. I’. transformer winding; or detector grid circuit open. Many a radio owner has never listened to a complete number, not to mention a full programme, in his desire tv reach out beyond the great unknown. The frequency of KGO, Oakland, California, regularly heard in New Zealand, is now crystal controlled. This monitor of the frequency of transmission signals has been installed at large expense. In the adoption of the crystal quartz oscillator for KGO, the General Electric engineers are using the most accurate method known for maintaining frequency. It will now be impossible for the station to vary more than one-tenth of 1 per cent. from its assigned wave-length of 384.4 metres. Some of the new condenser types of microphones have already been installed at the station. ‘This microphone is used by KOA, Denver and WGY, Schenectdy, both General Iilectric stations, WJZ, New York, and the pioneer broadcaster, KDKA Pittsburgh. Ijngineer Walter D. Kellogg reports that the latest type of the condenser microphone reduces the effect of extraneous noises caused by mechanical vibrations where the broadcast takes place This is the season when the children are put to bed early so as not to interfere with father in his efforts to better his DX record. A conservative estimate made by the United States Government shows that ont of the entire population of that country more than one-tifth we rated as radio owners, which exceeds the number of owners of Fords. This doesn’t seem possible, but it is the truth. A license has been granted to the British Hast African Broadcasting Company to operate a broadcasting station in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa, To clean wet battery terminals it will be found that ordinary household ammonia used full strength will remove any acid, corro$ion and dirt which lias formed. Corrosion, due to acid spray when charging, can be prevented by first cleaning terminals with ammonia and then covering with a thin film of vaseline. . , ’ ae

. "Hemi" (Wairarapa) drops me a cordial note of appreciation and asks "Which is better for long distance reception in the country-a long or a short aerial?" A Jong aerial always gives better long-distance reception but is less selective than a short aerial. In the areas near the city if one desires to cut ont the local station a shorter aerial is advisable. For the country ‘Switch’ recommends an. aerial of about 145ft., including the Jead-in. It is an axiom in radio that the higher the aerial the greater its range. If "Switch’’ lived in the coun try nothing lower than an aerial G0ft. above the ground would suit him. A New York radio enthusiast hag written the Federal Radio Commission urging the establishment of a station which would broadcast suggestive treatmeut for "the sick in mind and body." His letter in part follows: "My object is to build a radio station in New York to be supported by voluntary contributions and used exclusively for humanitarian purposes, A good radio should be installed in every gaol and hospital. A criminal or suicide is not time. one through choice, but because of adverse currents in his life. Many have been brought up im poverty and supezstition. Although the commissioners feel that some of the New York writer’s suggestions are worthy, they say that the Jaunching of such a project is not within their jurisdiction. The season’s developments in loud. speakers in the United States seem to show a trend toward the born again. Recent efforts of acoustic engineers have brought forward an improved horn which is said to rival or outclass the cone. The new horn does not by any means resemble the old ‘"gooseneck" type, as the new horn generally is made up in a cabinet very similar to that which houses the cone, A writer in the New York "Radio News" saysi-‘Since reception of the Australian broadcast stations has become possible in nearly all sections of the United States, interest in them has been aroused. One of the most interesting factors is the difference in The stations in Sydney and Melbourne are fifteen hours ahead of our Igastern standard time. When it is 9 p.m. in Sydney it is 6 a.m. the same day in New York. Although the Australian stations can be received any month in the year, March and October seem to be the best months.’’ being extensively advertised in A uew method of taking down speech is presented in a system which is now Kngland, and whieh consists of abbreviated longhand signs, whilst the principals follow those of shorthand; (uk Imo sprdi nw) in speedwriling means "You can almost speedwrite now." It is suggested that amateurs desirous of taking down morse signals will eventually adopt this system, instead of writing the complete word. It provides, also, a handy method for the taking down of weather reports, ete., by broadreceiver, which is nearly unique, ‘ast listeners. Signora Marconi, wife of the famous radio inventor, owns a portable radio in that there is only one other like it, that being owned by secretly the Prince of Wales. Senatore Marconi himself designed the set, which has an A.C. power unit and batteries enclosed. A mysterious wireless station, supposed to be somewhere on or in the vicinity of the Baltic coast, and probably near Denmark, has been notic. ed by the Danish authorities. This station sends out Bolshevist propaganda in the Danish language. ‘There is a theory that this station is operated by the Bolsheyists, as the Press were recently advised that the Sovict Government proposed to estabyolume conld he increased 100 lish a propaganda station in another country. Existence of this so-called secret "red"? station was first discovered by Professor William Rung, who when trying to tune in the Copenhagen broadcasting station heard this Bolshevist propaganda being sent out by an unknown station. No details are ayailable as to the wavelength, except that it must be very near that of the Copenhagen station. Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and Hobart are an hour and a half behind New Zealand time. Adelaide is two hours behind New Zealand time, and verth is three and a half hours _hend, Some listeners are at a loss to account for the claim that 2YA, Wellington, is the second most powerful broadcast station in the British Empire, when a number of Australian stations are also listed as having a power of 5000 watts. The method of rating the Australian stations is different to that in New Zealand. For instance, the March issue of the New York "Radio News" states that an Australian station rated at 5000 watts has an output of about 2500 watts (American rating). The New Zealand rating is similar to that of the United States. At a luncheon meeting of the Radio Trade Group Division, in the Advertising Club, 23 Park Avenue, New York, lately, Benjamin Gross, president of Gross-Brennan, Inc., speaking on "Radio Merchandising and Advyertising,’? urged his hearers to co-operate with manufacturers and jolbers in making radio advertising ‘‘clean."’ He expressed the opinion that the sales per cent, 4 through proper co-operation,