Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 48, 15 June 1928, Page 15

Our Mail Bag

J. Surman, Auckland — George P. Henwood, 56 Lake Road, Takapuna,Auckland, would like you to communieate with him, DX Champions. . J SEE that My, Handley (Wanganui) has logged a station in U.S.A. with the call sign KNRV. I would like to tell him there is no such station in U.S.A. with that eall sign. He has made a mistake, The correct call is KNRO, Santa Monica, California. I am very pleased to see that he has logged 56 stations to his great credit. I think this will take some beating, as he is using a set which has a wonderful range for long-distance (Browning Drake). I would like him to write to me to exchange views. My logging to date now since writing last is 42. The station I heard on 2385 metres I logged to-night. It was KFPR on 232 metres, They were on jazz music, but very weak and fading badly. The set I am using is a fivevalve with Mr. Pierce’s earth. I was up until 3 am. this morning trying to log the South African station, but no Inck; yet 3AS and 3BY were on gramophone music and going well when I closed down-S. R. Ellis, Okato, The Radio Bill of Fare. J UST a few lines to let you know my opinion of the fare we receive nightly. The idea is that to make the programmes attractive all of them should be as varied as possible. Saturday evening programmess are all that could be desired, and I have heard my friends, most of whom are. only casually interested in radio, say "they seem to keep their best concerts for Saturdays." Of course, I am not suggesting that all the programmes should be of a vaudeville type, but some of the programmesMondays’ aud Tuesdays’ especiallycould easily include more instrumental yariety without detracting from type. The orchestra is.a fine combination, and always enjoyable, but I am sorry to see that its coming has resulted in the almost total exclusion of solo items for cornet, flute, clarinet (which was especially good) and violin. And I think most of us miss the splendid mandolin band of Mrs. Mildred Kenny, and the "Mellow Fellows" appear alk too seldom, though other quartets who do not give near the general pleasure that the popular "Fellows" do, sing regularly every week. I would like to suggest some violin and clarinet (or flute) solos on Monday, 2 mandolin band, either of the two that has performed already from 2YA, on Tuesday, playing good music, not jazz, and other instrumental novelties on Friday or Saturday. Myr. Probert’s xylophone solo on June 2 was great, and I am sure we would not mind haying such items more frequently. One of your correspondents -C.H.W.-inquired about the vibrophone. I quite agree with him that we should hear it. Is it because there is nobody available with sufficient knowledge of the instrument to render a satisfactory solo, that few of us know there is even such an instrument at 2YA?-L. J., Wayerley. "North Taranaki Fan." FEEL I must write my opinion of 2YA orchestra. I must congratulate them on the wonderful music. I also will have the honour of being the only or else the first North Taranaki listener to congratulate 2YA. It is just wonderful the programmes they are putting on the air lately. I am situated sixteen miles south of New Plymouth on the main road, and jn a line with Mt. Egmont just a ehade to the cide of Mt. Femont. and

eee OS a eee ON eS ee gee transmission is just fading very little. If you go north of New Plymouth, Wellington is just perfect, and the same if you go a few miles south of New Plymouth, so old "Mt. Egmont is the cause of their trouble. They will have to get up a working bee to shift her-sS. R. Ellis, Okato. A Good Log. M* log to date using three valyresdetector and two audio-is 169, namely : America, 18; Australia, 74 {many amateurs) ; New Zealand, 58 ‘(including amateurs) ; Holland, PCJJ, PCLL; Russia, REM; Belgium, Radio Belgique; England, 2NM, 5SW, GBL; India, 7CA, TBY; Japan, JOAK, JOBK, JOCK, JHBB; Manila, P.L, KZRM; Java, AND, ANH; South ‘America, CB8; Germany, AFK, RSR. ‘All of these stations were received on a set home-made. Practically all the high-powered stations have Q.S.L.-ed me, also several amateurs. Numerous stations are lost through bad static, fading, poor modulation and weak signals. There is a prominent amateur up my way whose key clicks can be heard over twenty degrees on my dials. He naturally spoils reception while on the air. In closing, I must state some of the stations logged extend back five or six years-J Rait, Brooklyn, Band Music Wanted. WOULD like one of the bands 0c-. easionally to give us more hymn tunes during the evening, say, two or three verses of each hymn, If this eould not be done, I suggest some Sunday afternoon you could give us band musie of the hymns by gramophone, éte, To me it is the best music offering, and no doubt there are others Gen ns like the change, say, as as it suited.-A.Y. (Wellington).

How to Help Radio, HE June 1 issue of the "Record" clearly points out what may happen if the number of licenses is not increased before very long. ‘The ways and means of obtaining new license holders and listeners constitutes rather a deep problem, The interest of the main bulk of the public must be stirred in favour of radio, and to start with, every present lstener can help, to his own advantage, by privately advertising radio as an entertaining, business, and _ scholastic ‘medium, The entertainment part will perhaps appeal to the majority, although there is no question that a number of listeners purchased their sets ‘for their business yalue, for instance, farmers for stock and market reports, ete., and so on. A year or so ago a number of listeners were dissatisfied with the Radio Broadcasting Company’s service, and considered it not worth their 30s. per annum. I think the feeling has now changed, ‘and that the general opinion is that the company is giving good service, well worth the license fee. The company has further indicated its willingness to extend and improve the service. The service must be popu- lar to be successful, and listeners given programmes that they want. I admit this is no small problem, pleasing a large number of critical listeners, a percentage of whom have no tangible idea as to what they do want. WHowever, I feel that the company is proceeding on the right lines, and getting the majority, if not all, listeners behind them. . One effective method of increasing the number of license holders would be to reduce the annual fee, say, to £1. This would be appreciated particularly in the cities, among the poorer classes. Reliable crystal sets can be procured for £1, and when one is confronted with the necessity of paying £1 10s. per annum to run this set, to many it must be an insurmountable difficulty. If the fee was reduced, I am sure a great many more people would become interested. Increasing the power output of the stations would further help by increas: ing the range of the crystal sets, and one-valve speaker sets in and near the cities. Byery listeiier should be treated as a potential advertiser for broadcasting, and what about more publicity? Advertisements in the daily papers, ete. This is expensive, but, well-drawn and worded ads. eatch. Periodical dealers’ drives, assisted by longer broadeasting hours by local stations, should also have a beneficial result. It must not be forgotten that dealers have a great responsibility in selling and servicing sets. What is the good of the Broadcasting Company transmitting ideal programmes, and making the technical side of transmission as near perfect as it can be, when dealers are inattentive to the necessity for good workmanship and = quality in the sets they are handling. I expect not a few criticisms levelled at the company should have been directed to faulty sets. Flere again a satisfied customer hecomes a good advertiser, a point all dealers should realise. Broadeasting has passed the novelty stage in this country, and should settle down to business seriously. (o-opera-tion between the Government, Broadcasting Company, dealers, listeners. and Press will work wonders in the progress to ultimate perfection of proadeasting in this Dominion.-W. Ti. Dattory (Tlarahora).

a vwrevw ee="_""-~-~-Receivers’ Licenses. QGTRANGE, put true, I had this pad in my hand to write you but be-| fore starting I thought I would look at the mail-bag of June 8, with the result that -"Fairplay" has almost taken the subject away from me. I endorse "Fairplay’s" remarks re publishing the names of those who have paid this year’s 30s.-say it were done this way: Divide each week's publication to be devoted to each province or part of same, then again subdivide so that any reader would see at a glance if any neighbour who had a wireless had a_ license. For instance, say Taranaki, start in the southern end, Patea, Iawera, Eltham, and so onthe post offices would be able to supply names at a moment’s notice; then again if the names are alphabetical the laziest reader would not fail to see if any "robbers" are about his way. Perhaps if you said that you were going to do the above stage-fright may cause a rush on renewals of licenses; let's hope so. In conclusion, sir, let me ‘state that we fully appreciate the high‘class entertainment turned on by the YA’s.-H. J. Finlay, Tokaora, Hawera. [We are investigating the possibility of carrying ont the suggestion of publishing the list of licensed receivers. -Ed.] Effect of the Eclipse. DURING the recent eclipse of the moon I had my set tuned in to 3LO, Melbourne, As the eclipse commenced the signals became gradually weaker, a general weakening as distinguished from a "fade." At the half eclipse the signals swelled slightly, only to diminish again. From then on until the total eclipse the signals grew weaker and weaker until they were barely audible, These results were on a Gilfillan 8 Radio Freq, Net, 2 Audio, As the eq@lipse passed away the transmitted signals became gradually strongey, 2 send in this

report with the hope that it may he of some use in the compilation of fading data--Carl R. McDermott, Arapuni. Good Log at Little Cost. I NOTH with interest Mr. Ireland’s "log," and think considering the set I use, that I can show a hetter one. The set is an all-waye one-yalve, which cost me about £6. I would he interested to hear of anyone who can beat my log with a small set, Following is the log:--New Zealand; 12 on broadcast band and 16 on short wave. Aussie: 15 on broadcast and 2 on short wave, America: B.C, KFON ; $.W., 2XAF, 2XAD, 2XG. England: S.W., SSW. Russia: S.W., RPM. Holland: SW., PCJdJ. Grand total, 52, The set that logged these stations has only been going a few months, my first log being 2YA. on March 16, 1928. By the way, could any reader tell me the call-sign of the GC. A. Larsen. I wonder how many of your readers have heard England, Russia, Holland, America, and over 40 stations in New Zealand and Australia, Before I close I would like to congratulate the company on the splendid programmes, especially 2¥A’: new orchestra.-Patrick Circuitt, Hastngs.