Taranaki Trouble

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

Taranaki Trouble

FADING AND DISTORTION EXPERIENCE OF NEW- PEYMOUTH

qt has long been established that broadcast reception over water is incomparably better than over land. And it has also been proven, especially in the United States where huge sums haye been expended in "fading" research work, that certain country areas provide bad reception from certain directions, and some places are so screened by metal deposits that it is impossible, through what is known as "absorption," to receive broadcasting at all satisfactorily from certain directons. In New Zealand we have striking examples of these difficulties, several areas providing their own individual problems. in New Plymouth, reception of 2YA, Wellington, in a specific area is so subject to distortion and fading as to cause a wellintentioned protest from those listeners residing therein. HE North Taranaki Radio Society which has its headquarters in New Plymouth has recently demonstrated to its official representative at Wellington, Mr. G. W. ~lorgan, who was visiting New Plymouth, that the fading and disortion of 2YA in a preseribed area of that town is very pronounced. Mr. Morgan, on his return to Wellington, mentioned his experiences at New Plymouth, which tend to prove that the poorness of reception of 2YA, Wellington, is due to purely local causes at New Ply-mouth-possibly mineral deposits deep within a section of the base of Cape Egmont. The "trouble area" of New Plymouth appears to be well defined, for at points two miles away 2YA, Wellington, was received flawlessly. Mr. Morgan was able to verify this by a personal test. He also went up to the mountain house on Mount Egmont and the occupant demonstrated to Mr. Morgan that reception of 2YA, Wellington, was well nigh perfect there. Desire to Change Wavelength. THROUGH Mr. GC. E. Bellringer, M.P. for Taranaki, the North Taranaki Radio Society asked the Postmaster General to sanction a test transmission by 2YA, Wellington, on the wavelength of 1YA, Auckland. The society stated that when 1YA, Auckland, operated on the wavelength of 2YA, Wellington-420 metres, reception of 1YA in New Plymouth was very unsatisfactory, the characteristics being identical with those now being experienced with 2YA on the same wavelength. On 1YA’s changing its wavelength to 333 metres, reception of that station improved very considerably, and_ became quite satisfactory in North Taranaki on receivers of four valves and upwards. We would further point out that when 2YK, Wellington, and other Wellington stations were in operation on very low powers, reception of their transmissions were not marred in the same way as that of the present Wellngiton station. It is submitted, therefore, with due respect, that the transmission route is only a minor factor in the present case. The Official View. "THE P. & T. Department’s radio officials, however, contended that the change in wavelength would not have the effect desired in New Plymouth. The Broadcasting Company have notified the North Taranaki Society that the wavelength change of 2YA, Wellington, would be by no means a |simple task which could be effected in a few minutes, and it is doubtful whether the change could be made | without seriously interferi.ug with the |normal schedule. The company went lon to say: "Again, assuming that the | wavelength of 383 is more favourable to the reception of 2YA in New | Plymouth, a difficulty would arise in that 2YA would, with its output of

5 kilowatts, be located between two stations of 500 watis output, making it impossible for listeners in the neighbourhood of any one of the stations to free themselves from interference from 2YA, even with very special care and apparatus, whereas with the present wavelength allocation it is a simple matter to receive either 1YA, 2YA or 3YA in any locality at times when two or all of them are broadcasting simultaneously. We are anxious to do all in our power to improve matters for New Plymouth listeners, but cannot, at present, see that the suggestion made will serve any practical purpose." The company further explained that the waveldngths of the N.Z. ‘stations had been allocated by the P. & T. Department only after very careful consideration of all factors concerned, regard having also been paid to the wavelengths used by the ‘Australian stations. The Broadcasting Company, it was pointed out, is faced with the problem of providing a national service for the Dominion. __ The Postmaster General has replied ‘that the trouble seemed to be a fit one to refer to the Scientific Research Board.

ABSORPTION

{ INTERESTING PHENOMENA | AN EXPERT VIEW. Mr. D. Neill Keith (Seatoun) +: It is with interest that I read accounts from your contributors of the large nwaber of stations tuned-in by them from different parts of the world, and it has occurred to me that these ¢oniributors (of whom there are quite a number) who are very enthusiastic and full of patience could assist in (shall I say?) a little research work in trackling down "X’s" or the phenomenon of fading or absorption, or other very interesting and useful problems, and there are quite a large number of these, which would be of great service to wireless in general. Take, for example, the recent report from your correspondent in Jlawke's Bay, who reports receiving Christchurch better than Wellington. That, without a donht, is due to the

screening of the mountain ranges between Wellington and Hawke's Bay, | There is not the slightest doubt that there are screening eflects caused by hills, for my experience in this goes back to 1911, when I was out in Ceylon as assistant electrical engineer, P.W.D.," and it fell to my lot to assist in the erection of the wireless signal station at Colombo, which, as you may know, is on the west coast of the island. This station was unable to receive .any signals from ships approaching from Australia or the Far East, between a position of 50 miles or so south-east and a point about due south of the island. ‘From the time the first signals were received they gradually became stronger, until that position was reached when there was a complete blank till the yessel was about due south. of the island, which pointed to the fact that the high mountains in the Central and South Central provinces of the island absorbed, or rather screened, the wireless station at Colombo, At Home, too, there are numerous well-known examples of this sereening effect. Manchester (2ZY) is received very faintly or with difficulty in any of the counties south-east of that station, but it is received quite easily on the Continent! Newcastle (5NO) comes in quite well along the east coast and East Midlands, but very badly in the west, and this station, and 2LO London can be tuned in much more easily and with greater volume by residents in the north of Scotland than the Glasgow station (58C); the South Downs screens London from residents along the south coast, and so on. If {you refer to a map of the British Isles iyou will notice the positions of the jranges of hills relative to the cities i mentioned ahnvoa.

ee E(w Oe NO As I before, the question raised by your Hawke’s Bay correspondent is similar to the instances given above, for Christchurch is in a direct line along the water’s edge and over the water from Hawke’s Bay. WINCE my arrival in the Dominion I have been very anxious to "dig" into these phenomena, but up to the present have not had the time. Now, With the winter months here, I think it is the right time to start, and with that object in view I should like very much to lave your ¢o-operation and also that of your readers, as this is certainly not a "one-man" job. ; [We have suggested to Mr. Keith that the building of a corps of obseryers night be left till the honorary listeners are appointed at definite points throughout the country, as they may be able to record the data desired most easily and effectively. If, however, any listeners have observations of value on the standard of reception and other points referred to that would be of help if collated, we will be glad to have them, and either publish them or hand them to Mr. Keith for his attention. — Ea.)