Regional System

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 48, 15 June 1928, Page 2

Regional System

CHOICE OF TWO ‘PROGRAMMES FOR CRYSTAL OWNERS For some time past rumours have been in circulation in the Home Country concerning a regional broadcast scheme which, it was said, the British Broadcasting Corporation was going to establish at an early date. In brief the scheme was that a chain of high-power stations should be established just outside the main centres of population and that they should transmit different programmes on two wavelengths simultaneously. As is usual, the rumour preceded by many months the actual official statement about the regional scheme. Ié was only during the last few days (says the London "Wireless Export Trader" of May), that we have heard anything definite in this connection from the B.B.C., and even now the official statement gives very few more details than the rumours that were in circulation last year, BRIEFLY the statement is this :-The Postmaster-General’s sanction has now been given for the erection of the first of the chain of stations. The irnasmitter will serve London and the South-Eastern area, and eonsequently the site will probably be somewhere to the north of London. It has been an open secret for some months past that the district of Potters Bar has been engaging the attention of the B.B.C. engineers, but we understand the location has not yet been definitely fixed. It seems likely, however, that it will not be far from this spot. The work on this new station, the B.B.C. says, will begin very shortly, and it is anticipated that it will be ready for service within twelve to fitteen months from the present time. WHEN the whole chain of stations is working, all England will have a choice of two programmes that will be available eyen to the users of crystal sets, while the owners of multi-valve receivers will be able to get a choice of four, six, eight or more programmes according to the power of the set. Further, the scheme will cover Britain even better than do the B.B.C. stations at the moment. ; It is the fashion in Britain to complain about broadcast programmes, but with the inception of the new scheme the public will have little left to find fault with. Truly the lotrof the British listener is a happy one!