Heard Hoover's Nomination

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 49, 22 June 1928, Page 4

Heard Hoover's Nomination

Republican Convention on Short Wave : WELLINGTON LISTENERS ENJOY PERFECT RECEPTION FTER the thrill given the shortwave listeners by the transpacific flight and their ability to enjoy a front seat, as it were, in that venture through their contact with the morse messages of the Southern Cross, it is interesting to record an even greater feat on the part of a Wellington listener, This ig the performance of Mr. Olaf E. Stout, of hearing and enjoying the whole of the proceedings of the Republican Convention in Kansas City when Herbert Hoover was chosen as the party’s nominee for President. Proceedings were broadcast by station 2XAF on relay through a land line from Kansas City. Reception was secured on a shortwave adapter to a popular four-valve circuit. An indoor aerial only was used and reception was perfect throughout, with no oscillation. T may be taken as certain that the Tunney-Heeney fight next month will be broadcast and kLeyond doubt numerous efforts at reception will be made. Me. Stout describes his experience on Friday last as follows:"As one whose first acquaintance with wireless dates back to the days of the "coherer" I have followed with interest the progress of "broadcasting" in New Zealand and other countries. especially in connection with the great strides that have lately been made by the use of waves between 20 and 40 metres. I have read "The Record" since the first number and appreciate it fully with the exception of the shortwave corner. This, in my opinion, is-to use a Yankee ex-pression-"the bunk." It appears to be merely a personal record of the trials and tribulations and heroic devotion to dial twiddling of one or two individuals who may or may not be the champion ‘shortwave listeners in New Zealand. The attitude of these individuals reminds me of that of certain religious fakirs who mutilate their bodies in the name of religion and then attempt to elicit the sympathy of the community by exposing their abominations. It leaves me quite cold to read in your paper some such paragraph as the following:-‘Wednesday, 5.80 am. Tuned in PCJJ very faintsomebody talking in Dutch-later what appeared to be a gramophone record-5SW. Testing with 2XAF. Distorted and subject to heavy fading.-Signed off 7.30 a.m.’ However"WE: Editor, have you ever attended a convention of the great Republican party of the United States of America! Kansas City is a long way from Wellington but yesterday afternoon I had a seat in the microphone on the platform of the great convention hall there on the occasion of the choosing of the republican nominee for President of the Great Republic. It is true I was dumb and had only one of our usual-senses-the sense of hearing-granted to me; put ob, boy, what a day! I was confined to the house by an attack of flu and after dragging the electric heater close to my chair I thought that it would be a good opportunity to couple up my shortwave adapter and try for 2XAF. I tuned them in with good volume at 2.30 p.m. and immediately found myself transported by the magic carpet of radio to the platform of the convention hall in Kansas City. I heard, with great clarity, the speeches made seconding the nomination of the various candidates and could hear the cheering and the ‘rah, rah, rahs’ of the rooters. A reference to the great work done by Herbert Hoover in feeding the starving millions of Europe brought forth torrents of applause. The speakers were putting plenty of ginger into their work, and one or two almost shouted themselves hoarse. Two of the best speeches were made by delegates from West Virginia and Oklahoma respectively. cri FTER the speeches the voting commenced, and the States voted in alphabetical order, the last delegation to vote, however, being from Porto Rico. The chairman would call out the name of the state, e.g., Alabama, 11 votes, and then announce the number of votes recorded for each candidate. It was soon seen that Hoover was going to be elected, as quite a number of states plumped for him. There was little delay while the official figures were being checked, and then the announcer informed us that Hoover had received 870 votes and had been elected on the first ballot. This, he said, was unusual, as only one other Republican nominee-McKinley-has been elected on the first ballot. After the result of this ballot a further motion was put to the convention and Hoover was declared . elected unanimously. "rE convention then adjourned until noon of the next day and we were then given a relay from Chicago on the occasion of the annual meeting of the Radio Manufacturers’ Association. The speeches and music there were of sufficient volume to be put on the *speaker,’ the singing of ‘Down in the Forest,’ and the sextette from ‘Lucia Di Lammermoor’ being especially good. WYG closed down at 6.50 p.m., our time, and 2XAF a few seconds later after wishing everyone good morning. "()NE feature that I especially noticed was the absence of any overpowering Yankee twang in the voices of the various speakers. Only two of them, one a woman delegate, and the other the announcer from 2XAF, betrayed their country of origin plainly. "Reception was so good and clear that I fully expected the Broadcasting Company to seize a golden opportunity and put 2XAF on the air after the close of the afternoon session. "Listeners should now be on the lookout for the Convention of the Democratic party."