Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 6, 24 August 1928, Page 24

Our Mail Bag

Will correspondents please practice brevity, as heavy demands are now made on space. All letters must be signed and address given as proof of genuineness; noms de plume for publication are permitted. Address correspondence Editor, "Radio Record," P.O. Box 10382, Wellington.

"Wnquirer."-Mr. 8. R. Ellis supplies the information you require re 2BE: It is owned and operated by Bird's Flectrical Co., Sydney, operating on a wavelength of 326 metres, on Monday and Tuesday only. He logged him on May 1 at 11.80 in the evening. It is hard to separate 8UZ Melbourne and 2BE, as 8UZ is on 319 metres, 2YA Reception. YVHILE on the job with pen and ink ‘"'-7 might just as well register my grouse with regard to 2YA. This stition comes in very well in daylight, but at night time is very seldom worth listening to, distortion and mushiness being very bad, especially during the last month. I noticed that one of your correspondents blames the receivers used for a lot of the distortion and mushiness experienced by different listeners. but that of course is absurd.

W. B.

James

( Waipawa).

N forwarding sub. for another year, I must say how interesting your journal is. It covers practically everything in the New Zealand radio world. I have, until now, been one of those many silent listeners, but I might as well have my say. Our best night station is 2YA, with 1YA second. There is no fading or blur with Wellington down here, and plenty of "juice." Our only reliable station during the day is 4YA, but it is hopeless at night. The programmes are quite satisfactory, and. although sometimes they do not

nlease all. surely there is a wide

Bae enough range in four sations.-

A.M.

B.

(Winton).

¥ experience here of 2¥.A’s transmission is exactly the same as €Xplained by "FTavelock North’’-per-sistent mushing, distortion, fading, ete. I always consider myself lucky if I receive one or two items good out of a programme, and to do this I have to sit beside the set and keep on adjusting the volume control, one minute it simply pours in, and the next minute almost silent. This has been my experience ever since the 2YA station started operation. AS & general rule, I get perfect reception from 1YA, and +. my humble opinion this is the best

New Zealand station.-

T.

M.

(Hoki"

tika).

97M, Gisborne. We were. highly amused with "A K's" letter complaining about °7M's broadeasting. "A.K." is apparently the possessor of the most unselective set in this little world of ours, if he cannot tune out 2ZM over his whole condenser dial readings. We would suggest that "AK looks for the trouble in his own receiver instead of pluming the man on the other end of the ether wave. The writers, who operate four very home-made sets, have no difficulty in tuning out 2ZM. The proadest tuning does not cover 12 degrees of the condensers. We might mention that no one of us is using a wave trap; it is not necessary with any ordinary set. "AIK." will bless 2ZM in the summer months, when outside transmissions are hard to get. The "vouth’ who runs 2ZM happens to be one of the pioneers of radio transmis: sion in New Zealand, having taken out his first broadeast license in 1923, and having been a keen experimenter since 1912. Apart from this, his station is famous thronghout Australasia for its modulation and freedom from

fading.-

Four Satisfied Listeners.

In last week's issue we pointed out the unselective nature of "A.K.'s" receiver, We are, therefore, condensing for space reasons letters also received on the lines of the above, from "Satisfied" (Gisborne) and "One Valve" (Gisborne). "Satisfied" says: "Those responsible for 2ZM are to be congratuluted on their enterprise, as they sup ply a long felt want in an isolated district such as this, so enabling owners of small sets to derive much more pleasure from listening." "One Valve" says: "Perhaps ‘A.K.’ does not realise that the majority of license holders in this district are crystal and singlevalve setters, to whom 2ZM’s transmitting station comes as a boon and a blessing. ‘A.K. is now the most roundly laughed at man in Gisborne because of his reference to the ‘youth’ of the operator of 24M, since Gisborne knows 22M as a sober citizen of middle age. with long years of radio experimenta-. tion to his credit; indeed, he is a widely acclaimed authority on both long and short wave transmission and reception, and. is in daily receipt. of an

endless stream of congratulatory letters from all parts of the Dominion." y Jv Wigh-elass Music. 4 ii IGH-CLASS music is a disease or blight which breaks out amgng people who have given too much to music. They get so far advahegd they must break out somewhere, just like the different schools of painting. People when they complain in this way are asked what music is or what do they call music Well, I love music, but it must make me feel some emotion to call it really fine, such as joy, sadness, gladness, renunciation, and so on, but not irritation. Now, that’s that. We are most enthusiastic about the "Walter Pearce’ earth. My son has put ten earths in, and now we can get Japan every night if we-.wish, and he got two American stations last. night, one in Oregon anl the other in California, and I got that 100 watt 3UZ, Melbourne, besides several Sydney stations, and I was greatly astounded to get a 51l-watt (I think he said) in Dunedin, which came out loud and clear, and a good many more. Wellington is my favourite station. Since the Auckland metres have been altered

she is most nunrelinble.-

L.

Hill

(Ma-

ngapai) .

The Cheapest Ever. HNCLOSED please find ten shillings annual subscription Radio Record. The cheapest thing ever I bought, and I congratulate you on efforts to further improve same. I should like to suggest that the churches be asked to finish their services on prompt time. It is. not fair for those that follow. Perhaps if their attention is drawn to the

matter it will be overcome.-

J.

R.

(Wellington. )

MUST protest against the suggestion of A.M.T. in your columns. He must admit that it is grossly unfair to expect the section of the listening-in public that prefer the lighter vein to invest in records and phonograph pickup; when it is considered that they have paid (1 consider) more than half of the broadeast revenue. Sir, more in the lighter vein is absolutely necessary, and I would suggest the plan of haying different nights set apart for different tastes. Regardine the playing of jazz by 2YA: well, they can’t manage it. and T'd rather have a record or a player piano performing the piece. Personally, I am quite satisfied with the quality of 2YA’s transmission, but the only part of the programme that nlenses me is the hour cf dance music

on Saturday night.-

H. M.

Grinstead

(Wanganui).

Mr. Pieree’s Earth. BENG only a late subscriber, I missed the description of Mr. Pierce’s earth. Would it be possible for you to

publish a deseription.-

M.

Winter

(Takaka).

[Mr. Pierco’s earth was as follows :-- The wire that Ied from the ground connection cn the receiver out through the window encod at a binding post on a porcelain base. From this post twelve wires led to the same number ‘of pipes or other pieces of metal, .°mbedded in the ground. A leaky automobile radiator was sunk in the ground at the end of the row of pipes, with its caps just above the surface so that rater could be poured into it. The ‘ground ‘clamps on the pipes were hricht. Mr. Pierce said that he put

on new ones every few weeks,

hd, |

No Complaints. +T WOULD like to add my word of | commendation both of your excellez’ publication and of the splendid broadcast night by night from ti various stations. One reads numbers of letters in the Record and elsewhere condemning the company for this and that, but for my part I have no complaints and merely marvel that with the comparatively small revenue such a high standard of service can be maintained. For the past year's service I would like to snv "Thank vou"

and "No complaints.’-

H. L.

Stone

(Ashburton).

The Racing Ban. AM one of those out in the bush who have looked forward to race broadcasting, and can only express regret for the many country listeners who have been deprived of this pleasure. I think the conference is making a great mistake as broadcasting goes to make anything popular-music, vocal, sport, news, ete. I have followed racing for years, and when I’ve had the chance have gone to a meeting. A few of my listener friends had talked of going to Christchurch for the big meeting. I for one am not going now, owing to the results of the conference’s decision, and if others took the same view the racing clubs may realise that broadcasting does not deplete their revenue.

K.E.

P.

(M urchison).

Hubby Speaks Up. ‘HE only alteration I would like would be ae change of programme occasionally after the Church service on Sunday _ evenings," wrote a Christchurch lady, ™ renewing her subscription. The letter was endorsed by "hubby" (who put in the ten bob’) with "Yes, cut out Wellington, and give us some of the beautiful stuff to be had on records !" That 50 Per Cent. Standard. AY I say how much we enjoy what cumes over the air from your stations. From the announcers down to the youngest cousin we have nothing but praise. I am amazed and ashamed often at the unfair criticism with regard to programmes, etc. One man (a dealer, I presume, by his having four prospective buyers in the house with whom he may yet.do a deal), says that 2Y¥A was 50 per cent. rotten the other night. Judging by his remarks one is inclined to think that programmes are not the only things that might be improved on, to say nothing of it from a ‘business point of view. I must say we have very different dealers down this way. It would be interesting to know the kind of proframmes some people would like.-

Satisfied

( Timaru )

Appreciated by the Blind. WISH to let you know how we enjoy radio. My kusband is blind, and its a "Heaven-sent blessing to him." It passes away the time for him better than anything else. He enjoys everything, the old songs, recitations, lecturettes on the British nation and other countries, etc. The only complaint he has is when there is too much statie about and we have to shut it off.

A.

W.

(Otago).