Radio Amateurs

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 10, 21 September 1928, Page 10

Radio Amateurs

~ General. Meeting. The Racing Ban. R. BYRON BROWN, president, occupied :the ‘chair at a general meeting of the Amateur Radio Society | of Wellington on ‘Tuesday evening, September 11. About thirty members attended. Cp ee The following letter was received from the secretary of the-New Zealand Racing Conference in response to a protest by the Hawke’s: Bay and. Wellineton Societies against ‘the’ refusal of the racing clubs to permit broadcasting of running descriptions of the races :-- " "I am in receipt of. your letter of. Zist ult., forwarding me letter dated July 3 last, addressed. to me by the. Uawke’s Bay Radio Society relating to the decision of the’ New Zealand , Racing Conference that the radio broadcasting of race meetings during the progress of the racing be prohibited and that such broadcasting form part of the evening’s programmé. __ "As yegards, the grounds: for your society’s resolution asking~ the -conference to reconsider its decision, I have to point out that the .settlers in the

eountry districts and. the..sick people in hospitals will, not be inconvenienced in any way at all if the broadcasting of race meetings forms part of the evening’s programme. In fact so far as the settlers in the country districts are concerned, it would be more convenient to them to be.able to hear the. proadeast of race meetings after their day’s work is over instead of their valuable time being. occupied by listening in during the day. ~ It is no hardship to the sick people in hospitals to hear the broadcast during the evening, instead of during the -afternoon, "when they may have visitors calling to see them. "It is noted that, your. sgciety does not agree that the ‘stoppage of the bitoadeast of a running description of a race will tend to eliminate or at least. reduce illegal betting, but I have to draw your attention’ to’ the fact that the Commissioner of Police is reported to have had representations made to him on this very subject by his -officers, and that he is averse to the broad‘easting of news from courses as it tends to increase his difficiilties in suppressing illegal betting: _ _ "The Radio Broadcasting Co. of N.Z., Ltd., to which I presume the members of your society pay an annual hi-

oni cense fee for the right to listen in to the items broadcast ‘by the company, claims that the racing clubs have neither the right nor the power to restrict the company in its broadcast of the particulars of their meetings. It would be interesting to know whether your society supports the company in its view that racing elubs have no right or power. to control particulars of their own entertainment during the progress thereof. ; "Phe conference will not be holding its annual’ meeting until July, 1929, and if your society still desires it to reconsider its decision no doubt you -will advise me again before the next meeting of the conference." — (Sed. ) H. R. Sellers, Secretary. As certain statements embodied in the above letter required investigation the meeting decided to merely "receive" the letter. The Tasman Flight. lhe honorary secretary of the society (Mr. W. H. Taylor) reported that with -the sanction of the president he had telegraphed Mr. T. H. MeWilliams, radio operator of the aeroplane Southern Cross congratulations on his successful flight across the Tasman. Amateur Transmitters. . Mr. J. Johnson, who came as a representative of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Association of Amatour Transmitters, asked the society to

consider a suggestion from his association to co-operate in overcoming interference from amateur transmission, howling valves, and powerline leakages. One member stated that he had suffered seriously from interference from a certain amateur transmitter, and on some nights had to close down completely. As a result of complaints, the said amateur transmitter had been ordered off the air by the P. and T. Department. Speakers pointed out that the P. and T, Department had a new scheme for co-operating with members of the radio trade to combat trouble from power-. line leakages. ‘The society therefore should not make any agreement with other bodies in that respect, but the suggestion might form the basis of a general system of co-operation. Listeners, however, should not be asked to waive their right to complain to the P. and T: Department when they were experiencing interference from amateur transmitters. It was agreed, however, that ‘Mr. Johnson be invited to attend the next meeting of the executive to go more fully into the matter. Tt was resolved to invite Mr. T. H. McWilliams, radio operator of the Southern Cross, to attend a general meeting of the members to meet them

and to give an address on the subjcet of the flight. General. The chairman extended a cordial welcome to Mr. F. W. Sellens, who was recently reappointed to fill a vacancy on the executive. Mr. G. BR. McCarthy gave an instructive and entertaining lecturette on short-wave reception and radio apparatus. -Mr. McCarthy contrived to impart a good deal of humour into his address, especially when detailing some of the frailties of listeners and defects in radio parts. Several questions were asked. and answered. In conclusion, Mr, McCarthy remarked on the importance and interest of. short-wave Morse work as compared with broadcast listening. A number, however, in defence of broadcast. listening, pointed out that the public interest in broadcast listening completely overwhelmed interest in short-wave Morse work, not only in New. Zealand, but throughout the world. In-New Zealand, where there were only about 200 amateur transmitters, there were something like 37,000 broadcast listeners. The popularity of broadcast listening was still increasing in prodigious bounds throughout the world, and while great things had been accomplished in broadcasting still more wonderful things were in. store. ao | The meeting terminated: with .a hearty vote of thanks ta the lecturer.