Gramophone Records in Evening Session

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 14, 19 October 1928, Page 7

Gramophone Records in Evening Session

Lengthy Discussion at General Meeting of Amateur Radio Society.

‘A LARGE number of radio listeners assembled at the hall of the Campridgé Terrace Congregational Church on the occasion of the general meeting of the Wellington Amateur Radio Society, on Tuesday, October 9. That the meeting was popular can be gauged from the fact that although the hall is slightly larger than that at the Dominion Farmers’ Institute, it was packed, so that many were unable to find seating accommodation. N addressing the meeting the president, Mr. Byron Brown, observed that there was an absence of ladies and extended an invitation to all lady enthusiasts. The Racing Ban. The secretary, Mr. W. H. Taylor, having read the minutes, discussed a letter received from the racing secretary at the last meeting. This letter had intimated that the conference would not meet till 1929, and had advised the society to lodge their objection to the racing ban then. "It = appears,’ said Mr. Taylor, "that a new committee is to be elected during the Wellington spring meeting." It was decided to write this new committee on its taking office, asking it to reconsider the decision to place the ban on the broadeasting of races. A sportsmanlike attitude was shown by members of the committee. Some of them never approached race meetings and had no interest in them, "but," as Mr. Brown answered an interjection, "we must think not of ourselves, but those who do," and added his protest against the ban. Whilst waiting for Mr. C. C. Fear, the lecturer of the evening, the meeting was thrown open for the expression of grievances or the "throwing of bou quets." Gramophone Records. HE first grievance was expressed against the inclusion of so many records in the evening session, it being stated that these could be purchased and played any time. The records played, it was contended, were not the best. This opened a long, interesting, if not lively discussion. The feeling, however, Was against the speaker-one speaker adding that, as the records were of a superior quality, they materially improved the programmes, being preferable to hackneyed items. HE difficulty to please all was made plain by Mr. Ball, editor-announcer of the Broadcasting Cumpany, who retold a recent incident that occurred at 2YA. "The’ announcer and I," he remarked, "were discussing some of the records being played during the afternoon session and had just decided that a certain record, which we thought not of sufficiently high standard to put over the air, would not be replayed, when ‘ting-a-ling,’ went the ‘phone. ‘Could you replay that record please? " "Yes." nudded the president, "I agree that some of this music is objectionable, it is like a rip-saw going through

a kerosene tin----." (Laughter and applause. ) Still the discussion continued-the Broadeasting Company was accused of not adequately remunerating the artisis it engaged, to which it was rejoined that with the money at its disposal, the company did excellent work, and it would be impossible to pay artists say £2 a night for six nights a week at all four stations. [THE coup de grace was given by a visitor who, stating that he came of a race who always take good care to get value for their money, was fully satisfied with his 30s. worth. The appearance of artists not fully ripe is a good thing-it gives them opportunity to widen their talent. The records, which the speaker contended were excellent, gave the world’s best. "Could we expect Moiseiwitch for 30s. a year? -No! Such artists can be heard only by the medium of gramophone records." The speech was terminated with applause. "Judging by your face you are nota Jew," added Mr. Brown. "You must be---"T am a Jew and proud of it," replied the speaker. , The argument was dropped. ME. BALL, who was before the microphone when the airmen landed at Blenheim, was congratulated by the meeting for his very able and interesting description of the great event. Imagination was necessary for such an occasion, and Mr. Ball proved he was more than equal to meet the requirements. | The Browning-Drake. M*. CG. Cc. FEAR, of Messrs. A. J. fear and Co., a well-known authority on the Browning-Drake circuit, was introduced and presented an interesting and illuminating address on that circuit. It was stated that for a four-valve set it was unequalled except by the screened grid in the first stage. Commencing with a theoretical circuit, it was explained that the characteristic of the circuit lay in the slotted primary of the regeneformer. This added distance and selectivity to the set. Browning-Drake coils were presented for inspection. Extracts from this lecture appear elsewhere in this issue. On conclusion, Mr. Fear was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks, and in replying told the meeting it was his first public address. Mr. Fear must be complimented on the very able manner in which he tackled his task, and this statement came as a great surprise. MOTION to the effect that the society approved of good gramophone music (barring trash) was put before the meeting and adopted. The mover stated he had had a long experience with 2LO (London), and he was confident it could not show the progress the N.Z.R.B.C. had made. The meeting concluded with an appeal for members. There were two hundred to three hundred members, but more were desired. The subscription for one year was 5s.