Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 11, 9 November 1928, Page 30

Notes and Comments

By

Switch

"MATER" (Kelburn) drops me an enthusiastic note about the children’s sessions by 2YA, Wellington. She remarks: "My boys listen with the greatest interest to the fine manly advice the radio uncles give the various children. They weigh his words carefully and their comments would gladden the hearts of the uncles if they -ecould hear it. I think the children’s "sessions must be having a wonderful influence on juvenile listeners-a truly beneficial infiuence. Our wireless set has brought a new interest into our home, and the children’s sessions are awaited eagerly each evening." A MELBOURNE radio writer makes the following excellent suggestion :-"In the country, when the dan‘ger of interference from a nearby ‘station is reduced, larger aerials can be used. The factor governing the size of the aerial then becomes the amount of interference which is caused by static. It will often be found wise to erect two aerials in the country. One should be long and high, and should be used whenever interference is not caused by static, while a much smaller one can be used in = sultry and hot weather, when static is prevalent." HOSE Wellington listeners who hare _ ~~ pleasant recollections of Jack Cannot "as the "dame" in visiting pantomimes and in comedy roles in musical eomedies, must have enjoyed his yocal items from 2BUL, Sydney, recently. The festive Jack sang "straight"? songs most tunefully before the microphone. A PHOTOGRAPH is to hand showing the Don Lee-KHJ (Los Angeles) Symphony Orchestra, which comprises 283 performers and the conductor. This is one of the largest orchestras in the -Enited States under exclusive contract ‘to an "independent" ‘adio station. KHJ is about one or two metres below "fQG, Brisbane. ‘THE recent long-distance short-wave telephonic, tests between 2ME, ‘Sydney, 2X AF, Schenectady, and ANE, Bandoeng, Java, were heard in Wellington by Mr. 8. W. Pierce, of 8 Shannon Street. Some of our short-wave "amateur listeners are accomplishing very excellent work. HE Australian stations lately have given us a surfeit of political addresses, and they are damping interest in some of the trans-Tasman sta‘tions. Fortunately, through co-opera-tion, no two stations in one Australian city broadcast political speeches on the

same evening. So if 2FC, Sydney, is giving us political "cackle" we can still get music from 2BL,, Sydney. HARD a discussion the other day among half a dozen radio musiclovers as to the most enjoyable item in a certain radio programme. The unanimous verdict went to "O Mimi tu Piu"’ (from ‘La Boheme") sung by Beniamino Gigli and Giuseppe De Luca. There were several fine records in the programme, yet these six critics selected the above item. R. Claude P. Grey, of Shannon, has received confirmation of his reception of a programme. from WENRWBCN, Chicago, 50,000 watts, on August 19. These Chicago stations are now giving regular weekly features from midnight Saturday until 3 a.m. Sunday, which is equal to 6 p.m. till 9 p.m. Sunday, New Zealand time. R. de Mauny’s orchestral concert proved the most artistic orchestral performance yet put across by 2YA, Wellington. Listeners are appreciative of the action of the Broadcasting Company in opening up 2YA on its silent night, specially to broadcast this great: musical treat. R. de Mauny’s orchestra certainly displayed delighful musicianly skill, and their combination was proof of the efficiency of the conductor, anil good practice. The items were, if anything, above the musical taste of the majority of the listeners with whom "Switch" has discussed the subject. Suggestions were made that the instrumental items should have been interspersed with occasional vocal nuimbers by a male and female artist of standing. The orchestral items might also have included two or three compositions a little less "high-brow." One musician mentioned the inclusion of a grand opera overture which is of a popular type. LL broadcast listeners will be interested in the movement in Wellington to permanently establish Mr, de Mauny's Symphony Orchestra. The proprosal is to give three concerts a year for subscribers, but probably popular demand may tempt the organisation to double that number of concerts.

"THE heavy winds to which Wellington is subject frequently deprive listeners of their aerials through their masts being carried away. A listener in the Mount Victoria area had his lead-in end mast snapped during a reeent blow, but he did not disappoint his guests that night; his set operated off an indoor loop as an alternative to the outside aerial. SOME of the Wellington radio traders have decided to exploit election night to its utmost. As 2YA, Wellington, is going to do the thing thoroughly. and progress results are to be aunounced as soon as they come to hand, broadcast listening should receive another tremendous boost. Traders propose to have loud-speakers placed so that the public can listen to the announcements from 2YA. It is going to be a big night for radio. AN amusing episode occurred during the relay by 2YA, Wellington, of Mr. de Mauny’s orchestral concert. A. lady, whose voice reached the microphone, was heard protesting against being moved from a seat which apparently was reserved by someone else. Her remarks provided amusement for listeners for hundreds of miles around. T is the fate of all broadcast stations to go off the air accidentally through some unforseen circumstance, and then it is that some listeners commence to tinker with their sets; imagining that something has gone wrong inside... A friend suggested that 2Y.A, Wellington, should hoist a red light from one of its masts when a breakdown has occurred, The same suggestion was made at, a meeting of the Wellington Radio Society, but as the majority of listeners are not within view of 2YA a humorist suggested that a better’ method would be to fire a cannon ! HE howling valve pest has shown a slight abatement in some areas of Wellington, but it is difficult to account for this improvement. Some folk attribute it to the decrease of one and two-valve sets, more valves being added to the smaller sets so that listeners get distant stuff without having to strain their sets. The champion howler, however, was on the air on

Tuesday night, October 30. He got on to 2BL, Sydney, immediately 2YA closed down, and he howled there continuously until 11 p.m. exactly. If this meets his eye it is hoped he will take the hint. (THERE is ah increasing interest by Wellingtonians in the. electrodynamic loudspeaker, which is generally admitted to be the last word, so far, in speaker design. Some ingenious listeners are building their own electro-dynamics from imported parts. Those who have heard a_ high-class electro-dynamic (or "moving coil’) loudspeaker will find: a new interest in radio. Naturally, like all loudspeakers the electro-dynamics vary in. quality. "THOSE who operate the console type of electro-dynamic loudspeakers should be extremely cautious in making any adjustments when the current is passing through them. "Switch"

saw a friend receive a shock from 750. . volts from the "innards" of one these speakers a few days ago. The shock proved a most unpleasant experience. Ordinary care would have precluded such a happening. [t frequently happens that after hpving installed a receiver, a listener purchases a second one of a different kind, using the two sets in the one house. A second aerial to operate the second set in a different room is often erected. In these circumstances there is frequently a feeling of uncertainty whether a second license should be taken out in respect to the second receiver. The position adopted by the Commonwealth Postmaster General's Department is that if one family has installed two different receivers in the same house the one license will cover the two. If, however, there are two separate families occupying a house, each using a wireless set, each family must obtain a license. : "THE amalgamation of the concerns. operating the Melbourne broadcasting stations, 8LO and 38AR, is registered as the "Dominion Broadcasting Pty., Ltd." +The use of the name "Dominion" is unfortunate, being more applicable to a New Zealand organisation, whereas "Commonwealth" would have been perfectly appropriate. A 2¥C (Sydney) correspondent wrote from Auckland (N.Z.) that he had perfect reception of a Sydney programme the other night, on his crystal set. The management of 2FC remarks: "He goes on to give the items heard, quite correctly, and is evidently convinced that he has something very wonderful in the way of crystal receivers. We do not wish to dampen. his enthusiasm, but he has evidently* never heard of re-radiation. This is a phenomenon which often accounts for the seeming miracle of a crystal set being able to pick up a programme transmitted hundreds of miles away. ‘The explanation is simple. It means that somewhere near where the owner of the crystal set resides is another wireless enthusiast who possesses a powerful valve set. As occasionally happens, the crystal set picks up the programme from the valve set." Well, despite the theory of re-radiation causing crystal long-distance reception, . "Switch" knows of incidents which tend to prove that certain long-distance feats with crystal sets were not aided by re-radiation. The extreme isolition of the crystal sets referred to proves re-radiation was not ‘"some- where near." NEW SOUTH WALES listener reports :--*""I am in receipt of confirmation of my reception of two Indian stations, 7CA and 7BY. These stations are on the air at about midnight (2 a.m. New Zealand time) and on favourable nights can be heard at good strength until about 2 a.m. (4 a.m. New Zealand time). On Sunday nights from about 11.30 p.m. (Sydney and ‘Melbourne time, 1.380 a.m. New time), the Calcutta station broa@fasts a church service, generally Churey of England. This is followed for "about two hours by an Indian programme. The week-night programmes generally run a little later. The Indian Broad-,. casting Company'advises that the waver lengths are: Bombay station, 357.1 metres, and Calcutta, 370.4. During: the last month the call-signs of both stations were altered. TCA (Caleutta) is» now VUC, and 7TBY (Bombay) is now VUB."