Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 28, 25 January 1929, 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 1032, Wellington.

_ "Maori Places and Names." ERMIT me to record my very great appreciation of the lecturette by Mr. H.- M. Stowell, on "Maori Place Names and Pronunciation." Coming from such an authority, it is especially valuable. I am eagerly looking forward to the next instalments. 2YA comes in well on my set; a cat’s whisker crystal with bar.amplifier. We use two headphones. I have tried a loudspeaker, but the tone was ‘too low. At times we have to cut down the volume on the phones. We enjoy your programmes and the freedom from the low comedy element: (although the "Story of Lady Godiva". comes near it); and rough talk, "makes them all the more enjoyable. I am _ writing to Mr." Stowell. thanking him for his recent address. Not knowing his habitation, I have addressed it eare "Radio Record." With

best wishes.-

A.P.

G.

(Heretaunga).

Revise the Time Table. I WISH to make a suggestion with regard to the arrangement of broadeasting periods at present carried out by: the yarious stations. I am sure that the: children's hour, viz., 6 until 7 p.m. is too late as most of the smaller ones should be in bed by 6 p.m. Their hour would be more suitable from 5 until 6 pm. and I think that most parents will agree with me in this. The afternoon concert from 3 until 5, which are to my mind the most enjoyable of all, being gramophone records well selected, are of little benefit to ns who live in the country and are out and about on farms all day. I do not advocate doing away with the afternoon concert, but in order that we country listeners-in should get a chance to hear lighter dance music, a dinner-time service, say; from 6 until 7.30 p.m.. should be put on with the news service from 7.30 until 8. This dinner-time -music would, I-am sure, be well received and appreciated, especially if it was not too classical, :as I am afraid most of the evening concerts are. .It would be most pleasant to be able to sit down to dinner listening to good orchestras after a hard day's work. My idea is as follows :-5 until 6 p.m., Children’s hour: 6 until 7.30 p.m., dinner-time music; 7.30: until 8 p.m. news session.-

SHEEPFARMER

"Howling Valves." AN you inform me what measures can be taken to suppress the above? For some months now listeners in this district have had all programmes. on an average of five nights a week terribly distorted or wholly cut out by one particular set which is in a state of continual oscillation. Besides this the operator of the set is continually twisting dials, running through the whole broadcast band, and never staying on one station for more than five to ten minutes at a time, so that other listeners are unable to get clear of him no matter what station they go to. The writer has on behalf of others and self made a complaint to the telegraph engincer of the P. and T, Department, but was informed that unless definite information could be laid against the offender nothing could be done by the Department. And even though we were able to locate the set the Department could only remonstrate with the offender and endeavour to persuade him to neutralise his set. Situated as we are here, some 140 miles from 4YA, our nearest station. we have quite sufficient to contend with in natural disturbances without this sort of thing, and unless some means ean be found to stop wanton howling and dial twisting [ am afraid that March 31 is going to see a drop in licenses in Invercargill. Apart from this the writer has no complaints against radio, and otherwise reception here has been very good, with very little static during the summer months. 2YA is especially good, although the extra daylight makes it about S p.m. before we ¢an tune him in, while 1YA can also be fairly well relied on. 83YA is seldom heard, and 4YA, while always very good during daylight,. is often marred by fading and general loss of volume on the approach of and during the evening sessions, The Aussies have not been brilliant for the last two months, but last night, 15/1/29, they were coming over in great style and quite free fom static. The Japs are frequently heard by some listeners, but not much from the American side. The programmes from the four YA’s are on the whole quite satisfactory and greatly appreciated by the writer and friends. We hope for as good, if not

better; during 1929

LICENSED LIS

TENER

Invercargil )_

ANSWER: Yes, definite steps can he taken to prevent this howling nuisance. As it appears in this case the identity — of the owner of the set is known there should be little difficulty in preventing further annoyance. According to regulation 59, any apparatus that unduly energises the receiving antenna is illegal and can, unless it is made to conform with the regulations, be compelled to cease operation. Now in this case it certainly appears that the receiver is unduly energising the aerial anc thus making itself a nuisance to the neighbours. The steps to be taken are to lodge a complaint to the District Radio Inspector, stating that the set in question is infringing the regulation und causing general disturbance, and requesting that it be made to eonform with the regulation or that it be preyented from operating.