Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 29, 1 February 1929, Page 31

Notes and Comments

By

Switch

AN interesting contention was voiced © during a conversation among — radio men, and many of us will agree | with it. The playing of good music (grand opera, for instance) on a guitar is a travesty, and is an insult to those who have any sense of music, was urged. The item which provoked this remark was the "Intermezzo" from "Cavalleria Rusticana" as a banjo solo-with apologies to Mascagni! How on earth can a banjo interpret that musical glory! There is no end of appropriate music for the banjo; a selection of plantation melodies would provide a full night’s programme. LETTER was shown the writer, from a way-back country listener, who urged that relay stations should be erected in remote areas, and that the programmes from 2YA, Wellington, could be picked up on a receiving set instead of the Broadcasting Company going to the expense of using costly land-lines. The directors of 3LO, Melbourne, the most popular station in this quarter of the globe, cabled to London and New York to recognised authorities to obtain expert advice on the practicability of rebroadcasting from relay stations, using a receiving set to pick up the programmes from 38LO. The advice received was anything but encouraging. The fickleness of the ether, even at relatively short ranges, rendered such a service not dependable. LOVERS of old-time vocal and dance music are undoubtedly numerous in New Zealand, and a gentleman who is enthusiastic on this subject asked "Switch" to advocate an "old-time night" at 2YA, Wellington. Here is just a rough draft of a programme he suggested :-"My Sweetheart Long Ago" (Cristabel), song; "Dreaming of Homeland" (Seymour Ellis), song; "I Know a Bank" (C. E. Horn), duet; "White Wings" (Banks Winter), song; "When the Robins Nest Again" (Frank Howard), song; "Then You’ll Remember Me" (Balfe), song; "When You and I Were Young, Maggie" (Butterfield), song; "I’se Gwine Back to Dixie" (C. A. White), song; "Slumber Sea" (Myra A.. Chisholm), song; "Happy Be Thy Dreams" (Thomas), song; "Waiting" (H. Willard), song; "My Dream" (Bonheur), song; "Life’s Garden" (Hillis), song. HE Melbourne "Popular Radio" informs a Melbourne correspondent: "Summer is not too good for New Zealand stations, but you should get

them between 8:80 and 9:15, with reasonable strength, nightly." As 2 matter of fact the New Zealand sta» tions are not on the air nightly between 10.80 and 11.15 o’clock, which is the New Zealand time equivalent. to 8,30 and 9.15, Melbourne time. It is passing strange that the Australian Radio Press so frequently exhibits ignorance of broadcasting matters in New Zealand. R. Dion Boucicault, the world-famed actor, who passed through Auckland the other day on his way from Sydney to America, has no fears that radio will injure the theatre. Inter viewed in Australia just before his departure, Mr. Boucicault, in justification of his belief that broadcastitng cannot harm the stage, said: "They said, when Melba began recording, that no one would go to opera. But the gramophone added to opera attendances. Sonothing can hurt the stage; and nothing can take its place." YANKEDHD radio trade man who recently passed through Wellington informed "Switch" that the talking pictures are bound to capture New Zealand. He said that radio valves are closely involved in the operation of the talking pictures. The three principal systems are the Vitaphone, Movietone, and Phonotone. The Vitaphone employs a giant "gramophone" disc, operated in synchronisation with the film, through a system of valves similar to those used in radio sets. Microphones are used in the talking picture studios, similar to those associated with broadeasting. ' "THE term "crystal controlled" is foreign to many readers who are interested in the tests being carried out by 2YA, Wellington. Quartz, cut on its correct electrical axis, possesses piezo electric properties, enabling it to oscillate when subjected to certain voltages. The frequency of oscitlation depends on the thickness of the slab of quartz, which may take almost any shape. The quartz will not oscillate unless both the flat surfaces of the crystal are perfectly parallel. A crystal to oscillate at 168 metres is about 43/ 1000th of an inch: thick. The crystal is used to control the grid of a, thermionic valve. The oscillations from this valve are used to control frequency doublers which amplify harmonics of the crystal. The advantage claimed for erystal control is that an absolutely constant output is obtained with care fully adjusted circuits.