Radio in Southland

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 36, 22 March 1929, Page 4

Radio in Southland

Considered Unsatisfactory by Correspondent

A CORRESPONDENT from Hawera wants to know what is wrong with Southland. The latest returns for receiving licenses show Dunedin 2958 out of a total of 438,040. Of Dunedin’s tally, I believe, some 700 belong to Southland. If an investigator from the north had visited Southland this summer, he would have found reception conditions, such as he might have been Jead to expect, from the number of licenses in the district; that is, very poor. It is not worth while tuning in until darkness sets in, owing to rapid fading, and unfortunately for radio reception in the south, at mid-summer, this doesn’t take place’ until 9.80 p.m. It requires a lot of enthusiasm to keep a radio set going under these conditions. If no improvement takes place, I, for one, do not intend to replace B batteries in the spring, as the game is not worth the candle. Why does this poor reception exist in the south? you may ask. No doubt there will be seyeral opinions about this; some may even say it doesn’t exist, but I will just quote from the editorial of the February number of that well-known American radio authority ("Radio News’) : "The average 500-watt broadcast transmitter cannot be heard consistently over a distance of more than about 50 miles." Nothing but multivalve sets are any good for Southland. Take a low average of £20 for a complete set, and we get a total of £14,000 invested by 700 listeners-in; and now for the annual upkeep. I see one correspondent works it out at £15 7s. per year, but we will be moderate and say £10 per year, including license fee. That makes £7000

per year. Do you wonder there are not more listeners-in down sowth? It strikes me that too much money is being invested in receiving sets and their upkeep, and not enough in siapplying power to broadcast stations. Ratiio is developing rapidly, and it behoves the Government to approach the Broadecasting Company to instal more power at their weaker stations, and at the same time, if necessary, extending their license by an additional number of years to compensate for this. I am enclosing a circular I received through the post a day or so ago re a Southland Broadcasting Association and broadcast station. I have promised support to the extent of £1 is. per year, but have very little confidence that the station will ever get going, owing to lack of support, through the small number of license holders in Southland; but believe that if it did; crystal set users would keep it going after the first year. I make no apology for writing at this length, as I wish to see broadeasting available all over New Zealand, and furthermore the listener-in as a whole is in the game for keeps, while the Broadcasting Company has a limited existence on its present contract.-A.R. "THE circular referred to sets out that "steps are being taken to establish a Radio Broadcasting Association in Invercargill with the primary idea of providing Southland with a better radio service than is being obtained at present. At first the expense of installing a worth-while plant was a big hurdle, until an offer was received from a prominent Invercargill business man, which immediately placed the idea within a measurable degree of accomplishment.

: briefly, this gentleman offeyed to doittte a 500-watt station, compktsiy installed, of the latest and best design, with but one condition-namely-~"That sufficient support was forthcomtne to cover the upkeep of the station," This it is proposed to obw@an by an annual subscription from eaxd radio license holder in Southland, and by donations from radio dealers and others, If sufficient support is received, the station will become an accomplished fact. The committee have been assured of the whole-hearted support of the Invercargill Orphans’ Club, the Operatic and Dramatie Society, and other musical bodies of Invercargill; as well as the Rugby Union and the Boxing Association. Now, Southland, it’s up to you-with your support the station will be estab-lished-without it the project will fall through. The whole proposition is purely voluntary, and all programmes and services of local artists will be entirely on that basis. The present committee wish it to be clearly understood that this station will belong to every listener-in who subscribes, and will have an equal voice in its management. There are, roughly, 700 license-holders in Southland, and the support of at least 500 of these is necessary to enable the station to function successfully. Now, all you radio enthusiasts-cease growling about poor reception from Northern stations. Give this project your hearty support by filling in the enclosed form, and posting it to Box 99, Invercargill, at your earliest convenience. It will be your station-so give it your very best assistance. Yours faithfully, On behalf of the Committee, CHAS. A. LOCKHART. This movement gives point to our advocacy earlier this year that the next phase of development should be the provision of relay stations at the main provincial centres, where population warranted. Invercargill certainly deserves consideration in such a development, but as our correspondent rightly points out, no company could be expected to undertake such extension or increased power without adequate protection and adjustment of its contract.