American Re-broadcasts

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 40, 19 April 1929, Page 25

American Re-broadcasts

Effort by 2YA N Thursday afternoon, 2YA Wellington went on the air an hour and a half earlier than usual in an effort to pick up the short-wave broadcast by KDKA of the speech by Commander Hvangeline Booth in connection with the Booth Centenary. The preliminary announcements as to this effort on the part of 2YA were very cautiously worded, and listeners were specially warned that the success or otherwise of the rebroadcast depended upon the condition of the air obtaining at the time. This cautious attitude was dictated by past experience. THarlier efforts had shown that the success of American broadcasts largely depended upon the time at which the transmission was made, The most successful broadcasts received in New Zealand have been those which have been broadcast in America between the hours of midnight and 8 or4a.m. On this occasion Commander Evangeline Booth was speaking at 9 p.m. in the evening, consequently no certainty was felt that the conditions would be such as to enable a brilliant success to be attained. This eaution proved unfortunately to be only too well founded. Owing to the condition of atmospherics, the earlier stage of the broadcast was not well heard; consequently disappointment was felt that the enterprise shown by the company in making the effort was su poorly rewarded. It cannot be made too plain that the rebroadcast of American stations depends for success entirely upon air conditions. In spite of.the warning given not to count too much upon results, dealers in some country towns apparently erred in expecting to much. One dealer telegraphed as follows to 2YA: -"‘Give dealers something to demonstrate on; Yankee rebroadcasts rotten." This gentleman would seem to hare made the error of assuming, in spite of the warning given, that the attempt to rebroadcast KDKA was made ‘by the company in the certainty of success. This was not so. The com--pany undertook the effort in the hope of achieving success, but it was never contemplated that dealers should demonstrate on such a precarious foundation. It is further to be pointed out that the company went on the air an hour and a half earlier than ordinary programme time, so that the ordinary programme was not interfered with and its opportunity for dealer demonstration. Sunday last another, more success- ful, attempt was made to relay W2XAD and KDKA, who were exchanging messages with the Byrd expedition. Though atmospheric conditions were bad, it was possible to follow pants of the relay. In addition, a lecture in progress from W2XAD could be followed reasonably well. miapemmmmahel