Radio Round the World

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 44, 17 May 1929, Page 5

Radio Round the World

Me. ALFRED O’SHEA, who gave two or three récitals from Sydney recently, was singing his farewell item when a listener some distance from Sydney tuned the -singer -in through Station 2BL. He .then switched over to 2UW, and was surprised ‘to hear the announcer there announce the ‘broadcasting of a record by Mr. O’Shea. His surprise was greater when he heard the song on the record, which proved -to be the very song the tenor was rendering at 2BL. Although the listener heard Mr. O’Shea ‘himself singing from 2BL. thd a record made by him coming from W, the transmissions did. not synwaronise. Writing of his.impressions in Europe. an Australian prominently interested in radio development says: ‘The trouble here is that the various Continental broadcasting stations ‘are trying to shout each other down with greater and. greater powers, until one wonders where it is all going to end. Our 5KW stations in Australia shrink very much when one looks round and.sees what is going on here, Thirty-five k.w. is not considered. out of the way. Fifty kw. sets are being built in Germany, and now Rome, not to be outdone, is arranging for a station of 100 k.w.; so is the Irish Free State,.and I hear that Sweden contemplates the erection of u 100 k.w. station at Stockholm." ( "THE airship Graf Zeppelin performed its last trial flight in the series arranged ‘by the "Deutsche Versuchsanstalt fur Luftfahrt" on February 18. It is understood that during these tests. which were carried out for scientific raasons, the new short-wave wireless installation on board the Graf Zeppelin was tried out. The new equipment is of the very latest design, and, I am told, is specially suited to the requirements of the airship, The Zeppelin’s oon aw | -e eee me

‘forthcoming Mediterranean crufse will, it is stated, begin on March 26. Subject to authorisation by the countries concerned, it is proposed ‘to follow a route via the Rhone Estuary, in France, and thence over Corsica, Italy, Greece, Asia Minor, and the African coast. OUD speakers have been installed in' Parliament. .The microphone is near to the speaker, who uses this installation in ‘order to speak over the noise. But, we are informed in a French journal, it’is at Brussels that this installation is made. ‘T SHALL not be surprised," says the "Home Writer," if the producers of talking films go to the B.B.C. for their ‘stories.’ The appeal of a ‘talkie’ must depend -largely on its ‘audible drama,’ its appeal to the ear as well as the eye. Broadcasting has been working for five years towards the perfection of drama which appeals to the ear, and there are a number of radio plays which, while possessing this quality, contain also sufficient physical action to make ideal scenarios for sound pictures. A small beginning in this direction has been made already. At the time of writing, Sinclair Hill, of the Stoll Company, is busy at Wembly on a ‘talkie’ version of Vivian ‘Tidmarsh’s broadcast play, "Mr. Smith Wakes Up." [PORTANT broadcasting developments are reported from Italy The E.I.R.R, have acquired a large piece of land near the Piazza Mazzini. Rome, -where a building: devoted to Lroadcasting is to be erected. This will contain a number of studios, as well as the technical ‘equipment required for transmissions, and administrative offices, The largest studio will be -approximately 72 by 45 by 36ft. in size: there will be four smaller studios, two of which will be reserved for talks and ‘lectures. Sanction has also been given for the construction of a new high power station to be situated near Rome about 25 km. from the city. This sta tion is to have a power of 50 k.w (aerial). It will be put into operation during 1929. Provision is also beiny made for a short-wave station nea) Rome. With an aerial power of 14 k.w.. it will be designed for frequencies between 12,000 and 3750 kh. (25 and 80 m.). The-station will transmit normal ly on two wave-lengths,::und ‘for this ‘reason will be equipped with two aerials; the higher wavelength to be used for medium distances, and the lower for long distances-for instanee to the Italian colonies in Hast Africa. HE plans of the new station at Louvain, which.is to be erected for the new Roman Catholic Flemish Society and for Radio-Belgique, having been completed, the actual work has been started, A double aerial will be erected one side of which will be used by the Catholic Flemish broadcast to carry messages, concerts, lectures, etc., chiefly in Flemish or Dutch, and the other side by Radio-Belgique for broadcasts in the French language. It is expected that the Flemish broadenst will at first work on a power of from 7} to 10 kw., which will tater be in creased to 15 kw., while the present Radio-Belgique power will also be considerably increased. ‘