Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 44, 17 May 1929, Page 10

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.

Relay Appreciated. A CORRESPONDENT G.W.S. (Stockton) writes.-I would e to express my appreciation of AYA’s relay of the band concert from Wellington last Sunday night. Although the other YA stations are nearer than 1YA, I get this station best. and it is the steadiest. In my opinion, they are the most consistent with good programmes. Dinner Music. F any listener complains at not getting sufficient variety, now dinner music has been introduced, they should give up radio. Broadcasting has gone forward by leaps and bounds _ since 2YA was first on the air. Reception down this way has been almost unbearable during this last fortnight, static being prevalent. Last night 7TZV, Hobart, was better than he has been for

months.-

SATISFIED

(Westport).

Band Relay. ON Sunday, April 28, I tuned in 2YA and heard the announcer say that they were relaying their band programme from the Opera House, and that 1YA was relaying over the telephone wire from 2YA. I tuned both 2YA and 1YA to compare the two, and ‘was surprised to find that 1YA came in just as strongly, and we are of the opinion that the tone of 1YA was much better. As a rule 2YA comes in louder

than any other station.-

BEGINNER

(Matiere).

Service Appreciated. H-F-A.B. (Alexandra) writes: The YA stations are doing great work, and

from what I can hear in this district are very much appreciated. Personally I would sooner listen to them than any of the Australian stations. Our favourite is Wellington, and Mr. Drummond’s "Good night" is never missed if we are listening in. Good luck to the "R.B.C." and may it continue to put ove: as delightful programmes as it has done this last season. Too Much Stock News. I WOULD like to suggest that 1YA did not waste so much time over reports of local (especially Westfield) stock sales. To-night I have heard a report by three different stock firms on Westfield sale, and although I am a farmer it is most boring. Surely one report is enough. Prices quoted tonight by the three firms are almost exactly alike. I have nothing to complain of in the programmes of music, ete., but I think your hour of news and reports could be very much improved upon. The prompt report of big wool sales during the season is of great interest to farmers who only get papers once or twice a week. Yet I didn’t’ hear any report of Napier sales last season. The barometric pressure, etc., reports may be needed by shipmasters, but are certainly of no interest to farmers or settlers. All I have heard

eut it out till that part is past.

G.M.

N.

Praise and Blame. I WISH to record my appreciation of the dinner sessions which you have so kindly put on the air, and the programmes for the same are very good music. In reference to the programme

which included the 2YA Revue Company, I trust that that sort of stuff will not be tolerated again, as it was of very poor quality. I had interested some of my friends in wireless, and I invited them to spend the last Friday evening with me to further their interest, and they were well satisfied with the programme till this nonsensical stuff came on. I must admit myself that after listening to many concerts in various parts of the world during my experience I have never heard such matter. and JT trust better perform-

ances" will be given ‘in future.

GOOD

ENTERTAINMENT

Power of 2YA. FoR some weeks 2YA reception by crystal users in Wellington has been very poor, and many users have spent time and money in erecting new aerials, buying new crystals, ete. in a vain attempt to improve matters. Many have given up the effort, and have put their sets aside. A statement is now being circulated to the effect that the trouble is the result of an effort on the company’s part to improve reception for valve sets and that such effort has sacrificed crystal users in the interests of those who can tune into other stations if they wish. Would you kindly advise whether there is any truth in this rumour? It certainly seems strange that so many have. experienced the same trouble at the same time, and none has been able to overcome it, dnd this naturally lends weight to the above rumour.-K.S8.G, Another correspondent writes: While I am on the job, would it be possible for the company to make a statement when they contemplate pruning the power of any of their stations? By doing this, it would save the average listener needless expense of new valves, batteries, etc., in the erroneous belief that they were worn out. I am too old a listener to fall for that, but I know of new chums who have fallen. I refer, of course, to the drop in power of 2YA. Up to a few weeks ago it was possible to get 2YA here day or night with the filaments turned just on; now it is necessary to drive the set full out, and then the power is not equal to Cinderella of ‘the South.-

G.C.

C.

(Nelson).

[We understand that there has been no change in the power of 2YA which is still transmitting at its full rated

capacity, namely, 5000 watts. This is the Western Wlectric rating, the Geneva rating being 7500 watts. The different methods of rating have probably been the cause of some confusion. -HEditor]

Stops Not Wanted. W. Friis writes:- "I enjoy programmes very much; the dinner music is good, but I deo not like the 10-minute stops. [I object to the points, ete., from various stations after the 7 o’clock weather report. I consider important news should come first. Reception up here is very good. Wellington is the best summer station; Christchurch the best winter station. i1YA is often choked by Arapuni interference. , Billingsgate from 1YA. [ NOTICE that one of y.ur cbrres-~ pondents, Mr. George Nicholls, of Collingwood, raises an objection to the dialogue in a play recently presented at 1YA. He objects to what he is pleased to term the "Billingsgate" in the play. I suppose that so long as there is broadcasting we shall have this kind of listener writing to make such ridiculous and unmeaning complaints. The play to which this Collingwood gentleman objects was one of the two firstprize winners in the recent one-act play competition, in which the judges were: Rev. J. W. Shaw (a Presbyterian minister), Mr. F. EB. McCallum (an experienced and capable amateur actor), Mrs. Alice Carr-Tibbets (a cultured lady, who is herself a writer of plays), and myself-with many years of experience of stage work of all kinds. Surely these people are better judges than this correspondent of what is a suitable play for broadcasting purposes. The play was written by a young lady, Miss Betty Kerr, of Timaru, and is undoubtedly a fine dramatic study. I am sure Miss Kerr will be greatly astonished to learn that Mr. George Nicholls, of Collingwood, does not approve of her play because of its "Billingsgate"’ language, and no doubt the Rey. J. W. Shaw will be equally surprised. As a matter of fact, the play does not contain one word of "Billingsgate," and obviously Mr. George Nicholls, of Collingwood, does not know what the word means. It is a clean, powerful play, with nothing in it to which any ordinary reasonable person could take the slightest objection. If Mr. Nicholls is so solicitous about the children’s moral welfareand who can blame him for that?-\ why not confine their listening i tag the children’s session, which is given’ for the voung folks, and not keep them

up till such a late hour?-

J. F.

MON

TAGUE

(Auckland).

oe Our Greatest Pleasure. I MUST tell you of our greatest pleasure. It happened last night when "Rigoletto" was so ably explained by Mr. Drummond, and the volume with which the records were reproduced brought out their great beauties. The singing of the artists was a perfect _dream of pure delight, and one was lost in contemplation of the marvellousness . of all the details. The recording was so well done that each voice stood out in its proper place, the music was so balanced that the listener was eDtranced with the flood and combination of melodies that were so well timed that they did not clash, no notes were overlapped to the detriment of any, and the voices were glorious, whilst the music thrilled us as we have not been thrilled for a long time. 2YA’s transmission was loud and clear-per-fection itself. But, why was such music placed on so late? Last time I nearly missed it by. falling to sleep before it started. I therefore suggest that 2YA make a feature for one night in every week of grand opera. Then one could reserve that night by hook or by crook, and make an effort to get one’s friends along to hear the quality of radio. Oritices who know what is (really music will thus be given real ksledsure. If sporting and "jazzers" are to be catered for by 2YA, then I submit that the listeners who want real musie should also have a share of the week’s programme, and not have their favourite food sandwiched in between any old stuff, making the atmosphere poor and degratling the ¢ons, With Mr. Drummund to explain ie plot of the operas, we can rely upon hearing each word, and, understanding what the musie represents, we the more enjoy _ the listening. Another thing is the selection of the more tuneful operas for a start. The selection of the German, though quite all right, is, I think, too heavy for the untrained taste. Many people would become grand opera listeners if the atmosphere was considereda bit more. We could "bear to hear" "Piecolatto"’ everv night without tiring

0 Qf It

GRAND OPERA