2YA Heard Nightly by Byrd Expedition

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 48, 14 June 1929, Page 7

2YA Heard Nightly by Byrd Expedition

An Appreciative Message from Antarctica

Request for Latest American Song Hit

PHAKING from 2YA on Saturday, June 1, the announcer said that a " ‘yadiogram had been received from the Byrd Antarctic Expedition: The message, which had been received by the "Bleanor Bolling" at Port Chalmers and posted to 2YA, read :-- The members of the Byrd Expedition wintering on the Ross Tee Barrier, in the Antarctic, listen to your programmes from nine-thirty New Zealand time, until 2YA signs off. The programme is tuned in after "Taps" has sounded down here and all the boys are tucked away in their sleeping bags. It brings to us pleasant memories of a delightfu} visit to Wellington and the hospitality of the people of New Zealand that we so much enjoyed. For the past two months we have heard repeated references over the radio te a new American song hit, entitled "Button Up Your Overcoat, You Belong to Me." If this has found its way to New Zealand, the boys would like to hear if some night. From the bottom of the world we send cordial good wishes and renew our appreciating of your nightly programmes. (THE announcer then took the opportunity of replying "to our American friends frozen in for the long winter night near the South Pole." He said :-- "Hullo, Antarctica! Hullo, Little America! We thank you, Commander Byrd and the members of the expedition, for your radiogram. It pleases us to learn that you listen in nightly to 2YA, New Zealand, and your message brings home forcibly again to people what a wonderful annihilator of space and what a wonderful maker of _ friends radio is. We all now realise much more fully how intimately in touch we are with you. New Zealanders are deeply interested in your expedition and read almost daily in the press the’ cablegrams received from New York of your winter activities in the "Home of the Blizzard," where all our cold winter winds come from. In regard to the song you mention, we are fortunate in having just received a recording from America. The record is one of the latest Brunswick releases just sent to us direct from the States. This is the first copy of the song available in New Zealand. We will broadcast the record this evening and again next Saturday. We are glad that 2YA is received so well in Antarctica, and at a future date we will be pleased to stage’ a special American programme for you fellows at Litile America. In the meantime we send you greetings from New Zealand and wish you good luck. We can assure you that everyone in this country is following the fortunes of your expedition." At 10.17 o’clock on Saturday night, June 8, in response to Commander Byrd’s request, the desired gramophone record was broadcast by 2YA, Wellington. To make doubly sure that the Byrd expedition would obtain the fullest pleasure from the item it was repeated. As it happened the record hes arrived only a few days before from ‘Ameriaa. It will be repeated at 10.15 o’clock next Saturday night. Mr. 5. Davies, tlrector of Stat*pn 2YA, Wellington, also had a message of goodwill broadcast to the expedition on Saturday night. THIS P OPTI CITES TITTLE PETE EET ELE TUG CUUPEET EERO ETT U UTEP LEPEEPELELEEEELET LOPE UUTTUIREP EET EEG