Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 16, 1 November 1929, Page 13

Notes and Comments

SWITCH

4A PETONE listener has sent along a ‘ , Query as to whether he can convert his present battery, set into an A.C. set without changing his valves. This inquirer should get a copy of "All About the All-Hlectrie," coming out this week. (1s, 6d.) "QWITCH" had occasion to talk on ~~ the telephone to a friend in Evans Bay recently, and heard music while he was speakng. The friend explained. that the telephone line passed near the transmitting station of 2YA, Wellington, and picked up the broadcasting. Other telephone subscribers in that vicinity reported similar experiences, "~ ey

[REES and buildings in themselves _ form aerials, and absorb a great aznount of energy from the ether. They take a fair amount away from an aerial, It is not bad practice, however, to use a tree for the support of an aerial-providing the aerial wire ends at least 25 feet, and preferably 40 or 50 feet, from the tree. When this method of support is used, it is better to have the aerial above the tree, and to effect this a pole must be lashed to a branch, A difficulty often encountered when using a tree to support the aerial is that the wire breaks, caused by the swaying of the tree. This ca: be overcome by fastening a, smooth-running pulley to the. pole, and passing: a rope -preferably a steel rope-through it, with a heavy weight, such.as « window sash, attached to the end. When the tree sways, the weight will move up and down, keeping the aerial taut, and at a fixed distance from the ground. A RADIO message (says the New York "Times’") flashed out from the Crystal Studio at the Radio World’s Fair in Madison Square Garden on the night of September 25 to carry word to Malcolm P. Hansom, chief radio engineer of Commander Byrd’s South Polar Expedition, 11,000 amiles away, that for distinguished service he had received this year’s medal.of the Veteran Wireless Operators’ Association. A few minutes later a reply was: received from Mr. Hanson, saying he had received the dots and dashes notifying him of the award. The ceremony was carried over wires to a short-wave station at Schnectady, N.Y., whence it was broadcast over two WGY short wave transmitters to station WFA at Little America, Antarctica, where Hanson and his comrades were listening. The reply from Hzifon was received at the Rocky Point (1.1,) short wave radio depot of the Radio Corporation of America, and relayed over wires to the Crystal Studio. Many guests at the radio show were at the studio to hear the ceremony. A GOOD broadcast studio story is told of the days in New Zealand before the’ material to be put, on the air by lecturers was ‘first checked over bv the station director. A ‘ lecturer with a hobby which he desired to foist on the public took his place before the microphone, and like the brook he wanted to flow on for ever. The microWhone was quietly switched off, and the ‘pre-arranged concert items;:were put on the air from another room. At the end of an hour the enthusiastic lecturer was still "thrashing" the microphone, and/ when he said "goad night’ no one broke the news to him that he had been talking to a "dead" microphone for forty-five minutes! ;

a NEW SOUTH WALES listener reports that the Russian shortwave station, RFM now gives his call at RA97, and can be heard almost any night from about 8 o’clock (10 p.m. New Zealand time) at loudspeaker strength, but static is often bad. Anyone wighing to hear the news, which is read by, a Woman in Wnglish, should listen from 815 (10.15 pm. New Zealand time) to about 9.15 (11.15 p.m. New Zealand time), when it is usually read. Sometimes transmission commences later. SEVERAL inquiries have been received by "Switch" regarding a New Zealand broadcast station which comes in on a wavelength previously unused. The station is 2ZM, Gisborne, which has wandered. somewhat from place to place on the tuning dials. The Gisborne station com in with great volume on multivalve sets operated in Wellington, and there is not the least difficulty in distinguishing the station’s call. The inquiries as to the station’s identity, however, have come from owners of one or two-valve sets. HARE dealing will shortly be conducted at sea on the leading Atlantic liners by means of wireless, according to a recent decision of the Wall Street Stock Exchange to allow two of the principal brokerage houses to establish offices on ships. "A radio circuit" with a special wavelength will probably be employed, and it is understood that the first vessels to be equipped will be the United States liner "Leviathan," and the Cunarders "Berengaria," "Mauretania" and "Aquitania," and the French liners "Tle de France," "Paris," and "France." THIS would appear to be the season for suggestions. The popularity of the new 4YA, Dunedin, among Wellington listeners has brought forward a proposal that the wave-length of the Dunedin station should be lengthened so that it could be heard in the capital city when 2YA, Wellington, is on the air. At present hundreds of Wellington listeners are unable to tune through 2YA to get 4YA. A prominent member of the Wellington Society suggests that 4YA, if adjusted to a wave-length of 500 metres, would clear 2YA com. fortably. 7ZL, Hobart, is on 516 metres, but, he comments, "Who wants to hear 7Z1L?" i A MELBOURNDE listener built a crystal set for the landlady of the boarding house in which he resided. She took out a license in her own name. The listener then obtained a three- valve set for himself, but failed to take out a. license in his name. He was

prosecuted and fined. The position is the same in New Zealand. One license does not cover two sets owned by separate individuals in the same house. If there are two separate owners, two Separate licenses are required, even though. the set owners reside in the same house. One license, however, will cover several sets owned by one person in one house. The numberand kind of sets owned must be stated when an application is made for a license. WNERS of crystal and some valve sets in and around Sydney experience a trying time in endeavouring to obtain reception from one of their local stations without hearing another in the

— background. Imagine six broadcast stations around Sydney, all on the: air simultaneously. Here is a list of the Sydney stations with their wave-lengths and frequencies :- 2UW .. 267 metres 1125 kilocycles 2KY .. 280 metres 1070 kilocycles 2UE .. 293 metres 1024 kilocycles 2GB .. 316 metres 949 kilocycles 2BL_.. 858 metres 850 kilocycles 2FC .. 451 metres = 665 kilocycles ME: JOHANNES ANDERSEN’S lectures on "Maori Music," from 2YA, Wellington, have made a distinct "hit" with many listeners, judging by the many enthusiastic comments made to "Switch." Mr, Andersen evidently went to a great deal of trouble in investigating old-time Maori music and testing the ancient flutes, One can only hope that Mr. Andersen’s lecturettes will be officially recorded so that they will be preserved for the generations to come. Some very curious facts, which were quite unknown to students of music, were brought to light in his series of lecturettes. -- ed