Our Mail-Bag

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 23, 20 December 1929, Page 11

Our Mail-Bag

Sunday Dinner Music. SPEAKING as a comparatively new listener, I think that with only one exception our stations in New Zealand put forth splendid programmes. ‘The exception I refer to is the silent time on Sundays between 4.30 and 6 p.m. On Sundays I maintain that dinner or "tea" music is more valuable than during the week. I put forth the following suggestion for criticism :-Children‘s session, 5 till 5.45 p.m.; musical session, 5.45 till 6.45.-"Listener" (Wanganui), , Sereen Grid Two. OULD you kindly inform L.H. ‘ (Christehurch) ,that the Sereen rid Detevtor Two is in May 1, 1929, issue of "Popular Radio and Aviation" and if he is unable to obtain a copy I have a copy which he can have if he writes and tells me where to send it-G. Patchett (264 Rintoul Street, Wellington). . Distortion from Dunedin. WOULD like to report that reception from 4YA since the installation of the new transmitting plant has not remedied the distortion that formerly existed. It is still as bad as. ever. Reception from Dunedin has always been splendid -here until about 5 p.m. After that the station is not worth tuning in. For instance, should a speaker be giving an address, some " words of it will come through splendidly, and then distortion will momentarily oceur, rendering the speech unin- ’ telligible. I have a seven-valve allelectric factory-built set, and as other stations come through quite clearly I am sure my set is not at fault. I. have inquired from other owners of local wireless sets here, and they give the same report. I was speaking to an owner of a similar set to mine recently, and he remarked that he experienced exactly the same distortion. He tuned in 4YA while I was there, and the reception was most irritating. The Wellington station came through beautifully, however.-J. A. Moyle (Otago). Mains Interference. ITH reference to Mr. Martin’s complaint about intereference with radio reception by the main power lines to the south. This seems to be a bar to all worth-while radio reception in a strip several hundred yards wide ‘along the line which runs through the _ greater part of Canterbury. From what I can gather, the lines carry 60,000 volts, and it does not seem possible to do anything to mitigate the trouble. Indeed, it is likely to become very much worse, as I believe it is intended to raise the load on the mains to,110,000 volts. A Victim, (Temuka). Unsatisfactory Reception. (OULD nothing be done with regard to the reception from 4YA, as it is not what it is reputed to be. The reception is quite all right in the afternoon from 8 p.m. to about 6 p.m., but after that it is very mushy and distorted. I can receive the Australian stations far better than Dunedin, even though I am only about 100 miles from the latter station. The.other YA stations are excellent, especially 2YA, It is a treat to listen to, and we would like to hear the Orchestrina more often if it is possible. 4YA Dunedin is. ng

oom -_ better than it was before the new installation, and surely listeners in the far south are entitled to some con- | gideration.-Interested Listener (Night- ) caps).