Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 27, 17 January 1930, Page 13

Notes and Comments

B

SWITCH

ME. J. W. ROBINSON, director of . 4QG, Brisbane, since . its incepap has been re-engaged in that cap‘acity by the Australian Broadcasting Company, now that 4QG has been taken over by that company. Mr. Robinson was formerly a most capable Sydney journalist, and when "Switch" Iet him about six years ago he was associated with 2FO0, Sydney, which was then on the air. All sets’ were sealed so that the owners could tune only 2FC. "Switch" naturally had a long discussion with Mr. Robinson on this system. The latter made a heroic endeavour to defend the system, with due loyalty to his employees, but "Switch’s" last words were that the idea was impracticable, and would eventually be discarded. It was, too, not very long after,- indeed sooner the "Switch" anticipated. "THE Press cables tells us that a certain person in, England has been found to be a human wireless receiving set. He is said to hear music which is beyond his ken, but when he hums it his listeners are able to identify it. Hyen a scientist has said it is possible that the person. is able to hear wireless music without the aid of a radio set. "GQWITCH" met a radio enthusiast in Wellington about five years ago, who lived in the Poverty Bay district. He declared that one evening he heard music emanating from a wire fence. The writer suggested it was merely a delusion due to sitting up late at nights listening to the Australian stations, but the said enthusiast was , duite convinced that it was no delusion; he alleged the music was very realistic, but, strange to say, he heard no broadcast announcement nor station call, "Switch" remarked: "What a pity! It would then have removed all doubt as to the genuiness of the phenomena," ‘ AY HAT has 1980 in store for radio? is a question that has occurred to many listeners. As America appears to set the fashion for New Zealand, it is of interest to note that the American experts state there will not be any radical changes in set design. A further improvement in tone is being aimed at, Even more simplified tuning approximating an attomatic system promises to gain a measure of. popularity. More makers are likely to embody sereen-grid valves in their a.e. sets. Some manufacturers, ‘however, will not’ use this type of valve. {HE sfeady and substantial increase . in the number of licensed listeners in New Zealand is a reliable indication of the papularity of the programmes. Wherever programmes have been poor in other countries the number of listeners have substantially decreased, and when programmes have improyed the reyerse has resulted. It has been notorious in Australia ‘that the programmes by 4QG, Brisbane, have fallen -off in merit during the past twelve months, and’ so during the past year » Queensland has fallen back nearly 2000 licences, whereas South Australia has increased by about 6000. The main cause in the latter case has been "the relays of good programmes from Melbourne. As relays may be = expected from Sydney and Melbourne io Brisbane. pnder the new regime, there is every reason to expect that 4QG will go ahead once more, — |

A NUMBBPR of critical questions were asked in the Commonwealth House of Representatives last. month by Mr. Hldridge, M.P., bearing on the administration of wireless by Mr. H. P. Brown, a director of postal services. Mr. Hldridge inquired whether Mr, Brown had been offered a position in Hngland at a large salary, and whether he had been given an increase in salary from £2500 to £4000 per annum in order to keep him in Australia. . Mr, Lyons, Postmaster-General, replied "that no such representations had been made. In further ‘reply to Mr. Hldridge, the P.M.G, said that no other officer. in the Commonwealth Public Service received:a salary of £4000. Mr. Hldridge inquired upon what consideration Mr. .Brown received the increase mentioned, and whether it was considered that no Australian was competent to hold the position occupied by Mr. Brown. Answers to ‘these questions were deferred. The, House h.+ now adjourned, but Mr. Hidridge states that he will persist with his inquiry. HE American experimenter, Dr. Rogers, whose experiments with underground antennae have been so ‘successful, claims to have invented a special type of subterranean aerial which is more sensitive to broadcasting signals than the standard outdoor aerial, and, at the same time, is less to static and similar atmospherie disturbances. Dr. Rogers’ new aerial system has been tried out in mines, and, it ig claimed, has proved entirely satisfactory. It is expected that early this year a start will be made in the mass production of these aerials. The inventor claims that the new antenna occupies much less space than the standard aerial, that it is not nearly so susceptible to electrical disturbances, and that ' its sensitivity is equal to the most efficient of regular aerials. Although no details have come to hand, it is believed that the new underground antenna obtains its efficiency from a system of coupling coils .which have the effect of horizontally polarising the received radio waves. "Switch" has a costly subterranean aerial, sent from America three years ago, but it is practically worthless. . ii it possible that some of the New Zealand churches dispense with their clergy, and rely on a radio set to bring in their church services from one ;of the "YA" stations? In the of Kleinow (Germany) tie Lutheran pastor has been dismissed because the elders of the church have decided that it is cheaper to rely upon the broadcast religious services

‘tHan to provide a spiritual guide for local inhabitants. The church has been fitted up with a powerful public address system, to which has been’ connected a six-valve radio receiver, Hach Sunday morning the transmis-: sions from the Berlin broadcasting station are tuned :n and relayed by the public address system to the local churchgoers. -, HE Rev. Mr. R. Piper, who recently paid a visit to Suva, writes to the Sydney "Wireless Weekly" that while he was there: "I listened in several nights. with my old _ friend (the Hon. C, A. Holmes, Commissioner of Lands, Suva), and had some soulsatisfying reproduction of music captured from New Zealand and Australian stations. The Wellington station was particularly good." "THE late eyening session relay by 2YA, Wellington, of the ringside description of the performance by Wirth’s Circus, whilst pleasing many, did not meet with universal approyal. Unfortunately the circus band played too loudly for many listeners, as it crowded the annuuncer’s very excellent description of a really great performance. "Switch" subsequently witnessed the circus, and can vouch for its excellence. The trouble with the

relay was the peculiar acoustic qualities of the Winter Show building in which the circus performed. Although the microphone was as far as possible from-the band, and was directed so as to pick up as little ag possible of the music, it persisted in obtruding. The path of the broadcast technician is ‘strewn with many obstacles unthougHt of by the vast majority of listeners. WHEN the powerful Indian stations ‘first, went on the air a couple of winters ago, a few New Zealand enthusiasts used to sit up into the small hours of the morning to hear them. It is now reported that one of the characteristic new features of the wireless broadcasting in India is the special appeal it is making to the purdah women. A special selection board , has been. organised to arrange for the programmes to be broadcast. One-third of the programme has been arranged to suit European taste, while twothirds is specially for Indian subscribers. "THE Huddart-Parker Co.’s new in-ter-State motor-liner Westralia carries an elaborate broadcast receiver. Broadcast stations are received on this, and relayed to the Marconi Band Repeater. Just think what this means. Seated comfortably in the lounge or smoke room, passengers, although hundreds of miles ut sea, can hear the latest news, or listen to the same programmes ‘that listeners are enjoying ashore. Couples dance on the moonlit decks to the music of orchestras in the radio studios hundreds. of miles away. FROM many holiday-makers "Switch’- has listened to eulogistic comments upon the pleasure and interest afforded them by taking their wireless sets with them to their "baches" and listening to 2YA, Wellington. Busy city folk.generally feel a sense of isolation in the evenings when away at their "baches," but the nightly reception of 2YA changes things completely.