Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 32, 21 February 1930, Page 9

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.

Sunday Evening Broadcast. N two consecutive Sundays I notice the service is to be broadcast from St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral by the same preacher. I’ understand that only one ehurch in each. denomination has the privilege of broadcasting, and I feel sure if the broadcasting could be done from more than one church in each denomination it would be greatly appreciated, as well as prove more interesting among the public, Is it because of the formation of the committee that arranges these matters, the committee seein only to broadcast their own ser-

vices ?-

George S.

Philpotts

(Carter-

ton).

Howling Valves. HE "Howling Valve" season is rapidly approaching and soon we will have ‘expert DX’ers howling out "I’m all right, Jack, but kill those howlers." I am firmly convineed that 99 per cent. of short-wavers do not desire to annoy anyone; all they desire is to get the stations. After looking up the remaining 1 per cent. simply to teach them the right way to tune, and in a recent issue you had a little article on tuning which put the art into a nutshell. Once the listener learns to tune, a new world is open to him and possibly. there are many owners of sets who, if they gaye their neighbour five or ten minutes’ instruction would then be able to enjoy their programmes in peace. As an illustration, a young enthusiast was complaining that he eouldn’t get results from his expensive "all-electric" set, so I asked him to bring it along. I found absolutely no trouble whatever, as one after another the stations on the broadcast band came in; all that was wrong was that he didn’t have the knack of tuning finely. Needless to say, he does not regret buying the set now. Before

concluding, I might mention that I am well satisfied with radio and have no complaints. My set is only a twovalver; but on ’phones I have even reached Japan and most of the Australians on the broadcast band. And on the short-waves I think I have been nearly all around the.world, though I haven’t bothered going "Pot Hunting" to get a big log. My set is unshielded and I am right on the tramline with power lines all around me and a busy street with machine-gun motor-bike fiends, not to mention cars; so, if I can get results, well, some others must be hard to please when they complain, unless it be of the local chap on morse who can be heard on every coil-

Kawatiri

(Wellington).

Publicity for New Zealand. "THERE is one feature regarding the special Duplex tests last Tuesday night between 2YA, 2ME, also 2X AF which stand out as of considerable importance, namely, the question of publicity for New Zéaland.

It is difficult to estimate the extent of the short-wave listeners’ audience ; it must have been fairly extensive in numerical strength abroad. Presuming future tests turn out fairly successful from the overseas point of view, New Zealand stands to gain from the publicity aspect; and, in addition, opportunity is given distant broadcasting stations to work Duplex with a new country. ‘Obviously 2XAF, also 2ME, have connected with most countries by this time; and New Zealand if sucessful in making satisfactory two-way tests will have added further laurels to its already famous list of achievements. Listening to 2YA’s transmission via 2MB, Sydney, most of the transmission was fairly easily understood; there being fair percentage of audibility ; in fact every word would have been perfectly clear but for interference at Sydney from static, ete. The remarks of Mr. Robertson (manager, Amalgamated Wireless, Australasia, Ltd.) and Mr. Ball (editor-

announcer) from 2YA were easily followed; in fact, as Mr. Farmer at 2M remarked: "I can tell its Robbie by the Scotch accent," can be vouched for by the writer; as I happen to know that gentleman and _ recognised his voice instantly, although his name was not announced so far as I know; and Mr. Ball’s voice was, of course, also recognised; so that the transmission from 2YA was O.K, It is an opportunity not to be missed, namely, the broadcast of Commander (Admiral) Byrd by 4YA, Dunedin, on the Commander’s arrival in New Zealand waters once again; and we all hope, I am sure, that it will be possible to put the rebroadcast through successfully to 2MBH and on to America; for the whole American nation will be anxious to hear Commander Byrd’s voice over the air. A red-letter day awaits the New Zealand Broadcasting Company, Ltd. At the worst, no doubt the Commander will visit Wellington, and a better opportunity will present itself for a

broadcast then.-

R. Leslie

Jones

Foreign Music. "PLAIN English" is to be commended for his revolt against Sunday programmes. I have often wondered if Mussolini is a director of the Broadcasting Company of N.Z., Ltd., but of course that cannot be, or he would put a ban on some of the broadeasts. I take exception to the selections rendered in Italian and which for me marred "Hamlet" from 8YA. Howling valves are worse out here than any place I have been yet. It is time the company and Depattment took steps to put a few of these fiends out of the way. Why so many lectures and speeches lately? Some are like the brook-go on for ever and say nothing; others, and mighty few at that, have their subject in hand (Continued on page 21.)

‘Our Mail Bag (Continued from page 9.) and go for it. For some time our programme has been interrupted to allow someone to air their views om different subjects, but in the majority of cases they only talk round the clock and lose themselves and_ their subject-matter. Mr, Editor can you explain why Wellington cannot give a respectable rebroadcast? ‘The second last I listened to, the Naval Conference, was awful. I turned to 8YA and it was good, clear, and almost free from static, and no howlers, De you think that if 2YA were to halve their power the result would be better? I think it would, as when the ate nouncer has apologised for a break im the session and explained that we are on low. power the result is far better than on full power; everything is as clear as a bell. At present I have to put a fixed condenser and a variable condenser in my aerial after about 7 o’clock. I use this, otherwise nearly all the items are distorted badly, and sometimes ‘vary like a voice on a swing; this is not caused by loose aerial or lead-in, nor is my set at fault, as I have immediately switched on to some other station and reception is good. A word of praise is due for the 2YA Orches trina and our good violinist (who makes others like poor amateurs), also our pianist; they are very good.-J.K., Trentham.-(It seems very much a@ though your set is being overloaded. Try a much smaller aerial for local reception and couple directly to the grid of the detector-Tech. Ed.).