Radio Round the World

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 33, 28 February 1930, Page 9

Radio Round the World

pAN excellent innovation in connection with broadcasting has just been introduced in Germany, where the Governinent have arranged that listeners who through sickness or other cause are totally prevented from leaving their beds or their homes to attend: places of entertainment shall be given free listening licenses. In many cases such people, owing to their misfortunes, are in straitened circumstances, and the gratit of a free listening license is a concession which should be very much appreciated, HE police transmitter at Detroit has the appropriate call-sign KOP, and in order.that it may live up to its motto it has been arranged for the _ police,in*the district to be provided ( with pocket witeless receivers, These mre tivo-valve sets, and are of the "shape and size to fit into the pocketalbeit a policeman’s pocket. Bobby’s vest is elaborately wired with innumerable strands of fine wire, so that when wearing the same he is virtually a walking frime aerial. This fact, coupled with the little two-valve receiver in his pocket, enables him to keep in touch with Father KOP. ‘A RDPORT from Washington stutes that the claim is made that television in the home and thé theatre will soon be possible. An engineer of the Westinghouse Hiectrie Company is reported to have invented a crystal globe which ‘receives moving pictures transmitted by radio and flashes them aupon a screén, RRECENTLY the Prince of Wales purchased a fivé-valve portable set for his personal use at York House. The Duke of York, who, it is reported by mahy experts, would have made a very clever mechanic, likes to experiment with his set and tune ih foreign stations, whilst the Prince of Wales is interested chiefly in British programmes. It is also réported that the Duke has built his own receiver from a blue print, ahd is very pleased with the results he is getting. It, would certainly be interesting to know what type of receiver this is. [HE announcement made in London ‘ a few months ago by the Imperial and International Communications, Ltd., that special rates woul? be available during the Christmas season for cable or radio messages consisting of Christmas and New Year greetings, driws attention to the reinarkable -growth in the publie use of the telegraphs for this purpose. These special facilities at greatly reduced rates have only beén availible for the last four or five years, but, in spite of their comparatively recent introduction, they have béen welcomed by the public to syich an extent that last year over 100,000 of such messages were exchanged between this country. and all parts of the world. To those whe have missed the Christmas post gr who wish to give special pleasure to. some relative or friend abroad, the service iz an invaluable facility. Some idea of the cheap rates available may be gauged from the fact that messages of ten words may be sent to New Zealand for four shillings. By special arrange-’ ment, for the convenience of those engnged' in Christmas shopping, greeting telograms may be handed in at several of the principal London stores, while a service is in operation between London and New York, whereby Christ-

mas cards, specially drawn or written, may be trausniitted by wireless and delivered in the senders’ own handwriting on the other side of the Atlantic. "THERE igs no Animosity on the part of the American Press to radio. Rather do they co-operate in every way with it and encourage its development, Many newspapers, in fact, maintain their own stations. Recently the "Chicago Evening Post" assisted tadio development by offering 40 radio sets, of 2 total value of more than 8000 dollars, as prizes for a letter based on the subject, "What has been the Greatest Benelit to Mankind from the ‘Invention of Radio, and Why?" Letters were limited to 100 words, and eitries were to be received and the awards made in time for the prizes to be in thé winners’ homes by Christmask. THE radio industry in the United States has now reached such colossal dimensions that it is computed to involve cupital investment close upon four hundred million dollars, or not far short of £100,000,000. The industry employs directly and indirectly about half a million people. ys an endeavour to show originality, the announcer of a broadcasting Station situated at Lille, France, tried to train a live canary to act as a melodious signal when the studio artists take a breather-or whatever they assimilate between -turns-but the feathered protege did not come up to expectations. He was too unreliable, for either he refused to tweet when requested to do so, or burst into trills as soon os the bandmaster had given the formal two tips on his desk to start off his orchestra. So Lille has given the bird-well, the bird. QSCILLATORS and radio pirates are all nuisances, but in most cases there is a world of mora) différence between the two classes. As the ordinary methods of overcoming firacy are rather slow, the R.B.C. might take a hint from the Polish broadcasting authorities, who are seeking to overwhelm the pirate by appealing to his better nature. With this eid in view they recently broadcast from the station at Vilna a programme addressed to "the radio pirates of the world." In a speelal address to this ignoble fraternity, condemnation was tempered with exhortations to repent. The license statistics are now being watched with gréat interest. [HAT the oscillator is slowly dying _ out is shown by some revealing figures collected by the B.B.C, concerning oscillation complaints. In October and November, 1927, complaints concerning this type of interference numbered 2204. In the corresponding

period of 1928 the figure dropped to 1608, while last year it was only 1551. The figures as they stand tell less than the truth, for in October, 1927, there were only 2,337,783: licenses, as coinpared with 2,832,024 two years later. ()PERATIONS have been commenced on the construction of an up-to-date high-powered broadcasting station in the town of Haarlem, Holland: Three studios haye been equipped, the largest of which is 52 feet long by 16 feet wide and 14-feet in height. This provides room for-the orchestra and any choir or soloists required for big musical works, while the two smaller ones ure available for smaller combinations and for lectures. The technical arrangements are such that allow of an instantaneous transference of power from one studio to the other, so that the awkward waits and waste of time which occur with less up-to-date methods are avoided. The gramophone department ig equally -up-to-date, and with its double-dise electric gramophone, the two sides of which automatically alternate, it is possible to present complete and lengthy works without any break. OWS were milked by radio at a Fair held in Winconsin: recently-not merely to the accompaniment of radio music-but by milking machines controlled entirely by a radio transmitter located a few hundred. yards distant. Further seemingly miraculous demonstrations were given also. Radio-con-trolled automobiles were piloted around

a race-track, pianos were played, water was pumped, and yarious units of farm machinery were operated, all by radio waves! It appears as though in future the up-to-date farmer will do all his farm work-seated in an armchair! ALTHOUGH there will be no inaugue ration of regular international programmes in the immediate future, it is almost certain that the Union International de Radio diffusion, known as the "Radio League of Nations," with main offices in Geneva, will effect an exchange of programmes within a year or so. Interchange of programmes -from all European countries through a~ network of the principal European stations. is. contemplated, and arranges ments will be made for short-wave relays for the benefit of America. The plan, for example, would bring an en-: tire German or Italian programme, staged in Berlin or Rome, to the attention of listeners throughout Burope: and North America and in succession the music and principal figures in’ broadcusting of the other nations. Thisidea, ‘it is hoped by the League of Nations, will be one of the most strike ingly effective instrumentalities for mutual understanding and world peace. ever devised. Considering the marked. success which attended 2YA’s rebroadcast of the Naval Conference held. in London recently, New Zealand listeners can confidently anticipate further in= teresting relays in the near future. ~ fT ELEPHON FE communication between houses and offices on shore and a ship at sea became an actuality recente. ly with the inauguration of a regulary service between the s.s, Leviathan and any telephone subscriber in Ameriéa who cares. to use this. means of communication. The service is effected by linking land lines with radio telephone stations in New Jersey. Though coms munication is at present limited as toe distance, yet under favourable circumstances it will be possible to handle calls to and from the liner while she is as far away as 1500 miles, or nearly three days’ sail from America,