Power Line Interference at Eastbourne

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 35, 14 March 1930, Page 5

Power Line Interference at Eastbourne

Listeners Demand Immediate Remedy a ee

URING the past few weeks complaints have been received from listeners in Eastbourne concerning power-line interference. The following letter from Mr. Birkett, a radio dealer of Hastbourne, is typical of others received and of verbal complaints made, They indicate that immediate action on the part of the Hutt Valley Power Board is desirable. HAVE read with interest the letter from "Fed Right Up" in your issue of February 28 regarding powerline interference at Wastbourne, and thoroughly endorse the statements made. "Bed Right Up" has by no means exaggerated the position; infact, if anything, conditions are infinitely worse than outlined. I am a radio dealer operating in Hastbourne and I can, if necessary, give various definite instances where I have lost sales of high-priced radio sets due entirely to the interference. Within the last fortnight two sales were lost in this way. In fairness to the many listeners-in and to the development of radio sales in Eastbourne, something should be done immediately to remedy this interference, and I trust the Hutt Valley Power Board will realise their responsibility and investigate the mat-ter.-H. Birkett (Hastbourne). An extract from the complaint signed "Fed Right Up," the correspondent referred to by Mr. Birkett, reveals the overwhelming nature of the interference. "It is absolutely impossible to tune in even Christchurch, let alone more distant New Zealand stations, due to power leaks on the high tension lines passing along the main road. The interference is not merely an occasional crackle, but a continuous nerve-rack-ing clatter, as if a buzzer was doing its best to deafen one. [I find that it comes into the picture at about 600 kilocycles, and as one goes up. so it increases, until at 1000 or over it is nothing short of a deafening roar. Of course, I can get 2YA without any interference, as the reception is perfect without using the aerial, but immediately the aerial is connected. this clatter spoils everything, making it impossible to get Dunedin. Auckland or Christchurch. Australian stations, of course, being absolute:y impossible."

N an endeavour to ascertain the extent of the trouble, our representative visited Hastbourne and personally investigated the matter. It was found that the reports received were in no way exaggerated, and that reception of stations necessitating the use of an aerial was completely spoilt by power-line interference. It appears that the trouble is prevalent along the main road and along the seafront as far as the Rona Bay pier. .Fortunately in other localities interference is for the most part entirely absent. Mr. Birkett informed our representative that in three cases during the past few weeks he had installed expensive sets in the homes of prospective purchasers. In every instance, however, a demonstration had convinced the would-be set owners of the futility of securing even passable reception, and he had been justly compelled to dismantle the sets, In fact. our representative met one lady who stated definitely that when the trouble was rectified she would purchase a set. but until then she refused to consider .the matter. THE statement made by "Fed Right Up" that it is possible to see the discharges responsible for the interference was found to be correct. On walking down the main road during the evening one can both see and hear the sparks discharging intermittently across the insulators. Such a state of affuirs is deplorable, especially when it is realised that owing to the distance separating Wastbourne and Wellington many residents rely solely on radio as a means of entertainment. In the past such interference has been very prevalent in and around the city of Wellington, but owing to the fairness and consideration shown towards listeners by the various bodies responsible for the control of power lines, trouble of this nature is now almost a thing of the past. It is to be hoped the Hutt Valley Power Board will not delay in taking prompt action in this matter and so earn the gratitude of every listener in the affected area. ----- nents — ae =