Auckland Notes

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 37, 28 March 1930, Page 8

Auckland Notes

(By

Call Up

HEN the R.M.S. Aorangi was in | port last week an attempt was _ made to interview the ship’s orchestra with a view to engaging them’ to play for 1YA whenever the ship was at ‘Auckland. The station programme organiser went down to see them at the steamer, while they visited the studio to see him, with the result that the interview was unfortunately missed. It will now be about two months before the Aorangi is back in Auckland, but it is to be hoped that arrangements for the engagement of the orchestra will then be made, as they are a good cumbination and would provide a little novelty in the programmes,

"THE dates for several approaching programmes from 1YA have had to be changed. The Haydn rogramme has been postponed till April 4, and the choir’s presentation of "The Rebel Maid" till April 8. A further choir concert that week will be the first of the year to be given by the Municipal Choir, and this will be relayed from the Town Hall. Lew James’s dates will now be April 9 and 10. HEN visiting the new Government air base at Hobsonville last week, "Call Up" was interested to learn that all the Air Force ’planes there are fitted with radio transmitting apparatus. The Gipsy Moth has a small transmitter which can be operated from either cockpit, and which has been used frequently. The two big Fairey machines are fitted with old war-time design transmitters which work on a wavelength of 1400 metres. These two transmitters had just been set up and were about to be tested. . 2 * + [TN pursuance of their policy of devoting special nights to the works of individual composers, 1YA are giving a Brahms night on May 9, and a Wagner night on May 20, those being the nearest available dates to t’ anniversaries of the respective births of these composers. a a ® RRANGEMENTS were made by which 20,000 Auckland school children listened-in to Admiral Byrd when he spoke in Dunedin last Tuesday afternoon. North Shore pupils assembled at the Takapuna racecourse, city schools at the Domain, and children from the eastern and western suburbs at the Training College, Bpsom, and the Western Springs Stadium respectively. The Auckland Radio Dealers’ Association and the Education Board also made arrangements for the children at schools in the outer suburbs to listen-in, the dealers going to a lot of trouble and considerable expense to install sets, Unfortunately the reception was very disappointing, particularly when Admiral Byrd was speaking. Shortly after the commencement 1YA_ closed down temporarily while endeavours were made to clear the landline. The later part of the proceedings came through fairly well, but on the whole the broadcast was a failure as far as local reception went, | ,