Our mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 42, 2 May 1930, Page 9

Our mail Bag

Power Interference. . PHERE, appear to be several questions that the officials concerned in your article on "Power Interference" should bé called upon to answer. (1) Has the P. and T. Department definitely located any forms of interference, not especially in the immediate neighbourhood of the complaints, but in the sur rounding districts? (2) Why is ‘the. attitude being . taken up that it is the listner’s duty to locate these troubles, when ‘there is an up-to-date equipment available by those who are being paid by the listeners to investigate the causes, and why is it not in the interests of the power boards to rectify any..of these defects, which are quite liable -to develop into serious trouble, and cost the power boards Concerned more than many timés the cost.of the small amount of time taken to rectify them in their initial stages? (3) Why should it be necessary for a power board to employ a specially trained engineer to locate these defects when in the majority of cases they are nothing -more or less than leaky insulators, and the repair must surely come within the scope of the ordinary engineer and does not require any elaborate apparatus to locate, . (4) Has the P. and T, Department pointed out any specific causes of interference to the power board, or having done so been told "to’ mind its own business" or words to that effect. It is admitted that the competition of the supply authorities in America has been a big factor in making them keep their lines and apparatus up to scratch. Is it suggested that this lack of competition is making those responsible lax in their responsibilities. The P. and T. Department’s views as expressed, seems to point to the fact that they are satisfied that it is insulator trouble, and from the type of interference this appears obvious, and a thorough pole to -pole test of all insulators of all high tension lines will soon locate these, and the theory of potential differences between line and earth connected bodies, can only be considered, as the lines and poles. Have those responsible considered that a high frequency discharge formed through or over an insulator at some remote spot from the apparent centre of interference can be picked up, and superimposed over the natural frequency of the’line or lines, and the point of interference transferred to some spot remote from the actual leak and a whole section of line made to appear faulty. In conclusion, let me say "get together" to those responsible, and give the listeners a fair go, even though "the matter is not sufficiently in their interests to rectify," and not take the listeners’ 30/- a year in and year out

under false pretences.-

F.G.

R.

(Lower

eHutt).

[In reply to F.G.R’s. questions :- (1) Yes, several forms of interference have been definitely located and eured in the neighbourhood. (2) There are many parties equally interested and the listener is one of them. He should share ‘esponsibility in coping with a difficult problem. The faults rarely develop into serious ones from the power boards’ point of view. (8) In many cases the leakages are extremely -hard to locate, (4)No.-Power boards and department co-dperate closely in . trying to reduce trouble. We did not attempt

to outline all causes of interference. Only the more common received attention. The one suggested is one of those that are difficult to locate. Judging from the last paragraph the Department gets 30/- a ‘year. per license to keep down interference.Obviously incorrect.-Ed.] HAVE read with interest your article on power-line leakages in your issue of 17th inst. The radio. listeners of Hutt Road ‘between Petone Station and the ramp know ouly too well the éffects of these leakages. Night after night, unless heavy rain falls, we can listen to 2YA only. When the set is tuned for any other station only a terrific roar is heard. I have, together with another listener, complained to the Hutt Valley Power Board and Post and Telegraph Department, the latter being unable, I understand, to locate the trouble. — The engineer of the Hutt Valley Power Board expresses an opinion that the binders‘are probably the cause of the trouble. If so, why is this leakage peculiar to this area alone and is not in evidence further down the valley? I have walked along the pole lines in this area and could see no signs of a leakage, though, of course, this would be impossible to detect if the breakdown had _ been directly through the insulator to the spindle. This roar, which has increased in intensity during the last fortnight, has been "in the air’ now for nearly 10 months and is getting now a little monotonous. If the Dannevirke Power Board can afford a valve set for locating troubles in its lines and keep a correct maintenance, then surely the Hutt Valley can do something in the matter, in conjunction, of course, with the P. and T. Department. _ A noise, with just as much kick as the present one, developed in the early part of last year and went on for nearly two months, gradually developing in intensity. I rang both the Publice Works Department and the Hutt Valley Power Board asking if they could do anything in the matter of clearing the trouble. Both replied to the effect that it could not be in their lines. A few nights after trouble developed in the H.T. feeders above the main Hutt Road near .the. Woollen Mills, burning a pole and cutting off the supply to the valley. °° This, I heard later, was due to a fauity insulator bursting and letting the wire down in the arm, fFrom that night onwards (for a few months) peace reigned again for listeners along ‘the Hutt Road. I'll warrant: the cost of the damage .that night would. have bought a good trouble-finding set for either the Public Works Department or the Hutt Valley Pewer Roard.( .

_In view of the foregoing I am still certain the trouble is due to faulty insulators, and judging by that beautiful low-frequency hum and roar tonight, we are just about due for another breakdown in our electrical supply. The sooner the better for all

concerned.

R.

M.

(Petone).

Sports Broadcasts. RISING out of the correspondence regarding the Rugby ban, three correspondents bring forward .an argument summed up by "All One" (Wel‘lington). "Is it true, as I am informed: on good authority, that it was Mr. Aldridge who moved the motion. that the. Wellington Boxing Association ban the broadcasting of boxing bouts from the Wellington Town Hall? If not, and he being well in in the boxing circles, did he attempt to get- the Wellington Boxing Association to broadeast its. matches? I say no.’ Consulted on the question, Mr. Aldridge affirms that he is consistently advocating the broadeast of all sports, including boxing from the Wellington Town Hall. He is not in the Wellington Association and was not in the position to ban the boxing. Distortion of 2YA. eS your issue of the 11th inst. I read with interest two letters re distortion of 2YA signed by "Sereen Grid’ and "Constant Tistener." IT. could

get you a dozen such letters from Masterton all with the same complaint. I have also read the reply of the en-° gineer at 2YA, but cannot. accept his explanation. If he is correct, how is it that we should have distortion and mushy reception this year, a condition that has not happened since 2YA’s fine new station came on the air? I have had nothing but praise for 2YA up till this year, but now I am able to sign this letter "Disgusted." , Speaking to a friend in Wellington yesterday he had the same complaint as the above

two writers.-

Disgusted

(Master-

ton).

Broadcasting a la Shakespeare. E are very satisfied with 2YA’s programmes, and’ we read the comments in your paper, and are amused. To modernise Shakespeare we would say 2YA’s programmes are neither good nor bad, but thinking makes them so." ‘We have no com plaints, but would like more jazz, we are 1930 here, although we saw 1890.-

Up-to-date

(Wellington).

Sports Results from 4YA. HAPPENED to be called upon to. go away when the Trowern v. Hancock bout was on, but I thought the next best thing was to hear it over the air from 4YA, I did not, except for two reports; one was up to the fifth round and the next was when the thirteenth round had just completed, This report. came through just a little after 10 o'clock, and instead of 4YA staying on the air for at least ten minutes they closed down after they had given the report up to the thirteenth round. Why did they do this? They regretted being unable to give a ringside description, but they could not stay on the air to give the result of the fight. I have heard 2YA stay on the air for at least three-quarters of an hour after their usual closing time to give out the result of a fight. Why could 4YA not do this? Another thing is the results of the broadcasting at the Speedways. 2YA generally has the results from Christchurch as. well as Kilbirnie. 4YA lack this point; no results from their own station. JI hope to see

an improvement in 4YA.-

Sport

(Dun-

eclin)