Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 51, 4 July 1930, Page 8

Notes and Comments

By

SWITCH

LJSTENERS are pleased with the "eyre" applied to 2YA, Wellington, by Mr. J. M. Bingham, chief engineer for the Broadcasting Company. "Switch" understands that the trouble with 2YA was that it was transmitting all frequencies too faithfully, including the undesirables, which the modern radio set-also reproduced. These "shadows," interesting as they may be to the scientific minded, badly mutilated speech and music from 2YA, ‘The cure applied by Mr. Bingham was the installation of ‘a low-pass filter which cut off the undesirable frequencies. The improvement in reception was, of course, immediately evident. The unwanted frequencies could not be heard at a range of 50 miles from Wellington, now they are silenced completely. * . * WHILE on the subject of frequencies, it is of interest to note that Maurice J. Grainger, radio expert, formerly of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, and the United.States Navy, states that the normal human ear does not respond to sound waves below 40 nor above 10,000 vibrations per second. The longer the wavelength the fewer vibrations there are per second, and in this connection it is worth mentioning that a radio waveJength of 20,000 metres has 15,000 vibrations per second. co * Ed ] latest returns from Australia : show that the total number of radio licenses in force for the whole of the Commonwealth is 310,783. Despite bad times across the Tasman each State shows an increase in the number of licenses during May. The increases are: New South Wales, 1426; Victoria, 186; Queensland, 321; South Australia, 195; Western Australia, 389; Tasmania, 94. This makes a total increase, during May, of 2561 licenses, s = . J UST how many New Zealanders got out of bed at 5 a.m. to listen recently to "Plum" Warner describing from Wngland the play in the first Test match at Nottingham, relayed by 2BL, Sydney, to the A class stations in Australia? Many friends telephoned "Switch" to learn what "Plum" Warner had said about the play, but owing to the inconvenience of the hour, 2BL wasted its sweetness on the desert air so far as "Switch" was concerned. * * * . ‘HE interesting "frequency tests" conducted at 2YA, Wellington, by Mr... J. M. Bingham were responsible for much discussion among Wellington listeners. "Switch" was surprised at the number of listeners who did not grasp the point mentioned by Mr. Bingham, ‘that the higher frequencies, 7500 and 10,000 per second, were given merely because they are components of notes produced by various musical instruments, and only components, as no musical instrument produces those frequencies as a fundamental note. --- os .

"QYWITCH" has heard much praise of the singing from 2YA, Wellington, by Miss Jessie Shmith, the Melbourne vocalist. Besides being an experienced and thoroughly cultured singer, she is equipped with a voice which broadeasts with all its richness in tonal colour. Here is a singer among thousands, and her vocal ability has earned Miss Shmith many engagements to >. =

broadcast in Melbourne. Her visit to the New Zealand studios is indeed very welcome. at % sd HERE are many people who, owing to a peculiarity of their hearing. are quite unable to hear frequencies above 8000 per second, and the lowest audible note heard by Huropeans ‘has a frequency of 16 per second. Yet Japanese can hear earthquake subterranean sounds of a much lower pitch than 16 per second. TFuropeans in Japan have been surprised at this faculty of the Japs. * % ve "QWITCH" has heard over thirty stations bid "good-night" to their listeners during the past week, but the "honours" go to 2BL, Sydney, for the most incongruous. The announcer at 2BL ealled, "Give yourself a smack on the back and go to bed. Good-night!" This may be regarded as "smart," but "Switch" thinks that it sounds "cheap." "Pa" Cochrane, announcer at 2FC, Sydney, after calling "Good-night" generally adds a friendly "Sleep well," which "Switch" prefers to any that he has heard!

HE British Broadcasting Corporation, with an annual revenue of £1,200,000, is unable to please its legion of listeners. Yet it employs all the possible talent obtainable in England-the greatest in every field. As one journal puts it ":The reason why the B.B.C. cannot give general satisfaction is simply because public opinion is not cast in one mould." Itis the same the world over. & * * ONE of the minor North Island broadcast stations which is heard in Wellington, day and night, seems to operate on a different wave-length in the daytime from that at night. The station, which operates on a long wavelength, is heard twice as loud in daylight as compared with its night-time transmission. 8 = * IR HARRY LAUDER, who has left so many friends in New Zealand, and who persisted in a rooted objection to broadcasting in other days, again overcame his scruples and sang before the microphone. This time it was at CKY, Winnipeg, Canada, and his voice was relayed by 45 U.S.A. stations, and three Canadian stations. For this Sir Harry received £1800. He sang three songs, and his "turn" worked out at £200 a minute. And yet some listeners grumbled because Sir Harry could not be induced to broadcast in New Zealand. s 2 s "THE comie gentleman who addresses the crowd in the Ashfield Town Hall, Sydney, on the occasion of community singing nights which are broad-

cast, manages to keep. his audience in almost continuous laughter. The other evening he said he was travelling in a train on a very cold day, and to warm himself he took. a drink from a flask of whiskey. An old man, the only ther occupant. of the carriage, exlaimed, "I’m sixty years of age, and i’ve never let a drop of liquor pass through my lips." "Don’t worry yourself," retorted the other. "You’re not going to start new," and he took another drink from the flask. s cea bad RR4010 again played an interesting and invaluable role during the Te cent flight of the Southern Cross across the Atlantic. The whole world listened breathlessly for news of Kingsford Smith and his intrepid companions, and it was radio upon which they relied for the latest information. HAT, indeed, has become of the proposed change of wavelength of 4YA, Dunedin? Some time ago 4YA tested extensively on a much shorter wavelength than that of 3YA, Christchurch, and the Dunedin station came in at Wellington with tremendous volume. What is the P. and T. Department doing about it? A friend who recently visited Dunedin informs "Switch" that 4YA, Dunedin, is badly handicapped through the unavoidable shortness. of its aerial, and a loading coil is used in series with it to get the station’s transmission up to the listed wavelength. * _ #* = ENIA CHOSTIAKOFF, who was a member of the Don Cossacks’ Choir which toured New Zealand some time ago, has been heard lately broadcasting from 2BL, Sydney. He is considered to possess one of the finest falsetto voices in the world. ~ Bg = ERE is a radical change. In Germany experiments have proved that better results are obtained from nonmetallic aerial masts at broadcast stations. As a result of the experiments for the new German high-power station wooden masts only are to be used.

Reception Table for ‘Australian Stations OR the guidance of those who wish to check their reception of the Australian stations, "Switch" prepares weekly a table showing the average relative strengths with which he has obtained reception at 11.30 p.m. during the past week:2F'C, Sydney ..c..ccce 16 2BL, Sydney ..cocecce 10 4QG, Brisbane ....... 38AR, Melbourne ...coo 8L0;, Melbourne ..0.¢. 2GB, Sydney ...cccccce 2UE, Sydney ..cccoece TZL, Hobart ...ccocce 3UZ, Melbourne ...c.--38DB, Melbourne ...0+. Adelaide ...c000% 2KY, Sydney ........-. 1% The above figures are the points assessed, with 0 as the maximum. , be rey bo HR 99 69 CTR GD MID