Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 1, 18 July 1930, Page 15

Our Mail Bag

While we welcome the expressed views of listeners on topics pertaining to radio, we ask that these communications be kept to miinimum length, as heavy demands are made upon space. Mere reiteration of arguments cannot be accepted for publication, and we cannot take responsibility for views expressed. Address communications to the Editor, and sign all correspondence, though a nom-de-plume might be used for publication. :

A Distorted Perspective (To the Editor.) (QUITE a great deal ‘has been said concerning the distorting of the YA. stations; but what of the Australians? I am convinced that the output from any good transmitting station is the best that the management can provide, and that is 100 per cent. good. Conditions, outside, atmospheric, and locality, are responsible for the distorting. This is presuming the listener’s set is O.K.; but I feel sure that here is the cause of quite a deal of the trouble. I am speaking from personal experience. I have a four-valve B.D., and have received America on the loud"speaker, I can also bring in 2YA at % full blast "without distorting’; but {and here is the secret) not with the same set of valves. To get the distant stations one has to use valves with a high amplifying factor, and for local stations, to get volume, valves capable of a iarge output are necessary. One writer to the N.Z.R.R. who complained of 2YA said he could bring in the distant stations. His trouble was very plain, If a telescope is set for a long range nearby objects will be dis- torted. If a camera is set for a dull day it will blur on a bright day. The same thing applies to our wireless receivers, Apart from the capabilities of the valves used a suflicient supply of electricity is most essential. Locality has much to do with reception, so why not. with transmission? Compare 53YA with 1YA. 8YA is good here, but 1YA-though this is not fair to ' 1YA, as I am just on the hundred mile line. My initiation to wireless was with a home-made crystal set. 2YA came in very well, and at times 2BL and 2FC (my best evening being three New Zealand and four Aussies). 1 had occasion to shift about eight miles, and the ¢rystal set became useless. 1] was completely surrounded by hills, with my house a few feet above sea level. Now I am in fairly open country, but on raised ground, and reception here from the broadcasting stations is lower in proportion to the statics. Atmosphoric conditions, though annoying, are interesting. Here, in the north, onr reception is from two directions only (excepting America) from the south, and the west (Australia.) It ofte happens that when the New Zealand stations are fading Aussie stations are coming in O.K. When 2YA was rebroadcasting the Eucharist Congress from 2BL I was able to follow the whole thing by tuning in whichever station was th? better. This was on the crystal set. It was great to hear ~half a word from, say, 2BL, then switch quickly to 2YA, and hear the other haif. This could be done when each station was half way fading. The fading which causes one station to disappear and leave other stations to come in usually causes distortion. Bvidently the cause is near the station, and throws out the best of the waves travelling the two paths. When all stations fade simultaneously, no distorting is experienced. The cause of this

fading seems to be local to the receiver, and even completely smothering it, as static also fades with-well, I do not know whether they distort or not. I have experienced distortion from the Australians through fading as often as the New Zealand stations. Distorting can be summed up as: 1. Re ceiver at fault, or badly used; (2) at-. mospherie conditions; (3) locality, giving a preference to static, or the right distance to cause the "two-way beat" to be thrown out; (4) and least likely,

a defect in the transmitting station.. We have all heard of the dog that barked up the wrong tree. Though all ‘wwe hear from a receiver comes from the speaker, it is the least likely part to go wrong. As that which we wish to receive comes from a transmitting station it is the least likely to cause us trouble in the way of distortion. Some day there may be a different method of communicating over a distance that will not be affected by static and -distortion. For the present we have to put up with these slight

~ annoyances for the great good we re-

ceive:

Radio Bug

Hokianga )

And Even More. [* "Unsatisfied" (Motueka) likes sacred music so much, why doesn’t he or she go to morning church, afternoon Bible class, and evening church? What we want on Sundays and every other day is more popular music and

jazz. "Give us jazz,’’-

Harold G.

Fownes

(Wellington).

Howling Valves. A WELLINGTON listener writes: I am the possessor of an all-electric wireless set, and am continually annoyed by the incessant howling and squealing of sets. This, I understand, is caused by inefficient apparatus being built into the set. I should be pleased if you could inform me if there is in force a system of inspection for the discovery of these offending sets; also if the answer to the above question is in the aflirmative, what penalty or remedy can be enforced to eliminate this most obnoxious nuisance? I wish to stress the point ‘that this annoyance is so acute that practically all the time our set is on the air the programmes are entirely spoilt by the ear-splitting whistles.

whines and groans which seem to be inseparable from the studio efforts to entertain. I should like to mention that many others of my friends all complain. of this matter, and as we must endure static, we contend. that something should be done to abolish ‘a-nuisance which ‘is, to say the least, ayoidable. [The. penalty for oscillation is a’ fine ‘not exceeding £10, and. in extreme eases confiscation of set-IEd.] Optimists’ Entertainment. [ WISH to express my sincere thanks to the members of the Optimist Club for the splendid entertainment. given by them at 2YA on the 28th ult.. The items were very good and creditably rendered. .The theme that ran through them was cheering and inspiring, especially to those who, like myself, have passed the heyday of life. All I have spoken to were more than satisfied; they were delighted and hoped the club will at no distant date repeat or give us another on similar lines, as it is such a pleasant change from the sentimental music. put over the air. We are thankful that we have the power to shut off, but we don’t want to shut down for three-quarters

‘of the programme.

Bayite

(Welling-

ton).

Mushiness of 2Y¥A. " 8.B." (Masterton), in asking * where he might find the D.X. clock, writes: Of late I have read many letters concerning the mushiness of 2YA and the "Goo-o-o-d-night,", but the former has had no effect upon us, although we have a transmitting station opposite, an aerial in the same place, and aerials also to the north, south and west. It often cheers one up to hear Mr. Drummond say "Goo-o-d-night" (but not in the knowledge that the station is closing down). In re gard to the programmes of the New Zealand stations, we all find the Sunday evening concerts far the best, especially 2YA’s. {The D.X. clock was published in the "Radio Record" of January 6, 1928, a few copies of which are still obtainable.-Hd. J