Notes and Comments By SWITCH

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 1, 18 July 1930, Page 39

Notes and Comments By SWITCH

By

SWITCH

THL writer understands that parents AS occasionally telephone the 2YA udios, while the children’s sessions aye in progress, asking for birthday announcements to be put on the air. The correct method of procedure is for parents to write their requests, and post them to 2YA in time to arrive before the evening on which the birthday announcements are to. be made, mn * » THE other evening the writer happened upon the "B" class station at Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay. Although its power is stated to be only 74 watts, the volume of this station was really surprising. Those desiring to seek out the Wairoa station will find it on a wavelength about midway between 2BL,/Sydney, and 8L0, Melbourne, but closer to the wavelength of the latter station. * = a A PECULIARITY in volume of reception of certain "outside" stations characterises certain points in the city of Wellington. Take the case of the station 2ZR, Wanganui, which can be heard nearly all-day in certain areas of Wellington, with almost full gramophone volume. High-class sets in other localities of the city of Wellington can barely hear 2ZR,in the daytime. * * * SoMp beginners persist in the belief that the fading of distant broadcast stations is due to fluctuations in the electrical supply at the stations. A case in point was brought under the writer’s notice the other day, but when the novice was told about the Heaviside layer and the ionisation of the atoms _ of the atmosphere he was much enhtened and decided not to blame the nsmission. * * " HERE are still some areas in Wel- ~ lington where electrical leakages are holding back’the progress of broadeast listening. Probably the worst instance is that in the locality of Constable Street, where there is almost a continuous roar from some _ nearby source. ‘Things must be rather bad in that vicinity when an owner of an expensive set has decided to give up proadeast listening, and is offering his equipment for sale. . id * = THE gospel of radio receives an undoubted impulse whenever there is a broadcast of any special importance. This is more evident on a Wednesday when the city radio shops are open than on Saturday afternoons. The broadcast description of the Rugby match. between the British and the Ma teams at Wellingtoi caused grot™s, of the public to assemble at the doorways of the city radio shops to listen to the description of the play issuing from the loudspeakers, * * * A CORRESPONDENT ("Tip," Hataitai) sends along a suggestion that the P. and T. Department when allotting sign or call letters to New Zealand "B" class stations should endeavour to avoid using letters which sound similar to one another. He quotes as an example such letters as B, CO, B, and P, which are now in use

by New Zealand "B" class stations. He points out that there are several other letters not touched yet which could not be mistaken for those now inwuse. * * 2 ’ "rrp" (Hataitai) has something to say about the slipshod method of announcing by the majority of New Zealand "B" class stations. He writes: "I hear a number of these smaller stations, and it is positively annoying to listen to the careless, hurried method adopted by the majority of these stations when giving their call letters.

They rush the letters through as though they were ashamed of their eall. Why can’t they take a pattern from the announcers at the YA stations and articulate each letter clear; ly?" = * * HHOSHE listeners who have heard the thoroughly Wastern flute solos from the Japanese stations may be interested in a description of the Japanese ancient flute, one of which was played upon in, the writer’s home by Mr. K. Kubota, the recently-arrived Japanese Government trade correspondent. The instrument is of bamboo, 23 inches in length, 2 inches in diameter at the

blowing end, and one and a half inches at the other extremity. It is played like a clarinet. There are only four holes for the fingers, one hole being underneath, and the flute has no metal keys. The inside is painted with dark red lacquer, and there is an aperture at each end of the instrument, which can be taken apart in two pieces by a joint in the middle. Mr. Kubota is an ac complished player of the Japanese flute, and his renderings of Japanese love melodies hundreds of years old has a peculiar charm. & * a AN up-country listener who tunes in a number of American stations in the early evening lately called on "Switch" and was somewhat surprised at the amount of electrical noise picked up in Wellington. "To get long-dis-tance stations down here," he said, "could be compared with trying to view distant objects through a heavy hail storm with a powerful telescope. The more you magnify the object the greater the interference." LocaALity of the receiving set means a tremendous amount in long-dis. tance reception, and it is, therefore, interesting to note the various criticisms of reception of the YA stations. The most notable that attracted "Switch’s" attention is the criticism lately publish ed in the "Record" by Mr. E. W. Anglesey. of Nelson district. This listener states 1YA comes in best, 3YA next, 2YA a poor, third, and 4YA "can’t be depended on-only occasionally can it be heard decently." "Switch" classes the YA "outside" stations with BYA an easy: first, 1YA next, and 4YA a close third. All three are dependable as a rule, and excepting on odd occa: sions are not seriously affected by fad | ing. It is alla question of the locality of the receiving set.

"QWITCH" trusts that the Taranaki . people will rally around their own little broadcast station, 2YB, New Plymouth, which is in sore need of. financial support. 2YB is a credit .to ‘the -Taranaki Radio Society not only for the quality of its transmission.but for the unvarying excellence of its programmes. * -= ‘ x HEN 2YA, Wellington, happens to go off the air for a few minutes it would seem that every listener for miles around, who has a _ telephone ealls up the studio to disclose the fact. The telephone is kept busy until the station is on the air again. A direct telephone line connects the transmitting station of 2YA with the studios, and when'there is anything amiss at the transmitter the information is promptly telephoned by the engineer in charge to the studios. & x * HE Melbourne "Listener In" says: "The series of ‘Women of the Orient and Pacific; by Mrs. H. G. Shannon, broadcast from 3AR, may be recommended as something very ‘special. Mrs, Shannon, a New Zealander by birth, has crowded a remarkable wealth of incident into her. life, and has the distinction of being the one woman passepger to cross to Hngland on a troopship with a ‘cargo’ of 1500 souls. In company with her husband she has Spent many years travelling through Bgypt, India, New Guinea and the Far Hast, and has collected much inside information en route. With a vivid imagination, @ ready wit, and a facile pen, Mrs. Shannon has prepared some of the most interesting talks that have been over the air for some time, and which should be greatly appreciated by all concerned." .. ‘ oR i MOTORISTS can convey warnings to ~~": pedestrians and other dtivers, by means of an amplifier and‘loudspeaker developed by ‘a Frenchman. for ,motorcar installation, The, microphone — is mounted in front of the driver, who speaks into it.in his. normal voice. The speech is amplified, ‘and ;issues . from’ the loudspeaker at the rear of the car. Te . . .* nae 2 A UNANIMOUS expression of opinion ‘was voiced :the other day by a ‘gathering of: Wellington: listeners that the relays by 2YA, Wellington, of the talkies from the Majestic Theatre are perfect, -The dialogues and words of the various songs come through with striking clarity.