Notes and Comments

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 5, 15 August 1930, Page 7

Notes and Comments

Bw

SWITCH

'A MISS RUBY McDONALD, a violinist, who is stated to have acted as conductor for St. Patrick’s Choir, South Dunedin, has been playing for 2BL, Sydney. She is said to have played in America for some time. The ‘writer believes that. the lady is idéntical with one who was leading violinist at a certain Wellington theatre some years ago. * ad * N recent notes "Switch" mentioned that 4QG, Brisbane, had changed its frequency, and was then clashing badly with a Japanese station. The paragraph had hardly been set up when the Brisbane station. changed back to its former frequency, and is now heard as clearly as ever. 4QG ‘now possesses exceptionally good tone, \but during the recent southerly blow Iwas subject to considerable fading though there was little distortion. + * s FURTHER proof that JOHK, Sendai, frequently relays JOAK, Tokio, is forthcoming. A Japanese friend of the: writer has been interpretating. for "Switch" the playlets broadcast from the Japanese stations. On many nights lately the same playlets and performers have been heard from both stations. The Japanese friend was able to identify the pérformers, some of whom enjoy nation-wide fame as_ theatrical actors and actresses. Most of the radio plays heard were comedies, some of which possessed a subtlety of philosophy which was quite surprising. eS gs s Soma of the latest a.c. broadcast receiving sets "Switch" has seen are now equipped to couple up with a radiovision receiver. The signs are that radio-vision is still in a most primitive stage, but the Americans are insistently booming it. In New York there is already a television theatre. By means of a wonderful machine the players’ voices and their images are projected into the air to be. picked.up ‘by. reeceivers, with television .. attachments, in private homes. The results are undeniably crude, but as radio scientists are unceasingly experimenting it, may be that we are'on the ’eve of great developments in this field. > 2 * x LANS for the erection of a shortwave receiving station at. Tokio (Japan) are now completed, with a view to the relay of European © programmes. If the Empire short-wave broadcast station, to be discussed at the Imperial Conference, becomes a reality, possibly a special short-wave receiving station may be established .somewhere in the vicinity of Wellington, away . from power-line and other leakage sources, to facilitate rebroadcasts by 2YA, Wellington, and relays by’ other YA stations. a

THE thought does not appear to enter the minds of some listeners that when they complain of a flaw in transmission the trouble is really in their own sets. ‘The writer has been informed on unimpeachable authority; which, incidentally, is confirmed by others, that a certain Wellington sub-. urban listener has been complaining lately of the quality of the broadcasts of gramophone records by 2YA. 2 %

"Switch" was appealed to and he found transmission as near perfection as could be imagined. He telephoned to a number of other experienced listeners and received unanimous endorsement of his experience. Listeners were visited also next day, and they were astonished at the quality of transmission being questioned. The fact is the compluinant himself has not been able to get corroboration of his opinion.

AN experienced radiotrician recently mentioned to "Switch" that some sets have a penchant for emphasising certain frequenceis which are not accepted by the vast majority of up-to-date sets. . These frequencies are embodied in the transmission, and are properly balanced ‘so that. they give merely ‘the various qualities of timbre. of the instruments or voices. A few. up-to-date sets seize on these higher frequencies and so emphasise them as_ to create unpleasantness to the ear of the listener. Any listener who experiences this trouble should visit the homes of other listeners before lodging a complaint. A ' * 2s . "THE N.S.W. Chamber of Commerce has written to the Commonwealth Prime Minister : "The Radio Manufacturers’ Association, a section of this chamber, is greatly concerned at the action of the Director of Postal Services in reducing the wavelength of station 2HD (Newcastle) to 212 metie&. ° We are of the opinion that it is unwise for the Director of Postal Services or for any one man, for that matter, to make any alterations in wavelengths without first consulting those who have to live and work under those revisions-the manufacturers and distributors of apparatus and the broadcasting stations." "Switch" finds the Neweastle station all wave and no music-merely a rumble. e % 2 BAD stutterer giving radio lectures on voice culture! | Yes, it certainly sounds humorous, but it is true, except that the lecturer no longer stutters. Mr..Allan McSkimming was once a particularly bad stutterer, but set to work and completely cured himself, He has since made the study of the human voice his life work and is an acknowledged authority on the subject. At present he is giving a series of nine talks on "Voice Culture, Ancient and Modern" from 1YA on alternate Tuesday evenings. These are

presented in such a manner that the interest of the least concerned person should be awakened, and the scries should not only interest ‘but directly benefit radio artists arid:others who use their voices for ‘special. purposes. In the course of his talks Mr.’ McSkiiniing will answer such interesting questions as: "Why was Caruso the foremost tenor of. the century?" and "Why do ‘ome great. singers .and. orators. retain their wonderful voices into old-age?" eee PaO ene eee S NIR.. J. ROBINSON, director of: 4QG, "" Brisbane, could be heard ‘the’ other night. reading out . replies ‘to -yarious eorrespondents, some of whom hat -been unfairly critical of the items transmitted by that’ station: Mr,‘ Robinson’s remarks were extremely fair and tolerant, and he thanked various ‘coftespondents’ for their suggestions, Ore critic, however, who hid himself under anonymity came -in for :a ‘thorough trouncing at the hands ‘of Mr.. Robinson. Some folk labour undef the delusion: that by midking. themselves anonymous they are .doing something smart in writing venomous and unfair criticism, but the very fact that they desire to hide theiy identity is a fatal weakness in their case.’ 7 e * . * . MANY visitors to the recent Melbourne Radio Show wére disappointed to find that it was a silent exhibition, and there were no demonstrations with the receiving sets dn view. A Melbourne friend writes that there was widespread regret,: especially ‘among country visitors, who were desirous of hearing the quality of tone of the various exhibits; Although some €atping critics object: to demonstrations at radio.shows, -exhibitors themselves: know what. great interest is evinced by the public in. comparing the tonal qualities of the sets and loudspeakers displayed. * 5 . HE -recent Wellington Radio Show proved that continuous démonstrations by sets and loudspeakers did not prevent record attendances. Personaliy "Switch" himself, who moved among ‘the visitors at the show, heard a-continual buzz of conversation from peoplet comparing the relative torial qualities of the sets and loudspeakers. This sort of thing stimulated interest and business. It was observed that many visitors to the Wellington Radio Exhibition went backwards .and forwards from stall to stall, evidentiy making comparisons of tone. While a few conservative critics may have objected to the demonstrations, simply because they had sets of their own, those who took eareful note could not fail to be impressed with the success of the decision to permit demonstrations at the exhibition.