Radio Round the World

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 33, 27 February 1931, Unnumbered Page

Radio Round the World

ON July 1, 1930, there were over thirteen million radio sets in operation in the United States of America. * * : * "THE new short-wave station destined for communication between France and her colonies is approaching completion, and if tests prove satisfactory, it will be officially opened towards the end of February. ‘The aerial power will be 30 kw., and it is hoped that the station will be heard in all the French colonies of the world. ‘A PRIVATE omnibus eoneern in Ozecho-Slovakia recently experimented with broadcast receiving apparatus: for’ the benefit of passengers: Whe idea proved. contagious for quite mittmberf radio-equipped buses have stuce appeared on the roads. re ce a QCENTING a potential danger from "fires and explosions due to highfrequency radio transmission, the U.S. Government’s liaison committee on aeronautic radio research has recommiended that short-wave stations should ‘not be situated near to aircraft fuelling points, The committee admits that the precise amount of risk has not yet been determined. * * * Q\NE of the severest tests to which radio receiving annaratus can be submitted was carried out recently in London during -the afternoon school broadcasts. The test took the form of a recital of a number of specially selected words, each having no connection with the others. The words were listened to by eight selected schools in London and by observers at the B.B.C., all using different receiving apparatus. To identify every one of the words indicated that the receiver used was an excellent one, and by this

test the authorities derived .some valuable information on the merits of various receivers. * * . & f ee British Broadcasting Corporation recently broadcast a programme featuring two American artists known as~’Amos-and *Andy; negro: ‘imitators. So popular are these two comedians with the radio public in America that when they are scheduled to perform it is said that church service hours are changed and _ tele phone operators report. a considerable slackening-off. in the number of calls made. * * * HE New South Wales Railway Department is certainly up-to-date in its methods. Two patrol cars fitted with radio transmitters and receivers have been commissioned by the department to aid in the maintenance of an 82 mile long power transmission line, which runs through mountainious and often almost impassable country. Bach patrol car is accompanied by two linesmen, who patrol the lines examining insulators and wires, clearing away trees and branches where mecessary and burning off grass to protect the supporting poles from bush fires. By means of the 100-watt portable trans-

mitter carried by each car, the linesmen are in constant touch. with the ‘station at headquarters. — * * * THE wife of President Hoover is a > Wireless enthusiast, and has a receiver installed in her car. Recently she drew her car up to the side of the pavement and, having first "carefully shut the doors, proceeded to keep an engagement. Imagine her surprise upon returning to find a large crowd gathered about her car. She had forgotten to switch off the receiver, and the crowd was enjoying a free coneert. % ES = "THE acoustie properties of the worldfamous St. Paul’s Cathedral have always proved a source of difficulty to preachers, few of whom are able to make themselves heard distinctly in all parts of the building. Hxperiments are now being conducted with amplifiers and loudspeakers, which, it is hoped, will result in rendering all paris of the service clear and distinct to every member of the congregation throughout the building. x % z URING the recent landslide at Lyons, France, which swept sway hundreds of houses, the local radio club mobilised a contingent of listeners to work in co-operation with an aviation

detachment of the French army. Microphones were placed on the ground on the edge of the devastated region where rescuers were at work, and these signalled the faintest crack or moyement in the danger zone, thus giving timely alarm to the rescue parties and preventing further loss of life and property. .A number of local radio dealers freely supplied the necessary apparatus for this invaluable service. * * a es ‘

AFTER five months’ operation of the commercial bwo-way telephone service on Canadian National Railway trains. between Toronto and Montreal, the authorities are-able to declare the experiments a complete success. The quality of transmission-has been rated 95 per cent. perfect by..the Bell Telephone Co., and on "one: call ‘placed by a passenger to be connected’ with London 100 per cent. efficiency, was ‘attained. The "wired-wireless". system ‘is in use, employing the telegraph wires paralleling the railway track, impulses being carried to "pick-up" stations at various points along the route. JDENMARK is copying the examples of Britain and Germany in the construction of an immense palace of broadcasting. The building, already ’ half completed, is in Copenhagen, and ° will house the State broadcasting administration, studios, and a certain’ amount of transmitting plant. Adjoining it is a disused theatre, which will form two large studios with accommodation for public audiences.