Radio Round the World

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 2, 24 July 1931, Unnumbered Page

Radio Round the World

4 cee transmissions from TRadio. Algiers, especially those programmes intended for the Arabs, are to be interrupted frequently in future so that medical bulletins can be transmitted giving instructions for the combating of malaria, . E3 * * ON October 1 there were 3,241,725 liceused radio listeners in Germany to compare with 2,843,569 on the same date of 1929. The postman collects a monthly licence fee of two marks (about two shillings) from each home equipped with a radio receiver. * x * WIRELESS classes fur policemen are the latest innovation in Prague. The classes have been formed to enable every: officer to work the police radio apparatus which is to be adopted throughout Czecho-Slovakia for the suppression of crime. ‘he students are given practical lessons with an up-to-date transmitter and receiver. oa * ENS PPARENTLY the man who buys 2 wireless licence in India is assured of lasting fame. The "Indian Radio Times" "acknowledges with pleasuze the receipt of Rs, 10 as a donation from W. G..A. Bourne, Esquire, of Jamnagar, Nawanagar State, towards his Licence Vee," and expresses the hope that other listeners will follow his example * * = * N France commercial and tourist neroplanes are being fitted with radio receivers, enabling passengers to listen to concerts during their voyage. The inauguration took place recently on the Paris-Berlin raqute, when passengers on two aeroplanes were able to don headphones and enjoy a concert en route. x * x

"Tt may be hard for sume to couceieye of New York being second to Wurope in anything," stated Mr. Weir, Director of Radio for the Canadian National Railways, recently. ‘"Neverth2less in the production of radio drama and in educational broadcasting, America is undoubtedly in second place. Pro . duction methods for radio dramas in Great Britain are definitely ahead of those in America." * xe * TPHE "curfew? law in many French towns, forbidding the use of loud speakers after 10 pm., has recently been. described as illegal, but the councillors of Bourg (Aisne) have parried with the interesting discovery of a curious local Order of 1885. This forbids citizens after seven in the evening to "practise on trumpets, horns, cor-

uets,-drums, and similar instruments," and ‘the councillors consider that wire. less falls under the same ban, "inasmuch as.it reproduces all the offending instruments !"’ * * ® To be operated on by a "‘r! giBinife" is a privilege in store for Afierican hospital patients. At the Atlanta Surgical Congress, Mr. H. C. Lowry, of Chicago, recently explained that the radio knife may: be used in any type of surgery, with bloodlessness and quick healing as its chief advantages. Technical details are not available, but Mr. Lowry, we read, stated that the patient "serves as the antenna of the set and the vacuum tube locates the radio frequencies generated over the desired area." * # x Pou Soviet Government is showing legitimate pride in the huge inereases in the number of Russian listeners. In. a new statement by the Commissariat , of Commerce, the figure is given 2,764,000, and it is believed that (the four-mnillion mark will be reached by the end of next year, when the "45station plan" is completed. Listeners, on their part, are not altogether satisfied with the existing programmes and have had the temerity to form a "Club of the Friends of Radio" with the idea of bringing about an improvement. an on o

* nad =- au recent opening of the first highpowered Swiss station at Sottens brings to mind the growth of radio in Switzerland. The first transmissions were made in 1923 at Lausanne, Geneva, and in 1924 the Radio Telegraphic Society of Zurich took up regular transmissions. Then in 1925 and 1926 the stations at Berne and Basle were erected. Three years after the first avtempts at broadcasting were made there were 51,000 licensed receivers, and fis had increased to 101,000 at the 1930. This means a proportion of 25 receivers to every 1000 inhabitants, a wonderful number when one considers the mountainous country, so unpropitious for low-powered transmitters. At the commencement of broadcasting most of -the listeners were to be found in, or in the vicinity of, towns where good reception of the local station was possible, but now listeners are widespread. owing to the great increase in the number of larger and more powerful sets.