Test Cricketer to Speak to New Zealand Listeners from London

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 3, 31 July 1931, Page 1

Test Cricketer to Speak to New Zealand Listeners from London

On the morning of Thursday, July 30, New Zealand listeners will be able to tune in to one of the most thrilling broadcasts ever conceived. At 7 am. all the YA stations will broadcast a talk . between the captain or representative of the New Zealand Cricket Team and an official of the R.B.C., in which the first day’s play in the second Test Match will be described. Arrangements have also been completed for similar relays, at the same hour, on the two following mornings. These broadcasts have been made possible by the opening, several days ago, of the radio telephone service between this.country and England. The R.B.C. will utilise 15 minutes of this service each morning.

EW ZEALAND has witnessed many radio dramas. Almost periodically some feat more wonderful than its predecessors is accomplished, and we are now approaching the stage when, what would a few years ago have been regarded as_ the impossible, is now’ passed over almost with indifference. : In the radio history of the world New Zealand has played no small part. From our isolated isles the first long-distance short-wave messages were sent and received. We estab-

lished: long-distance records in the reception of overseas stations. Then came the two-way broadcast conversation. We can all remember the test transmission between 2YA and Sydney-how we thrilled to hear our announcer and the Sydney ai(nouncer talking as though over the telephone, Surely this was a marvel and a record! But it was not long before this was eclipsed with the Byrd broadcast-when the admiral in Dunedin conversed with his friends and promoters in America, and all New Zealand could hear them. We have since successfully picked up and re-broadcast shortwave transmissions almost from all points of the .world-from England. Holland, .America and Australia, but we have not yet spoken to England as we have done to America, But we shall this week, for arrangements have been made whereby 2YA. and either the-captain, or a

representative of the New Zealand Cricket Team will, at the close of each day’s play in the coming Second Test, discuss the match. This conversation .will be carried out by the newly-inaugurated commercial Radio Telephone Service between New Zealand and England. From-2YA relay lines will connect up the other YA stations. . Broadcasts will take place at 7 o'clock on Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings, these times representing 8.30. p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in England. Although this time may seem, to

some, a little inconvenient, yet it is the one when success is most likely. Furthermore, it is the most convenierit for the cricketers. Late in the afternoon of Thursday, July 23, the first public call over the New ZealandGreat Britain Telephone Service took place. It was a conversation between the Christchurch "Sun" and the London "Daily Mail," which created a record for long-distance telephone conversations. Dawn was just breaking in the Old Country, and the printing press

of the "Daily Mail" had just finished its tremendous run. It was a time when all were thinking of going to their well-earned rest. In New Zealand the "Sun," also a morning paper, was just settling down to the preparation of its early "copy." Both representatives exchanged greetings and each remarked that his paper would have a special story in the morning. . ESPONDING to the invitation of the "Sun" that a special message should be sent to the people of New Zealand, Mr. Bernard Murphy, of the Foreign Department of the "Daily Mail," said: "We hope that this telephone will make the ties ‘that bind the people here and the people in New Zealand much stronger.. The people of the Empire are now arm-in-arm, and we hope that it will help both of us to (Concluded on page 2.)

(Continued from Page 1.) Lhe Post and Telegraph Department has been testing on the line for six months and has now brought the service as near perfection as engineers can. All other factors are beyond their con-’ trol. During these tests it was found that the service is generally reliable at Tam | Let us for a moment look into the "inside" of this remarkable broadcast, and see exactly what is happening at each end and in between. A little before: seven o’clock on the appointed day, New Zealand will call up Bngland. Our transmitter ZLW, although powerful, is not sufficiently so to give the service every chance of success, so the call will be picked up by the La Perouse receiver in Sydney and transmitted by land-line to the transmitter in Pennant Hills. This mighty station is strong enough to be heard at the receiving station in Baldock, Bngland, From here connection will be made to the London Telephone Exchange, which will call up the hotel where the cricketers are residing. Once the line is clear 2YA will be switched in and the announcer, who will speak through a microphone connected to the telephone, will ask for Mr. Lowry, or whoever represents the team. When Mr. Lowry speaks, marvellous switching gear will come into operation and his voice, after going to London, will travel to Rugby and be flung by direc-

tional antennae toward New Zealand. The receiver at our end is powerful enough to pick up the conversation without the services.of Sydney, and he will be heard at Mount Crawford. The voice will then travel by telephone line to the Wellington Hxchange, where, just like an ordinary suburban call, it will be put. into 2YA’s line. The line is connected with the broadcasting apparatus and the conversation goes out on the air. The announcer will also be able to hear what is being said. The switching device, which operates in three-millioneths of a second, changes the connections from transmitting to receiving, and, although one speaks and hears as if merely calling up a friend In the same town, the inward and outward voices are Separated by many thousands of miles at one stage of their journey. Truly a remarkable performance. Reference to the. diagram will sho how the speech will take place. Th yoices undergo some wonderfu changes. When the New Zealand representative in England speaks into the telephone his voice is conveyed to a transmitter. which broadcasts it on shortwave. It is picked up in Welling‘ton on shortwave, converted back into ordinary speech through the telephone, picked up at 2YA ard broadcast again on longwave. In this time it will have travelled half-way round the globe, covering 18,000 miles by telephone, (Concluded on Page 31.)

Cricket Broadcast (Continued from page 2.) Jand-line and radio, and, if the cone versations are as successful as experiments indicate, the voices will be heard as clearly as if both were standing before the microphone. And all this can be brought into the. home of the owner of the most insignificant crystal set. Such are the marvels of radio. co-operate more closely in trading rela tions and it will help business on botiz. sides." The "Sun’s" message to the "Daily Mail" was: "On behalf of the people of New Zealand, we would. like you te hand on their best wishes to the New Zealand cricketing team for the second . Test." A message was then sent to Mr. A, T. Donnelly, chairman of the New Zealand. Cricket Council, who is in London. And so was brought to a culmination tae combined efforts of scientists and engineers, adding to radio’s record another fine achievement. It is now pose sible for anyone in either Hngland or New Zealand, without leaving his office to call up toll and ask for a number . in the other country. Surely a mar vel beyond comprehension. . AND this service is now to be utilis». ed in the most unique broadcast that has ever taken place. This broadcast is a momentous one, not only in the history of New Zealand broadcasting, but in the history of the world radio history. Once the service way declared open the Radio Broadcasting Company approached the Post and Telegraph Department asking to take a quarter of an hour toll service with London- Our Prime Minister graciouscly cabled the High Commissioner in "London and the necessary arrange ments were made.

The line has been tried out at this end and, while it is impossible to guare antee any radio reception at any time, yet there is every possibility that it will be a success. It must be remembered, however, that even the wellestablished service between London and New York is sometimes held up for as long as a fortnight by magnetic storms and other disturbances over which we have no control. Let us hope that none of these will interfere with the broadcast on the mornings of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.