Radio Round the World

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 8, 4 September 1931, Unnumbered Page

Radio Round the World

HE Science ‘Museum at South Kensington,. London, has now a-new attraction in the:form ofan, automatic guide. This is actually a -specially designed electric gramophone. The instrument, which has. been installe:l -on the top floor of the.main building, gives directions where to find, particular exhibits and can’ also give biief lectures, six to seven minutes in length. It is set in operation by pressing a button. s td] * TENDENCY to introduce unsay‘oury political items into the Dutch broadcasts has led to the:issue of un‘usually severe regulations by the Goyernment. The Wireless Control Commission, which has exercised an indulgent authority over all broadcasting in Holland, is now’ required . to-- stiffen its attitude to the extent of forbidding all criticism of the Government. Talks manuscripts must undergo a rigid censorship,.and the law now provides a -scale of punishments for. any-violation of.this principle. In extreme cases the power supply may be. ‘cut: ¢ off. without notice. *-' le * New YORK reports the invention by Dr. S. N. Bartich. of .a device for radio transmission which may reyolutionise broadcasting». it _ being claimed that it creates n& side-bands and will, therefore, permit more stations to occupy the ether" without interference. Dr. Baruch. has applied, ‘to: the Federal Radio Commission: for ‘authority to test his invention, on ‘a. working scale. He claims.-also that: ‘his -system will give: practical impetus to the development of. television. "Tt will be

interesting to learn whether Dr. Baruch’s invention is more practicable than Dr. Robinson’s "Stenode Radiostat," the revolutionary receiver which ‘has been acclaimed by leading radio authorities as the solution of the serious problem of station overcrowding. 2 * * [)MERGING from the laboratory after many years of development, -the visual radio range beacon for the guidance of aeroplanes along given courses by means of visual instrument readings rather than aural signals received through earphones will shortly be plaeed in daily service in America.. The airway selected for the inauguration of the service is the Kansas City-Los Angeles section of the tr ans-continental air route. The method to he used makes use. of direct radio beams along the route. on which the planes are required © to travel. Any divergence from the straight course: is visually indicated by means of a pair of vibrating reeds which show at a glance whether the error is to the right or the left. yo

A SERIES of programme exchanges has been arranged between Japan and the United States. The second, which took place recently, was very successful. The United States AmbasSador in Japan was heard in America, ‘and -the Japanese representative in U.S.A. spoke to his compatriots in Japan.’ The Tokio studio programme ‘lasted 20 minutes, and was followed by 10 minutes of music, including the Jap"nese anthem. The American National Anthem was played for Japan’s benefit, nnd special native music was rendered by a specially-engaged Japanese band, ae « * = A FRENCH musical authority, M. i Paul.Dermee, says it is absurd to encourage the composition of music -especially intended for’: broadcasting. ‘He contends that for composers to con"eéntrate on the middle register, leaying out low notes and high notes, which do not broadcast so well, would be as harm5fnl as to have given the gramophone a ‘diet of music entirely nasal in its early days. He believes that the engineers must study the composers, and not the composers the engineers.

(paren radio engineers, attached ft the American station WGY, hay recently ‘been given roving commissions, They: carry between them a micrphone and amplifying equipment, and, on discovering anything worth they connect up to the nearest telephone wire and: relay it to the station. WGY is thus able to broadcast a never-ending series of novel and interesting transmissions. cz " = [2 is reported that plans are being made for the Marchese Marconi to unveil in the autumn by means of a radio signal from his yacht in midAtlantic a huge statue-of Christ which is in course of erection on the Corcovyado Mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. This statue, the largest image of its kind ever made, stands 150 feet high; it is composed of concrete covered with. blue tiling, an@ cost over £34,000. A unique event and a great honour to radio and Marconi. -_ | Ni an dunalysis made of certain types of programmes, the Federal Radio Commission of America early this year obtained ;-responses from 522 out of a total of 605 licensed stations, or an 86 per cent, return. It was found that 10 per ‘cent, of all the time "on the air" was | devoted to educational programmes; 2 per cent. to data and announcerients provided by the Federal Gévernnient; 1 per cent. to data provided: by kity, county, and State; 24 per cent. ‘speeches and general character ; 17-per ‘cent. to classical music; and 14 per cent. to appeals for aid, philanthropie work, ete, such as the Red Cross ‘drive. " Thirty-four per cent. of the total broadcasting time was used in the: sbové manner, which left 66 per cent. for jazz, jokes, and advertising. 4