THE POWER LEAKAGE PROBLEM.

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 10, 18 September 1931, Page 4

THE POWER LEAKAGE PROBLEM.

A. FEW weeks ago we had occasion to refer to the problem presented by power leakages and other forms of electrical disturbances, and quoted as an example a certain city suburb where listening was impossible when trams were anywhere near. Since that time we have received many letters from listeners far and near, reporting power interference of some form or other.- Some appear to be worse than the case cited, others equally bad. One particular case may be referred to as more or less typical. In Rotorua there are operated many forms of electrical medical apparati and these, when going, blot out completely all forms of wireless reception. Even at night this bugbear is present to a disagreealle degree. A petition was sent to the Minister requesting that steps be taken to remedy the trouble, and it was promised that a Radio Inspector should visit the district. This never éventuated, though time far longer than necessary has elapsed since the Minister made his promise. And so there is no relief for the Rotorua listeners. Another case in Hawke’s Bay is reported elsewhere in this issue. ‘A petition signed by wireless-set owners protested against the faulty switches and wiring in the district. In discussing this petition the chairman remarked that a great amount of intereference was due to the. owners of the wireless sets being unacquainted with wireless, and that faults lay more with the radio owners than with leaky power lines. He stated that it was mainly a question of the class of installation and the knowledge of the ra¢dio-set owners, for very few radio enthusiasts knew how to manipulate their wireless sets and were continually cutting the waves. After considerable discussion it was decided thai the engineer should meet the petitioners and see what could be done, but generally it was thought that the Board could not go to the expense of. remedying the trouble properly. -. We cannot conceive anyone "cutting the waves because he did not know how to tune his wireless and so cause interference." Such a state simply cannot exist. Anyone accustomed to listening woul: certainly be able to differentiate between interference arising fror.

electrical apparatus and that arising from poorly-manipulated sets. | Might we, in passing, draw the chairman’s attention to the fact that a "leaky transformer" is almost a nonentity? Transformers are the: most innocent of all electrical apparatus. THE above are not isolated cases; they are almost commonplace, and ' what is more significant is the fact that little or no improvemers is being brought about except where the active co-operation of the owners of interfering apparati is secured. This is rarely the ase, and with the exception of a few public bodies, little real progress is being made in clearing up the interference. That legislation to meet this unsatisfactory position is long overdue is evident. But there was the Minister’s promise recently made to a deputation representing a Wellington body that legislation was forthcoming when ‘the. broadcasting situation was looked into. The Bill has come before the House, but not a word is there about interference problems. That, it can come latter is, of course, possible, but listeners were very dissappointed that it was omitted from the Bill now: before the House. '.Much-has been said and written about the future of New Zealand broadcasting. | Deputations and bodies allegedly representing New. Zealand listeners have put forth their views for the betterment of the service, yet with the singular exception of the deputation previously referred to, this subject has been forgotten. | Nevertheless, we are positive that by far the greater number of listeners wish to see this problem settled for all time before other changes in the administration of. New Zealand broadcasting are made. All the important Old World and American countries have legislation preventing the use of apparatus likely to cause interference to wireless reception, and the penalties fixed by the law are by no means small. New Zealand is a young country, and the number of electrical devices being installed is rapidly increasing. Unless strong legislation is soon introduced to protect the listener, long-distance reception and in some districts local reception will be impossible. It is a case of two opposing forces, and one must overcome the other. Listeners are looking to the Government to intervene on their behalf.