Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 11, 25 September 1931, Page 7

Our Mail Bag

While we welcome the expressed views of listeners on topics pertaining to radio, we ask that these communications be ‘kept to minimum length, as heavy demands are made upon space. Mere reiteration of arguments eannot be accepted for publication, and we cannot take responsibility for views expressed. Address communications to the Editor, and sign all correspondence, though a nom-de-plume may be used for publication.

Le" r Comparisons! (SOMPARISONS, it is held, are ‘ odious, but 2ZW during its children’s session on.September 9 endeavyoured to make one at: the expense of 2YA. One of the principals in the pantomime being staged, in’ speaking of a wireless set, said: "We used to listen to 2YA, but now there is a new station, 2ZW." This was followed by the set being turned on and .2ZW was heard coming on the air. Quite good stuff had the reference to 2YA been omitted. It was a childish act, and of course suited the occasion-DX1W (Wellington). Government Control. THE Government appear to be led by a few traders and the so-called and very insignificant body, the Listeners’ League. Could a vote be taken in the following manner? yA. coupon be issued with the "Radio Record," and a small charge of, say, id., be made by your company to cover the expense of examining the coupons returned by listeners. The voter to have the opportunity of voting for: (a) Continuance as at present but the proposed chain of relay stations to be erected. (b) Control .as on the lines of the B.B.C., as advocated by the Government. . To avoid any person sending in two votes, it should be required that the name and address, also the license number, be recorded on the coupon. They could then be sorted into numerical order, and any double voting easily traced. I am sure those who are at all seriously interested would not mind paying 6d. or even more to express their opinions. We do not enjoy good reception of the YA stations here in Palmerston North, but then one has to look beyond that and realise that it is not the fault of the R.B.C., who are undoubtedly giving a good service. I hope something can be done to ensure the continuity of the present system

and done quickly.-

Taipo

(Palmer-

ston North).

! { Yarsity Debate. WHEN I turned on the radio to-night my disgust knew no limits to find that there was a debate from 2YA. Now it is all very well to say if you do not like it turn somewhere else, as the static and general conditions to-night are so bad as to prevent one from doing so. Wellington listeners, too, would be in the same box, as it is the 2ZW silent night. It may be all right for the debaters to be afforded a chance to parade their views to an.unseen audience who are not able té hit back and tell them how foolish bey are, but for the poor old radio enthusiast it is no fun to be deprived of his little evening’s entertainment. I must say I would sooner listen to one whole evening of clever advertising than such "by the way does not matter" stuff. If this is all that is Jearnt at college, well, let us shut them up and save the expense of maintaining them. I cannot imagine what the Broadeasting Company is thinking of to allow themselves to be pressed into putting this kind of thing on the air, especially at the present time when a certain section is seeking excuses .to urge that the Government take over. -Broadeasting Company Wellwisher (Wanganui). A Private Company. FEEL certain that we should be bet: ter served under a private com-

pany and think with Mr. Bloxham that were we under Government or board control, which to me is one and the same thing, that we should get too many talks. I am quite certain we get quite enough of them now. Your suggested plan of bringing in the listeners as shareholders is the best measure of control. One exception that I take is that the present company wanted the controlling interest in the way of appointing the chairman. I believe it would be best for the board to appoint its own chairman or for the shareholders to do so. Your sug-

gestion was too one-sided.-

George S.

Phillpotts

(Carterton).

Acknowledgement of Reporis. [t has for some time been the practice of ZL2AX, Palmerston North, to reply to reports and queries from listen-

ers on Sunday afternoon after the N.Z.A.R.D. official broadcast. Last Sunday (18th) he informed us that he had received a letter (which he read) from the P. and T. Department warning him that periodical calls to listeners constituted broadcasting, which was not allowed on the amateur. bands. This deprives listeners of a valued service. Le pays his license fee in order to enjoy the matter put over the air, and I fail to see why those who are keen enough to take the trouble to report should be denied the acknowledgement of their reports because the P. and T. Department makes a show of authority. As it is the duty of the P. and TT. to protect the interests of listeners, they should encourage, and not hinder, any feature calculated to be of interest to listeners.

I think it would be an improvement if the R.B.C. included more music of the popular instrumental type, steel guitar, banjo, mandolin, ete, in its programmes. ‘This sort of music is much appreciated, and I notice with pleasure that we are getting a little more of it. Now for a surprise packet! I have actually caught 2YA’s announcer making a mistake. On Wednesday (9/9/°31), at 7 p.m., he announced, "Please stand by for the 8 p.m. chimes nud the commencement of our international programme." Hi! Hi! Mr.

Drummond. —

Third Grid

(Grey-

mouth).

1VYA International Programme. je is just about time some of these records found the serap-heap. The last record played by this station on Tuesday, 8th, was a disgrace, One record was so badly worn that it repeated itself seven times in one playing. -Straight Hight (Mokai). Future of Broadeasting. MaAyY I add a few comments on. the future policy of broadcasting in New Zealand from the point of view of the way-back listener? To fritter wway a yery large sum of money on a lot of tin-pot low-powered stations will benefit no one but crystal set owners in the immediate vicinity of the reluy stations. All listeners in and around the four centres, also all the rest of New Zealand (except close to the relay stations), and all owners of valve sets near the relay stations will get practically no benefit from the scheme. a It would be of far greater use to increase the power of the four YA

stations to sufficient strength to reach all over New Zealand. The proposed relay stations would not give us any greater choice of programmes and would possibly create {nterference with other New Zealand or Australian stations. Might I suggest a postal ballot of your listeners as to whether the majoritv prefer relay stations or increased

yower in the existing stations?-

L.H.

B.

(Karioi).

Women Transmitters. WISH to corréct and amplify a paragraph in the latest issue of the "Radio Record" on women transmitters. Being interested in the subject myself, I recently went through the Amateur Call Book to see how many "ham" stations were owned and operated by women. In addition to the large number in the U.S.A. and the two in England there are six (not two) in New Zealand, four in Australia. one in France, one in the Argentine. four in Poland, two in Canada, and two, in Brazil. The following are the New Zealand stations: ZL2FR, Wellington; ZL8AG, Greymouth; ZL8BT, Christchurch: ZL3EDW, Rangiora; ZL4BL, Oamaru: Z7LACL, Dunedin. Also Miss Bell has been one of the operators at ZL4AA for years. I am writing this because I think that amateur radio is the finest hobby in the world, just as suitable for women as for men, and because I would like

to see more girls go in for it.-

C. W.

Parton

(ZIBCP ) _

Adaptation for a D.C. Eliminator. SoMz time back I inquired re a suilable choke for a D.C. "B" elimina tor. I did not go to the trouble of con-

structing a choke, but in its stead placed a bank of 5-230 volts lamps of low wattage in the live side of the supply, in series with the eliminator, this being the negative in my locality. In this bank of lamps I use 2-10 watt and 2-15 watt metal filament type and 1-52 «.p. carbon lamp. Hach lamp is in series with the other and each lamp can be cut in or out of cireuit to allow’ for voltage fluctuation. This idea does noi affect the operation of the eliminator -‘DX25MC,"