"The Greatest Show of All"

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 19, 20 November 1931, Page 9

"The Greatest Show of All"

Is How Critics Described This Year 5 Radio Olympia |

The British Radio Exhibition, since its inception as a yearly event, has been an index to British radio for the forthcoming year. In the radio world it is an event of outstanding importance, and this year has been no exception. Record crowds visited the show and there was‘every indication of business being brisk for the ensuing season. In this article we publish the first-hand impressions of a New Zealand visitor-Mr. John Galvin, who recently left the "Radio Record" staff in order jto gain experience abroad. Mr. Galvin, it will be remembered, largely instrumental in organising the first Wellington Radio Exhibition.

} O be able to examine eo radio sets‘and accessories amounting to. over. £5,000,000 is surely a radio enthusiast’s dream. ' Yet I had this unforgettable experience when I- visited the exhibition

at Organised by the radio manutacturers of Great Britain at Olympia | last- week. . Five miles of stands with an official value of a million pounds a mile! Five miles of all-absorbing interest! Here one could see the latest in radio and some of the first radio apparatus ever manufactured. This exhibition was first organised in 1924, when the total annual output of sets was 50,000, the trade having a turnover of £4,000,000 annually. Last year (1930) 650,100 sets were produced and the turnover was £20,000,000.... This year £30,000,000 is the estimate. The attendance in 1924 was 44,000; in 1930, 161,128; and 200,000 in 1931. These figures surely demonstrate the vast advances radio has made in England, particularly during the last year. _ The Exhibition Committee had gone to great lengths to secure the interest of

visitors. Several interesting displays of a general nature were arratiged, while a dance floor with orchestra was: provided for those interested in this amusement. -It has been computed that more than 5000 records have been broadcast during the twelve-hour-a-day non-stop programmes, these being relayed by all stands. oy The total number of’ exhibits was 255, representing all members of the Radio Manufacturers’ Association. A genuine decorativé scheme was carried out, and exhibitors were ‘ allowed to make. further extensions ‘on their own behalf, gold and blue being the predominating colours. The B.B.C. occupied a considerable afount of space; where they had models of their broadcasting plant and general equipmént. A feature that attracted considerable: interest was a moulded map of England, showing the location of all stations, either proposed or in operation, One of the most noticeable features was the general trend toward sets that have "eye-appeal." Formerly the British manu- : facturer has been cqntent’ to produce a set that will give some remarkable performances, and to put it in a box and wait for something to happen, but at last he seems to have realised that thé woman has a say in the purchase of this commodity, and to her his product must appeal. The Americans realised this many yéars ago, and thus they, with their bigger valve sets and beautiful cabinets, have ousted the English radio i foreign markets. Nevertheless, I antici-

pate that if the British manufacturers develop along the present lines they will do much to establish British predominance. Some of the most noticeable ‘manufacturers in their field were Ultra-Electric,

Limited, marketing a fine range of receivers from a two-valve a.c. to a super-het, all built in very attractive cabinets of fine woods and selling at reasonable prices, the Marconiphone Company, who also had a good portable, as did Corson, Ltd. R. S. T. BROWN, inventor of the first loudspeaker, had two remarkable new patents at Olympia. One is his battery superseder, a device which does away with the need for a high-tension battery. This is a small compact unit, easily connected to an existing accumulator, from which it derives its power. It gives the set a constant flow of current, which} in turn means unvarying volume from the loudspeaker, and yet necessitates only a small extra consumption from} the *A" hatterv.

} The other invention is the Microvoxy which will convert any gramophone into a| really powerful electric amplifier without the necessity of a wireless set or a valve! amplifier. | The Raycroft Kit, which has been attract-| ing much attention here lately through its use as a burglar alarm was exhibited. Its different uses in starting and stopping | machinery, shutting and opening doors. | counting, etc., were demonstrated. It em-' ploys an equivalent to the telenium cell which varied its resistance to an electric current, a the light which shines upon it is varied in ‘intensity. This phenomenon is utilised to give varied and far-reaching results, and tiow it may be obtained in a commercial way. Enthusiasts will soon be stopping and starting their radios with it. A new development in speakers was shown by the Prism Manufacturing Company. They have designed a speaker differing fundamentally from ordinary tele~ phone and loudspeaking apparatus, and possessing a potential energy of its own. This speaker, it is claimed, is non-directional and may be used with an ordinary two-valve set, to obtain sufficient volume to fill an ordinary home. (We hope to be able to describe this original speaker more fully at a later date.) The popularity of the portable is as great as ever, and no fewer than 32 different firms displayed this type of receiver. In the majority of cases at least two models were manufactured. A surprising feature is the number that (Concluded on page 10.

use a highly polished wood for their fitting. No doubt this is done to reduce the cost. Sereen grid circuits are the general rule. Of the small valve receivers the most popular were those manufactured by Cossor and Kolster-Brandes, either battery or A.C. The Cossor New Empire Three screen-grid kit embodies several new features in kit construction, including special screening and metal base plate, and improved cabinet work. A metal-lined screen grid valve is used in this kit. The Kolster-Brandes utilises a screen grid R.F. amplifying valve, detector and a high voltage y’ tode output valve. The clearly-marked illuminated condenser scale is calibrated for direct readings of wavelengths on both long and short waves. In the large set field, there are Sev: eral really good: long-range receivers suitable for our conditions. In the majority of cases they are housed in good cabinets and built for A.C. work. Such well-known firms as Marconi. phone, Tannoy, Ferranti, McMichael. Columbia, Kolster-Brandes, and Pye Radio showed nice models. The most appealing of‘this type was the ‘"Panther," a console model with five valves, in a modern style walnut cabinet finished with a high polish and incorporating a moving coil speaker, made by Ultra, Limited. The largest radio on show was that made by Varley. Its overall dimensions were 41lin. wide by 223in. deep and 39in. high-a set not particularly suited fo: flat dwellers. In the accessories on display, several features of unusual interest were noticed. One firm was selling a cone adapter that cuts out chatter and rattle. It is designed to take the place of the customary small screw for adjusting the reed or driving rod, as it closes up with equal pressure the whole surface of the reed or rod, and then a clamping device gives a permanent grip at the back of the cone. Another was a terminal which, by changing the top, could be used with equal success as a clamp, grip, and extension No outstanding developments’ in valves were shown, the main improvement being "metallising," which enables a constructor when using this type of valve to do away with screening. In these valves the outside glass surface is covered with a special solution for this purpose. Firms familiar to New Zealand and who exhibited were: Amplion,° Ltd., speakers; British Thomson, Houston Co., Ltd., pick-ups, etc.; A. C. Cossor, Ltd., sets and valves; Dubilier Condenser Co., Ltd., a full range of condens-

ers; Ferranti, Ltd., loudspeakers, transformers, sets; Fuller Accumulator Co., Ltd., accumulators; Igranic Wlectric Co., Ltd., transformers, chokes, condensers, radio combination motors, pick-ups, amplifiers, and microphones; Kolster-Brandes, Ltd., combinations, super-sets, 3-valve, all A.C. and D.C., 2valve A.C. and battery models, speakers, wavetraps, and headphones; Lissen, Ltd., combination, two, three, four -and five-valve receivers, portables, valves, dry batteries, eliminators, pickups, accumulators, and full range of components ; Magnavox (Great Britain, Ltd.), speakers, Marconiphone, 6-valve super-het., 2, 8, 4-valve receivers, A.C. and battery models, loudspeakers, pickups, valves; Mullard Valve Co., bat: tery-operated sets ot all types, A.t. sets, valves, all types, including transmitting valves, and speakers; Ormond Engineering Co., speakers, condensers, und general components; Vye Radiv, Ltd., kit-sets and portables, battery and A.C.: Siemens Hlectric Lamps and Supply, Ltd., their new Full-o’-power dry batteries: Telegraph Condenser (‘o., full range of condensers.. With the closing of the exhibition ou September 28, it was taken to Manchester, where it opened to record business the following week.