A Broadcast That Wasn't

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 26, 8 January 1932, Page 4

A Broadcast That Wasn't

ee Arrival of Floating Dock a AN incident that is not without its humorous side occurred when the floating dock arrived in Wellington harbour last week. Although the probable date of the arrival was known some weeks ahead, it came as a surprise when it was learned the day previously that it would arrive in the harbour the next day. Seeing the possibility of a "stunt," arrangements were hastily made for 2YA to broadcast the actual arrival of the dock. The engineers hastily constructed a 5-watt transmitter that was to broadcast from the "Natone," and this was to be picked up and relayed by 2YA. All went well and the transmiiter, the announcer, and the operator duly shipped abroad and the ship left for the Heads. On round the point the huge dock was sighted and the announcer gave the sign to the operator that he was ready to broadcast. Then commenced a long description of the scene, the huge dock which, jutting abruptly out of the water resembled a castie of old, the hundreds of ‘small fry, outboards, launches, dinghies and skiffs that scurried round the monster, the zooming planes which came _ so low that one could have shot « pebble into the fuselage, and the thousands of people who lined the shores and hills to witness the unique event. For two and a half hours the supposed broadcast continued, during which time Mr. H. D. Bennett, of the Harbour Board, addressed the microphone. When it was all over and the announcer came ashore, the rest of 2YA wanted to know what had happened,

for, as listeners know, nothing went over the air. The operator on the hill heard nothing, yet the operator on the boat averred that the broadcast went out all right. Now the question of the hour is ‘‘Where did the broagte east go?" Those of us who heard the now famous fire broadcast from 2YA, and have realised the ability of the announcer to vise to a special occasion, are very disappointed that the broadcast was missing.