Suggested Radio Service Improvements

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 52, 8 July 1932, Page 5

Suggested Radio Service Improvements

Waihi Radio Society Remits

At a recent meeting of the newlyformed Waihi Radio Society, the following remits, dealing with suggested improvements to the existing broadcasting service of this country, were passed :-- (1) That the most urgent requirement is one continuous daytime transmission (including: Sundays) of sufficient energy to be audible at full speaker strength everywhere in New Zealand on a good receiving set. There seem to be no technical reat

sons why practically perfect daylight reception should not be universally available except with rare exceptions. There are certain factors which cannot at present be overcome in the case of night reception, but which do not interfere with daylight reception, Thus in daylight there is :- (a) No distortion. (b) No fading. (c) No heterodyning, and {d) Static is rarely troublesome. Practically the only interference with daytime reception is associated with the transmission and use of electric energy, and this could be greatly reduced By increasing the power of the radio transmission, as well as by the co-operation of power boards and users of electrical appliances. A single 50 kw. transmitting station would adequately serve the whole of New Zealand during the day; the cost of programmes would be no more than for a 5 kw. station, the same staff could operate it, and the extra cost of the power would amount to only a few shillings per hour. (2) That in any rearrangements of the wavelengths allotted to the various YA stations the opportunity be taken to remove 1YA and 8YA to a better part of the broadcast band. The background "mush" is considerable round about the frequencies of these two stations, due presumably to the heterodyning of their carrier waves with some harmonic of the 50eycle AC, power transmission. (8) The society holds the following views re B stations :- "That after all the A stations in New Zealand and Australia have been allotted the most suitable positions on the broadcast band of frequ ncies. there is no objection to unsubsidised private B stations so long as there is ne

danger of their heterodyning with A stations." At present the B stations have the monopoly of over 55 per cent. of the broadcast bands (as well as odd places on that part reserved for A stations). This it seems to us is more than their fair share, and causes crowding of the A stations in New Zealand and Australia. Most of them have little or no entertainment value in this district. (4) The concensus of opinion of members of this society re the local

reception of the principal stations listened to is as follows :- 1YA-Day: Good reception but strong background. Night: Weak with bad distortion and fading. Useless for entertainment. 2XYA-Day: Clear, but not strong enough. Night: Good; sometimes distortion and bad fading. SYA--Day: In summer nil; in winter, fair in afternoon. Night: Good; some fading, but no distortion. 4YA-Day: Nil. Night: In summer weak; in winter, fair with some fading but no distortion. 2ZW-Day: Nil. Night: Fair, but bad fading and heterodyning. Australian Nationals-Day: Nil. Night: In summer weak: in winter, fair.

N.Z. RADIO INSTITUTE

Advice has been received that a meeting of the newly formed Radio Institute will be held at the board room of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, No. 8 The Terrace, Wellington, on Wednesday, July 6, at 7.30 p.m. The business includes incorporation, and the election of officers. A hearty invitation to be present is extended to all those \professionally engaged in radio, as the meeting is a very important one.