Our Mail Bag

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 21, 2 December 1932, Page 19

Our Mail Bag

Power Interference, . ‘A CCORDIN G to my. friends, and from my own experience, 1YA is appar- ' ently losing power. 1ZR, with a modest 80 watts, comes through, loudly and clearly. Power interference in my loeality is also very bad. The tramline points are directly in front of my door, and the noise each tram makes is beyond description. As a tram approaches it creates a noise akin to that of frying sausages, and as the pole hits the "frog" on the wires, there is a loud report, followed closely by a series of hisses and crackles as the tram stops at the door. The compressed air pumps then contribute their share of the programme by obliging with more sausage noises, and the tram. finally thunders away, leaving behind it a trail of _erashes and audible sparks. So you can see a station needs to be coming in strongly to drown out this barrage, and this is where 1YA’falls short,'even though I am only one mile away-and in a direct line with it. I have just been listening to fhe rébroadcast of the unveiling of the Anzac Memorial at Port Said, and; between the trams, it was

exkellent:

C.

Russell

(Auckland, 01 ) .

Short-wave_ Relays:

BING of English birth, I was particularly interested ‘to listen-in to .the Armistice broadcast, and last evening to the Port Said -broadeast. My host had a loudspeaker arranged tuned direct to 2YA, and another working on his’ short-wave- four-valve receiver, SO that signals from 2YA were received ‘simultaneously with those direct from the overseas short-wave transmitter. While ‘the relay through 2YA of the ‘Armistice service was passable it was not. within 800. per cent. as clear or steady as from my friend’s four-valve set. Last night the relay from Port ‘Said was appalling through 2YA, yet we listened to practically every word direct.

Where does the fault lie? Surely the board with its tremendous income is able to find capable men and suitable apparatus to give us something better ‘in the matter of these "relays, if an amateur with a home-made set costing a few pounds can receive these over-

seas stations direct7-

R. L.

Williams

(Palmerston North).

[As explained by our short-wave correspondent this week (p. 24), the signals re-broadcast by 2¥A travelled from Port Said to Cairo by land line, then to Bngland by radio, then to Rugby, whence they were re-broadeast, picked up by Sydney, again re-broadcast, and thence to 2¥A. Considering this handling, the results were. surprisingly gg d.-Ed] 1YVA’s Recorded Programmes.

FEW weeks ago a certain Christchurch gentleman stated that 3YA showed the lowest percentage of originality and artistry. I wish to claim that "honour" for -1YA.' Whatever "Neutron" may say does not affect the’ fact that I am sure the majority of Auckland listeners pay 30/- a year not to listen to 1YA, but to the excellent B class. stations, which, fortunately, have _not come under’ the lethargic influence of board control. The Tuesday evening recorded programmes. from 1YA, which could be very attractive, are the last word in feebleness-a dreary succession of poor so-called "popular" records of alleged humour, freak. solos, etc, ‘Any classical music which happens to find its way into this trash ig

POT a a = usually too hackneyed to be. worth listening to-again. I suggest the programme organisers glance at a record’ catalogue.and see the. great variety of excellent musical recordings available. Radio in other countries is looked upon as something of a public utility ; here it is another Government ‘depart-. ment for the mulcting of listeners who have no wish to. listen to the board’s stations. -I.am perfectly well aware that the YA stations are at a disadvantage in haying to compete with statians using records at every session, but that does not excuse them when they compete on even terms, Instead of forever patting themselves on the back, the board might find a more useful outlet for its energy and show us where our money goes, That last point is some-

what obscure at present.-

W.M.

B.

(Auckland),

"Highbrow" Music. I ENDORSE "More Popular’s" views . eoncerning the proportion of popular music from the YA stations. Why the board issued the questionnaire puzyles me It is not compiling its programmes from it. Tully 90. per cent. of the music put across each day is highbrow, but Sunday afternoon is worse still. About three minutes is all

i a tate I-can stand. Easily the best items from 2YA are given. by Frank Crowther’s orchestra, but the numbers in between are generally terrible. I am glad to see that the Grand Opera Company will goon be leaving New Zealand. I notice also if any part of a programme is ever cut down. it is always the dance hour that suffers. _ " LT have been waiting. some time for 2 letter to appear in the "Record" on the ‘subject "Altair" brings up. I have noticed quite a few in the "Otago Daily Times" complaining about the poor microphone voices 4YA announcers have. Why the board put off Mr.

Wrathall I can’t say-

6 Anti-Boara `

(Invercargill) _

Unreasonable Criticism. RACTICALLY every week there appear in your "Mailbag" columns letters from disgruntled listeners who are dissatisfied with the service provided. Personally, I think the board has achieved wonders since it took office, but, like all such bodies, it will always come in for much unseasonable criticism from "Fed-ups" and ‘"Dissatisfied Listeners." We get interesting talks such as thosé of Major Lewis and Mr, Treadwell-and then come let-

ters complaining of "unpleasant ‘spy stories" and "crime talks." : The "Quips from the Questionnaire" show'clearly thé cottradictory opinions as to types of programmes, and those who take the attitude that "I pay my license fee and I must have: more bagpipe, Hawaiian, or some other music, or less of this, that, or the other thing," must know the futility of expecting the board to be influenced by their letters. The programme organisers mix the types of music wonderfully well. 2YA is the best, and I listen to it mostespecially in the dinner hour, whet AYA is inclined to. be spasmodic and presents lengthy sections of classical, ‘and then of light music. 3YA, when I tune to it, usually has ‘an -alarming percentage of Hawaiian music. (The "B" station on the air at that time has a transmission quality ‘that is a disgrace to a radio firm, and the ‘programmes consist of mouth organ or accordion solos, reels and vocal trios sith Jew’s harp or banjo: accompaniment.) The "A" evening programmes are generally well selected. Your correspondent, W. K. Carter, cites one of particular merit-Wednesday, 9th, at 2YA. Even then someone complains repetition of records and of the concert orchestra, whith gives some very fine performances. Then someone protests that:the Sunday afternon programmes are dull, and mentions specially "twenty-seven minutes of piano music." In my humble, opinion, the Sunday music is ideal for the purpose, and piano is the most popular type of music presented. One more thing: surely the complaints about too many records and not enough "local talent" must come from artists (?) who cannot obtain broadcasting engagements. There is no comparison between the two types of

entertainment. ; Having taken to task several types of critic, may I quote a few slight weaknesses. (1) No service on Saturdays till 2 p.m. (2) In winter no music on Saturday afternoons (4ZF, 4ZW and 4ZL haye rectified this in Dunedin). (8) ‘The old trouble of the 7-8 p.m. lack of music. (4): The carillon sounds terrible over the air. (5) Although the amount of dance music is in the right proportion, it would be nice for those who like dance sessions if occasionally an 8-10 p.m. ‘session could be arranged instead of having to wait till 9.30-11 pm. _ In conclusion, may I, as one of the younger generation (not a jazz fiend!), make a request for the publication of the dance sessions. I have often sat through a whole session of mediocre dance music, hoping for something better; and other times, not bothering to listen-in, I have heard later from other listeners that excellent numbers

were played.

Vivace

(Dunedin).

2¥A’s Sporting Results Up-to-Date. IX last week's "Record," S.A.S., Napier, complains of 2YA being behind the newspapers in announcing the latest cricket scores from Australia.Now, sir, being a very keen cricket follower, I, too, am always looking. for the "latest," and must say my experiences from 2X¥A are entirely opposite to those of S.A.S. Not once, S.A‘S., when.there has been news to broadcast has 2YA4. failed, both at 9 p.m, and-at

Our Mailbag

¢Continued from page 19.) elose of session; while last Saturday, 19th inst., I was extremely grateful to Mr, Drummond, for though I was out late and missed the sports summary, the ericket score, for which I, having full faith in 2YA, sat up for, was given out at approximately 11.10 p.m. You know, 8.A.S8., some games do not go the full four days, but please do not blame 2YA for being unable to give you non-existent news for, as I state, 2YA has not yet failed to give the latest, for which they have my gratitude.

C.G.

B.

(Timaru).

Health Talks. ‘A$ a mother I should like to protest against the suggestion of your core respondent, §.A.8., Napier, that the health talks should be given at night instead of during the morning session, as at present. The splendid health addresses so well delivered by the representative from the Public Health Department every Thursday morning from 2YA have been of great value to me, as they must have been to many other listeners. I have listened to many talks from 2YA, but in my humble opinion very few come up to the standard of those deeply interesting addresses given at a very suitable time for most mothers, and no doubt many others. Let S.A.8S. have his cricket news and the lives of horrible murderers, and other talks of no practical value to us mothers, who have to face such serious problems these

days.

Mother

(Wellington).