Radiolympia

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 26, 4 January 1935, Page 42

Radiolympia

By

Leslie W.

Orton

Olympia is a huge building situated in Hammersmith, which is on the’ outskirts of London. Although -the radio show is held in one part of the Olympia Hall this place is so large that other shows, of immense size, are held at the same time. The outside of Radiolympia is not attractive; indeed, it is the reverse, for it does not constitute the fine ‘Empire Hall, which is shown in most of the pictures, but.it merely consists of an older, and unattractive, structure. And so it is that upon entering the building one seems to enter another world. The drabness is taken away by "Stringalite signs" and a huge neon clock. The stands are decked with all manner of ornaments.

One interesting feature’ of the new sets was the tuning system which Varley,. the radio manufacturers, have brought out. It is called permeability tuning. There are no tuning condensers, the circuits being tuned by adjusting iron-dust cores within the coils, thus varying the inductance. Varley have now manufactured three and fourgang models, and they claim ‘that, selecis far superior to that obtained -from the conventional coil and condenser arrangement. ; Receiver design has not varied greatly. The superhet. is ‘a great favourite with manufacturers, Outward appearance has likewise changed only slightly. although some manufacturers have brought out receivers with unusual eabinets. Prominent among them is the Dkeo, which has a round bakelite ¢abinet. Television has certainly come more to the fore, and several television receiv-ers-mainly of the dise type-were on show. They range in price from £2/10/to £60. Anew television paper has been issued, and this. has given much space in its first number to the television displays arranged by the ‘International Radio Sociéty.