D.C. 'Whistle' In Auckland Suburbs

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 32, 15 February 1935, Page 20

D.C. 'Whistle' In Auckland Suburbs

Trouble Will Be Investigated By Inspector — Big Demand. Expected For All-wave Sets — Aunt Daisy’s Tour — Dangerous Aerials.

fror some time past Auckland radio dealers have complained of the difficulty in selling direct current radio sets in geveral of the suburbs because of a high-pitched whistle emitted as soon as the sets are turned on. It is found that’ loud passages of music drown the noise, but during minimum modylation the unpleasant whistle is plainly heard. It is claimed that ali makes of sets of this type give the same result, and that the trouble is interference from the power station. Parnell, Remuera, a small part of Epsom, Newmarket and Ponsonby are the suburbs most affected. On referring the matter to the radio inspector I was informed that trouble of such a nature would be investigated on receipt of written ‘complaint from the radio dealer or prospective purchaser. Questioned regarding the likely cause of the whistling, the inspector stated that it could arise from a number of causes such as generator ripples, insufficient filtering in sets, direct induction and improper earthing, WiIpp awake and progressive radio dealers, anticipating a big demand for all-wave sets this winter, have already booked heavy orders. When hundreds more of these sets are put on the market there is bound to be an in-

crease in complaints made to the P. and T. Department concerning interference by ignition systems on buses and cars. The remedy, according to one expert, is to install resistances in the spark plug leads, a remedy which is inexpensive to fit to these vehicles. N eminent Dnglish pianiste, Mrs. Hester Stansfeld Prior, is to be featured ina recital from. 1YA°‘on Friday next at 8.30 pm, Mrs, Prioris a daughter of Robert Sloman. Doctor of Music at’ Oxford,:and she is spending some time in New Zealand after a visit to Melbourne for the centenary celebrations. "THE general manager of the Broadcasting Board. Mr. B®. C. Hands. made a hurried business trip to Auckland last week. Arriving on the Limited express on Wediesday morning, he went straight to 1YA studio building, where he transacted much business in connection with the new station, and caught the Limited express on his return to Wellington the same evening. He also found time to personally conduct several local M.P.’s, members of the Auckland City Council and of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce over the new building.

AUNT DAISY (Mrs. Daisy Basham), of 1ZB fame. was given a big farewell by many of her admirers tast week, when she sailed from Auckland by the Aorangi on a tour of the United States and Canada where she intends to improve her radio teechhique hy visiling all the important broadcasting stations, She is paying her own expenses. She is bound to return full of ‘Lew ideas and listeners should. reap the benefit. "TOGETHER with the usual reminder giving notice of the expiry of their radio licenses, listeners are receiving from the district radio inspector or engineer an. intimation warning them of the danger of erecting wireless aerials in dangerous positions. This action. no doubt, has been prompted by the numerons fatalities which have oecurred in the Dominion through want of care when erecting aerials. A NEW band of amateur players. the Gloucester Players. has been formed in Auckland. and go on the air at 1YA for the first time on Thursday ne>4 at 8.12, when "A Rose in Bloom" is to be presented from the studio. This wus written by the well-known novelist, Isabel Peacocke (Mrs. Isabel Cluett), who is now residine in Auckland, and will also. produce the play. LL the portable trucks owned by the Auckland Transport Board have now been fitted Withe filters, and fisteners should be afforded considerable relief. The question of filtering all tramcars owned by the board is to he fulty discussed by the board at its next meeting, when the results of the six months experiments carried out with three tramecars will be made public, Kit sets are rapidiy falling away from favour in Auckland. No doubt the cheap and efficient modern sets housed in attractive cabinets which compare with the price of kit sets is-responsible. There is no longer any monetary advantage to be gained by a person making up his own set. However, there are always a number of experimenters who would rather assemble their own. ERY few complaints are now received by the officials at 1YA regarding spreading by the new transmitter, which is now working really well and giving goo@ performance, It is now generally recognised that in many cases the trouble is inside listeners’ sets, as was pointed ont in this page last week, .