Alan Mulgan's Talk "Blacked Out"

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 39, 5 April 1935, Page 12

Alan Mulgan's Talk "Blacked Out"

1YA Transmitter Developed Fault During "World Affairs" Talk — Well-known Radio Inspector’s New Job — Neon Signs and Interference-Broadecasting Woolworth’s Fire.

TW the middle of what was probably the most interesting and important broadcast on "World Affairs" that Mr. Alan Mulgan has given, on the evening of Tuesday, March 26, the transmitter of 1YA at Henderson developed a fault, and Mr. Mulgan was off the air for about seven minutes. Apparently some people thought that the censor had been to work on Mr. Mulgan’s talk, which was entirely taken up with the new development in Germany. This was quite an erroneous idea; the break was due entirely to 1 mechanical defect, and when the station came on the air again Mr. Mulgaz resumed at the point where he was cut off, Immediately the station went off the air, 1YX broadcast an an? nouncement together with an apology to listeners. QNE of the best known of Auckland’s radio inspectors, Mr. G. ©. Hart, last week left the employ of the Post and Telegraph Department after 20 years’ service. Mr. Hart has accepted an important position on the technica! staff of Johns, Limited, the big Auckland radio firm, and he started his new duties on Monday. For the past three years Mr. Hart has been on the radio inspectors’ staff, where he was re-° garded as a highly qualified radio tech. nician. There is no doubt as to his ability and he should go far in his pro fession. SEVERAL complaints have been made alleging that the .big Neon Signs on the top of the 100ft. mast on 1YA have caused interference with the reception of 1YX by listeners in the locality of the 1YA studio building, In fact, some of the complainants insisted that they could "hear" the Signs, Although some Neon signs are known to ‘ause interference, there is no founda-

tion for the complaints concerning the 1YA electric signs, which are properly litted with filters. a HE congestion of pedestrians and motor-cars in Queen Street on the night of the big fire in Woolworth’s store was attributed in part by the chief traffic inspector, Mr. G. R. Hogan. in a report presented at last week’s meeting of the Auckland City Council, to an announcement from a broadcasting station that a fire was in pro gress. On the advice of the legal and by-laws committee, the city council requested the Metropolitan Fire Board to urge the Broadcasting Board tbat such announcements should not be made over the air, as they tended to cause congestion of. traffic and pedestrians and hindrance to fire fighting. As a matter of fact the matter has really nothing to do with the Broadcasting Board at all, as the broadcast referred to was made by an Auckland B station, which does not come under its control. A NEW LYNN listener last week ‘made a complaint and a radio inspector was dispatched immediately to investigate the trouble. He found the Woman very annoyed and almost in tears. She explained the cause and pointed to the back garden of her home, where there lay on the grass a few pieces of bent wire-what had once been the stay wires of her aerial mast. During the previous right a thief had visited her property and,. not only removed the aerial, but the tall aerial post as well. So silently did the nocturnal prowler work that the owner did not heard a sound to arouse suspicion. . R. GORDON HUTTHER, 1YA’s popular sports announcer, took ill early last week and had to stay abed. In the

middle of the week he _ suffered a bereavement in the loss of his mother. Mr. Hutter, on Friday night last, was unable to deliver his usual weekly sports talk, his place being taken by Mr. J. W. Wray, of Remuera, the skipper of the 34ft. keel yacht Negataki which last week returned from. Mel-, bourne and Hobart after taking part in the Tasman yacht race in December, won by the German yacht Te Re-

punga. Mr. Wray gave a thrilling account of. the two severe storms met with by his stout little yacht. LISTENERS are reminded that they now have to relicense their sets, the period having expired on Monday last. New licenseg are cheaper, costing £1/5/- per year, as compared with £1 10/- as formerly. The new scale works out at 2/1 per month, which is really ° cheap considering the good radio fare " that is now served up. Short period licenses are'still procurable,