Listener's Poser for New Member

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 44, 10 May 1935, Page 21

Listener's Poser for New Member

Misguided Idea of the Functions of Broadcasting Board-More About the New Station — Opening in November?-First-class Reception on Shortwave From Daventry

HIL® it is a compliment to the . members, the implicit faith that some listeners have in the powers of the gentlemen who control broadecasting is at times amazing. From a lady listener, one of the members of the New Zealand Broadeasting Board has received a strange request, with which it is quite impossible for him or anyone else to comply. This correspondent wrote to the effect that she thoroughly enjoyed the Japanese houseboy interludes that were heard from time to time, but she thought the actual dialogue in each instalment was rather short, while the introductory and final music to each was perhaps on the long side. Others might agree with her up to this point, but surely very few would be so unacquainted with the affairs of broadcasting to support her in the request that followed this introductory note. Could not the member. she asked. use his influence to have the unwanted music deleted from the broadcasts, so that all the humorous episodes could be presented as one long story on one night? Just how the board member is going to answer that request it is hard to say. but that is a matter that concerns himself, and so the story so far as readers are concerned ends here. MOST interesting and important anhouncement to listeners appeared in the Dunedin papers a short time ago. Of course, this was.a very definite statement concerning the new station to be erected on the Otago Peninsula, and listeners were no end bucked to learn that after weeks of waiting something was about to start. As everyone knows now, the buildings that Will be required to house the new plant. along with the accommodation necessary for the resident staff of engineers and operators, are to be erected by aA local firm of contractors. At the time of writing there is not very much evident sign that the contractors are on the job, to use a colloquialism, but nevertheless they have begun. In order to facilitate the carriage © of heavy loads from the main road to the. site, it has been necessary to alter the grade of the by-road, and here was a difficulty that had to be overcome hefore the actual building operations could start.. It was also necessary to have a pump. handy to draw water from a near-by stream for mixing purposes, and this also had to be accomplished .before ‘the buildings could hegin to take shape. TT'HR contract time for erecting the . buildings has been stated as fourteen weeks, which means that it will not be-before the latter end of July that the. A‘W.A. engineers will be on the spot réady to assemb’e the transmitting apparatus. as: the components come to hand. Going by the time it took to build the Auckland plant, the

Dunedin station will probably be ready for testing about the middle ef September, when the daily transmissions will come to listeners via the new equipment, the present plant being kept in the meantime in case of emergency. The normal period for testing and adjusting is only a few weeks, so that listeners might watch for the official opening. of the new station about the beginning o* November. . : % O far as 4YA was concernea, Miss Jean Batten’s speech from the Empire shortwave station at Daventry the other evening was most suc cessful. Reception of the English sta tion Was very nearly perfect at the Dunedin receiving base, so that the transmission that was passed along the line to the local station was not marred by any of the usual imperfections associated with long-distance work. Every word uttefed by the aviatrix was clearly reproduced, and static and surging were practically nil. Dunedin is fortunate in. having such a fine receiving area so close to the town. and the officials of the station are. to be congratulated on making

use of it. The man behind the ‘‘works’" at Halfway Bush is also to be thanked for his efforts on behalf of -the majority of local listeners. WRESTLING in Dunedin is to commence any time now. ‘The season has already started in Auckland, and the first bout description for broadcasting Was listened to in the south. It is expected that the usual arrangements will be made locally for breadcasting. the "grunt and grapple" conflicts that are staged in Dunedin, as it has been the practice in the past to entertain listeners on a Saturday night with descriptions of the main bouts. No doubt, the local association realises that broadcasting has been the means of giving a big boost to wrestling, and it is believed that as a result of these broadcasts many listeners have been So inspired to see the matmen in action that they have joined the crowds in the Town Tall at subsequent contests. Others there are who stay at hime for their wrestling. but these are the persons who, through force of. ‘cireumstances cannot get to the Town Hall. and it is for their entertainment that the broadcasts are principally designed,