"Logging" from a Few Miles Away

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 2, 19 July 1935, Page 27

"Logging" from a Few Miles Away

‘Would-be "DXers" Waste the Time of Dunedin Station Staff-Contrast in B Stations’ Policies-Looking Forward to Gladys Moncrieff and Gil Dech.

ARDLY a day passes without a batch of reports from "DX" listeners turning up in the 4YA and 4XO mails, Ninety-nine per cent. of these reports, which are sent in so that the stations’ verification cards will be mailed jn return, are not worth the paper they are written on, These are the ones from listeners within two or three hundred miles of the stations, and are of absolutely no use or interest to the station staff, It is a sheer absurdity for listeners at St. Clair or the Gardens to fill in a special report card stating that 4YA was heard at 9 o’clock "on a eertain evening broadcasting a list of items named, and it is even more ridiculous when the writer adds that his set is an eight or nine-valve superheterodyne, yet, surprising as it may seem, there are many living in nearby suburbs who write to the stations for verification cards. What good the cards sent in return are it is difficult tosay. Actually, the real DX reports are those that come from the islands. Australia, America or Canada. These are of some value to the technical staff, and are usually placed in a safe place for reference purposes. J IFTERENT B stations have different policies, and a good example of this is provided every week by 4Z0 and 4ZM. The former has found that a couple of nights set aside each week for the playing of request items en-, sures it a eertain percentage of listeners, who haye previously sent in their letters asking that the numbers named therein be played on any particular night, It may be assumed then that the policy of 4Z0 is to give its listeners just what they ask for. On the other hand, 4ZM absolutely refuses to broadcast requests, even when listeners make strong pleas for certain tunes to be played. Despite its refusal te give its listeners what they demand,’ 4ZM seems to claim a fair quota of listeners, who, after being turned down so far as their requests are concerned, . are quite content to listen to and appreciate most of what the station staff prefer to provide. 4ZM’s policy, it is presumed, is. not to feed the radio public on too much of the same thing. but to offer as much vyariety as possible, WHEN Miss Gladys Moncrieff and Mr. Gil Dech made their radio debut. at Auckland the other night, many Dunedin receivers were tuned to the 1YA frequency, It was found that Miss Moncrieft’s powerful soprano yoice was in good shape for the tour of the country, and those same listeners, plus %. good many more, made a point of listening to her again when the big concert from 2YA was rebroadenst by the local A station. There were many others in this latter programme, including Mr, Dech again, who were also worth tuning in to listen to, so that

altogether the bill of fare was most acceptable to the majority. Local listeners are, of course, now looking forward to the visit of Miss Moncrieff and Mr. Dech to 4YA, anticipating something good when they arrive. It is timely to announce that they make their first appearance here on July 26, followed by other performances on July 28 and 31, the latter date being the appointed one for the next charity concert in the Town Iall. ON the same night that the two visitors arrive, a local quintet, which is new to broadcasting, will also be present in the studio. This combination is made up of Mrs. H. CG. Campbell (piano), Miss Dthel Wallace (violin), Miss Ngaio Garland (violin), Miss L. Rattigan (viola) and Miss Blyvira Wycherley (cello), and will render Cesar Franck’s "Quintet in F Minor."

GPORTING fans were given a change of entertainment on Monday night when a boxing match was described instead of the usual wrestling bout. This was really a wrestling night, but as arrangements had been made to stage the middleweight championship between two professionals, the Wrestling Asso- , ciation decided not to clash with the event, and accordingly postponed its own fixture. F the public interest already. apparent’ in the forthcoming charity concert is maintained until the night of the entertainment, there should be a bumper house on July 31. From general talk heard in the city, one gathers that Mr. Gil Dech will be the one upon whom most eyes will be centred, as this very talented and popular gramophone artist is making his first visit, so far as is known, to Dunedin.