Amateur Shortwave Interference

Radio Record, Volume IX, Issue 15, 18 October 1935, Page 21

Amateur Shortwave Interference

Complaints of Radio-Telephone Speech All Round the Dial — Election Results. Service Should Be Ample-Tano Fama’s Talks Worth. Listening: To — Incomplete Dismantling.

(OME of the’ "listeners ‘in’ ‘the ‘St. Kilda district have been complaining ‘ bitterly about a certain ‘amateur using phone and’ causing interference, | especially .dn Sunday’ mornings. "They say that the offender can be hes ard over’ practically the;whole dial on the. shiort- . wave band, and one or: two.have reported picking up ‘his coriversation on certain broadcast.frequencies. It seems that'some of the complainants have fairly ancient receiving sets, which, of course, are broader in. tuning’ than modern designs, but’ the others" claim that their’ sets are comparatively ‘up-to-date, and, therefore, selective. | The position should not be a difficult:one:to deal with, aS it is believed all amateurs are only too willing-to rectify faults in their transmitting apparatus ‘to ‘oblige listeners who are-receiving interference. However, there-is another point of ‘view. ’ Shortwave’ listening .is* becoming* moré popular every week, and. as nohe:can — produce any evidence:in stipport:‘of the futile; conversations carried’ on: by the amateurs on 80-metres,‘the: latter | would be well advised to study the hours during which théy use‘radio telephony, just ‘incase listeners. should take it into their heads to: bring pressure to bear on the Government; to prohibit amateurs from extending their activities to phone. It should also; be. explained that if this: ‘were. done ,the.listeners would have right. ‘On their side.. Hn. ‘general election is. now only. some five weeks. off. At: one time the public depended almost -sOlely.- on their local papers.to supply them .with the returns.as they:came to- hand, but that time is. passing, and: nearly: every~ one naturally and rightly expects. to hear the results at. home, radio, . of course, being the means -by which .to receive them. At the'last election the main stations .were able to gite their listeners | fairly full accounts -of the results-of the polls, but: for this. year, it is understood; even more ‘complete arrangements are now: well under way for advising listeners of the various returns, Provided no unforeseen hitches . occur, and the possibilties of that’ are remote, all.those who care to tune ‘to 4YA on, the’ night of November ‘27’ will be supplied with complete results..almost. ag~s06n .as_they’.come: to,.hand. . No doubt this: will: be a: very satisfac: , tory arrangement from everyone’ s point of view. A COMPARATIVELY » new . "gpeliker at -4YA; giving a.series-of talks‘ by weekly: instalments, is Mr,.'Tano’ Fama, whose ‘true :Maori historical: incidents are:proving very interesting. There ‘is no ‘doubt :that:Mr.: Fama-is thoroughly versed ‘in: his subject, and:he makes each story as:vivid as-possible.’ Judging by his .chatty--style, one’ has: the impres--sion. that: he ‘does not completely’ write his’ talk beforehand .as most‘ radio speakers do,. but. prefers to"note a*few »

of the major: points on paper "to act as.a-guide to-the actual phrasing of the — matter ‘before the microphone. Mr. Fama is a: well-known: figure in Dunedin public life, being the manager of one of the city’s. picture theatres. He hag:also been‘associated with the legitimate stage, being the leader of. a troupe of diggers,- who toured New Zealand and Australia shortly after the war. Incidentally, another member. of . ‘that party, Mr. Stan. Lawson, is also a. ‘resident in. Dunedin, and-has been heard * once-or' twice:from the local studio. (OMPARATIVELY speaking, the number of listeners who dismantle their receiving sets are‘small, and thosewho actually dismantle after notifying the ° authorities ° of their intention to do so are even fewer.’ It: had been found by the Post. and Telegraph -Department Officials ‘that most ‘of -those

who return the completed form stating that they are not renewing their licenses and have put their sets out of working order have performed the latter duty in an entirely satisfactory manner. However, every now and then someone slips on the dismantling. The officials decided to investigate one or two cases recently, and made the discovery that the receivers were still in perfect working order, although the licenses had not been renewed. It might be that the listeners in question did not understand that dismantling meant the removing of all valves from the set, the shifting of the receiver from the power mains, and the taking down or ‘breaking of the aerial, and perhaps imagined that if the sets were not:in actual use they were then dismantled. However, they have learned differently now, and their sets are definitely out of commission, .