RADIO SPARKLETS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 250, 22 November 1929, Page 4

RADIO SPARKLETS

Estimates of total radio saies in the United States for the so-called radio year, from June 30, 1928, to June 30, *1929, place the figure at Approximately £102,000,000. The average total volume of business for eacli dealer during this radio year was £2900. More than 3,108,000 sets, which include both A.C. and battery, were sold during the same period. Onlv 13 per cent. of this total were battery-operated sets. * * * The departure of Mr Dudley Wrothall, programme organiser for 1YA, at the end of next week will he universally regretted. Mr Wrathall has accepted a similar position at, 4YA, Dunedin. He has acted in his present capacity for nearly three years. and has been largely responsible for the success of the progrmnmes. A popular organiser, Mr Wrathall was held in higli esteem, and his position will he difficult to fill. The appointment of his successor has not yet been decided. * * * Crystal sets of a selective kind are still very popular in Sydney and Melboume. A firni in tlie latter city has '"shown enterprise in pntting on the market a modern and efficient set of this type in parts, including basehoard and panel ready drilled, so that the whole can he quickly and easily assembled bv following the directions enclosed. The idea sliould commend itself to the trade in New Zealand. * * * Hamilton is shortlv to have a pri-vat'ely-operated broadcasting station. Mr'G. S. Anclior has ohtained a permit for experimental transmissions on the broadcast band, subject to the condition that his station, which has been allotted the call-sign 1FP, is not to go on the air after noon. lf the experiment proves successful Mr Anclior proposes to apply for a full "B" station cliense. He has received off'4.rs of lielp from a numher of local artists and several choirs, and expects that there will be no difficulty over pro.gra.mmes. The Broadcasting Company was approached some time ago and asked to consider erecting a relay station at Hamilton, hut it was not able to offer any encouragement. * * * A large amount of static interfered vdtli the reception in Auckland on Monday evening of the broadcast from England of the Armistice Dav ceremonv at the Cenotaph. London. The volume, however, was much grenter than last year and the fragments of the service which were pickod up

^^'VV*VVVV,VVvVvl/,t I - proved very interesting. The ceremony was relayed from tlie Cenotaph to .tlie station of uSW. at Chelmsford, a distance of about 26 miles, where it was broadcast on the sliort wavetengtli of 25.4 metres. Portions of tlie service, such as tlie siuging by the assembly of hymns and the National Antliem, the playing of sacred music by massed bands, and the sounding of "The Last Post" and the "Reveille" were very distinct. The cereniony was rebroadcast bv 2YA, Wellington, and 3YA, Christchurch. The locnJ station and the Melboume and Sydney stations id not rebroadcast the service. * * 3 * Although a slavish adherence to makers' instruotions regarding H.T. voltage and grid-bias voltage is not necessary, it is as well to remember that such figures are worked out for the benefit of listeners, and therefore they should only be departed from in cases where the valve owner is quite sure of the effect of the modificatiqn he is making.