History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Publications/Australasian Radio World/Notes

Australasian Radio World - Transcriptions and notes

1930s

1936

1936 08

P.02 - Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes . . .

FOUR YEARS OF PROGRESS. During the past four years, radio has progressed perhaps more rapidly than ever before, particularly in regard to receiver design. 1932 saw the coming of the six- and seven-pin valves, and with their advent set designers discarded the old reliables, represented by the '24, '35, and 47, in favour of the 57, 58, and 2A5. Now these in their turn are giving way to the new American metal and English spray-shielded releases. Base standardisation for all new type valves is also an advance worthy of mention.

CIRCUIT IMPROVEMENTS. Circuit design has improved in step with, or rather, because of, advances in valve design. Diode detection, automatic volume control, noise suppression control, and then dual-wave and all-wave receivers were all made commercially practicable by valves designed specially for these features.

BETTER TONE THE NEXT STEP. The next step will undoubtedly be in the direction of improving tone; in fact, leading manufacturers are already releasing medium-priced receivers capable of giving high-quality reproduction. During the past few years, set designers have been forced to concentrate on obtaining high selectivity and maximum sensitivity - the former, because of the steady increase in the number of stations operating on the broadcast hand, and the latter, because of the rapid development of worldwide shortwave services. As a result, the modern superhet is more powerful and selective than ever before. What is now needed is these qualities combined with high-quality reproduction - a combination not easily obtained, for it means much more than just providing a modern superhet tuner with a high-class audio channel. Either variable selectivity or some form of tone compensation is needed - preferably the latter - while improved speakers and better baffling are going to help considerably. Price levels will probably be a little higher, because really good tone is expensive to obtain, but nevertheless the manufacturer who caters for this latest trend is going to reap a worthwhile reward.

P.02 - Publication Notes

The "Australasian Radio World" is published monthly by A. E. Read. Editorial offices, 214 George Street, Sydney, N.S.W. Telephone BW6577. Cable address: "Repress," Sydney. Advertisers please note that copy should reach office of publication by 15th of month preceding that specified for insertion.

Subscription rates: 1/- per copy, 10/6 per year ( 12 issues) post free to Australia and New Zealand. Subscribers in New Zealand can remit by Postal Note or Money Order.