History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Publications/Australasian Radio World/Issues/1951 02

Front Cover

Australian Radio & Electronics

incorporating

Australasian Radio World

Registered at G.P.O., Sydney, for transmission by post as a periodical.

FEBRUARY, 1951 - Vol. 15, No. 7

1/6

P.01 - Contents Banner

AUSTRALIAN RADIO AND ELECTRONICS

and incorporating

AUSTRALASIAN RADIO WORLD

Vol. 15 - February, 1951 - No. 7

P.01 - Contents

CONTENTS

Our Cover . . . . 1

Editorial . . . . 2

R. & E. Television Project for Home Construction . . . . 4

A Straightforward Narrow-Band F.M. Exciter . . . . 9

Direct-Reading Meter for Measuring Audio Frequency . . . . 17

Video I.F. Amplifier Design, by the Engineering Dept., Aerovox Corp. . . . . 22

"Ham" Activities . . . . 25

Short Wave Review . . . . 29

Classified Advertisements . . . . 32

Our Front Cover

Loudspeaker Response curves are rapidly and accurately plotted with the aid of this curve tracing equipment used in the Rola Company laboratory. The speaker under test is mounted on a baffle and placed in the sound pressure room. A signal of progressively varying frequency is fed into the test loudspeaker from the Beat Frequency Oscillator and power amplifier shown in the upper portion of the picture. Sound from the loudspeaker is picked up by a calibrated microphone in the sound pressure room and fed via another amplifier to the recorder unit which is mechanically linked with the B.F.O.

P.01 - Publication Notes

Subscription Rates: 12 Issues 18/- Post Free

Published by the Proprietors: Radio & Electronics (N.Z.) Ltd. (Publishers - Incorporated in N.Z.) 17 Bond Street, Sydney, N.S.W.

Correspondence: All correspondence, contributions, and enquiries referring to advertising space and rates should be addressed to our Registered Australian Office:

The Editor, "Radio and Electronics", 17 Bond Street, Sydney, N.S.W., Telephones: BU3879, BW7746, Telegrams and Cables: "Cranlay", Sydney

Managing Editor: LAY. W. CRANCH, AMIRE (Aust.), M.W.I.A., VK2XC

Providing National Coverage for the Advancement of Radio and Electronic Knowledge

Sole Wholesale Distributors - Gordon & Gotch (A/asia) Ltd.

Wholly set up and printed in Australia by R. V. Byers, 9 Wetherill St., North Lidcombe. 'Phone: UX6681 (Footnote P.1)

P.02 - Editorial

Editorial

AUSTRALIA DAY — January 26th, 1951 — officially ushered in the Jubilee of the Commonwealth of Australia, which was celebrated throughout the Continent by processions and pageants depicting the various changes that have taken place in our civil and commercial life during the period 1901 to 1951. Amongst these marched the science of Radio and Electronics and today we have our Radio and Electrical Industry as one of the three largest secondary industries in the Commonwealth, producing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of essential equipment for our modern way of life, and employing directly and indirectly thousands and thousands of skilled and semi-skilled workers. We have viewed many and varied changes from the old spark transmitter and crystal set days to modern Radio as we know it, which has given mankind the marvels of Radar, untold numbers of electronic devices and last, but by no means least, TELEVISION. Home recording on disc, wire, tape, etc., is also practised by many enthusiasts, and really excellent recordings can be made by the average person (without any technical knowledge whatsoever) due to the high standard reached by commercial manufacturers of these units. Most of the old hands in the game, started their careers in the crystal set era, and your Editor can still recall his first variable condenser — which consisted of one aluminium "billy can" covered with waxed brown paper, sliding inside another one of slightly larger diameter. Compare that crude device with the modern gang condenser of today. . . such is progress! Television is with us to stay, in both black and white, and colour, and although it may be some time before T.V. is actually transmitted in Australia, we feel, it our duty to assist those interested, by providing them with such practical data that will enable the enthusiast to understand "what it is all about." Even in America, there are not enough skilled T.V. engineers or servicemen, so that it behoves us to assist in the training to provide skilled television personnel for the Industry — hence, our decision to proceed with the R. & E. Television Project. One thing we must also face is the effect of disruptions to our Industry through strikes, blackouts, shortages of materials, go-slow methods, etc. It is indeed heart-breaking to see one's plans knocked from pillar to post, through reasons beyond individual control, when we have the skill, equipment and enterprise, unsurpassed by anyone in the world, and an increasing population to absorb our products at reasonable cost. Therefore, let "the powers that be" take another good look at the ridiculous 25% Sales Tax applied to Radio, which has been classified as a luxury. Radio is NOT a luxury by today's standards, but is a necessity to our every day life, as through its medium, our physical, moral, mental and cultural well being is fostered. If it was good enough during war time to exempt certain trained service personnel to keep domestic receivers and the like working and allow the production of domestic receivers and parts, surely it is just as desirable in peace time to produce the requirements of the nation at a price commensurate with the living standards of the day. Less industrial strife, plus greater production is the answer which would provide more revenue at the normal tax rate, through greater volume of sales, but apparently, this is beyond those responsible, and the easiest way out is to "slam on extra tax," and place our industry in the luxury category, which is altogether ridiculous. If by virtue of the high Sales Tax, sales of radio receivers and parts to the public are made prohibitive purchases, it does not need much reasoning to see that certain manufacturers will close down, and skilled personnel will then drift into other industries. Should this be so, what would be the position if we had to urgently gear up the radio industry for defence purposes? Sales o f component parts to "Hams," Home Constructors, Servicemen, etc., cannot be classed a luxury either, as building radio and electronic equipment at home, must provide technical training to the party concerned, which could be used to advantage in times of need. This was proved by the Signals Personnel of the Armed Forces, the majority of whom were recruited from the wide circle of "Hams," Radio Servicemen and enthusiasts during the last war. This journal adds its voice to the official body representing the Radio Industry, and would like to record our disapproval of the Ministers' action, and commend a realistic attitude by reverting to the normal Sales Tax, and removing the classification of radio as a non-essential luxury. Our reason is, that we, amongst many others, consider RADIO TO BE A PUBLIC NECESSITY.