History of wireless telegraphy and broadcasting in Australia/Topical/Stations/4AE Brisbane/Notes

1922 06
Early reference to existence of a wireless telephony set with the Qld Wireless Institute "WIRELESS TELEPHONY. An informative lecture on 'Wireless Telephony' was delivered by Mr. S. V. Colville (secretary of the Queensland Wireless institute) at the institute last week. It was the lecturer's original intention to deliver his discourse from the operating room on the roof of the building, his voice being conveyed to the lecture room per medium of wireless telephony, but owing to the instrument being out of order he was compelled to deliver his address in the ordinary way. After a brief explanation of the origin, character, and development of wireless telephony, Mr. Colville said that at the present time radiotelephony was only in its infancy, in regard to its commercial value, although in Australia there were a few stations working, which no doubt were equal to any in the world for efficiency. The time was not far distant, providing the authorities governing wireless in Australia granted private individuals permission to operate, when we would be well linked up by wireless telephony — the most scientific, efficient, and inexpensive means of communication ever invented. The set they now had was only 3lb. or 4lb. in weight, and would only cost as many pounds in money to operate for a year, and on the previous evening a distance of 60 miles had been covered. At the close of the lecture Mr. G. F. Chilton (officer in charge of the Pinkenba Wireless Station) complimented Mr. Colville on his lecture, and said that it was due to his enthusiasm that the institute had developed a set of the magnitude it had. He believed it would not be long before they had a wireless telephone with a radius of 600 miles."

1922 08
4AE telephony set being used to transmit music and speech to D. W. Chandler's receiving station at the Brisbane Exhibition in August 1922 "RADIO TELEPHONE. One of the exhibits at the Exhibition comprises radio telephones, demonstrated by Mr. D. W. Chandler. The other station is being worked at the Queensland Wireless Institute at the corner of Ann and Edward streets, whence musical items, short lectures, &c., have been transmitted to the Show Grounds. The two radio sets (sending and receiving) will be in operation at the Exhibition for the remainder of the week. Radio concerts are also being given nightly from the sending station in the city for the benefit of amateurs in and about Brisbane. After Show week further demonstrations of the radio telephone will be given from the Queensland Wireless Institute."

Prospective senator Herbert Yeates listens-in at VIB to to 4AE transmitting for the Exhibition on 7 August 1922 "Mr. Herbert Yeates Activities. Mr. Herbert Yeates in pursuing his Senate campaign is going into the matter wholeheartedly. He is now satisfied with a knowledge of all Queensland's industries, from wheat to sugar, etc., but is taking a keen interest in many other important problems connected with the welfare of this country. Mr. Yeates, spent the whole of Monday afternoon as an interested 'listener' at the Pinkenba wireless station, while the wireless institute (which is in its infancy) in Brisbane despatched songs, etc., through from their rooms near the Central Station by wireless telephone to Pinkenba, and at his request a speech was transmitted. Mr. Yeates claims that within two years, subject to the Federal authorities giving the encouragement that it should do to amateurs as is done in the United States without any cost to the Government, radio broadcasting will be the great factor in peopling the back blocks. Any householder will be able to purchase a receiver, and with the aid of an amplifier (total cost of from £2 to £5) a hall full of people at, say, Charleville or Birdsville, can listen to a concert or a Prime Minister's address as given in Brisbane just as if the persons were seated alongside the singer or speaker. Mr. Yeates visited the Hospital of Sick Children on Tuesday, and, on Wednesday he made a thorough inspection in company with the medical superintendent, in order to enquire into the treatment and welfare of the children. He has called on all the Government medical officers at all the principal towns and cities in Qneensland during his tour of the State specially for the purpose of acquiring first-hand information regarding the health of the people, housing in the subtropical and tropical parts of the State, etc."

Announcing that 4AE intends to commence weekly Wednesday night broadcast on longwave from that day 23 August 1922 "Wireless Telephony Concert. The Queensland Wireless Institute intends to broadcast music every Wednesday night between the hours of 8 and 10.30 on 850 metre wave lengths. The first concert will be given this evening and will mainly comprise gramophone selections. An endeavour is being made to provide a more ambitious programme for the following Wednesday night, when it is hoped that several well-known artists will take part. The range of the concerts will be about 300 miles. Between 40 and 50 residents of Brisbane already possess receiving sets, and these concerts, of course, will be heard by any ships which may 'listen in.' The Wireless Institute has its headquarters in the old fire brigade building in Edward-street, and membership (£1/1/ per annum) is open to any person who desires to keep abreast of the times in wireless developments and experimenting. The hon. secretary is Mr. L. O. Kerlin, care of the Repatriation Department, Mary-street, Brisbane. Incidentally it may be mentioned that small receiving sets can be 'assembled' at a cost of £6 to £8, but a license fee of £2 per annum has to be paid to the Federal Government."

Confirming that the first concert of a regular series took place on Wednesday 1922 "WIRELESS CONCERT. The Queensland Wireless Institute gave a wireless telephony concert, comprised mainly of gramophone selections, from their headquarters, Ann-street, last evening. It is the intention of the Institute to try to obtain some well-known artists to take part in the future concerts, which will be given every Tuesday evening. The records were played on a Bower Bird machine, which had been lent by Mr. F. Engles. The set used for transmitting was a 4-valve transmitter, the valve used being a Marconi Q. The set was lent by the Eclipse Electric Supplies. The concert was given on 850 metre wave lengths. It is estimated that between 40 and 50 residents of Brisbane who possess receiving sets heard the convert given last night. Any ships within a range of 300 miles would also have been able to hear. On her last visit to Brisbane the Argyllshire reported that she had heard one of the earlier concerts at a distance of 400 miles. The current consumed by this set was only six watts, or about one tenth of the current consumed by an ordinary 50 candle-power lamp. Those who 'operated' the concert last night were Messrs. Jas. Milner, A. E. Dillon, D. W. Chandler, and F. Engles. The chief object in giving these concerts is to promote interest in the Wireless Institute and the latest developments in wireless telegraphy and telephony."

States that 4AE concerts being conducted every Tuesday evening "Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Friday 25 August 1922, page 6 TO CORRESPONDENTS. All letters, news items, and other contributions intended for publication should be addressed to the Editor. Every letter must be accompanied by the name and address of the writer, not necessarily for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith. Correspondents are requested to inform the Editor if these letters have also been sent to any other paper. No responsibility can be accepted by the Editor for M.S., nor can he undertake to return it. No replies to questions will be conveyed by letter; answers will appear in this column. L.B. (Annerley).— See answer to 'Radiomond.' RADIOMOND.— Transmitting licenses are not issued. The license fee for a receiving set is £2 per annum. The Wireless Institute holds concerts from about 8 to 10 every Tuesday evening. The wave length of the Wireless Institute's transmitter is 850 metres."

"Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 - 1933), Wednesday 30 August 1922, page 4 Concert by Radiophone. The second concert by wireless was given on Tuesday evening from the Wireless Institute rooms, Edward-street, Brisbane. The radiophone was lent to the institute by Mr. Chandler, and further improvements were made in the mode of transmission, which made the modulation and radiation appreciably better. The set was operated by Messrs. Chandler, Milner, and Dillon. Amongst those who listened to the concert at the residence of the president (Mr. W. Finney) at Red Hill was Mr. C. E. Nicholas, a shareholder in Amalgamated Wireless, Ltd., who expressed keen pleasure and appreciation of what the Wireless Institute is doing in the matter of broadcasting, and made a donation of £5/5/ to the funds. The concert comprised records of band selections, vocal quartettes, and speeches by a gramophone lent by Mr. Engels, and a brief speech delivered by a member of the institute, who personally addressed Mr. Nicholas. The records and the speech were heard quite as clearly as if they had been transmitted by ordinary telephony. Another concert will be broadcast next Tuesday night between 8 and 10 o'clock, and probably a special concert will be given tomorrow night."

"Daily Standard (Brisbane, Qld. : 1912 - 1936), Wednesday 30 August 1922, page 7 WIRELESS CONCERT. INTERESTING DEMONSTRATION. 'Hello? This is the Wireless Institute of Australia (Queensland branch) speaking from Brisbane. We are going to give you a concert tonight, and hope you will enjoy it. We are trying to encourage wireless telephony, so ask your friends to assist by communicating with the institute we will give you full particulars. We hope as time goes on to be able to give wireless concerts all over the Commonwealth. Are you right?' Thus did Mr. T. (sic, D.) W. Chandler announce the Wireless Institute concert from a little room on the top of the institute building last night. A cabinet gramophone, supplied by Mr. Engels, and an assortment of wires were the only apparatus visible in the room. A haunting Haiwain (sic) melody was 'set' on the instrument, a few inches from which was suspended an ordinary gramophone horn. That was all. As one sat in the tiny room one thought for the moment that he was simply sitting at home listening to a favorite record. But what actually was happening? Mr. Chandler handed the writer what looked like an ordinary telephone receiver, placed a couple of attached wires to two small plugs, and one heard distinctly the haunting strains. That, perhaps, was not wonderful — one can hear it on an ordinary telephone. But down at Pinkenba, away out at Chinchilla, Toowoomba, and hundreds of miles out at sea people were hearing those same haunting strains. It was a demonstration of wireless telephony. As each number concluded Mr. Chandler announced through the lifeless looking gramophone horn, what the next item on the programme would be, and hoped the 'audience' was enjoying the concert. The thing was uncanny. One realised in a flash what the possibilities of this practically new science of wireless telephoning would mean in a few years. A packed hall at the Exhibition would be able to sit and listen to the world's greatest artists — the lonely family in the back blocks would enjoy the same priviliges. It is impossible to imagine even vaguely what this new discovery means to the pleasure of man. It is not an absolutely new thing — in America, according to the late Lord Northcliffe wireless telephony, is a possible competitor with the newspaper — the writer a couple of years ago heard in London a concert being given, in Paris. But in Queensland at any rate the wireless telephone, for purposes of amusement, is only in the embryo stages. The Queensland Institute is a purely 'social' arrangement — any one may join — it is kept going by the subscriptions of members, who are given certain instruction free of charge by those who have mastered the technicalities of the profession — the radio phone for the concerts is supplied by the Eclipse Electrical Supplies Company, so that it is a local organisation, the members of whom meet for the purpose of investigating the possibilities and enjoying the pleasures to be derived from such investigations. Two youthful enthusiasts — Messrs. Milne (sic, Milner) and Dillon — were quite au fait with all the technicalities attaching to the science, and appeared to show keen interest in the success of the institute. Anyone interested in what must be recognised, even by amateurs, as an absorbing subject, may obtain full particulars from L. O. Kerlin, Repatriation Department."