Secretariat file 2/1036/49. Colonial Office file 96834/15/49.
SAVINGRAM
To the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
Rptd: Commissioner General, South East Asia. - 49. From the Governor, Hong Kong.
Date... 16.
June, 1949....
91
No..
100.
SECRET
(64)
Your secret Savingram No.90 of 21st April, 1949.
I regret the delay in replying which was due to difficulty in selecting alternative site to that originally suggested. Purpose envisaged will not be served by continuing to use Hung Hom site even with higher powered transmitters. The site now selected is Mount Cameron on Hong Kong Island, 1,200 feet above sea level. This site is not only better, but has advantages from the defence point of view. At this height chances of good reception in Canton from 71⁄2 K.W. transmitters are much improved. I regard the early installation of these 71⁄2 K.W. transmitters as most important, if our voice is to be heard in South China. We need not use them at once, but could bring them into use gradually in place of the present 2 K.W. transmitters,
2.
With regard to question (a) in paragraph 2 of your Savingram under reference no accurate data are available. Recent reports show that transmissions will be received well in Canton from 0315 to 0500 GMT and 0900 to 1015 GMT. During the period 1015 to 1415 GMT, Canton's power mains drop in voltage so that receivers become difficult to operate on the present weak signal. The increase of power of Hong Kong's transmitters from 2 K.W. to 71⁄2 K.W. together with a better site should go far to overcome these difficulties. As regards question (b), regret that it is impossible to say without actual measurement. Noise from interference in Canton is variable from time to time but nearly always present. Static noise is known to be very high during summer and low in winter. Disturbed conditions in China make it impossible to undertake requisite measurements.
3.
In view of observations in your paragraph 4, I now propose no extension of present English programme except additional transmission from 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. English programme hours would therefore be 7.00 a.m. to 9.00 a.m.; 12.30 p.m. to 2.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. to 11.15 p.m. I do not consider however that there should be any modification of the proposed hours for the Chinese programme, i.e. 7.00 a.m. to midnight continuously. These hours are operated by the local Rediffusion Company in both English and Chinese programmes and as this Company works on a purely commercial basis, it may be assumed that these hours are considered worth while. On public holidays, Radio Hong Kong operates continuously from 7.00 a.m. to midnight in both programmes and public reaction is very favourable on these occasions.
4.
The estimated capital cost of setting up the new station on Mount Cameron (not, repeat not, including original cost of transmitters or cost of their conversion and shipment) is approximately $1,150,000. This is not greatly less than
(58) the estimate given in my Savingram No.55 of 26th March for the
New Territories, as the only substantial difference is that living quarters are not required.
/5. Estimated
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