adminThe Herald, March 15, 1979
A DELIGHTED group of Triangle residents are watching South African colour television in the home of Mr Vasco “Speedy” Rodriques.
Mr Rodriques, an electrician and an enthusiastic experimenter with television reception, said yesterday that the successful viewings, which began on Monday, were the climax to his realisation that “snow” on his (black and white) set tuned into the Rhodesian service was South African interference.
His tall, home-made aerial faced the TV booster station in Chipinga. He swung it round to point towards the Northern Transvaal and immediately got a good black and white picture, but no sound.
What he needed was a set tuned in to South African reception. A friend in Triangle had such a set. Mr Rodriques borrowed it and installed it in his home.
“Now I am getting full colour and full sound. Everything is 100 percent,” he said jubilantly.
“Many people come to my home to watch. Tonight I will again have a crowd.”
Another Triangle resident, Mrs Marjorie Cannon, said that on advice from Mr Rodriques she too swung her aerial round and raised it to its full height – about 20m.
On Monday night she and her family watched South African programmes including a puppet show, a police display and some sport.
“There was no sound, but we enjoyed it thoroughly,” she said.
The director of the RBC and RTV, Mr James Neill, said: “My information is that the SABC has a TV transmitting station in the Zoutspanberg mountains above Louis Trichardt. At that height there would be freak reception in Rhodesia – in the same way that our station in Umtali is picked up in Vila Pery.”
LESSONS FOR TODAY
It is always good to experiment because sometimes, it breeds innovation and in some instances produces very positive results.
It is important for people to look into their problems to determine the causes. The man in the story was able to receive better TV reception from South Africa because he kept probing to determine what was making his black and white TV set to show snow.
Some radio and television waves are very strong and can transcend borders.
Online Reporter