SHORT WAVE WANDERINGS

Evening Star, Issue 21748, 16 June 1934, Page 4

SHORT WAVE WANDERINGS

The following notes are intended for those beginners who are interested in short-wave radio. An endeavour to explain the “ why, when, and wherefore ” of short-wave reception from week to week will be made in this column, so that the average listeners can tune in and enjoy the many programmes that are on the air during the twenty-four hours. One often hears owners of all-wave sets complaining that there is nothing “ to bear on tbe short-waves,” but the reason is that they seldom know when and where to listen for the foreign stations that can be heard on the lower wave-lengths. Location is a big factor in shortwave reception, and a statioii which is being received at good volume here may be quite inaudible in another part of the country. Listeners will find that day time listening will yield the best results at this time of the year, and that the 31-metre and 2.5-metre stations are the most consistent. Try for the stations listed below; they have all been heard at goodspeiikcr volume during the week, and will provide good entertainment during the day. when only local programmes can be had on the ordinary broadcast band :

W2XAF. Schenectady, Linked States, 31.48 m (9,530 k.c.) will be heard shortly after 1 p.m., and is Ihe best of the Americans to be beard during the early afternoon. DJA, Zeesen. Germany. 31.38 m (9,5G0 k.c.) will be logged about 11.30 a.m. Ifc reaches excellent, volume by noon, being R 8 on some afternoons until signing of! at 12.45 p.m. GSC, Daventry. England, 31.3 m (9.585 k.c.). from about tbe same time as D.TA. It broadcasts to Canada during this period, and will be heard at good strength until 12.30 p.m. The same programme can be beard from GSD on 25.53 (11,750 k.c.). Unfortunately, the Empire station is not being received as well as could be desired when broadcasting to us on ]S T o. 1 transmission opening at 4 p.m. VK2ME. Sydney, 31.2 m (9,590 k.c.), is certainly even on the smallest of receivers. It comes in like a local on Sunday evenings. The schedule is 4.30G. 30 i).m. and 9.30 p.m. onwards, when the Sydney national programme is relayed. FYA, Paris, 25.63 m (11,705 k.c.), is another certainly. It can be heard from an early hour, but will be best received during the last period—2.3o- - p.m. This famous foreigner is heard in all parts of the world, and is idle best short-waver received in this country, and on many occasions the volume and quality are equal to those of a local transmitter, DJI), Zecson, Germany, 25.51 m (11,760 k.c.) broadcasts to America each afternoon until 3, providing good entertainment. An English news session is given at-2.45.

WBXK, Pittsburg, United States 25.27 m (11,870 k.c.), can be heard during the early afternoon until about 2.50, when the programme continues on 48.8 m until 4.30. RNE, Moscow, 25 m (12,000 k.c.), lias been giving an English' session on Sundays between 2.30 and 3.30 p.m., the volume being 116 to 8. , There, are, of course, many other stations to be heard, but the foregoing will serve to show that it is quite unnecessary to burn the midnight oil in order to hear programmes from distant countries. Next week it is intended to deal with some of the other stations to be heard and in the meantime “ Henry *’• wishes the short-wave listeners good reception and plenty of DX.