SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER

Evening Star, Issue 22448, 19 September 1936, Page 4

SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER

ITEMS FOR THE DX-ERS EASTERN STATIONS FAIRLY GOOD. Conditions for the reception of overseas stations that make up the hobby of DX-ing remain practically the same as last week. Very little difference has been noticed in the volume of the evening Americans, which can be heard at fair strength a few minutes after 5 o’clock. The powerful Mexican, XENT, usually comes first, followed by KNX (1,050 kc), KFI (640 kc), KHJ (900 kc), and others iu the same order of superiority. The 24 hours a day station, KFAC, Los Angeles, operating on 1,300 kc, can be logged fairly easily after the New South Wales station, 2TM, Tamworth, closes at 11.30 p.m. on Sundays, and midnight on week-days. Another station to watch for is a fairly bard one to catch, this being .KJBS, San Francisco, which operates on the clear channel of 1,070 kc. On occasions this station provides a fairly good signal about 8 p.m., and at other times about 11.30 p.m., thereby making the logging slightly easier. The signals provided by the Commonwealth stations remain at the same excellent volume, and so far as is known, none of the proposed frequency changes have taken place. Those DX-ers who have not logged IZJ, Auckland, should keep a strict watch on 1,310 kc every Thursday night between the hours of 7.30-9.30. This station is undoubtedly much harder to log than the Australians and some of the American stations, but if their application for longer hours is granted, it is expected that the logging will not be so difficult, as DX-ers will have more nights to choose from. The New Plymouth station, 2YB, is also a fairly hard _ one to log in Dunedin. The best time to hear it lately has been when it first commences its evening transmissions Mondays at 7 o’clock, Wednesdays and Saturdays 6.30, and Sunday 6. The frequency used is 7Cokc. Very little has been heard of the small amateur Australians (VK’s) operating on the broadcast band, as they have not been up to their usual strength. The only worth-while ones have been VK3FL, Camberwell, NI3 (1,173 kc), and 2QY, Paddington, Sydney (1,290 kc), while 7JW, Longford,. Tasmania, has been heard on 1,345 kc. The Eastern stations have been fairly good, and a keen “ hunter ” of 'these stations can log several new ones a week. At present the Manchukuo stations are very good, and besides the 100,000 watt MTCY, Hsinking (560 kc), MTFY, Harbin (675 kc), and MTBY, Mukden (890 kc), can be logged fairly easily before they close down at 2 a.m. The Japanese, Siamese, Indians, and Chinese are also good DX just now. The station located in Colombo, Ceylon, and operating under the call sign of VPB on a frequency of 705 kc, with a power of 1,750 watts until 4 a.m. New Zealand time, verifies as follows: “ With reference to your report dated the 7th ipstant, I have pleasure in verifying your claim to have picked up Colombo on 428.5 metres from 1.41 a.m. (New Zealand time) on Juno 28, 1936. The details furnished by you have been checked with the station log and found correct. On the night in question, Colombo was putting over a Cingalese concert.” 9 SHORT WAVE WANDERINGS. No new stations have been Jogged this week, and, reception conditions remaining much the same as previously, these notes are, therefore, rather meagre. The best listening periods at present are from 6 to 8 a.m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 4 p.m. to midnight. During these times maximum reception is had from certain of the stations on the various broadcast bands Of course, some stations can be received clearly over very long periods, but leaders will also be aware of the fact that all signals build up in strength to a maximum, and are then inclined to slowly fade down again. Radio Colonial, Paris, perhaps the most consistent of overseas stations, can be received at almost any hour of the day or night, but for tho finest reproduction you should time in to the afternoon session on 11,720 kc. Midday gives first-class reception on bofli the 19 and 25 metres bands, on which Daventry and Berlin are sending out almost perfect signals. A little later those stations on 31 metres build up to "air strength, and at 5 p.m. Berlin is again at maximum volume. For the Americans listen after 4 p.m. on 49 metres. The South Americans are at their best after 5 p.m., but unfortunately few of these stations operate as late as this. Two stations heard at good strength recently were PRADO (6,618 kc) and HC2RL (6,667 kc), both of Ecuador, and were testing about 4.30 p.m. Lower down on 0.447 kc is HJ4ABB, in Barranquilla, Colombia, which, when testing, provides an R 8 signal.

A verification received from the Awatea gives the power as 300 to 400 watts, and the call as ZMBJ.