DX ACTIVITIES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 12, 29 January 1937, Page 3

DX ACTIVITIES

l Our Own Correspondent.

Hawke's Bay Branch Meets ANNUAL REP0RT READ

From

WAIPUKURAU, Last Night. "The New Zealand DX Club. which started with an approximate membership of 500 in 1930 had.a membership of 2031 up to the end of March, 1936, which makes it easily the largest in the world," said Mr B. Mathieson, at the annual meeting of the Hawke 's Bay branch of the New Zealand DX Club. The Auckland branch headed the list for New Zealand with 501 members, Wellington coming next with 450 and Hawke's Bay third with 265. The N.Z. DX Club has branches in Tasmania, England, Australia and U.S.A. The year's activities of the branch are reviewed in the third annual xeport of the secretary, Mr L. Mathie, presented at the annual meeting. The branch had had quite a busy year, stated the report, several events of note taldng place. A special meeting had been held on February 22 for the purpose of welcoming members of the Manawatu branch, Messrs Cowland'shaw» Newth, Follet, Morgan, Lacy, Clemos, Schwabe, Avison and Coleman. This meeting had been a unique one as, for the second time, two members of the advisory board of the N.Z. DX Club — Messrs Cowjlandshaw and Mathie — had been present. Large Number of Trophies. The popularity of dual and all-wave receivers had resulted in more competitions being necessary. The following trophies were therefore set up: W. E. Gower, cup for the best commercial short-wave verification enteredj the 4HQ (L. W. Mathie) cup for the best monthly commercial short-wave verification* and certificate for best monthly American amateur verification. Three members of the DX Club had contributed towards the cost of the VK3 competition and members of this branch had handed in the best average, but' because of a technicality in the rules they gained only fif th place. "However, this was a good performance," says the report. "We hope to win the competition for 1937. The departure for Wellington of Mr G. Oliver, oue' of our keenest members, was regretted. We have been fortunate in securing Mr L. Blackie as a lecturer and technician. . "There are nine cups for competition— the cup for the best American verification received monthly, the C. L. Crooks Cup for the best VK amateur station (1100-1500 K.C.) monthly, the King-Oliver Cup, for the best Eastern verification received monthly, the V. King Cup for the most verifications received half-yearly and the branch trophy for the best verification received from European stations on the B.C.B. monthly, the branch trophy for the best quarterly South American verification, the Jenkins trophy, for the best short-wave YK amateur received monthly, the W. E. Grover Cup, for the best short-wave YK amateur received monthly, the 4HG (L. Mathie Cup) for the best short-wave commercial station monthly. There is also a certificate for the best short-wave American amateur verification. '{The number of verifications held by members is approximately 1200, most of which are on ,the broadcast band in c-luding the following countries: Japan, United . States of Ameri'ca, Canada, Mexico, Porto Rica, Costa Rica, Cuba, Argentine, Australia, Siam, France, China, Hawaii, Belgium, Russia, CzechoSlovakia, Rumania, Austria, Germany, India, Philippine Islands, Switzerland, Guatamala, "Fi ji Islands, and Italy. The best individual effort is the secretary 's (362) verifications. "The branch is indebted to the postmaster, Mr Browne-, who has been most sympathetic to pleas for better, 'radio c.onditions, ' in the Central Hawke's Bay area. ' ' The nuqiber of meetings for 1936 was 22, the attendance 227, and« the average per. meeting 10.3. Members of the N.Z. DX Club up to December, 1936, totalled 2031, and the total members in Hawke's Bay distriet was 265.