RADIO NOTES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 296, 9 August 1932, Page 3

RADIO NOTES

:Kathode.5)

(By 1

Conditions during the past week have heen disappointing. An abnormal amount of static and local interference made listening anything but a pleasure after 8 or 9 p.m. The weekly log is as follows: —

MONDAY, Aug. I.— 2YA Wellington R9, fading to R4, with bad distortion on each fade. 3YA: Maximum R8, fading to R7; no distortion, but static very bad; also local interference. 1YA: R6 to 7, fading to R3, with bad distortion and static. 2GB, Sydney: R8, fading to R6; local interference and static. At 10.30 p.m. interference increased and made DX impossible. TUESDAY, Aug. 2.-2 YA, R9 to R6, with distortion on each fade. 1YA, R7 to R3, with bad distortion; static and interference. 1ZR, R8 to R5, with bad static but no distortion. 4YA, not stronger than R4 at any time. KFI, R5 at 7 p.m.; no fading or distortion. Several Japanese stations came over well. WEDNESDAY, Aug 3. — 3YA, RS, fading to R6, but no distortion. 1YA, R5, fading to Rl, with- bad distortion and static. 2YA, R8 to R6, but distorting badly at times. 2GB Sydney, R4. 2BL, R5. 2FC, R5 and 4QG, R6, but distorted. THURSDAY, Aug. 4. — 2YA, R9 to R6, distorting on fades. 3YA, R8, but bad local intereference and static. 1YA, not worth' listening to on account of static, hetrodyne interference, local interference and fading. 4YA, not logged. 2GB Sydney, R8, static and local interference.. KFRC (U.S.A.), R5 to R4, no fading, light static at 6.45 p.m. KPI (U.S.A.), R6 at 7 p.m. FRIDAY, Aug. 5. — 2YA, R9, fading to R4 distortion, static and interference. 3YA, R8, no fading, but static and interference. 1YA, R7 to R3-, distortion and static. 4YA, R4 to R5, static and interference. SATURDAY, Aug. 6. — Static and fading on all stations. SUNDAY, Aug. 7.— KPI, R6 at 7 p.m. KGO, R4 at 6.30 p.m. 2YA, R8 to R4, fading with little distortion, but bad static. 3YA, R8, with with about some strength static. 1YA, bad fading and distortion; not worth listening to. 4YA, too weak to enjoy.

When removing valves from their sockets, be sure to catch hold of the base, and not the glass bulb. Frequent pulling out by the glass bulb will cause the base to become loose and a short circuit between the filament and high tension may easily occur. Sliould the base become loose, seccotine squeezed down between the base and the glass bulb will remedy the troublo.

During the past two or three months, ZL1BN, one of the local transmitters, has been off the air pending alterations "to his set, but several listeners have written sending reports of his transmissions during that time. These reports have been either written by mere verifica-tion-card hunters, or there is a pirate on the air using ZLlBN's call. The operator at ZL1BN would be pleased to receive reports from listeners hearing transmissions under his call, as this may help in tracking down a bogus transmitter. Reports on music, etc., have been received from several listeners at times when lBN'has been ofl the air and congratulations on quality and strength have been received from several Australian listeners during the last two or three weeks. It was a coincidence that at the time the Radio Coverage Commission were making investigations in New Zealand Captain Eckersley, the famous ex-chief engineer cf the British Broadcasting Company, was, at the invitation of the Amalgamated Wireless of Australasia, making simi-

lar investigations in that country. The New Zealand and Australian reports were made public at the same time, and it is interesting to note the lack of similarity in the two reports. Captain Eckersley has devised a coverage scheme, giving a geed service area from well north of Brisbane and running down the cost-line to a point well west of Milbourne. He recommends the use of powerful, longwave stations, opcrating between the 1000 and 2000 metre region. Of eourse, Australian and New Zealand requirements are totally different and it would be interesting to have Captain Eckersley's ideas 011 a coverage scheme for this country. Dust between the plates of variable condensers is a frequent cause of artificial static. A feather or a pipecleaner gently puslied between the plates will usually remove the trouble. It is a good idea to dust tha entire chassis every f ew weeks, as dust on various components will cause cracklipg noises thjat are hard to locate. Battery set users should be carsful never to connect partially rundown hatteries to new ones, as the old battery will weaken the new one in a very short time. The old block 1 will also cause bad noises to develop in the set.