RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 860, 2 January 1930, Page 7

RADIO AND ITS RECEIVERS

Conducted for THE SUN by R. F. HAYCOCK.

Amateurs Lead the Way

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS World Contacts Made PIONEERS OF BROADCASTING THE progress made by New Zealand amateur transmitters and a review of their many notable achievements was dealt with in an article by Mr. T. R. Clarkson, of Station ZL—IFQ, in the programme of the first annual convention of the New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitters’ Association. His review given below should prove of interest not only to amateurs, but to all who remember the rapid progress made by radio, and who recognise that most of this progress is due to the work of amateurs.

One has to look back only some seven or eight years to the time when radio, as we know it, was just beginning to make its presence felt in this country. Prior to that time the only radio purpose served by the accommodating ether in these parts was to conduct the hoarse Telefunken spark signals from the Government stations in communication with shipping and the nearer Pacific islands. The year 1921 saw a considerable number of radio experimenters in possession of provisional permits for reception, which were the first licences issued since the war. The lure of broadcast music was not responsible for attracting these listeners, broadcasting even in the older countries was yet to reach the regular programme stage, and there were no immediate prospects of conducting two-day communications. Reception of commercial telegraph signals was the main object, traffic among ships and between overseas long-wave highpower stations being the usual fare. It says much for the keenness of these amateurs, for amateurs they were in the true sense of the word, to recall their consistent ardour. which seemed to be increased rather than retarded by the limited scope of thenactivities. Proficiency in operating was, of course, necessary, and was at that time much more difficult to attain than at present, the opportunities for practice then being very poor. In general, the reception obtained was excellent and the results were sufficient to demonstrate that compared with many countries. New Zealand enjoys very good conditions for radio reception. EARLY EXPERIMENTS As far back as the latter part of 1921. telephony experiments were made in New Zealand, and it is interesting to note that experimental

broadcasting was in that year performed by Professor Jack, of the Otago University, the year following the emergence of the well-known KDKA, proudly self-styled “The Pioneer Broadcasting Station of the World.” Call letters were unknown at that time in New Zealand, but with persistent efforts special permits could be obtained from the Government. Among the lucky licensees ai’e remembered Stevens, of Gisborne, and Bell, of Palmerston South. During 1922 these two frequently conducted communication by telephony on wave-lengths in the region of 300 metres. A large number of reports 011 transmission were received by these stations and it was the practice of Mr. Bell to acknowledge these over the air, a forerunner of the radio postman sessions now so familiar. Mr. Bell's correspondence probably included letters from every listener in New Zealand, though that was a long time before the time of the 40,000! In this connection one is reminded of an amusing incident. All amateur wrote Mr. Bell with the a.stounding news that he had received an American station sending telephony, the words plainly heard being, “Hullo, Cristobal —Chicago.” Perhaps there was a little distortion as the Gisborne experimenter yelled “Hullo, Mr. Bell—Otago!” SIGNALS FROM AMERICA The small amount of activity in the transmitting line compelled amateurs to give more attention to reception than might otherwise have been afforded it. Some excellent work was the result. In 1922 Mr. Ralph Slade, of Timaru, startled the amateur world by consistently logging the signals from American amateur stations on 200 metres, and Mr. R. J. Orbell, of Christchurch, performed the first re-

ception of American broadcasting. The concentration on receiving, during these early years, without doubt developed the proficiency in receiving which later was to find for New Zealand amateurs a niche in the radio hall of fame. Nineteen hundred and twenty-three saw the above mentioned provisional licences replaced with regular ones, and a number of amateurs licensed for transmission with call letters allotted. It is interesting to recall the recipients of the first calls in each district. They were:—lAA, C. N. Edwards, Auckland; 2AA, J. Bingham, Levin; 3AA, R. J. Orbell, Christchurch; and 4AA, F. D. Bell, Palmerston South. One of the first, if not the first amateur station operating in accordance with these new regulations was 2AB, D. Wilkinson, of Motueka. It speaks volumes for the fascination of amateur transmission to state that Mi*. Wilkinson is still an enthusiastic transmitter and retains for his hobby the zeal usually associated with the beginner. Communication among

amateurs all over New Zealand was by now a commonplace. Australia, too, was frequently communicated with, some excellent low power work being recorded. Notable in this connection was the performance of 4AA in receiving 2DS Sydney, the latter transmitting with a power of less than one watt. At the end of 1923 there were about 20 active amateur transmitters in New Zealand. As the numbers increased, the scope for activities naturally increased. Broadcasting, which up to this time had been more or less a side line with the amateurs, was relinquished by them and became associated with commercial interests by whom it has since been retained. DAWN OF NEW ERA A new era in amateur ambition dawned without realisation that international work was a possibility. Throughout 1923 signals from American amateur stations continued to ba logged in New Zealand. This was on wavelengths round about 200 metres and was excellent work, despite the fact that many of the stations used powers up to several kilowatts input. It was readily recognised throughout the amateur w-orld that reception by New Zealand amateurs was second to none, in fact reference to the October 1923 issue of “QST” shows an illustration of Mr. Bell's station 4 A A with

the caption “The best amateur transmitting station in the whole world!” The part which New Zealand amateurs were to play in the development of short wave long distance communication was beginning. The first organised Trans-Pacific tests were conducted between America and Australia toward the end of 1923 but although confirmed reception of scores of American stations was performed, no signals from Australia or New Zealand were received there. The reasons for this were principally the larger numbers of American stations, and the comparative freedom from local interference in New Zealand and Australia. However, valuable experience was being accumulated, in particular the advantages of reducing the wavelength were being realised. The Atlantic had been spanned on 110 metres. Accordingly New Zealand stations tuned down to the region of that wavelength in an endeavour to establish two-way contact with America. The loudest American station was at that time transmitting on 150 metres. During 1924 a number of fine transmitters which had been developed throughout New Zealand consistently dispatched signals intended for the United States, but although subsequent reports proved that several were heard there, no contacts resulted. Among the most persistent IAO, 2AC, 4AA and 4AG are remembered. CONTACT WITH ARGENTINE

The first success in the realm of long distance work was achieved by Mr. I. O’Meara of Gisborne, who, during the winter of 1924 succeeded in working with the Argentine station CBB. Curiously enough, both he and the Argentine station were trying to raise North America. After this splendid achievement it was speedily recognised that contact with the U.S.A. was approaching and a few weeks later the object was achieved when 4AA worked the Californian station 6BCP, thus performing the first direct connection with the great fraternity of American amateurs. This advance was due solely to the keenness of large numbers of amateurs on both sides of the Pacific who worked hard and persistently to gain th.s goal. September, 1924, held a great interest for New Zealand amateurs owing to an experiment of considerable magnitude conducted by Mr. Orbell, 3AA of Christchurch, who during a trip to England, via Cape Horn, operated an amateur station aboard the s.s. Port Curtis. The venture was a great success and completely .demonstrated the superiority of wavelengths below 120 metres for long distance work. Contact with New Zealand stations was held right into the Atlantic Ocean and the results lent favour to the idea that amateur radio could hope to link the antipodes. For this experiment several New Zealand stations were tuned up to a very high state of efficiency which no doubt accounts for their further successes. (To be continued next week.) Though Wednesday is usually a silent day with 2YA, it was not observed last Wednesday, the station being on the air to broadcast a relay from Wanganui of the final concert of the season of the Wanganui Choral Society. A wide range of subjects was chosen, and the whole of the programme was sung from memory, neither the choir nor the conductor using written music. The choir was conducted by Mr. F. Wentworth Slater, A.R.C.O.

ADELAIDE AND BRISBANE A.B.C. TAKES OVER NEXT MONTH Over four months have passed since the Australian Broadcasting Company took over Us first station, and with the passing of time it continues to develop its organisation. On January 14, SCL, Adelaide, comes under the company’s control, and on January 30, 4QG, Brisbane: which will give the company two stations in Sydney, two in Melbourne, and one each in Brisbane and in Adelaide and in Perth. These seven stations, so widely separated, have been placed under the superintendence of Mr. C. F. Marden, whose duties will be to provide for a close co-ordination between the stations, and generally to establish and supervise a standard of broadcasting transmissions throughout Australia.

A Wellington listener reports that about 2 o’clock in the morning recently he picked up a broadcast station on about 290 metres which gave the call-sign EAJI9. The listener, who resides in Brooklyn, expressed the belief that he had heard a Spanish station. A Spanish station giving the call EAJI9 is located at Oviedo, and operates on a wavelength of 280.4 metres. One of the latest broadcast stunts to introduce novelty to programmes comes from station WLS, Chicago. This station has been putting on the air the noi3es of construction in Chicago's newest water tunnel, picked up from 200 ft under Lake Michigan two miles off shore. The microphone caught a dynamite charge, the ma-chine-gun purr of electric drills, the clatter of the dump cars hauling away the rock, and the gushing of water pumps. Listeners also heard the miniature train carrying guests of WLS pull away from the tunnel entrance, and arrive at the crib. The tunnel is the newest of several that carry water from Lake Michigan to distributing stations in Chicago. It is cut through rock and is 16ft high. It will be completed in two years and will cost £2,600,000.

TRICKS OF TIME With the advent pf short-wave radio, the tricks of time have been forced upon the notice of short-wave enthusiasts who- seek affrer di3tant. stations in different parts of the world. The international date line passes between Suva (Fiji Islands) and Honolulu (Sandwich Islands). When it is Sunday on the New Zealand side of this line it is Saturdayon the other sid*. Passengers travelling west from San Francisco to Lyttelton miss out a day of the week, when th€i date line is crossed. (Tfce mail steamer Aorangi will no Christmas Day on her prestat trip from Vancouver). doing east they have two Christmas Days if the Date Line is reached on December 25. If a radiogram leaves Christchurch at 6 p.m., it is received in London shortly after 6 a m. the same day, and a radio message sent to New York at the same time is received there soon after 1 a.m. that day. New Zealand summer time is 12 hours ahead of London and 17 ahead of New York. Suva normally is half an hour ahead of New Zealand, but our summer time puts it even. Suva is 22 h hours ahead of Honolulu, 6 a.m. Suva being 7.30 a.m. at Honolulu. But the day for Honolulu is the one previous to that of Suva. Listeners can dance from 10 to 11 p.m. to music from IYA, then pass over m 2FC and continue dancing from $ p.m. there, and if their sets were sufficiently powerful they could follow the stations westward, and keep the ball going until IYA commenced again next evening.