NZBS ON SHORTWAVE BAND

New Zealand Listener, Volume 18, Issue 445, 2 January 1948, Page 8

NZBS ON SHORTWAVE BAND

World-wide Response to Test Transmissions

NE week last November listeners with shortwave receivérs in many countries throughout the world were able to pick up new signals. They were from the New Zealand transmitters ZL2, ZL3, ZL4, which were making preliminary test broadcasts in preparation for the regular shortwave service which the NZBS hopes to start in the near future. Plans ‘for introducing an official shortwave service directed

to overseas listeners-which would bring the Dominion into line with most other countries-have been under way for some years, but until recently development was held up because the necessary equipment was not obtainable. The programmes in the test broadcasts of November 12 to 18 were all musical, and at the end of each quarterhour listeners were invited to write in to the NZBS reporting on the quality of the reception in their particular areas. A remarkable response was obtained from all parts of the world, and so far over 1500 letters have been received from people who heard the broadcasts -some came from as far away as England and Sweden. From the Four Corners About 1000 letters came from Australia, and the majority of them reported excellent reception. A frequently repeated comment was "it came in just like our local station." In New Guinea and New Britain reception varied from very good to good; in Fiji, Samoa, and the Cook Islands reception was good; in Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies, fair to good. Letters were also received from the Philippines, China, Japan, Korea, Burma, India, the Middle East, England, Sweden, the United States, South America, Canada, the British, West Indies, Belgium, and Finland. Sailors at sea in various parts of the world also wrote in. Approximately half of the letters received commented favourably on the programmes presented in the tests, and a number of the correspondents, many of whom had happy ‘memories of New Zealand, or had met New Zealand servicemen during the war, added their good wishes to their Several writers from the ‘Netherlands East Indies mentioned that they had spent a period of convalescence here after their release from Japanese prison camps. Other listeners wrote in asking for tourist and _ publicity brochures about New Zealand. One man in particular wrote from China asking for information’ about fishing conditions here as he was hoping to visit the country soon on a fishing holiday. Others

again asked for souvenirs, for New Zealand stamps, and, in three or four cases, for New Zealand pen friends. New Zealanders in Exile About 40 letters were received from New Zealanders in scattered parts of the globe. One living in Lima, Peru, said: "The reception here in the suburb of San Isidro is perfect, in fact so clear that when the singer whistled in one of the songs our cocker spaniel answered the call from the olive grove outside. I am a New Zealander from Hawke’s Bay, and it is a pleasure to hear such a good programme from my home." A New Zealander with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Abadan said: "There are quite a number of New Zealanders here and all join me in congratulating you in what seemed to us to be an excellent transmission." Three sergeants of the Second Battalion, 2nd NZEF, in Japan, said, "We can assure you that we here in Japan have had an enormous thrill out of being tuned in to New Zealand." From Papua, New Guinea, came the message, "Your programme was appreciated by a New Zealander exiled here many days’ walk from the nearest habitation." The manager of a firm in Singapore wrote: "As you. know, this place is 90 per cent Chinese, and as soon as ZL4 came in with dance music almost every Chinese-owned set was tuned in to your station. Your first broadcast must have been a great success as far as Singapore went." Although answering all these letters has involved a great deal of work for the officers concerned, each correspondent has received a personal note of than! . from the NZBS. Frequencies Allocated The shortwave service has been allocated six frequencies: ZL1 (6.080 mc/s in the 50-metre band), ZL2 (9.540 mce/s in the 31-metre band), ZL3 (11.780 mc/s in the 25-metre band), ZL4 (15.280 mc/s in the 19-metre band), ZL5 (17.770 mc/s in the 16-metre, band), and ZL6 (25.800 mc/s in the l1l-metre band). The two transmitters at present in use were taken over from the Post and Telegraph Department, (continued on next page)

(continued from previous page) and each has a power of 7.5 kilowatts. As only two frequencies can be used at once (one on each transmitter), a study of forecast reception conditions over the transmission path is made before deciding which two of the six available frequencies will be chosen. These may be changed from day to day or from hour to hour, as reception varies. To get greater efficiency shortwave broadcasts are usually "beamed," that is, transmitted in a particular direction instead of being radiated in a circle from the aerial as in the case of a station like 2YA. With transmitters of the relatively low power of 7.5 kilowatts a reliable service can be given only to near-by countries, and for this reason it is contemplated that the shortwave service will begin with programmes for the New Zealand Dependencies in the Pacific and for Australia. To cover these areas at least two directive aerial arrays will be required and one of these has just been completed. This one is directed towards Australia and was used for the recent tests. Work is proceeding on the construction of a second array, which will be directed approximately towards Samoa and will give better reception in the Pacific Island area. .