DX NOTES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 794, 8 October 1954, Page 8

DX NOTES

ANY New Zealanders who served in Japan will remember the Britcom Broadcasting Station, at Kure, which recently celebrated its eight anniversary. The Australian Army Amenities Service put the station on the air in 1946 and its troubles were many. When the station (then only 10 watts) was ready to go on the air frequencies were changed, which started a frantic search for a suitable crystal. Someone got a crystal, not the right one, but a crystal nonetheless. After a day and a night of grinding, technicians got it down to the right frequency. The station had plenty of other troubles, too. The studio was completed two months _ behind schedule. Space was scarce. Shortage of staff caused engineers and announcers to work far into the night. A 200-watt station replaced the 10-watter, and more or less regular broadcasts began. Progress was rapid after this. A 1000-watt shortwave station was added in November of 1946, followed two months later by another, Programmes became

more polished, more staff arrived, transcribed shows began arriving regularly from England and Australia, and the record library grew steadily. Today the station is highly goTganised with a staff of 30. One of the first staff men was Second Lieutenant Pat Kavanagh, son of the famous Ted, and another was Sergeant Geoff. Falkiner. formerly ,of the Old Vic. Programmes are broadcast daily from 6.30 a.m. to 11.0 p.m., with the sign-off at midnight at weekends. Transcriptions are supplied by the ABC, CBC, NZBS and the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Service. Request sessions are most popular. Three sessions are broadcast each day, with long sessions on Friday and Saturday nights. Listeners also vote on other programmes. One particular Australian serial was voted out by Australians, but kept on the air at the request of British and American listeners. The BBS has survived earthquakes and typhoons, frequent power failures and many minor setbacks. Once a trespassing dog upset a boom microphone on top of a woman announcer. It pinned her to the desk while her shrieks for help went over the air. Many New Zealanders have heard BBS on shortwave,

but as far as is known it has yet to be heard here on its broadcast frequency of 1470 kilocycles. Around the World URING the next few weeks shortwave listeners will find signals at night showihg a big improvement. European signals will be heard in the 25, 19 and 16-metre bands. The BBC Pacific Service is expected to revert to the 8.0 to 8.45 p.m. transmission. Holland's popular "Happy Station" programme by Eddy Startz will again be a listening favourite on Sunday evenings from 10.30 p.m. on 15220 and 17770 kes. in the 19 and 16-metre bands. Indo-China: Radio France _ Asie, Saigon on 15430 kcs. (19-metre band) provides the latest news from IndoChina at 10.0 p.m. On Fridays at 9.30 p.m., musical Tequests and answers to listeners’ letters are broadcast. Japan: Radio Japan’s summer schedule broadcast to New Zealand from 9.0 to \10.0 p.m. daily is now carried on 11770 kes. (25 metres) and 9695 kcs. (31 metres). News is presented at 9.2. Listeners’ letters are answered at 9.30 on the second and fourth Mondays of the month.