DX NOTES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 944, 13 September 1957, Page 25

DX NOTES

HESE notes bring news about stations in other countries, programmes information and details of special broadcasts for New Zealand listeners. They are supplied by the New Zealand Radio DX League, 212 Earn Street, Invercargill, from which further information can be obtained.

RECEPTION on the broadcast band is showing a tendency to become unpredictable, and those who listen to stations further afield than this country, will find from time to time that ‘signals, particularly from the North

American area, are received at exceptional strength. On August 6 we experienced signals from the United States which were so strong in the period 9.0 p.m. to 11.0 p.m, that most Australian stations were completely covered, and interference to some New Zealand stations was of rather severe proportions, The signals on such occasions generally build up gradually and then fade rapidly, giving in a few moments a change of signals from the north-east to the west. e time of reception 9.0 to 11.0 p.m. favours stations in the Eastern Time Zone and stations on the Atlantic seaboard from Florida to New York, with power of 1000 to 5000 watts can be heard opening the morning programmes, On some frequencies it is not uncommon to hear four or more stations opening with the "Star Spangled Banner" at the one time, generally on the hour, which makes the dx of exciting quality. Nights when reception is like this occur very seldom, but on most favourable evenings signals from several stations in North America can be heard. The best transmissions at the moment are KFI (640), KEX (1190), KSLR (1320), KHON (1380), KSTN (1420), WLAC (1510), KOMA (1520), WCKYKFBK (1530), KPOL (1540), KOBY (1550), XERF (1570), XEDM (1580), WAKR (1590), KLAK (1600). AUSTRALIA: The Macquarie Network with compére Jack Davey has begun a new quiz show, Pontoon-21, based on the card game, and carried on 48 stations each Saturday evening at

10,30 p.m, (The American version has an estimated 30 million listeners in the United States.) In it two competitors answer questions from two soundproof booths, so that one is ynable to hear the other's progress. The first to score 21 points wins £50, and comes on the programme the following week against a new competitor, In theory, if a com-. petitor withstands all challengers, he could win in one year £2600. Short Wave CHINA: Radio Peking has extended its schedule to listeners in Australia and New Zealand from the former 39 minutes to one hour. Transmission time is 9,0-10.0 p.m,, and the station uses 15060 ke. and 17835 ke., in the 19 and 16-metre bands. On Sunday evening the programme includes a session in which letters from listeners are answered, while the Saturday night Quiz offers prizes to listeners who answer correctly questions on China. INDIA: All India Radio broadcasting from New Delhi is at present carrying a test broadcast for listeners in New Zealand each morning from 9.0 to 10.0 a.m. The frequencies employed are 11710, 15105, and 17860 ke. in the 25, 19 and 16-metre bands, the first frequency being the best received. Reports to P.O. Box 500, New Delhi, are requested, and the station also requests that listeners contact the nearest Indian Consulate with information on recep. tion. The two frequencies in the 19 and 16-metre bands suffer interference, the former from HCJB and the latter from the BBC transmissions on 17860 kc