Our Short Wave Corner

Radio Record, Volume I, Issue 47, 8 June 1928, Page 13

Our Short Wave Corner

R. F. W. SELLENS (Northland) writes :-- : . : Saturday, May 26. Big Ben was heard striking 8 pm, at 6.30 am. through 5SW. This was followed, without any announcement, by 2 man and woman singinz. Volume was very weak at 7.25 a.m. when I closed down. An orchestral item was coming through at fair ‘phone strength, PCJT was first tuned in at 12.45 p.m. All announcements in the early part of the programme were made in a foreign language, Spanish probably, as Mexico City was called several times, and once in English. My, Ranger, or Granger,’ manager, --- ’Electrical Company, Mexico City, was asked for a report of reception. Reports were also asked fdr from other listeners in North America. At 2.10 p.m. the "Wembley Tattoo" was heard at good speaker volume. 2XAD on 21.96 metres was first heard at 12.50 p.m., when they were fair "phone strength, but very unsteady, Later on volume increased to fair speaker and was more steady. Olive Palmer, radio's most popular soprano, sang, and it was announced that a photograph of this lady could be had -by writing for one to the Radio Editor, Palmolive Co., Chicago, Ill On closing it was announced that a gonz would be struck at exactly one minute and ten seconds past 11 o'clock, eastern daylight-saving time. After a slight pause the gong was heard, This is a new idea. 2FC, through 2MI2-on 28.5 metres, were heard during the evening. Volume was good speaker, but several times they went off the air for 2 moment or two, and just before 11 p.m. 2ME announced that they were closinz down, apparently on account of breakdown, as yolume decreased very rapidly before the announcement. From RIM, 70 metres, a lady was heard talking as well as the usual male speaker, Sunday, May 27. 2XAF, 31.4 metres, at 2 pm. was very weak, but was soon strong enough for the speaker. A programme of dance and yocal musie was being reJayed from the Crystal Room, De Witzler Ifotel, Albany, New York. Applause at the end of each item could be clearly heard. They signed off at 3.83 p.m., New Zealand time. 2BO was heard calling "CQ" during the afternoon. 8LO, through 8ME. carried out their second daylight test from 6.15 p.m. tiil GAT p.m. Several choruses from "Carmen" were heard, 2 poem by Robert W. Service, the Canadian Kipling, "Barbed Wire Field" was read, ete. Volume from fair, increasing to good speaker. Monday, May 28. 38LO from 6 a.m. were again testing, but were not up to their usual standard, much weaker and mushy. At from about 6.10 am. on 45 metres a stranger was heard transmitting orchestral items, without any announcement in between. Strength was fairly good, but unsteady. 2B0 again calling "CQ." 2ME were transmitting the regular evening programme of 2FC on 28,5 metres. Strength was good speaker. AS an experiment I tried them on the broadcast wave and found that with the same number of valves more volume could be obtained than on the short-waye. Modulation was good on both wave-lengths. Tuesday, May 29. Between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. not a sign of any station could be heard. Bed-time stories from 2FC on 28.51

ae ‘metres at good volume were heard, but suddenly went off at 7.25 p.m. REM were louder than they have been for a long time. Talk was all that was heard from them, Wednesday, May 30. | PCII was not audible till about 6,15 | am., When they were very weak, Volume was much better at 7 am., but "surging" was bad. Not any announcements were heard till 7.30 a.m, when a lady spoke. Several more items were heard without any announcement, which is unusual for PCJJ. 5SW also was very weak at 6.30 am, When closing down at 7.45 a.m. they were much better. During the evening 2BH was testing on the 80 metres band. 2BO put on some enjoyable records, Thursday, May 31. Was up very early for a while to try my luck with JB (South Africa) but, as expected, could not get anything. 2ME, on 28.5 metres, were testing from 6.30 p.m. till 7.30 p.m. Good speaker at times, but faded very badly. Friday, June 1. PCJF was very weak at 5.30 a.m, and not much better at 6.30 a.m., but improved rapidly after this time. SSW was poor at 7 a.m., but an orchestral item at 7.25 a.m. was coming through fairly good. 2ME from 6.30 p.m. till 7.80 pun. were testing. Grunophone records were used at first and later the bedtime session from 2FC transmitted. Reports were solicited from places out- | side Australia, REM was loud, but statie very bail. | 4NW (Queensland), on about 38 metres, was testing. | A yoice was heard on about 35.5 metres, but too weak to get the call. A New Russian. } ON Thursday, May 31, another Rus-. sian station was heard, being log- | ged at 12.30 a.m. on approximately 4 ‘metres. When first heard it was transmitting music, then eame "Hullo, Hullo." Radio Laboratory University of --, U.K.S.R. You will now hear more music and piano item.’ There was another announcement re radio call letters which was hard to understand, but sounded like RAD2. ‘This was followed by a violin solo. Their programme continued on till 2 a.m.! With announcements made between: items. In one part of transmission reference was made to musical programme, and that the list would be carried out on Wednesday and Thursdays at the same time, which would mean Thursday and Friday mornings, 12.30 till 2 a.m. New Zealand time. Modulation was very poor at times, but strength was equal to the Russian S.W. station RFM received nightly in New Zealand. Most of the announcements were made in broken English, which at times was quite good. As stated, poor modulation made it very difficult to understand. He closed down with station announcement asking for reports, telegram or letter, and finished up with "Good-night, ladies and gentlemen." Trusting that some other SW fans will hear this station and report. -A, P. Morrison (Brooklyn). English Nightingale Heard in N.Z. FT may interest short-wave enthusiasts to know ‘that 5SW, Chelmsford, England, is now fair loudspeaker strength until he closes down each morning at 10.30 a.m. This morning while listening to him at 10 am. he announced, if possible, between then and midnight they would i

broadeast the song of a nightingale [ from the woods, and at 10.23 a.m, until 10.30 p.m. the nightingale’s song was heard clearly and distinctly. : "‘PCIT was on the air until 8.80 still good volume when he closed down. A lady. was doing most of the announcing. In conclusion, allow me to express keen appreciation of the articles contributed by "Megohm." a C.M., Wellington. Short-Wave Notes From the South, — ONDITIONS still remain good with perhaps one day's bad reception on which static crashes made signals almost inaudible. 5SW, Chelmsford is constant in volume, most of their items about 8 to 8.80 or later constitute some relays apparently from theatres; musical items and speech are | received with good modulation. The two New York stations have gone off with’me this last week. They, however, were better yesterday. One has not the time to spend always through the day when their transmission is at its best. Occasionally morse will mush KDKA badly. When this clears, ; however, they ‘come through well. ;3LO on 82 metres in their regular | Monday morning test last week were ‘simply perfect, easily held and stayed i stable without a semblance of surge. This week on their second daylight .test on Sunday afternvon, while ter- : rifically loud, the first’ half-hour they ‘had a constant surging wave which ated out later. On Monday morning they were much better, later in the | lay I lost volume in reception in gen,eral, and finally it faded out. After | varied mental journeys through the circuit, one came to the conclusion that the trouble was outside the set, | which eventually proved to be correct. convenience sake I haye a snap | connection to aerial made up of two ‘large brass carpet domes, and = al- | though on close inspection everything appeared right, on test it proved not _to be so, the lacquer which these fit‘nents are covered with apparently had an insulating effect. After this was put right I jumped back into the ‘old volume. It is really astonishing what little trivial things will prevent a set functioning. To-day (Wednesday) England was coming over exceptionally loud and speech delightfully articulated. Do you know of any reception in this country of a successful nature from South Africa? If so, it would be interesting to try for them during the All Blacks’ visit to the Cape.R. H. Parker (Invercargill). {Except for the case of South African reception recently reported in "Our Mail Bag," we believe only Mr. Bell has received South Africa on morse only. Special difficulties of time and direction of wave-travel seem to limit New Zealand reception of African stations. Also see Mr. Morrison’s letter elsewhere.-Ed.]