Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 10, 21 September 1928, Page 32

Round the World on Short Wave

Notes of special value to short-wave enthusiasts are contributed

weeklv to the *"‘Radio Record" by Mr.

F. W.

Sellens

Northland,

Wellington. Observations from others are welcomed.

ae. a ME. F. W. SELLENS writes :- Mr. Mavin H. Thoreau, Vancouver, in a letter just received, expressed surprise at the poor reception of the Heeney-Tunney fight in New Zealand. Ile says the broadcasters were not to blame as he has never heard 2XAF or 2XAD better than on this occasion. All or most of the American stations are due for wavelength and power ehanges. The Monday. morning programme from 8LO on 52 metres is not audible in Vancouver. Short wave reception in that district is none too good now. RIM is very inconsistent; 5SW is seldom heard-not even the carrier. On the other hand, Mr. Thoreau says that 2XAD, 2XAF and KDKEA are still "pounding in." 90-Metre Tests from Nairobi. "PHE station recently opened by the British Bast African Broadcasting Company at Nairobi, Kenya Colony. is broadeasting a series of experimental programmes extending over a period of about three months, which began on Sunday, July 15. This transmission will tuke place daily from 5.30 to 8.30 p.m. (B.S.T.) (4 a.m. to 7 a.m. New Zealand time.) The station authorities are also hoping to arrange for an additional programme to be broadcast every Saturday, which will last until 10.80 pm. B.S.T. (9 a.m. Sunday, New Zealand time). The Nairobi station has an aerial power of approximately 4 K.W., and works on a wavelength of 90 metres. The call sign is TLO. Reports of reception will be welcomed by the station directors. The above particulars are only just to hand. | Radio-Telephony in Aerial Drill. (TUE brilliant display of air drill car ried out at Hendon on Saturday June 30, by 56 squadrons was repeated on Friday and Saturday last at the R.A.F. display at Blackpool. Wach machine in the squadron was equipped with a short-wave receiver. while the leader’s machine also carried a transmitter. During the flight various spectacular evolutions were carried out on the leader’s word of command, the stunts including looping the loop, flying in line, and re-forming squadron. General. A REVISED schedule is to hand, dated August 1, 1928, of the shortwave stations owned and operated by =

the General BPlectric Company, Schenectady, New York. The following are the particulars in New Zealand time. Until October 1, daylight saving time is observed, so till then the times will be one hour earlier than given. | ONAF, 31.4 metres :-- Tuesday, 9.50 a.m.-3.30 p.m. Wednesday, 9.80 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, 9.80 a.m.-3.30 p.m Sunday, 9.80 a.m.-3.30 p.m. YNAT), 21.96 metres :- Monday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday. 5.80 a.m.-7.30 a.m., and 9.30 2.m.-3.380 p.m. Thursday, 9.30 a.m.-3.30 p.m. Friday. 5.80 a.m.-7.30 a.m. Saturday, 9.30 a.m.-3.30 p.m. Although these are the official hours of transmission, each station carries on till 3.30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, when, according to the above schedule, with daylight saving in operation, the closing time should be 2.30 p-n.. Mr. UW. M. Myers, of Birmingham. England, reports’ an amazing feat of international reception in which 2XAF, WGY’s short-wave sister. participated. Tiring of the local programmes, Mr. Myers tuned to Stuttgart. Germany, when rebroadeasting 2XAF. The Schenectady announcer informed his audience that a programme from London was coming in so well that 2XAF would rebroadcast it. The Brit. isher listened to the London programme to the end, setting his watch to Big Ben, after the signal had made two trips across the Atlantic. Distance lends.encbantment! A strange station has been heard on about 50 metres during the early morning. On each occasion static was too severe to hear much talk or music. Saturday, September 8. oSW oat 7 am. was very good strength, but spoilt by rapid fading. IDKRA, 27 metres, and 2XAD were broadcasting their programmes till about 2.30 pm. The song "Drink to Me Only" came through very well, as

did items by the National Light Orchestra and the National Light Quartet. KDKA closed down about 2.30 p.m, at strength 5, while 2XAD at the same time was. R7. The latter station carried on till 3.30 p.m. with a classic programme from the Roof Orchestra, Hotel St. Regis. R9 was the strength for last half an hour. 2ME, broadcasting the Eucharistic Congress, were weaker than usual with me, about Rd. Reception from PCJJ from 3.30 p.m. was rather disappointing, being weaker than usual, slightly unsteady. Speech was 100 per cent. readable. It was noted that Australia only was ealled towards the finish, New Zealand not being mentioned. Reports were asked for. God Save the King was played at 6.387 p.m. Strength was from R8 to R5d, decreasing to R4 at the conclusion. Sunday, September 9. YM, 31.7 metres, broadcasting Solemp High Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, was Rd at its best. Fading was bad. KDKA was tuned ‘in just as they were signing off at 2.83 p.m.: R4. 2XAF were weaker than usual. At 8 p.m. they were only R4. WLW. also was very weak. 2ME owas heard from 5 till 7 p.m... its, with intense fading. At each fade it was noticed that many listeners tried to bring up the signal strength by oscil. lating. RFM was very good at R7. 2B ..Hastings. came in at R9, testing with gramophone records. Monday September 10. At §6 a.m. a stranger was heard ov about 50 metres. The talk was foreign. R4 and very rough. The earrier went off by 6.10 a.m. 3LO were very weak. only audible at times before 6.80 u.m.. about this time When "Darling, I Am Growing Old’ was on, the signals suddenly increns ed to R6. -an

Tuesday, September 11. . 5.80 a.m., Big Ben from 58W. Talk followed at R2-8. Not readable on aceount of rapid fading. It improved later, The. progress of the. Southern cps was of more interest than 5SW, therpfore did not bother any more with them, but kept with 2YA. During the evening RFM was R&, spoilt by QRM and QRN. At 11 p.m. 5SW was about RY. Big Ben was heard but talk not readable. Wednesday, September 12. PCJI were in good form. Very steady, not any fading to notice, 100 per ceni. readable. Strength R8 at 6 a.m. to R7 when signing off at 7.37 a.m., with the announcement that they would be on again from 2300 till 0200, G.M.T. OSW, although fair strength, rapid fading was bad. At 7.a.m. a band was about R6, the annoincement being about 50 per cent. readable, _ Again at 11 pm. 5SW was heard. ‘OS W, Chelmsford," was clear, though weak, but on switching over to London speech was not clear enough to understand. Orchestral music was heard. Thursday, September 13. At ‘5.50 a.m. pianoforte items were R7. A lecture followed, but again rapid fading spoilt intelligibility. The 50-metre stranger was talking at R5, but static was very severe. 5SW was quite free of static at this time. RYM .at 10 p.m. was heard at full loudspeaker trength. An _ orchestral item was very good except-that static was too noisy. Friday, September 14. Music was heard this morning from the 50-metre station. Statie was tov bad to listen Iong. PCJJ was almost perfect reception. except for a slight fade. Maximum volume at 6.30 a.m. at RS8. OSW was RS at 7.30 a.m.. but rapid fading spoilt reception. At 11 p.m.-re-ception was fairly steady at R38. The Java Station. in our last issue wrote correcting us on the wave-length of the Java -station. This he stated to be 15.98 metres, and not $1.98 as stated by us. Investigation along the latest channels of infoe:-ma-tion shows that both wave-lengths are ‘correct: but both are used on different diy. "These short-wavers frequently change and we welcome information regarding them.