Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 12, 5 October 1928, Page 32

Round the World on Short Wave

Notes of special value to short-wave enthusiasts are contributed weekly to the "Radio Record" by Mr. F. W. Sellens, Northland, Wellington. Observations from others are welcomed.

Me. IF. W. SELLENS writes :- Our old friend, the mystery station "Au Japanese," is again mentioned in the October issue of "Rudio News" just to hand. A correspondent of that paper, writing from Barbados, British West Indies, says: "With reference to the station calling ‘Hello Japoni,’ which puzzled South African listeners as to its origin, I may state that T also got this signal with considerable volume over the loud-speaker, in fact, never had such volume before or since; and I cannot imagine that it could be as far away as Pekin or the’ Belgian Congo. (These were suggested countries of origin by other listeners.) The party speaking seemed to be talking in French. I have not heard this station for about a month now." The editor replies:-‘‘As for ‘Hello Japoni,’ our readers seem to agree this is a Dutch station." The present writer does not agree with this, as, although heard many times, Dutch was not spoken once while listening to him. It has been noticed that the Japanese short-wave station often heard during the evening works on various wavrelengths. The following is the schedule of JOAK on short-waves each month: Date ........ 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 Wave-length (metres) ..30, 60, 35, 70, 30, 60, 35,70 WEST COAST correspondent reports having heard at about 1 a.m. Friday, September 20, what appeared to be a two-way conversation in Dutch. He gives wave-length as being lower than 2XAD (21.96 metres). He heard the speaker call "Hello Bandoeng." This would have been duplex telephony between PCLL, Holland, and ANH, Bandoeng, Jaya. The former station, if not the other, I have read was built for that purpose. On a card received from PCLIL some months ago, among other particulars it gives: Beam aerial; direction, Holland-Jaya. As recently as this morning (Friday, September 28), I heard a two-way tele‘phony conversation from ANE on 15.95 metres, at good strength, about KR&. Daylight Saving Time. HE United States returns to Standard time on October 1, and Great Britain on October 7. This will. give us an extra hour of the American stations in the afternoon when reception is best. 7 I found that with ANE on 15.93 metres the receiver, using a stage of screen grid high frequency amplification was very steady, hand capacity not being at all troublesome; tuning, of course, was rather critical. Previous to adding the screen grid, this station was very diffieult to manage, quite O.K. while handl-

ing the dials, but directly the hands were taken away trouble started. Saturday, September 22. Was up too late to do more than try 5SW; they were quite good at R6 at 7.380 a.m. KDKA were tuned in at 12.45 p.m. at BR 2-8 increasing to'R 5 at 2.30 p.m., when they signed off with the call SXK. The programme was supplied by the National Concert and Broadcast Bureaux. 2XAD was much weaker than usual, being only R5 at conclusion of transmission at 3.30 p.m. , PCJTJ was first heard at 1.30 p.m., R 1-2. They were R 3-4 at 2.30 p.m, when announcements were all in a foreign tongue. The "Marseillaise"’ was played at 2.35 p.m., closing down at 2.40 p.m. This was apparently a special transmission for some distant country, as their closing time was about 3.10 a.m. G.M.T. PCJJ commenced their special New Zealand and Australian transmission at 3.80 p.m. with the National Anthem at R6, increasing to R 9 at 5 p.m. Strength was R 6-7 at 6.28 p.m. when they closed down. Reception was excellent all through. Many of the items were yocal gems from various operas. R.E.M. was fair volume during the evening, but was spoilt by static. Sunday, September 23. KDKA at 10.30 am. was R 1-car-rier only. Volume increased slightly, but was lost later on. When tuned in again at 3 pm. were R6-7, increasing to R 8-9 at 3.35 p.m. Dance music was the fare for the last hour. A morse station was troublesome most of the time. 2NAF was very poor. Two shortwave listener correspondents remarked about the bad reception of stations 2X AID and 2 XAF on these two days. RIM, though strong, was not worth listening to; it was mushy. 4NW, Queensland, at R8 and 2BO. Wellington, were the only amateurs picked up on telephony. Monday, September 24. 3ME, Melbourne. opened at 6.28 a.m., changing over to 8LO at 6.30 a.m. The test only lasting one hour, closing down at 7.30 a.m. Reception was excellent at R9, fading being much less than usual. A powerful Morse station was on top of it most of the time. I understood the announcer to state that next week’s time would be 6.45 a.m.7.15 am. (8.15 am-845 am. New Zealand time).

Tuesday, September 25. 5SW at 6 a.m. was transmitting a French talk. At 6.20 a.m. a musical comedy was heard till 7.30 a.m., when the time signal was given, followed by a short announcement from SSW, stating they were radiating the London programme. Wednesday, September 26. Reception from PCJJ was excellent. Volume steady at R 8-9 till 6.30 a.m., decreasing to RG at 7.38 a.m., when closing down. Several times "Hullo, Radio Amateur Sourabaya" was called, with talk in Dutch following. 5SW also was very good. At 5.30 a.m. Miss , late principal of the Ladies’ High School, Cheltenham, was announced to speak on ‘"Hducation." This started in the nature of an interview by a gentleman, apparently a headmaster of a boys’ college. It developed into an argument, rather heated at times, lasting till 5.50 a.m., when they were switched off in favour of some music. "Novels" was the subject of the next talk. Musie followed again till 6.30 am. when "London and Daventry Calline" was heard. The first of a series of six talks on America followed. Strength was best at 6.30 a.m, being R8-9, 100 per cent. intelligible. 2X AF carried out their regular television test from 3 till 3.30 pm. All that was audible was the carrier with a strong ripple. This ripple is. peculiar to the television test, as, when the test was over it disappeared. The signing off talk was Ro. 2xXC, New South Wales, was heard calling CQ during the evening at Rv. Thursday, September 27. OoSW was tuned in at 5.45 a.m. when a talk was just concluding. Rapid fading spoilt readability, it being about 00 per cent. Piano selections were given during the next 15 minutes. These were quite good at R8. 6 a.m., one of a series of lectures on "Mechanics of Byeryday Life’ was given. The subject of this talk was "Levers." The speaker gave an interesting talk which was 100 per cent. readable. A foreigner was picked. up at 6.30 am. on about 49.5 metres. Signals were too weak and static too bad to identify. 38CB Richmond, and 8CP, both of Victoria, were chatting, and arranged a schedule for Sunday morning, both heard at the same wevelength, about 32.5 metres. Strength R6-7, each station. At 11 p.m. Big Ben, followed by a lady singing, were heard from 5S W at R3-4. These evening receptions from Chelmsford continue to improve. Friday, September 28. Big Ben was again heard at 5.30 a.m., followed by a talk about "Whirlwinds, Hurricanes, _ ete," Strength R6-7, 100 per cent. readable. From 6.15 a.m. a male chorus with orchestra gave some splendid items. Reception was excellent all through, being R8 from 6-7 a.m, PCJJ also. was 100 per cent., with Strength varying from R7 to R8 at its best. The foreiguer-believed to be Ger-man-was again heard at- about 49.5

metres, also one on about 46. metres, also a Fritz. Both R2, talking all the time. 2XAD was on the air. Heard it first at 6.15 a.m., quite good and clear at R4; they closed down at 7.30 a.m. at R3. This was apparently a tranymission independent of WGY, as t eall was not heard. 2XAD, on 21.%. metres, with the calls and wavelengths of two other short-wave stations, were given working on one "hook-up." ANE was working on 15.93 metres. Strength R5-6, very clear and steady. All talk was in Dutch, and appeared to be carrying on a two-way conversation. Always the same voice was heard at this end (the station listened to), but different voices, sometimes a female, were heard in reply. Several times the call, which sounded like "Hullo Berlinger,’’ was heard. N.Z.A.R.T. Notes. On Sunday afternoon, September 23, amateur radio station 1AN Auckland, held two-way communication with the Australian amateur, 3CP, in Melbourne, on a wavelength of 10 metres, This is understood to be the first transTasman work on this frequency. The Wellington amateur transmit~ ters are carrying out slow Morse classes for the beginner. There is a station on every night sending slow morse. The band at present used is 30-82 metres. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, times are from 7.30 to 8 p.m., and on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 p.m. to 10.30 p.m, New Zealand mean time. The classes may be extended to the 85-metre band later. All reports are welcomed in order ta. learn the extent of this service. Canadian Short-Waver. ; N Friday, August 31, I picked up a Canadian on 27 metres. This ‘4 \ undoubtedly the station Mr. H. A. © Steadman heard. He closed down at 5.23 a.m., signing off, "HG? Manitoba, now closing." Reception was spoilt by static, and was very blurred. The call letters sounded different each time, but "Manitoba" was heard elearly several times. 2XAL has been heard a few times, weak, but clear. 2ME was very good. last month. 5SW has improved in

volume.-

J. D.

O'Loughlin

(Master-

ton).