Short-wave Jottings

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 33, 1 March 1929, Page 32

Short-wave Jottings

; On Short-Wave

Me. A. P. MORRISON (Brooklyn) writes :-In recent reports I have stated that the new call-sign of 2MH was PK2MH, which at different times I had heard operating in Australia, but Mr. Sellens told me it was VK2MBE, and since listening to them I have taken particular notice of the call, and found my mistake. VK2MH it is. Most of the short-wave stations this last week have come in with. good strength, with the exception of PCJ, Holland, last Saturday, 16th. He could not be heard at all by me. ‘The following items of interest to SW listeners are from the last edition of "Radio News," "Old Faithful," of the short waves: Short-wave broadcasting, though a novelty to most of the general public as yet, is nevertheless practically as old as broadcasting on the present "regular" band which centres somewhere below 860 metres. As with the latter, station KDKA, whose transmitters at East Pittsburgh, Pa., was the pioneer and still a leader. In the spring of 1922, only a few months after KDKA had commenced systematic broadcasting to the public on a longer wave, H. P. Davis, vicepresident of the Westinghouse Electric Manufacturing Co., the owner of the station, conceived the idea of using radio relays to link together stations for simultaneous broadcasts. Dr. Frank Conrad, the technical authority to whom has been entrusted the direction of the necessary engineering de.velopment, was convinced at once that the short-waves (then dismissed contemptuously to the realm of amusement, rather than experiment) would offer a solution. An experimental short-wave station, EDPM, was put in operation at Cleveland to work with KDKA. And in the following year at Hastings, WNeb., KFKX undertook a regular schedule of rebroadcasting KDKA’s nightly programme as transmitted and received on short waves. T was not long before the success obtained warranted an attempt to relay a programme for international broadeasting; this was accomplished on December 31, 1923, when a New Year’s Eve programme was transmitted by KDKA and successfully rebroadeast at Manchester, England. On Deeember 12, 1924, the regular short-wave programmes were picked up and rebroadcast at Johannesburg, South Africa, at a distance of nearly 9000 miles, and in the following month KDKA was received and rebroadcast in Melbourne, Australia, thus spanning the diameter of the world. Tach of the feats set a record in international radio telephone work.

Into the White Wastes. SIN CH 1923 the short-wave transmitter of KDKA has been engaged jn a work which exceeds in human interest, undoubtedly, its many scientific and engineering achievements-~ that of keeping in touch with civilisation its pioneers in the frozen Arctic. It began with the distribution by the Canadian Westinghouse Co. of receivers to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; now traders, explorers, missionaries, and others rely upon the messages thus sent to them for news and entertainment, especially in the midday night of the northern winter. In fact, many lives have been saved through the directions sent out from this station for the organisation of relief expeditions at posts capable of aiding isolated parties whose plight would not otherwise have been known in time. At present KDKA is transmitting also "Far South" programmes for the benefit of Commander Byrd’s expedition; these transmissions represent a most carefully-prepared series of distance programmes. To reinforce the service of KDKA, the Westinghouse stations WBZ, Springfield, Mass., and KYW, Chicago, are also equipped with short-wave equipment, which is kept ready for use. M* log for the week is as follows:Thursday, February 14. 7.30 p.m.: DHC, Germany, was heard calling Sydney; a little later VK2MB was heard to reply; strength from both stations was good. DHO was a little stronger than Sydney; he asked 2ME to wait a moment because they had developed an interference at their receiving station, and that they wished to make adjustments to their aerial. It proved afterwards that this interference was too great, so the test was not carried any further. 9.30 p.m.: A Dutch station carried out a duplex telephony test with ANH, Java. The Dutch station was operating on 16 metres, modulation and strength were good from both stations; strength varied from R6 to 8. As regards call of station in Holland, I heard it a good many times sounding like PCK; if that is the correct call, he is a new one to me. 10.80: RFM, Russia was heard at R8. Some good music. . Amateurs heard, 3AF testing 2AX, Palmerston North. Friday, February 15. 6.30 a.m. I looked for 7L0, South Africa, but failed to find him. I have not heard him for a good many morn-~-ings now. 7 a.m, Big Ben was heard to strike at 5SW. Afterwards a lecture was delivered on religion; strength

has improved somewhat this last few mornings, and on this particular morning he was R7 to 8. 7 pm: D.H.C. ‘Nauen, Germany, were conducting another test with VK2MBE, Sydney; both stations at R8 to 9. This test concluded at 8.5 p.m., New Zealand time. 8.10, PHI, Holland, was heard with music, strength varying from R6 to 8 Fading was in evidence. One fault with this station, is that he does not give his station call frequently enough. Sometimes he plays as many as six items of music before he announces. 8.45: 20A, Lower Hutt, testing on 70 to 80 metres, band strength, Rb, but modulation could be touched up a litile, but for all that he is quite good. 10 p.m.: Japanese station on 30 metres: ‘strength R.6 to 7; call, I did not get. Saturday, February 16. Did not listen-in in the morning. 3.15 p.m.: A station was heard on 22 to 28 metres. When first hearing him, I thought it was W2XAD. After listening for some time, I heard California mentioned. I thought this must be Mr. Sellezs’s friend of Saturday, February 2, K.G.0. The next announcement I heard "Station KGO, California." The next item was by an Italian operatic singer, I listened to him for one hour. Strength was not great, so there was much said that I did not catch. At 8.15 p.m. he was R6 to 7, but to me he decreased in strength, and could not be heard after 420 pm. As Mr. Sellens says, nothing was mentioned re these s.w. stations when he heard them, and such was the case with me. This station, KGO, California, is one of the pioneer stations of America on its broadcast band. I remember, years ago, this station was one of the wonder stations. At that time I was in the Wairarapa, and I could bring him in as clear as a bell on one valve, transmitting dance music from St. Francis Hotel, California, but now he is not heard so much in New Zealand. The reason, I suppose, is too many transmitters around him. At any rate we hope his s.w. transmitter will be heard in New Zealand at good strength later on. His s.w. plant is now rated at 10,000 watts. 5 p.m: W2XG, Rocky Point, was heard on word test. R8, on 33 metres. 5.15 p.m.: Station on 52 metres, with music, probably WLW, Cincinatti, strength R5 to 6. 9.30 p.m.: DOR, Germany, was heard on 41 metres, with his usual long talk. R7 to 8. 10.30 p.m.: JOAK, Japan, was heard on 37 metres, with some of his Japanese operatic music. R77. Sunday, February 17. 3.80 p.m.: W2XAF was heard, but at that time strength was only R5d to 6, so did not bother with him. 3.35 p.m.: KDKA was tuned in with surprising volume for that time of the afternoon, and was transmitting dance music from William Penn Hotel, Pittsburg. This concluded at 4 p.m., New Zealand time. Afterwards KDKA ealled the Byrd expedition, asking for

a report on reception of ex-Governor Hughes’s speech (which was probably broadcast before I tuned KDKA in), but numerous difficulties were experienced by KDKA in hearing either of the s.w. transmitters of the expedition, namely WEFBT and WFAT, operating on 33 metres. KDKA first tried to receive them at the control room at that station, but were not successfull, ¢% asked WFBT to give another longyé > in a series of dashes, and then’, KDKA. He would listen for them at their receiving station, situated five miles from Pittsburg. They failed to receive a satisfactory message, so KDKA stated they had 40 to 50 messages for the expedition and that each message was numbered, first message number one, and so on, and stated if anv message was not received on account of fading by them, they could call up their receiving station and the message would be given again. Five messages were given, and then KDKA called for WFBT (City of New York), to call the receiving station again, but was not successful again, so carried on with messages, Before KDKA finished with the Byrd Expedition he called a Mr. Ross Skinner on board the Franconia (this gentleman is on a long voyage, I believe), and read a message to him, and then Mr. Skinner’s sister, Nora, spoke¢ to him for a little while. KDKA then: carried on with the expedition messages, and before closing down at 5.25 p.m., New Zealand time, he asked WEBT to call the receiving station on 22 metres, and give them a report. KDKA was 100 pr cent. readable with increasing signal strength. 7 p.m.: The 41-metre station DOR, Germany, was heard. This station gives its call the plainest of any foreign station I have heard, and anyone tuning him in while he is on these talks and pausing as he does would probably mistake him for the other German station, RSR. His strength is always good R8 to 9. 9.30 p.m.: Another Jap. was heard on 35 metres, but his transmission was very noisy, R6 to 7. 9.45: REM Rus(Continued on page 31.)

}Continued from page 32.) sia was at wonderful strength, but mostly talk, very little music; R8 to 9 Monday, February 18. 7,15 am.: 38LO Melbourne, 31.6 metres, was heard, but much weaker than usual, about R6 to 7. KDKA was heard in the afternoon, but was much weaker than Sunday. He closed down at 3.80 p.m. New Zealand time. 3.30: A station was heard on 23 metres, but was too weak to get call, probably KGO again. 6.30 p.m.: DOR Germany Iking, wonderful strength, R9. 7 ta rt p.m: W2XG on word test, opering on two wavelengths, 26 and 42 metres; R8. 8.15 p.m.: PHI Holland, transmitting music same as usual, very few announcements; strength R7 to $8; strength increasing as time went on. Throughout ‘transmisison he was making carier wave adjustments. Tuesday, February 19. 6.30 a.m.: A carrier wave was heard on 31 metres, but listened for ten minutes, but nothing was heard. 7 a.m.: 5SW, after Big Ben struck the hour, some announcements were made, but I failed to get what was said; strength R6 to 7. I did not listen-in during the evening. Wednesday, February 20. 1.45 p.m. the carrier wave of KDKA was just audible. I did not listen $ again till nearly 4 p.m., when I heard him giving the weather report. He closed down at 4.10 p.m.; strength R7. 4.15 p.m.: W2XAF was heard about R7. An announcement was made something about being linked up with Montreal. Afterwards music could be heard, but there was a deal of noise, but after coming back to WGY studio he was quite distinct. At 5 p.m. he stated that they would now carry out 30 minutes’ television test, and mentioned these tests were carried out Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays for 30 minutes. He closed down at 12.37 H.S.T. 4,20 p.m.: A station was heard just below W2XAFI, but strength was not too good, and also it was fading. He turned out to be 4XD, Nashville, Tennessee. On account of strength and fading he was not heard very well. the latest list of SW stations in Radio News" he is listed with a waveength above 2XAF, so probably yesterday’s transmission was a test. 7 pm.: DHC, Germany, was heard to open up and call VK2ME. The best English spoken from this station was this night by a woman, she being, as stated, an operator from one of the exchanges in Berlin. She mentioned in her conversation with 2MH that the exchange where she was employed was worked solely by women. Strength from both stations was good; R9. Before VK2ME closed down he stated he would be on the air again at 10.30 p.m.

-----. to carry out another test: he did n say who with. 11 p.m.: Station on 83 metres, who turned out to be 4850, Dunedin ; strength was R8 to 9; modulation good at times, but fading a little. He asked for reports and to send them to address 506 George Street, Dunedin. 11.15 p.m.: Just before closing down ANE was heard playing records$ strength R7 to 8. Thursday, February 1. 7.15 p.m.: DHC, Nauen, Germany, was carrying out another duplex telephony test with VK2MH, Sydney. Strength from DHC was wonderful, just like listening to our local station ; R9. 2MB was quite good-R7 to 3but lately 2ME has been making tests with different power and at times their signal strength varies. 8.30 p.m.: REM, Russia, was at R7 to8 9D.m.: JHBB, Japan, was heard on 30 metres at R7. Friday, February 22. I was up a little early this morning to see how POJ, Holland, was coming in and at 6.15 a.m. he was about R5 to 6, but later on he increased to R7 to 8 and was heard calling India.