Short-wave Jottings

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 40, 19 April 1929, Page 32

Short-wave Jottings

eee PrOLLOWING are the reception notes from Mr. Sellens :- Mr. A. Gledhill, Christchurch, reports having heard a new short-wave station on the morning of April 6. This was 4L0, Siam, working . on 12.88 metres, with 60 k.w. Records were played and announcements made in three languages. Strength R4-5. ‘Wireless World" says: "We hear that a Singapore firm-Radio-arts, utd.-proposes to establish a Malay broadcasting station for the special purpose of relaying short-wave programmes throughout the Straits Settlements and Malay States. Schedules are being arranged with the technical staffs of the Chelmsford, Melbourne, and Sydney stations.to enable continuous programmes to be given each evening from 7.30. Lest they be accused of excessive optimism, the organisers state that 2L0 has already been received satisfactorily through 5SW, and that Malayan listeners have already enjoyed performances given in the London Palladium." The mystery station reported several times on about 31 metres in the early morning is our old friend {LO Nairobi. The cali has been heard since last week's notes, The Canadian short-wave station, OJ RX, is situated at Fleming, Saskatchewan, which is 200 miles west of Winnipeg. This station operates on a wavelength of 25.6 metres, with 2 k.w. They broadcast from 10 a.m. till 12.30 p.m. every day except Mondays, Mondays’ times being 12.30 p.m. till 2 p.m., 2.30 p.m. till 3.50 ‘m. xtra schedules are Wednesdays, 2 p.m. till 4 p.m., and Fridays, 1.30 p.m. till 8 p.m., New Zealand mean time. Reports of reception are appreciated, and should be addressed to James Richardson and Sons, Ltd., 1018 Grain Exchange Buildings, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The new Dutch short-wave station PHI was transmitting on three mornings during the past week from 12.30 a.m. till 2.80 a.m., New Zealand time-not a convenient time for listeners in this country. This station has been heard at wonderful volume in New Zealand and Aus. tralia. My log is as follows :- Sunday, April 7. At 10.30 am. KDKA was R3, transmitting a musical programme. Signals soon weakened and gradually disappeared. 2XAF was just audible at 11 a.m. On about 26 metres at 11.30 a.m. a voice was heard calling "Hullo, Paree," strength R6.. Short talks with long intervals. sae KDKA was in good form till 4.16 p.m, when they signed off, volume reaching R9. W2XAF and W2XAD_ were both on the air with a special programme of music and messages for the Byrd Expedition, arranged by the "New York imes." Both stations were received at good strength till 5.25 p.m. Monday, April 8. HE 31-metre stranger was tuned in just before 6,380 a.m., when music was: heard at Rd: At the conclusion of the item, "Nairobi Calling," followed by. the closing announcement, was clearly heard. They closed at 6.32 am. 3L0O, through VK3ME, commenced, . .their weekly broadcast at 6.30 a.m. Reception, except for slow fading, was excellent at an easy R9. RIM at night was about R8. Plenty of talk. Tuesday, April 9. 5SW at 5.15 a.m. were playing records and calling 2XO; R8. Very elear, but a little unsteady. 2X0 could mot be heard direct, but at times through

At just above 31 metres, slow foreign talk was heard in a very deep voice, from 6 a.m. Strength at first R38-4. Organ music followed, volume increasing to Rd. A choir and solos were heari later, the organ playing all the time without any intervals. There were not any announcement or talk after the voice was heard at 6 a.m. This splendid programme was still on when I closed down at 7.25 a.m. 7LO Nairobi was just audible. 5SW was R8 at-6.30 am. "Big Ben" was followed by a talk which was not readable on account of a strong riffle. VK2ME Sydney, and VK38ME Melbourne were carrying out a duplex telephony test at 7 p.m. Strength of both stations, R8-. PLE Java was first heard at 8.30 p.m., and were still transnitting at 10 p.m. Duplex telephony with an unknown’ station was in progress each time I tuned them in. Wednesday, April 10, A SLOW-SPEAKING German on about 40 metres, probably DOR, came in well at R8-9. TLO was R2-3, not clear enough to hear talk. KGO was heard at 6.15 am. at R32. DSW opened by asking listeners for re. ‘ports on reception from their station, comparing signal strength trom _ two aerials they are using-A and B-the first being used for 25 minutes from the time of opening, and aerial B afterwards. Strength R8, 100 per cent. readable. After the striking of "Big Ben," a talk, "Why I Like the British," was given by a gentleman from Brussels. This was about 90 per cent. readable. Another talk followed. KGO was tuned in at 6 p.m., when it was announced that the "Acacia Male Chorus," under Mr. Robert Lloyd, would entertain listeners for the next hour. This chorus rendered some very enjoyable numbers. Strength was fully Ro, with a slight fade. They signed off at 114 minutes past 11 p.m., Pacific standard time-6.414 p.m. here, VE2ME at 10.10 p.m., strength R9, was _ calling Java, stating they did not know if PLG, PLE, or PLF would answer.* Records were played while waiting for the Dutch Fast Indian station. PLG replied later, clear and steady, at RS. Thursday, April 11. At 6.15 am. 7TLO was R3-4, unsteady and mushy. An orchestral item was audible 5SW-A talk about the Disarmament Conference was 100 per cent. readable at R8. PLE on 15.74 metres was carrying out duplex telephony with another station, which I could not locate. "Hullo's" could be heard, followed by a conversation quite well at R7. A man and woman were doing a very great deal of talking from RFM;. R8. L2BE Hastings was very good at Rv, on the 80-metre band. Friday, April 12. CJ commenced at 5.30 a.m, with an orchestral item, which came through "as clear as a bell" at R8-9. South Africa was called several’ times, stating that a special message would be given them at about 7.30 Greenwich mean time, Reception was excellent. Strength from R8-9 at first, to R7 at 7.380 am. TLO was very weak at 5.30 am. and but little better at 6.30 a.m. Some talk was heard on about 15 metres, too weak to be readable. SSW was R7 and 100 per cent. readable from 6.30 a.m. Except on the very short waves, static was too bad for listening during the evening. At 10.30 p.m. a station on about 17 metres was transmitting dance musie at R4, This was.probably PLE.