Short-wave Jottings

Radio Record, Volume II, Issue 49, 21 June 1929, Page 32

Short-wave Jottings

DP RRR REDRESS Mr, Sellens, our short-wave correspondent, writes :-- A correspondent asks the call of the Java station re-broadcasting PH1, Holland, on Thursday, May 30. This was, according to an Australian radio paper, ANB, on 37.5 metres, changing over to about 67 metres later. The same station re-broadcasts PH1 every Thursday from 11.30 p.m. till 1.80 a.m. on 37.5 metres. The high-powered short-wave Dutch station works on 18.4 metres between 10.30 p.m. and 430 a.m., and on 388 metres from 2.30 a.m, till 12.30 p.m. daily. 3AN, Sourabaya, Java, on 38.5 metres, is on the air as follows :- Sundays, 12.15 a.m. till 3.15 am. Tuesdays and Sundays-11.15 p.m. till 1.15 a.m. Thursday-11.15 p.m. till 3.15 a.m, ; All New Zealand times. Mr. Morrison, Brooklyn, advised: me that he had heard W8XAL, -the shortwave transmitter of WLW, :Cincinnatti, Ohio, working on about 50 metres, several evenings during the past week from about 10.45 p.m., transmitting music, market reports, etc. . I tried for them on receipt of this information, and found them a fair strength, but badly jammed by one, and at times two more stations. OJRX, Winnipeg, are going to. broadeast each Sunday. at 4.80 p.m. (New Zealand time) a special programme on 25.53 metres. My log for the week does not show many stations, but several interesting items were recorded. Saturday, June 8. A$ usual, 5SW opened just before 5.30 ~*~ am. with their "tuning note," a whistle. After Big Ben had struck the hour of 7 (5.80 a.m. here), a "dramatic criticism’ was heard. This was R8, and 100 per cent. readable. A piano recital and further talk followed. PCJ started at 5.30 am. at fine strength, R8-9, the usual fine selection of records being heard. ; KGO,-A lady was when first tuned in, strength R2-3, readability poor, but strength increased to R5 by 7.30 a.m. PCI was listened at intervals from 1.30 p.m, (R7) . till 530 p.m. (R8). Maximum volume being from 3.30 till 4 p.m.-R9. The early part of the programme was for Central America, while ustralia and New Zealand were called during the last hour and a half.

PPP PPP PAP PPP PPL Pr PPLE IL LD PELE _ 2XAD, also, ‘was received at good ‘speaker strength. Senator Metcalf was heard during ‘"‘Half-hours with the Senate"? From 2.30 pm. a "National Grange" programme was broadcast from Washington, D.C. This "National Grange" appears to be a form of farmers’ union. Political talks and music were heard. , KDKA were not quite as strong as the above, being about R8, at their best. They concluded with the latest baseball scores, signing off at 3.37 p.m. 8ZC, Christchurch,. was testing on short wave, being received very well. RFM, with what seemed lessons in Morse, a few words spoken, then a few letters on the key, came in at R9, . Sunday, June 9. T 10,15 am., 2XAD was first tuned in, when an hotel orchestra from Albany was received at R5, quite good volume for’ an hour so early. This increased to R7-8 at 1 p.m. Soon after this they were R9, and remained at that till 8.31 p.m., when they signed off. The "Ducky Strike’ Orchestra, from 1.30 till 2.30 p.m., followed by dance music from the Rainbow Room of the New. Kenmore Hotel, Albany, N.Y., till closing time, was broadcast. QXAF was transmitting the same programme, but were not so well received. KDKA put:on another special programme for the Byrd Expedition. In reply to a query from the station as to what class of music they would like, a request had been made for some Harvard College songs, as several members of the expedition had attended that well-known college. Some of these songs were heard. Messages, as usual, were sent from friends. An attempt was made to rebroadcast Morse signals from the South, but as the signals were very weak, this was not a great success. A surprise was promised. This proved to be a: rebroadcast of the Canadian shortwave station at Winnipeg, CJRX. The band of Princess Pat’s Light Infantry, at the Crystal Ballroom, Royal Alexandra Hotel, Winnipeg, Manitoba. was heard at full speaker strength through KDKA, and at a little less volume direct from CJRX. The announcements re broadcasts every Saturday evening (Sunday afternoon here) mentioned earlier in these notes, was made by the Canadian. KDKA stated that they would be glad to co-operate with them again. WLW was heard, but were too weak and noisy to listen to for more than a few moments. RIM, at R8, was spoilt, as usual, by static. ZL2AX, Palmerston North, and ZL2GH, Wanganui, were the only amateurs heard. Monday, June 10. THIS morning 3LO was not on the air. RIM was the only station heard this day. Plenty of talk by man and woman, R8&-9. Tuesday, June 11. ON about 22.3 metres at 5.15 a.m., some music was heard, but too weak to get any call. This station closed down or faded out soon after, 5SW was R8-9, with a rapid fade. The opening announcement was 100 per cent. readable, but the talks following were not so clear. At 6.15 am. the musical programme commenced with an item by the B.B.C. dance orchestra. 4 Wednesday, June 12. At 5.15 am., 5SW was very poor, volume being weak and rapid fading. Conditions improved by 6 a.m. . Wexn (KGO), was tuned in at 5.45

ws p.m., when a play was in progress. At 6 pm. the "Spotlight Revue’ commenced. One of their. items was a play called ‘Sailors’ Travels." From 6.30 till 7.30 p.m. the Trocadarians’ dance. programme was heard. Volume was RY at first, going off in strength later. Thursday, June 138, . THIS morning 5SW.was extra bad. Strength fair at R7, but rapid fading was very severe, spoiling speech and music. KGO at 5.45 am., was -R3, increasing to R5 by 7 a.m. RIM was very good, except for static. On about 17 métres some talk was just audible, but not readable. Friday, June 14, ‘A GAIN 5SW was very poor, clearing up a little by 6.80 a.m. PCJ also was below their usual standard. Strength was even at R8 all through, but very unsteady, with slight slow fading. W2X0 was just audible at 5.25 a.m. RFM: An orchestra came through in fine style at R9. Static, though bad, was less troublesome than usual, They were received at R5 on their first harmonic. W8xXAL (WLW), were tuned in at 10.45 p.m. on about 49 metres. Some ae was heard, but was spoilt by Morse,