Notes and Comments By SWITCH

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 9, 13 September 1929, Page 13

Notes and Comments By SWITCH

SWITCH

"BEGINNERS are often perturbed ever the variation of volume in long-distance broadcast reception. The Australians and the Japanese stations Will come through with extraordinary loudness on one evening and not infrequently on the following evening oversea reception will be lamentably weak. Oceasions there are when even experienced listeners begin to have suspicions about the efficiency of . their valves, batteries, or 4.¢. electrical supply. Reception. of long-distance ‘stations usually increases -as the.night proceeds, but sometimes, through some obscure cause, the reverse takes place. ND of the best broadcasts yet heard : from Australia was that of the speeches at the Chamber of Manufacsrare’ dinner by 2FC, Sydney, recent1X, The lengthy speech by Mr. Bruce, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth. came through, word-perfect, from start to finish with great volume. Strangely enough there is seldom any interference from howling valves on 2F'C, Sydney. ' 2BL and one or two of the minor Sydney stations generally obtain the patronage of the howlers. HE Australian .istener. who signs his letter "DX Fan," writes to the Sydney "Wireless Weekly" as follows: "T am sending you a list of stations received on my one-valve set during the past two yeas or so:-N.S.W.: 2FC, 2BL, 2GB, 2UN, 2KY, 2UW, 2MK, 2HD, 2SX, 2QJ, 2ME, 2AG, 2DG, 2AD, 2AR. Vic.: 8LO, 3AR, 3UZ. 3DB, 38BY, .3GT, 30B, 3TM, 3ML. Y3RI, SEF. Qid.: 4QG, 4GR. Tas.: (ZL. N.Z.: 1YA, 2YA, 3YA, 4YA. Java: JFC. §.A.: 50L, 5DN, 5KA. Philippines: KZRM, KZRQ; KZKZ, EKZIB. India: 7CA, 7BY. Japan: JOAK, JOHK, JOIK. U,S.A.: KDKA, KFI, KGO, KOA, WBZ, WGY, WEAF, WJZ, WGN, WLIB, KNX, WREN, KSL. KMOX, KLX, KNRC. Hawaii: KGU. South Africa: WAMG, JB. A total of seventy stations not including many more stations, and others not yet reeognised. There is no freak cireuit idea, it is merely a slightly varied Reinartz type with ninety -volts on the plate, and installed under good conditions. Good speaker strength is obtained from all local and, often. interState, rest on ‘phones. Many of. the long-distance stations are only audible occasionally, but, even so, I think it ig a good performance for one valve. Let us hope to hear from any onevalve hams who have done as well or better." ; . ‘YT will be noted that "DX Fan,’ in _ the above list of stations he has received on his one-valve set, includes the four New Zealand "YA" stations. Of course, there are bound to be a number of doubting Thomases, and possibly "DX Fan" showed a good deal of discretion in not publishing his name and full address; otherwise a pilgrimage might have overwhelmed _ him. "Switch," for one, would like to see and hear a one-valve set in Australia which can bring in eight Japanese broadcast stations, sixteen Americans. one Hawaiian, and two South Africans. The editor of the Sydney "Wireless _ Weekly" .should send a representative to see, hear, and photograph this "wonder" set. Stanmore, where this listener resides, is a suburb of Sydney, about 31 miles from the G.P.O. Where Is the journalistic enterprise of the "Wireless Weekly"?

"QWitcR" has been asked to publish his assessment of the volume with which he receives the various Australian stations, "as listeners all over the country find a special interest in comparing the published figures with their own experience." Matured listeners are well aware that individual stations differ in volume on various nights, and play a kind of see-saw with each other. .For instance, "A"? may come in much louder than "B" for two or three. nights in succession, but on the next two or three nights the performance is reversed. HOWEVER, in compliance with the request, "Switch" carefully checked up the various Australian stations, and has arrived at a generalisation which may afford.many listeners material for interesting comparison. Allotting 10 points for the greatest volume, "Switch" awards 2FC, Sydney, the full 10 points. Next comes 2BL, Sydney, points; 8AR, Melbourne, 6 to 7 points: with 9 points; 310, . Melbourne,’ 8 4QG, Brisbane, 54 points; 2GB, Sydney, 4 points; 2UB, Svdney, 3 points; 7ZI.. Hobart, 3 points; 83UZ, Melbourne, 3 points; 5CL, Adelaide (after 11 p.m.). 24 points; 2KY, Sydney, 1 point; 3DB, Melbeurne, 1 point. A friend has drawn my attention to the change in the frequency of 2FC, Sydney. This station has moved to a lower frequency (longer wavelength), as much as two degrees on the average turning dial. A JOHNSONVILLE listener has asked "Switch" to publish his suggestion that "on no occasion should an item by the 2YA Studio Orchestra be followed by a record of an orchestral item, as happened recently." He pointed out that a vocal or any other type of record would be advisable for the purpose. " "QWITCH" was requested to inspect an "earth" which seemed to be unsatisfactory. Oh, yes, the earth-wire was soldered on to a water-pipe and a good thick one at that, the writer was informed An examination, however, showed that the alleged "wwaterpipe" was in reality a gas-pipe! As the earthing to a gas-pipe is a source of a certain’ amount of danger and as the joints are unfavourable for the passage of electricity fed from the earth wire, the innocent listener was promptly advised to try another "earth." As the water-pipe was too far away, a couple of kerosene tins filled with wet chareoal and buried with 3 feet of earth above them were substituted, with complete success. N Eastbourne resident, who is a confirmed admirer of Japanese music, almost Shed tears when telling

the writer that since 4QG, Brisbane, has moved its frequency, it is now blotting out the Jap. station, JOHK. He said, "4QG has robbed us of the loudest and best*of all the Jap. stations. Why can’t the Brisbane station stick to its original frequency?" HOMH-CONSTRUCTOR brought a diagram of a’ circuit to the writer to ascertain whether it was of a nature calculated to infringe the Government. radio regulations and thus render him liable to prosecution. Although the circuit is permitted in England and Australia it is rightly hanned in New Zealand as: it is a lovely "howl-emitter." The homeconstructor was advised to be sure of

the legality: of the circuit before he commenced, building his set. Anyone in doubt about this matter should take steps to avoid having to pull his set to pieces and to pay a finé in the Magistrate’s Court. THE fact that in Auckland a young © would-be amateur transmitter, who had no license for transmitting, was located through the use of a portable set and loop antenna and was brought before the Magistrate’s Court recently should act as a warning to all breakers of the radio regulations. In Wellington on Wednesday evenings when 2YA is silent the air is full of the shrieks and moans from "howling valves." Listening to 2BL, Sydney, on a recent Wednesday night, "Switch" encountered the shriek of a ‘howling valve which "stayed put" for nearly threequarters of an hour. ‘The operator of the set could have been easily located with a portable set and loop. VISITOR from Wanganui informed "Switch" that the local Public Hospital is equipped with wireless receiving apparatus so that 90 per cent. of the patients are enabled to enjoy broadcast listening. 2YA comes in with ex~ cellent volume at Wanganui, and the patients at the hospital derive great benefit from listening in. The mental diversion occasioned by broadcast listening works wonders in. restoring patients to health, and wireless equipments should be in every hospital throughout the country.