Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 10, 20 September 1929, Page 48

Round the World on Short Wave

The World at Our Doorstep. ".4 S we go to press: (writes the "Radio News," America) an interesting demonstration. has just been given of what the broadcast listener may look forward to later in the year. The services of | thanksgiving for the return to heaith of Ning George, held in Westiminter Abbey. London, on July 7, was broadeast by’ the British’ Broadeasting Cornoration, . "Simultaneously, the broadcast was put on the air by Station 5SW, the powerful short-wave transmitter at Chelmsford. "The programme, picked. up on short waves by the National Broadcasting Con:pany here, was rebroadcast by 68 stattions associated with the N.B.C. claim. :"LListeners in the eastern part of the country ‘were deprived of the major part of the programme, however, by an SOS signal from the s.s. Prince George (an odd coincidence of names), which was in colligion with a coastguard cutter off Bos-. ton. This forced the powerful : coastal bropdeasters to shut down; though the rémainder of the chain continued to retransmit the programme from Chelmsford. ."Ag an additional thrill, toward the close of the special broadcast, the N.B.C. picked up Station VK2ME, at Sydney, Australia. So that within a few moments, listeners in New York at approximately 6.45 on a Sunday morning heard a‘ voice speaking in London at 11,45 of the same morning, and- immediately afterward a voice spenking in Sydney, where jt. was.10.45 in the evening of the same date. Since the day, in New York, was on of sweltering heat, we wonder how many listeners realised that what to them was the dawn of a hot day, was, in Sydney.. close to midnight of a midwinter’s night? -"The foregoing item, in the light of previous announcements of. co-operation between the British Broadcasting Corporation and our own National Broadcasting Company, ~romise much. for the immediate future." Short-wave Stations at Java, L siew of the extended use made of the Holland-Dutch East Indies publie telephone service, new transmitters have been brought into operatiox. . PLF, Bandoeng, works daily between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. (New Zealand time) on a wavelength of 17 metres, and to cope with the traffic is being assisted by PLY on 15.74 metres, and the new station PLG on 18.8 metres. ©" A fourth transmitter, PLR, on 27 metres, will eventually take over the entire night service. Most of these transmissions cau be picked up in Great Britain. : A search should be made toward 11.50 p.m. (New Zealand time), when: previous to the opening of the publie service, gramophone records are transmitted as a. test,

The Schneider Cup. HE: broadcast of the Schneider Cup race by 5SW was the only item of outstanding interest heard during the. past week, Not expecting strong signals from the Chelmsford short-wave station at the time of the race, I was agreeably surprised to hear as.much as I did. Tuning in 5SW at 12.15 a.m. on the Sunday morning, their carrier was about R38. strength, but had not started transmitting.. A howler was there, but went off before talk commenced, Soon after this "the,; announcer gave the’ names’ of the ¢tompetitors, numbers allotted to them, descriptions of the. machines, etc. This, although weak. was about 50 per eent, readable. About 12.388 a.m. the roar ofa ‘plane was heard passing the "mike"; this was, I believe, the first lap of the first machines. From ‘then planes were heard passing -at frequent intervals, with the statement as to its number, which lap,. time for lap and average miles per hour. _ . Readability varied; st times for several minutes this would be 100 per cent.; then it would decrease, and odd words be inaudible... . Strengih, although weak all through, w) -avent. off. soon after 2 a:m., and by 2.30 Am, only. odd words were readable, not enough*to understand what was said, It was disappointing, after waiting so long and late, not to-be able to follow the racing to the finish. Still, it was worth waiting up for, to get all that was to be heard. * . A correspondent in Greymouth (Mr. W. R. J. Smythe) says in reference to the above: ‘And from 12.80 till 3 this morning the Schneider Cup race-all received at splendid strength and quite: worth waiting up for." :, AX acknowledgment has been received from the National’ Broadcasting Company, Inc, New York. in reply to a report of station W83XL heard on June 25. Particulars were asked for as Tegards when they would be transmitting, wavelength, power, etc. The ouly particulars given are the following: "WsXL "operates on a frequency. of 49.83 metres, 6020 k.c. HE General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York, were testing with another. shortwave transmitter on last Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 6, 7, and 8. ‘This was operating on a frequency of 8650 k.c,, or 54.68 metres, ‘The call, W2XAC. There is a little doubt about the last letter. Christchurch and Otago correspondents say it is CG, one local friend B, and another G,. I tried several, each call’ sounding ditiferent, as far as the last letter was concerned, C, being the favourite. can stand till something definite is heard. Mr. S. B. Ekensteen, Christchurch, has sent along a long list of stations heard by him, 125 in all.. This ‘includes. both long and shortwave stations on an "allwave" set. Fine business. ’ Saturday, September 7. 5sv was better than usual. Big Ben "" came through at R7. A film criticism. following was 100 per cent. readable, The speaker had the same opinion of the American accent that has been ex-

pressed in our local Press recently. ‘Columbia records filled the interval till the néxt talk, which was eatled "Ameriean, Industrial Conditions." Readability was not so good later, At 6.15 a.m. a special, "plantatiom -programme" commenced. ! -. — PCI was excellent at from R8, increasing to R9. A special talk to. French listeners in Sahara was given. Konigswusterhausen commenced at 6.82 a.m. with what appeared a relayed programme of music. Very good at R&. . GBX and VK2ME were both R8 with their regular duplex test. * : PCJ during ‘their afternoon transmission was spoilt by sevére static When closing, the announcer said, "The sun is now shining; the factory whistles are blowing-after six hours on the air I am going to have 40 winks." KDKA with musie from the William Penn Hotel was R7. . W2XAD, 19.5 metres, W2XAF, 31.4 metres, and: W2XAC, 31.68 metres, all stations of the General Electric at Schenectady, were heard. 2XAD.was the best at’ first, but went off in strength, when the latter, the new station, was the best. Volume was about the ‘same as 2X AF, but was much more clear. » K2RM was tuned in at 9.40 p.m. when they were describing what I took to be a game of baseball. Strength R&8. Static and surging bad. Later they were transmitting music. when strength had: inereased to R9. PCK, on 16.5 metres, at 12 p.m., were heard calling. "Here is Kootwijk" and later were working duplex with a weak station on about 16.5 metres, one of the Java transmitters I expect. SSW reported earlier in these notes. Sunday, September 8. ID not listen much-too tired after late night. W6XN were transmitting the programme from KGO. They were only R78 at their best, not nearly so strong as a few weeks ago. _ : KDKA also were. ‘weak. Baseball scores at 2.45 p.m. were received at R5. W2XAD were, as usual, quite clear, but not with the same punch, W2XAF and W2XAC. with messages and’ music for Commander Byrd and: his party were both R&, the latter being the best tone. Monday, September 9. TPHE German's earrier was on at 6.3 . a.m., but they were late in, starting. -Orchestral music was received later at good strength, 2ME and GBX .during the early evening were R9 and R6 respectively. Both 100 per cent. readable. RFM, talk ’as’ usual at R9.. Tuesday, September 10. SW was again very good. After ‘Big a Ben,’ Mr. Desmond McCarthy gave ‘his regular book criticism. ‘This yas easy 100 per cent. readable at R8. Recention was perfect except for a slight gush. , At 3.48 a.m. some familiar nursery rhymes were heard-gramophone record. From 5.55 a.m. Major James was heard in his second talk on "Old London" on "How 17th Century London Faced Disaster." ‘This was a very interesting talk, well received. Songs at the piano were heard later. A concert was relayed from the Queen’s

Hall from 6.30 a.m.. The artists’ names were given. Reception was not so clear.. at this time. GBX and 2MB were both! R7, the English station being the easiest; to copy. The German is not, quite so-strong at 6.30 a.m.:now.. R8 to start, decreasing to. bate by 7.30 a.m, Reception Was quite en "6XN at 6,80 p.m. awas R4-5, very unsteady. Talk about Td. per cent. read able. Reception poor. GBX and 2ME , were both gushy | but 100 per cent.-read- . ab W2XAF was tuned in at 9.45 p.m,’ when records were being transmitted. Volume R9, static being bad. Their. wavelength: was slightly higher than usual, being given as 31.58 metres, 9500 ke. (regular wayelength 31.4 metres). This,. it was stated, was ‘a test programme for their listeners’ in Japan. Wednesday, September 11. 5s, was not ‘worth listening to. Strength Rs, very. gushy, mane able. GBX was R7, 100. per -éent? readable, talking. to Mr. Farmer, .of 2ME. Could not hear the Sydney station. . "Achtung-Konigswusterhausen." ete., was heard at°6.30 am..at RR. Talk . only was heard ll through up ‘till 8 a.m." 2ME was. very loud, with had surging. GBX was patchy, readability varying : from 100 per cent. ‘to- very poor. ; ZL2AX, Palmerston North, on metres, was testing with gramophone re--cords. . ZL2BE, Hastings, also with records, and -ealling ‘Western Australia. Bothwere well received. , Thursday, September 12. : 5Sw was ‘again. poor. "Rapid fading spoilt reception. , GBX, R7, rapid fade; not readable ‘at first, but improved slightly. 2ME comes on later at RO. "W6EXN was only just audible. ' The German was very ‘good, with x" varied programme of organ, orchestral and vocal items. RO at 6.30 a.m," decreasing to R8-7 by 8 a.m. 2ME at 6.45 pm. was extra oud. GBX was gushy at R8, but’ 100 ‘per cent. readable. RIM, R9, with his everlasting talk, Friday, September 13. 56 again ‘very poor. A ripple and ° gushes spoilt reception, At times talk was about 30 per cent. readable with careful listening. PCI was also gushy at first at R9-8, but improved later. Volume increased: to RY, decréasing agaih to R8& by 7.30.: when they signed off. Some very weak | (Continued. on Page 45.)

Short-W ave

(Continued from page 48.) talk was just audible on the same wavelength after POF had closed down-pos-sibly 2XA¥F. Another voice was just ‘audiblé on ‘about 46.6 metres at R2. Statice was bad. At 5.45 a.m, GBX, 100 per cent. read able, was calling 2M, but apparently could not make contact. Later, when they were conversing, 2ME appeared to be poorly received in Wngland,. and, at that time, not audible hére, though they were R9 a little later. _ The German was very clear and steady at R9 from 6.30 a.m. It was all talk up till 8 a.m. What sounded. like a political meeting was being, relayed. Cheers and shouts often greeted | the speaker, While one ‘person-apparently near the "mike," often signified his approval, or otherwise, by a loud, — shrill whistle. ; 2ME, R9, with severe fading, and GBx, R6, static bad, wete heard about m. B p. W6XN at 7 p.m. was R65, with rapid fade. Morse QRM was had at times on the same Wave, 7 At 10.80 p.m. on-about 24.2 metres at R38, weather and market reports were heard. Prices were given in steérling. A call was not heard, but think it -was a harmonie of an Australian station. REM, R9, with talk. oo "BSW was tried at 11 p.m. . Just before the hour, the tuning whistle could be picked up, but talk was mutch too weak to uriderstand.