Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 18, 15 November 1929, Page 32

Round the World on Short Wave

HIS page is conducted in the interests of shortwave’ enthusiasts. A weekly loz comprising notes of reception and interesting topical events

ig contributed

by Mr.

F. W.

Sellens

Northland, Wellington, but all

listeners are invited to send in paragraphs of general interest.

_ ~ KDKA’s New Station, ‘A CCORDING to latest advices, engineers at the pioneer American broadcisting station KDKA, have embarked on the construction of a new high-pow-ered transmitter, the design of which will include many of the latest radio developments. The Westinghouse Company, which owns and operates KDKA, . has purchased 120 acres of land on which to the main broadeasting transmitter, the .various shortwave transmitters, and the administrative buildings. As before, the studios will be located at East Pitts‘burgh, about five niles from the transmitting station. . Long-distance Radio. Telephony. RECENTLY Amalgamated Wireless carried out wireless telephony tests ~between Sydney and New York, via London. The company’s engineers, carrying out special: tests, instituted by Mr. E. T. Fisk, managing director, spoke with London Telephone ‘Exchange, and asked it switch over to the’ New York Exchange. This was done, and a lengthy conversation ensued. This is the greatest longdistance telephony. test carried out by Amalgamated, Wireless, and, in point of represents a telephony conversation over more than 15,000 miles. Th#se experiments at the Australia end were transmitted. through the specially designed Australian-made 20 k.w, transmitter, at A.W.A. Radio Centre, Pennant Hills, Sydney, while the reception was effected at the company’s .receiving centre at La Perouse. ; Empire Broadcasting: | (HE following is a pertion of a letter from Mr. Gerald Marcuse (the wellknown pioneer of Empire broadcasting) to the editor of "Wireless World" :- "The bone of contention amongst our scattered Empire is that nothing is provided during the week-end when. naturally listeners have the most time for lis-tening-in to the Old Country, and I am still anxious and willing to carry on, on a suitable wavelength, concentrating on week-end transmissions, at my own ex- — pense, not that I have the slightest commercial interest in wireless, but simply out of amateur enthusiasm in order to fill the gap which, it seems to me, is not filled by those whose duty it is to fill it. The Post Office have always shown a sympathetic interest in my endeavours, and possibly with the present change of Government, the vested interests may also show some enthusiasm in my proposal. In conclusion, 2NM has ‘been dismantled, and is now being rebuilt in a more favourable location, and could be ready to start in two months’ time." The Log. ECEPTION during the past week has, | on the whole, been poor. Static has —

° been very troublesome except on the ultra, shortwaves. Sunday, November 3. LL American short-wave stations were ~. Jdate-in reaching fair volume except W6XN. This Pacific Coast station was at its maximum (R8) .at.3 p.m., after which signal strength decreased. KDKA was guShy till toward 5 p.m.-closing time-when -volume was R8-9. The General Electrie Co.’s S.W. transmitters, W’s 2XAC, 2XAF and 2XAD, were all broadcasting the same _ programme. I found W2XAF the best, weal till 4 p.m., but’ reaching R9 by 5: p.m., with a special programme for the Expedition. W9XF, as usual, carried on much later than the other Ambéricans (except W6XN). Monday, November 4. DX not listen in till 7.50 p.m., when VEK2ME -at R8-9 and GBX at R8& were carrying out their regular duplex. test. ..Statie was very bad. | RA97 was. on the air, but: static was too bad. Tuesday, November 5. (LO, Nairobi, was about R2, too weak to be readable. Conditions were exceptional for this African station, as static, the usual: trouble, was very weak. Zeesen had a strong carrier ‘on from before 6 a.m., but music or speech was not heard: till 6.25 a: m., when they opened with an orchestral selection at R8. 5SW, with Big Ben at 7 a.m., was gushy at R3, W9XF -at 7.15 p.m. was R8, with medium static. WK2ME put on some records while waiting for GBX. Volume was full speaker strength GBX was

AS when they came on the air, WOXAN (KGO).-fair volume, spoilt by static. Radio, Manila, was heard at 8.45 p.m. at R6 with their early transmission. At 10 p.m., when commencing their evening programme. they were R8, RA97 was again Smothered. by static, Wednesday, "November 6. EFORE 6 a.m., TLO, Nairobi, ig quite good being Slight gushiness and statie spoilt reada: bility. "They ‘were not audible after 6.15 a.m. 5SW was too gushy to be readable, W9OXF at 7 p.m. was R7-8 A’ stéanger on’ about 80 metres at 7.15 p.m. was calling, "Hullo, London," in American voice. Strength was R&S, but could * not * understand his talk. . 2ME filled inthe time with records waiting ‘for London to be readable. GBX was weak, with poor readibility here. Radio, Manila, with records, were R7-8 at 830 p.m, A. band programme commenced :at-10 p.m., ‘after the chimes and: striking of 6 p.m. was heard. Volume R8-9 at 10 p.m.. Holland and Java, both at R8, were on ‘duplex telephony. RA97 broke their rule for a silent night on Wednesday, and were heard at RS-9, but static was too strong to listen.

Thursday, November 7, . N about 45 metres music was heard at 4 ‘R3-4, which concluded. at -6.5 a.m. A man was then heard speaking in English, "Revolution," "Workers of Amerjiea," "United States of America," "President of the American Federation of Labour," ete., was heard. Speech was about 50 per cent. readable, This talk concluded at 6.10 a.m., when a few bars of music were heard, then a foreigner had. a -lot to say. Reception was much weaker at 6.30 am. A call: was not heard; but this station was probably XC51, San Lazaro, Mexico, which transmits on 44 metres. Zeesen at 6.15 am. was R5 with musical items. -Did not hear them again after'6.30'am. |. ee 7LO, earrier only was audibie. 20.5 metres about, a lady was ‘heard talking at R7 in a foreign language. At 6.25 a.m. a man spoke in very fair broken BEnglish, "Circuit," "Hullo --," "Are you getting me better now," and "O.K." were heard from him: Foreign talk followed. SSW was gushy at, R4,. The gushiness and a howler spoilt readability. WOXF was R7: with bad: static. 2ME was R9. On account of some lines being crossed, bedtime stories from 2FC could be heard. GBX was R7 and about 50 per cent. readable. Kootwiyh and Bandoeng with duplex were.RS and both very clear, These stations in -the-yicinity’ of 15 metres are seldom troubled with static. Radio Manila from 10 p.m. was R8-9. Friday, November 8. [THE Mexican (?) was.again heard at 5.50 a.m. with foreign talk, the ‘nature of which was-similar to yesterday. After each talk a short band selection was heard at R4. Zeesen was R4-5 at 6 a.m. with very bad ‘statie. TLO at R5 was quite good with orchestral music except for static. PCJ from 6 a.m. till 7.30 a.m. was at its best, only. R6. Static, gushiness, and generator hum were bad. 5SW opened at 7 am. with Big Ben. Readability was again very poor. Static was very bad during the evening. W9XF R8, 2MP RY, GBX.R7, and Radio Manila at R8 were all spoilt by atmospherics: -W3XAL, Boundbrook, New Jersey, testing on 49.1 metres, was received at R8. The test coiisisted of counting'1, 2, 8, 4 and short talks. . Saturday, N ovember. 9, On 41.5 metres (about)talk was just audible. This concluded and the station closed at 6 a.m. PCJ was-again spoilt by satie and generator hum. Zeesen was R8 with a very good programme of music, which, except:for slight static, was perfectly received... . . 5SW at R5-6.was more clear than of late. W2XAD was R& for a time about 2 p.m., but was soon lost. PCJ at its best was only R4¥ and then very gushy. KDKA also was weak and gushy. W9XF at 7 p.m. was quite good at R7. W8XAL was again testing on 6100 kilocycles or about 49.1 metres;. with gramophone records.

ot ney Volume was very good. Reports were ‘to be sent to W3XAL, Boundbrook, New, Jersey, U.S.A. They signed off at asked for, especially from the Antipodes, minutes past 2 a.m. (7.8 p.m. here). Radio Manila: opened at. 10 p.m. with the chimes, followed by. selections. by the Phillipine Constabulary Band. Strength -9. Two Bandoeng, Java, stations were heard: calling Amsterdam... Both stations were transmitting the same speaker. This talk commenced about 11 p.m.