Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 23, 20 December 1929, Page 32

Round the World on Short Wave

THs page is conducted in the interests of short-wave enthusiasts. A weekly log comprising notes of reception and interesting topical:

events is contributed by Mr.

F. W.

Sellens

Northland, Wellington, but

all listeners are invited to send in paragraphs of general interest.

. American Reception. Me. MORRISON (Brooklyn) re- , ports having heard on ‘several evenings during the past week a short‘wave station on about 54 metres, giving the calls, WBBC, WCGU and W2XBH, Brooklyn, New York. The latest "call book" gives WBBC and WCGU as the same station shared by different broadcasting corporations. W2XBH appears to be the _ shortwave transmitter of WCGU, working on a frequency of 5550, kilocycles (54 metres). It is reported to be "on/the air" daily from 10 a.m.; New Zealand summer time. The tests heard by Mr. Morrison were being carried out after regular broadcasting hours. Berlin, 45 metres (about), and HEnzland, 48 metres (about), have also been heard: by Mr. Morrison on duplex telephony at about 7 p.m. our time. Bandoeng Radio Service, Java. RHE following is an extract from a letter recently received from Java by a correspondent:-"On behalf of thig service we have built PLIS on 15.74 metres and PLE on 168 metres wavelength. The other telephony transmitters are: PMB on 145 metres; PLG on 16.88 metres; PLR on 28.8 metres; but mostly PLE and PLF are used. Very occasionally we carry out telephony tests with Manila, Sydmney, Bangkok, Paris, Nauen, and San Francisco, but we are. unable to send you any information regarding these tests in advance." Reception for Week-ending December 14, 1929. I HAVE not been able to devote quite as much time as usual to shortwave during the past week and prob‘ably have missed something new, RA9%, Siberia, 70 metres, has been well received each evening. On Sunday, what appeared to be concertina, ras excellent. W9XF, Chicago, 49.83 metres, is aot audible much before 5 p.m., but rapidly increases to good volume by 6.30 p.m. -W2XAF, Schenectady, N.Y., 31.4 metres: On Sunday this was the only American station worth listening to. Strength at 4 p.m, was on R2, increasing to R8 by 4.30 p.m. and R98 at 5 p.m. Dance music was relayed from the erystal room of the De Witzler Hotel,

Albany, N.Y. This was the only time 2XAF was heard during the week. PCJ, Holland, 31.4 metres, was R4 at its best on Friday morning, but started at. RS on Saturday morning, at 6 a.m. This volume was maintained till 6.30 a.m., after which it went off rapidly. They were only just audible on Saturday afternoon, being R2-3 at the best at 5.80 p.m. Zeesen, Germany, 31.38 metres, has, like PCJ, gone off badly in volume. Monday, at 6 a.m., they were Ré4 till 6 am., after which strength declined rapidly. On Wednesday morning they were relaying the station reported a week or two ago, which uses a gong for indentification. Volume was R4-5 at 6 a.m. — 7LO, Nairobi, 31 metres, again has been weak each morning. On Wednesday, although only R38, every word was readable -just after 6 a.m., when a "Columbia Record concert concluded VK2ME, Sydney, 28.5. metres, are to be heard almost every morning and evening testing with GBX, England, 27.5 metres (about). On Monday the latter station was heard on about 15.6 metres at 10:20 p.m. calling Sydney, and reading extracts from a newspaper. Strength R4, very clear and steady. 2ME was not heard, but a strong carrier on 15.5 metres (the wave used by Sydney) was audible. KZRM, Manila, 26 metres (about), has not been quite as strong when open-

ing at 10 p.m., but reaches good volume by 10.80 p.m. On Monday they were R8 till 8.55 p.m. with a studio programme. Market reports, ete., followed till 9.3 p.m., when they signed off for the day ,with "Johu Harris, announcing-good afternoon." DHC, Nanen, Germany, 26,2 metres: This station was heard on Monday morning with music and talk, buf was too weak to hear the call. Wednesday morning was better,. At 6.10 a.m., "Allo, here is Nanen -- metres, ete.," followed by "Achtung -- Nanen," etc| "Atlantic and London" was heard during a talk. Musical items with short announcements were received at R4-5. G5SW, Chelmsford, 2553 metres, has been even weaker this week, being at R8 at its best at 7 a.m., while on Tuesday and Thursday not even a carrier was audible at 7 a.m. KDKA, Pittsburgh, 25.4 metres.-On Saturday and Sunday they were very weak till the last hour, when reception improved, but only to fair ’phone strength. W6XN, Oakland, 23.35 metres, was patchy on Sunday, R1-2 at pm., dying out soon after, but was up to R5d at 4.30 p.m., increasing to R7 at 5 p.m. Morse interfernce spoilt reception. They were heard again on Tuesday evening, but were very weak. W2XAD, Schenectady, 19.5 metres. was heard on Friday morning till 6 a.m.,. when they signed off after announcing that it was an experimental transmission. Volume on closing was R4, being 100 per cent. readable. . They were heard again on Saturday morning. PLE, Bandoeng, Java, 15.74. metres, was heard on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday evenings at R&, with reords and duplex telephony. . PCK, Kootwijk, 16.3 metres, on Wednesday and Saturday came in well with duplex. PLG or PLF, Bandoeng, 16.88 metres, with records, came in at R7 on Friday evening. LP3, Monte Grande, 15.03 metres, was heard on Wednesday evening, calling neon and counting. Strength was o. DGW; Nauen, 14.83 metres, at 10.20 a Friday, was calling-Monte Grande. Unidentified Stations. QN 23.4 metres (about), on Monday evening, a weak foreign voice was heard. 20.5 metves (about), on Monday evening, and on Thursday, Ividay, and

Saturday mornings, a foreign noise was heard at about R5 on what appeared to be duplex telephony,