THE D.X. CLUB Views and News.

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 31, 14 February 1930, Page 8

THE D.X. CLUB Views and News.

Identification Wanted (our any listener give particulars of an amateur station which was on the air on Friday, January 31? ‘Wave-length about 250 metres (1200 kc.) Records were being played and the announcer was asking for reports on. the transmission. The volume was very loud, but the reception was somewhat distorted. I couldn’t understand the call, but it sounded like 4ZP, Invereargzill. It was undoubtedly a New

Zealand station.-

Crosley

(Petone"

[Probably station 4ZC, Invercargill. See reports under "Stations Identified." -EHd.] ON January 31 at 8 p.m. I received the new Invercargill station, the call-sign of which I took to be 4ZC. Wavelength, about 256 metres (1170 k.c.). Also, on about 250 metres (1200 ke.) I received a station announcing a call-sign of 2ZC. I think the announcer was a lady. I would like further particulars of these two ‘stations

if possible-

W. R.

Dakers

(Morrins-

valle )

TAs8t evening I was able to tune-in an American station, just below BYA’s frequency, but not loud enough for WLW, Cincinnati. This station was not loud enough for me to hear the eall, so I hope some listener-in is able to identify it--W. R. Dakers (Morrinsville). \ (ovLD anyone identify a station ‘ broadcasting on February 5 at 9.30 pm. about 2 degrees below 2KY, Sydney? — L, Dunedin, was the call. One number played was "There’s a Rainbow Round My Shoulder."

Strength, about R5.-

Monitor 3

€Wanganui).

[Probably 4ZL: -Ed:]

Stations Identified [LN the "Radio Record" of January 24, Mr. S. Hillis, Okato, asks for the wavelength of 4Z1, Invercargill, I had this station on Saturday, January 25, about midnight, and he announced that he would commence transmitting at 10 am. Sunday. ‘The call is 4ZC {not 4Z1) and his frequency is about 1150 ke (261 metres), the same as

2ZM Gisborne:

Dynamic

(Lower

Hutt).

Witl regard to questions asked by two listeners in the D,.X. notes of your issue dated January 31, T. Pascoe (Epsom) writes of a station with a call sounding like 3LO near Kawau Island. This is station ZLO, owned and operated by the P. and T. Department, and is situated on Kawau Island. They work duplex telephony with the Post Office in Auckland. P. Circuit (Hastings) inquires as to the call of two U.S:A. "hams" on the 3500 k.e. band on January 17. According to my log-book, W6KT was the only American ’phone heard here on that date-the other station would probably be either WE6BJQ or W6ABH. W6BIQ is the loudest U.S.A. ’phone station on this band at the present

time.-Mark

H.

Churton

(Auckland) °

DX Tobics LASst night, February 5, at about 8.30 p.m., I received station KTM

at good volume. Wishing to make certain whether it was KTM or KGM, I listened to the call sign several times. I am now perfectly satisfied that this Station’s call-sign is KTM, Los Angeles. H.H.C. (Tokaanu) has probably. hit the nail on the head in his letter in this week’s issue. Formerly this station’s call-sign was KTM, Santa Monica.W. R. Dakers (Morrinsville). AS several have inquired re the power, ete., of station WTIC, Connecticut, the following particulars may be of interest. The reception of this station was first reported by "Kaus-panka"’-I believe on August 29-and by myself on August 31, 1929. Volume was tremendous for such a distance, and at the beginning of November I received the verification I had sent for. There were four other reports, including one from "Kauspanka" and one from New Plymouth-also on a 4-valve set. This station is operated by The Travellers’ Broadcasting Service Corporation, Hartford, Connecticut, and is owned by The Travellers’ Insurance Company. Power, 50 kilowatts; frequency 1060 k.c. or 282.8 metres. They have worked on a power as high as 200 kilowatts. They were dividing time with WBAL, Baltimore. but they

may be on full time now.--

C.G.

L.

Pal-

merston North).

ON the evening of January 28 I picked up, at 10.20 p.m., station 4ZP, operating from 155 Layard Street, North Invercargill. Wave length was approximately 253 metres (1175 k.c.). The station was testing when I first picked it up at fair volume, which increased till the station closed at about il pm. The official opening of this station is, I have heard, on February 1i, and it tests after 4ZI closes down on Saturday night. The operator also said he would be on test on Friday, January 31, at 7 p.m., and gave some information about his station. Has any other listener in the north heard 4ZP? I saw a reference to 4ZI in a recent issue (January 24, from Mr. S. Ellis, Okato), and I, too, would like some more information concerning both 4ZI and 4 ZP; and the reported Hamilton station, 1FP. 4YA, Dunedin, has been heard on different hours (nights) since January 28 on 291 metres (1030 kc.) testing after closing hours. The strength at which I was able to receive it on the new wave-length was a great improvement on its present wave-length. I have heard other listeners mention this fact, too, so I hope the change will be

made permanent.-

A. E.

Allen

(Avon-

dale).

HAV® added the following stations to my log this year: KMMJ, 740 k.e. (405 metres), Nebraska; KLX, 880 k.c. (841 metres), California; WMBI, 1070 k.c. (280 metres), Chicago; 4ZP, 1200 k.c. approx. (250 metres), Invereargill; JOCK, 810 ke. (370 metres), Japan. I have also logged another two Americans, but I am not quite sure of them. The first I logged last

night (February 3) on about 1460 ke, ; (205 metres). This came in at wea speaker strength, and I took the call to be WTHI, Chicago. The second I heard to-night, closing down at 9 o’clock. I picked it up at 7.50 p.m., but left, it and came back later. station sounded like KFB, -, California. It was operating on about 990 k.c. (303 metres), with volume enough to be heard nearly a hundred yards away. If any other listener heard the location of this latter station (I think it was Hollywood) would he please send in a report as I would like to get it verified. This station KFB is my ninety-ninth, and I hope to complete my century soon. I think the station on 780 k.c. (384 metres) which a few listeners have heard lately is KTM @& J ‘

not KGM.-

Kauspanka

(Hastings) .

I WOULD like to thank readers who supplied information re Japanese stations and also 3LG, ete. Since writing I have been informed that station VK8LG, Newport, is an amateur in Victoria. Another amateur I have heard operating about 2.30 in the morning is VK8AM, Melvern, Australia. Have any readers heard these stations? To-night (January 5) I had station 2ZH, Napier, on a wavelength one degree above 2YB, New Plymouth, at volume R7, playing records till after 10.30 o’clock. Is this a new station? I had a station on same wavelength a few nights back and the call sounded like 2ZK. I thought it would be the Wanganui station on a different wavelength, but apparently it was this new station 2ZH. Or has 2ZK changed its wavelength? I have also had the new Invercargill station very loudly on several occasions. Is the call-sign 4ZG or 4ZP? I can never get it distinctly as it is generally mushy and fading badly. It comes in on 3ZC’s wavelength. Is there any other Californian station besides KNX operating on 2ZF’s wavelength as I had one on February 4 about 8.30 p.m. I could only hear "California" during the announcements. "Jo the Majestic Radio people run a broadcasting station, as I heard an American recently on about 306 metres (975 ke). All'I could hear was someone saying that they were glad to be back at the "Majestic -," ete. Transmission faded out after a few minutes, and I never heard it again. I have heard a very weak station latelygenerally after 11.30 pm. only-a little above 2YA and half a degree below WLW, Ohio. Would this be CWE, '® Perth? I imagine the wavelength is rather low, though. Could you tell me the best time of the year for receiving

American stations?-

Westrad

(Wool-

ston).

[Conditions for long-distance reception generally improve during the winter.-Tech. Hd.] PvuRIN G the last week of January I received station KWKH two or three times, and I wish to point out that this station is situated at Shreveport, Louisiana, not at Shreveport, Indiana, as given in the "Listeners’ Guide"; and not at Kennonwood, Indiana, as given in "All About the Allelectric." Re station KECA, Last night (February 4)-incidentally a very good night for American recep-tion-I received two stations, either of which may be KECA. One was on about 205 metres (1460 k.c.) and the other on about 209 metres’ (1430 k.c.). ia

| hBoth were too weak to hear cail-letters--W. R. Dakers (Morrinsville). [All our lists of station call-signs are carefully prepared from the latest American call-book magazines to hand. As is the case with the error you indicate, the particulars given in different magazines are sometimes conflicting. Incidentally, the address of KWKH as given in the latest American call-book is Kennonwood, Louisi- / ana.-Hd.] LOGGED my 101st station to-night, February 6. I bagged the hundredth last night with CKY or CKOI, Vancouver, British Columbia. I heard this at fair speaker strength on 730 kes., with a request programme for ..omebody’s ginger ale, My latest station is WJDX, Natchez, Mississippi. This station was heterodyning 2YB, but was just about two or three kilocycles higher, so that it was possible to cut most of the music out from 2YB. WdJDX said they were testing out a new transmitter, and 4 request programme was on at good speaker strength. This station was still on the air when I tuned off at 815. I picked up CKY at 8.20 and it was still going after 9 p.m.-Kauspanka (Hastings). [Congratulations. An excellent re-ecord.-Hd.] 2YA Broadcast On Short-wave through 2ME NEw ZHALAND has been brought into prominence again through the efforts of Amalgamated Wireless Australasia Ltd., this company’s wellknown short-wave station, 2MH, Sydney, having rebroadcast 2YA, Wellington, on to 2XA}¥, Schenectedy, New York, last Tuesday night, February +4. The Sydney "Howlers" were included in the rebroadcast, and listening-in to 2ME volume from 2YA was fairly good, some of the items being clear except. for extraneous noises picked up en route, plus Sydney static, and at times a few "howlers" in: Sydney. 2ME operators (Mr. Farmer at the "Mike’) were anxious for definite reports from 2XA¥ regarding the rebroadeast; and later 2ME announcer , discussed at length with the announcer at 2X‘AIF the possibility of arranging with 2YA to rebroadcast 4YA, Dunedin, and 2MW® in turn rebroadcasting the rebroadcast on to 2XAR., Mr. Farmer at 2ME stated that 4YA, Dunedin, was not heard in Sydney owing to the low power (evidently not the fault of the station at Dunedin), but that as 2YA occasionally rebroadcast 4YA, Dunedin, on special occasions. probably arrangements could be made for future rebroadcasts of 4YA by 2YA, It will be obvious to all New Zealanders that such rebroadcasts will do a great deal towards the _ publicity boost which our fair Dominion richly deserves; and it appears fairly plain that apart from the fact that Commander Byrd is so well known to New Zealanders and Americans, coupled with the name of Dunedin city, the American stations will appreciate rebroadcasts from New Zealand, and in turn New Zealand will appreciate rebroadcasts of American stations,

2M, whilst not fully satisfied with the rebroadcast last Tuesday owing to bad conditions at the Sydney end, kept the rebroadcast going until 2YA closed down at 11 pm. No doubt 2XAF is anxious to secure a rebroadcast from 4YA, Dunedin, when Admiral Byrd returns from "Little America" at the

South Pole.-

R. Leslie

Jones

R. H. FL. ADCOCK writes: On Tuesday (February 4), 2M, Sydney, was testing with 2X AI’, Schenectady. Mr. Johnson spoke from Sydney to Mr. Hicks at New York. At 11 p.m. Mr. Hicks expressed the desire to hear 2YA, New Zealand, so 2MH rebroadeasted Wellington for him, and although at first it was rather gushy it soon improved, and was quite clear and steady. Reception from 2XAIF was clear, though weak, and Wellington could be heard quite well through it. Siberia on Short-wave ME. CLODE (Southland) asks if anyone has heard RA97 on 35 metres. On November i1, I heard them on this wave-length when a lady announcer was reading news from different countries in English. The call, together with the two wave-lengths (35 and 70 metres), was given several times during the news. At 11 p.m. the correct Siberian time was announced as "49 o’clock and 20 minutes." Reports were asked for to be sent immediately to them concerning their 35 metre wave-length. I sent one, but have not received verification as yet. Does any listener know the location of WOO,

referred to in last week’s issue?-

J. V.

McMinn

(Wellington

Our Mailbag N extract from a letter from a Hawke’s Bay listener to the Broadcasting Company reads :-"I am pleased to report that everyone appears satisfied with the programmes now being put over the air, and very few complaints are heard. Listeners now have the- choice of ‘picking’ their favourite items from the four stations, particularly those in the country, which, jin’ my opinion, is the common-sense method. Congratulations on the recent broadeast of the King’s speech at the Naval Conference also of the re-broad-east by 8YA of the American WHENR, which met with general approval. These rebroadcasts when conditions are favourable are pleasing, and bring before the public’s notice the wonderful opportunities that a set and 30/- per annum offer." News Items LIES, cockroaches, and orchard insect pests killed by radio is a new marvel announced by the New Jersey Agricultural Bxperiment Station at New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.A. Recently . Dr. Headlee, entomologist of the station, demonstrated how insects placed in a glass tube and exposed to powerful radio waves from a high-frequency transmitter, died in a few moments. The short waves, of

twenty-four metres wavelength generated heat within the bodies of the insects and killed them, The experimenters say that eventually radio may be used to fight insects in orchard and field-and perhaps in the home, too, to slay flies and other pests. That such experiments have already been made elsewhere was recently revealed when the Federal Radio Commission ordered a hearing to determine whether "radio bug-killers" operated by a Seattle, Washington, corporation created static and interfered with broadcasting reception. Seven-thousand-watt transmitters with which this concern claimed success in eradicating fruit insects have been ruled by the commission to come under regulations for broadcasting stations. "THE "British Australasian" contains an interesting paragraph illustrating the successful use of modern methods by the New Zealand Publicity Department in London. Special mention is made of the fine films sent overseas by the Department. Arrangements for the display of these through several European countries were recently consummated. The writer says

on this point: "Speeches and written articles all help towards making the Dominion better known to foreigners, but it is through the eye that people are most easily attracted. The showing of these beautiful films on the Continent will doubtless result in hundreds of fresh customers asking for good things that New Zealand can send them. ‘To most foreigners New Zealand and Australia are mere names, conveying nothing but that they are ‘big and far away. Now, through the magic of the kinema and the enterprise of the Publicity Department of New Zealand House, they are coming close to audiences, which will leave the theatre having learned more in an hour than many books could impart." While making full use of the kinema, the New Zealand Publicity Department, it may be added, is keeping a watchful eye on the use of talkies, but for the moment action is deferred till a measure of stability is reached in that department. Plans were made for the filming of "Aunt Gwen’s" wedding recently by the Publicity Department, but unfortunately the plan was not successfully carried out.