Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 37, 28 March 1930, Page 34

Round the World on Short Wave

*s, Short-Wave News

News from Java and Siam. Pe: Java, 15.74 metres, have changed their broadcasting hours to Tuesday, 9 p.m.-11 p.m., middle Java time (Wednesday, 1.10 a.m. to 3.10 a.m. New Yealand mean time). The programmes of the next broadcasts are announced the week before, about two minutes before closing time. Mr. R. T. Stanton (Christchurch) sent the above, also a letter from Siam, as follows:-‘We beg to inform you that our two short-wave transmitters are HS2PJ, working on 29.5 metres, with 500 watts antenna output, and HS4PJ, work-: ing on 87 metres with 200 watts antenna output. The former, in -addition to working traffic. with neighbouring countries, also carries out broadcasting experiments every Sunday from 1300 to 1600 G.M.T. (Mondays, 12.30 am. till 8.30 a.m., New Zealand mean time.) The 4PJ station is being overhauled, and ‘will not be on the air for some time." G5SW’S Good Deed. S° many unkind things have been_said about the Marconi station 5SW, which the B.B.C. uses for its experimental short-wave transmissions, that it is welcome news that it has done at least one good turn. Some time back when the Marchese Marconi broadcast an _ -epoch-making speech, the trans-Atlantic transmisison from Savoy Hall was made via 5SW, and ~also through the P.O. station at Rugby. This speech was relayed on the American side over a chain of stations, and it was the short-wave 5SW and not the longwave Rugby station which was used for the transmission. , American Stations on Dual Wavelengths. , STATIONS WGY, KDKA, WENR, . "KGO, WABC, WRNY, and WLW. relay their programmes on short waves. Other stations will be added to this list shortly. ‘ Marchese Marconi Heard in New Zealand. About 6.45 p.m. on Friday, March 22, a strange station was tuned in on about 26.6 metres. "Hullo, Australia. Hullo, ‘2ME," was being called. This proved to be the "Blettra," owned by the Marchese Marconi. The yacht was at Genoa, Italy. After the operator had got in touch with 2MB. a conversation was heard between Marchese Marconi and Mr. Fisk, managing director of AWA. The talk from Genoa was quite clear and steady. At 7 p.m. they closed for half an hour, but when they reopened, reception from Sydney was not nearly so ood, so after making arrangements for another test on

ee Oe the following day at 7 G.M.T., the "Hlettra"’ ‘signed off. They were heard again on Saturday from 6.30 p.m., but were not so clear or loud as on the previous day. Further tests are to be carried out on Monday, Tuesday. -and Wednesday of next week from 6.80 p.m., New Zealand time, on telephony. Tests with Morse were also arranged,

Unidentified Stations. 48 metres (about), Wednesday. 46.6 metres (about), Saturday. . 44.4 metres (about), Sunday. 44.0 metres (about), Monday. 41.6 metres (about), each morning except Sunday and Friday. : 83.7 metres (about), Thursday. 3.15 metres .(about), Tuesday, Friday, Saturay. . 31. metres (about), Saturday). 28. metres (about), Saturday.

Log for the Week

Sunday, March 16. 7, HESEN was excellent at: R9, with orchestral music till 7 a.m., after which volume decreased. W2XAD at 2 p.m, was R4, but gushy;, volume inereased later, but continued unsteady. W2XAF during their last hour, 3.30 till 4.30 p.m., "put over" a programme of | dance music from the Rainbow Room,

New Kenmore Hotel, Albany, which was received at R9 ‘ PEA on 25.4 metres was R8 ‘at 4 p.m. and about R5 on 48.86 metres. W3XAL were going till 5.30 p.m. with dance music from Hotel. New . Yorkers, New York. Reception was good at R8. An American was heard on about 44.4 metres at 5 p.m., strength R7. Modulation being poor, talk was difficult to follow. The call WXD was mentioned, which is a U.S. Army station at Alaska. RAQ7 at 9.15 p.m. was. R9, static being very bad. , , KZRM opened at 9.30 p.m. with the usual chimes, followed by recorded music ; R8-9, static bad. vos Monday, March 17. ON 41.6 metres (about) at 6 a.m. talk was just audible. Zeesen started at 6 a.m. ‘with choral items; ‘very good at R8-9. What I took to be-HS2PJ on 29.5 metres was heard at 6 a.m. with a strong carrier with noises similar to tuning of violins at times. No ‘talk or music was heard, only stray noises at times as, though the "mike" was open. On about 44 metres at 6.30 p.m. an American woman was heard calling London; R6, plenty of static. RA97, R9 at 9 p.m. VK2ME R9, duplex with a station that could not be located. :

Tuesday, ‘March 18. | 7 EESEN started at 5.3 a.m, with orchestral items at R8-9, increasing to R9 by 6.30 am. . On 31.5 metres (about) a German was speaking at R2 at 5.45 am. . A very weak voice was heard on about 41.6 metres at 5.45 am. 5SW opened just before 6.30 a.m., when the Chelmsford armouncer was 100 per cent. readable at R5. After Big Ben struck, a lady spoke, but gushiness spoilt reception. Was not listening during evening till after 11 p.m., when W2XAF was R& with records, and KZRM Rd. . Wednesday, March 19. Att signals were very weak during the early morning except Zeesen, which opened at 6.30 a.m. at R8-9. © 5SW and strangers. on 41.6 metrés and 48 metres were audible but not readable. WOXF at 6.30 p.m. were R3 with morse interference. GBP was. calling 2ME at 7 p.m. This apnears to be the. same transmitter as GBX, as the wavelength ‘and speaker were as usual, with the different call. 2MBE were R9 and very gushy. :

ZRM at 8.15 p.m. were reading news items, R3-4. , Musical items from 9.30 p.m, were R8, morse interference was bad. RA97, speech and music, R9. statie very bad. , Thursday, March 20. [HE 41.6 stranger was just audible at 6 a.m, On about 33.7 metres, an American was. talking to Bngland. about reception, circuits, weather, ete., at R5, at 6 a.m. Arrangements were made te "put a call through for Commander --:- to his home." By the nature of the talk it appears as. if this station was a ship on the Atlantic,

--- (THE operator spoke of, "waiting to go . back. on. the: Majestic," ete.. Zeesen', »" started at 6.15 a.m. with vocal items. ait’: R8-9. 5SW was very -gushy at R65. / Strong carriers from 2MH and GBP were heard, -without talk, when I tried them. K2RM at 10.30 p.m. was R5 and gushy. RAQ7 at R9 was spoilt by static ~ _ Friday, March 21.. NTATION. PCJ -was quite good from 5.30 a.m. till 7.80 am. R&-9 at first, decreasing to R7-8. The 31.5.metce German at ‘5.30 a.m. was’ R4, with talk as usual. Zeesen started at 6'a.m. with a choir, which. was excellent. at, R8. 5SW would have been better this..morning if static was less troublesome. 2MH' R8 and QBP R6. at 7 am: were on duplex. W6XN were :R5 at 6.30 p.m. with slow fading. Ys . The yacht Blettra at Genoa was hear from 6.45 till 7 p.m. at RY, and agai: from ‘7.30 -p.m, ‘for a few minutes; detail given earlier in these notes.. 2MH R9 duplex with yacht "Dlettra’ and England. GBP duplex. with, 2ME. R7, very clear and steady. .... an : 8ZC came in at R8.with records, but ‘was spoilt by a strong ripple. KZRM and RA97 ‘were both spoilt by ‘static.

.Saturday,. March 22., . . STATION PCJ was again good from 5.30 a.m., R8-9, till 7.80 a.m., R6-7. Zeesen was excellent at-6 a.m., R9. The German on 381.5 metres was R4 with talk, about 6 a.m. A private, conveérsation between a.woman through GBP and a man through 2ME was clearly heard at 5.50 a.m. The 41.6: metre station was a little louder this morning with band items and talks. An orchestra: was heard clearly, but weak, on 46.6.-metres, just ‘after a.m. , SSW .at 6.30 a.m. was R7, with Big. Ben. A talk followed, "Careers For Boys and Girls." W2XAD was. R38 at its best during the afternoon. W2XAF at 2. p.m. was R4, but increased to R9.by -4 > p.m. A--negro opera’ company was. heard ~ during the afternoon. PCJ was first heard at 2 p.m. at R1-2, inereasing to R7 by. 5.30 p.m., when they closed down. On 31 metres, about, a voice was heard. at R6. Modulation was very bad. This was heard several times during the afternoon. ; . The "Hlettra"' called Sydney at 6.30 p.m., interference by a morse station be- © ing troublesome. 2ME also noticed this ° and commented on it to M. Matheau, the operator on the "Hlettra." Marconi spoke for awhile about 7.45 p.m. At 6.45. p.m. on about 28 metres a foreign voice was heard at R6. Static very bad. 2ME. was on duplex with GBP before and after talking with: the ‘yacht "Dlettra." RAST was smothered by static at 9.15 p.m., and was just as. bad at 11 p.m. PCK at 9:25 p.m. was on duplex with Java at R4 and gushy. KZRM were R5 at 9.30 p.m. when commencing a‘ programme of recorded music. ‘Y "TRIALS IN TACT" (See page 27.)

Stations Heard

RA97, Siberia, 70 metres. Every evening. . W9XF, Chicago, 49.83 metres. Wednesday. . W3XAL, New Jersey, 49.18 metres. Sunday. $2C, Christchurch, N.Z.. 47 metres ( about).. Friday. W2XAF, Schenectady, 31.4. metres. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday. PCJ, Holland, 31.4 metres. Friday and Saturday. Zeesen, Germany, 31.38 metres. Every morning. VK2ME, Sydney. 28.5 metres. Daily, morning and evening. GBP, England, 27.5 metres. Mornings and evenings. ; Yacht Elettra, Genoa, 26.6 metres (about). Friday and Saturdav. KZRM, Manila, 26 metres. Every evening except Monday. G5SW, Chelmsford, 25.53 metres. Each morning except Sunday and Monay KDKA, East Vittsburgh, 48.86 and 25.4 metres. Sunday. W6XN, California, 23.35 metres. Sunday and Friday. W2XAD, Schenectady, 19.5 metres. Sunday and Saturday. PCK, Holland, 16.3 metres, Saturday.