Short-wave News From America

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 42, 2 May 1930, Page 32

Short-wave News From America

\ STATION OJRX, Winnipeg, Canada, aftera silence of almost four months, is now back on the air daily (except Sunday), from 23.30 Greenwich nmiean time onwards, broadcasting for a period of several hours. They are always R8 to R9 here, at a distance of approximately 1500 miles. During the time they were off the air they were transmitting through VE-9-CL, which is another one of their experimental stations. This station was very poor here. The call book says that VE-9-CL. was on 49 metres, but in fact their actual wavelength was more nearly 53 metres, CJRX uses 25.6 metres. In the "Round the World on: Short-wave" page of the "Radio Record" of February 7, 1930, I noticed a question asked by Mr. Sellens about the identity of station WOO which was heard by on 23 metres. He states that this station is not in the call-book. This is a-new transmitter owned by the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., and is located: at Deal, New Jersey, U.S.A. It is used for working the steamships. Majestic, Olympic and Leviathan. It uses the following wavelengths: 23 metres, 34.74 metres, 46.5 metres, and 72.87 métres. The short-wave transmitter of WENR in Chicago (W-9-XF)_ will, now be found also on 25 metres in addition to their 49 metre wavelength. The trans-Atlantic *phone station in the New York and London circuit (WND) will also be found

on 44 metres occasionally after 24.00 G.M.T, Another Canadian short-wave station that has-been ona great deal lately and is new is VH-9-AP, on approximately 46.5 metres. It has been broadcasting after 2.00 G.M.T:, and is owned by the Canadian Marconi Company at Drummondyille, Quebec, .Canada. I have never seen a.report of reception of W-2-XH on 24 metres in the columns ‘of the "Record." They are on. daily on :this wavelength, but not so very loud here on account of skip effect. A station heard here at good volume is the new Dutch. station PCV at Kootwifk, Holland. This station is very close in wave-. length to PHI. It will be used for telephone communication with Java. It uses 80..k.w. power on 16.82 metres. It: is just between PHI and PLF. ' W-8-XAV in Philadelphia is on daily -until about 22.00 G.M.T., on 31.2 metres, and is very loud here. I have also heard W-6-XN on 17 metres lately. I have been hearing the tests going on at the present time between VK-2-MH, 2XAF, and the New Zealand stations 2YA and 4YA. I have heard 2YA and 4YA talking to W2XAF _ through VK2MB. I also have heard VK2MBE rebroadcast 2YA. I get 2MBH at good loudspeaker strength here around 11.00 te 13.00 G.M.T. I would greatly appreciate any information as to the identity of an Australian station which was broadcasting on approximately 31,5 metres on the morning of February 28, 1980. When I first tuned in on them they were broadcasting from a theatre in Sydney, and someone had just concluded making a speech. I was unable to get the call letters. On the morning of March 3 I also heard this station, which signed off in a few minutes after I had tuned them in. I heard a woman sing "Ave Maria" and "My Old Kentucky Home." After this they signed off, and again I was unable to get the call letters owing to interference from automobiles passing my house.. I heard on this. occasion that it was hoped that Admiral Byrd would hear the programme. These times of course were in the evening in Australia. I have never heard an Australian on 31 metres before. I hear 2MH on 28.5 though. I would appreciate any information on these two broadeasts from any listener who heard them. The summer months are by far the best here for reception on the shorter wavelengths (below 35 metres), and we

are now entering the period of best reception. I note that KDKA is now on the 49metre band, having forsaken the 62,5 meter wavelength. We do not hear much of Zeesen on 31.38 as they go off the air early in the evening (6.80 p.m.), at-the time when reception on this wavelength begins to improve. It might interest you to know that PLF in Java is the hardest station I know to tune in. The wave is so unsteady. It is impossible to hear more than occasional words from PLE owing to that cause. The signal of PLE fades very rapidly ‘and violently at all times, and behaves differently from any short-wave station I have ever heard. This must be caused by: its location, as I have never heard this on any other station, although a few months ago J heard PLG several times on 18.88 metres, and PLG did not behave like PLE. PLE acted the same way before they changed their wavelength from 17 metres to 16.80 metres. I am at a loss to explain the cause.Fred Haster, 3853 Southside Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.

EW Zealand shortwave listeners will be interested to learn that, owing to the development in the demand for wireless intercourse, the proposals of the Dutch East Indian Government for the erection of the new station at. Bandoeng have had to be considerably extended, so that in place of the two transmitters for the Hol-land-East Indies trafic and one for America-East Indies traffic, there are now to be added a shortwave transmitter communicating directly with Japan, two with Australia, and one with. British-India. With the additional buildings, the extra current feeders, and the increased water-cooling plant, the estimate of the cost will be: in. creased from £12,500 to nearly double that amount. LUBUIR LIMEUM BOURNE EEE