Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume III, Issue 51, 4 July 1930, Page 26

Round the World on Short Wave

HIS page is conducted in the interests of shortwave 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.

Short-Wave News -_-_ VOR2, Vienna. V ok2, the official short-wave transmit- : ter at Vienna, has now definitely altered its wavelengths to 25.42 and 49.40 metres. Although broadcasts are carried out on low power, they are well heard: over the greater part of Burope, and have been reported on from Australia and New Zealand. Athens on Short Waves. [He Isles of Greece are to be linked up with Athens and the mainland by wireless telephone and telegraph services, for which the Greek Government has ordered equipment. Three of the latest type Marconi stations for duplex telephony and high speed telegraphy are to be erected, one in or near Athens, one on the Island of Crete, and the other on Chios. ZL2XX, Wellington. HIS is the best station on short waves just now, working on 62.8 metres, almost every evening. W9XAA, Chicago. M*. MORRISON (Wellington) reports hearing W9XAA, Chicago, on Saturday, June 29, from 5.15 p.m. till 5.30 p.m., at about R4-5, 100 per cent. readable, except when fading. A request programme was being presented, the name of the persons asking for the items being given when they were broadcast. Their frequency was given as 6080 kilocycles (40.32 metres). They are on the air from p.m. till 1 a.m. each day local time.

This is 11.80 am. till 5.30 pm. New Zealand time. Stranger on About 29 Metres. A STATION has been heard several times during the week at good strength on about 29 metres, or perhaps a fraction less (just above 2ME). Sometimes talk was in a foreign language, possibly German, but on Saturday long periods were spent in "Hullo, 1, 2, 3," ete., with once in a while, "How are you getting me now?" No call was_ heard, although one evening while speaking in German (?) "Nauen, Germany," was mentioned,

‘Log for the Week. Sunday, June 22. EESEN at 8 am. was unsteady at R4. A station was tuned in just before noon on about 31.4 metres, when a choir was heard, After this some foreign talk was heard, followed by "This concludes our programme, ete. Goodevening, everybody," going off the air at exactly 12 noon. Reception was quite good at Rod. CJRX was stronger than usual, being R7 at 2.30 p.m., when a speech was being delivered. Readability. was poor, bui it appeared to be a peace or no more war talk. NRH at 2.30 p.m. was just audible. W3XAL was R5 at 4.30 p.m. KIXR at 8 p.m. was very gushy at R4, but much better at 10 pm. 2L2XX was excellent at 10 p.m., both' as regards volume and quality. ; Monday, June 23. TFEESEN at 6.25 a.m. was RS when the proceedings of a meeting were being relayed. Talk and laughing among the audience were clearly audible. Music was heard later. 2MB and GBP at 6.80 p.m. were R9 and R5 respectively. On about 29 metres seme foreign talk, also English which, except for odd words, was not readable. Volume RYT. RA97 was R8 at 10 p.m. Static was yery bad. 2LZXX testing on 62.8 metres was excellent. ; Tuesday, June 24. EESEN: 6.80 am., R7-8, very noisy background; better at 7.30 a.m. at R9. GBP at 6.30 a.m. was R4, increasing to R7 at 7.30 am. 2M during this period was not audible. 5SW

was only Rl at 6.30 am., but reached R7 by 7.30 a.m., but was too gushy to be readable. KIXR at_10 p.m, was vet gushy at R8S. W2XAF' was first hear at 9.10 p.m. with records at R8-9; later they were calling and talking to 2MH, which station was not audible here at that time except through 2XAF. RA97 was very good at R8 at 10.15 p.m. ZLAXX were again’ testing on 62.8 metres. . Wednesday, June 25. At 6.15 a.m. 5SW was very gushy at R4; at 7.30 a.m. it was R5. Zeesen at 6.10 a.m. were Rd with slight gush, increasing to R8 by 7.30 p.m. After 7.380 a.m. a talk in English was heard, only odd words being readable, except the last sentence, which was "Peace and goodwill.to all men," followed by clapping. German talk was heard after. : GBP and 2M were both abdsut R8 at 7.80 a.m., but were very weak a while before this time. At 6 p.m. these stations were R6 and R8-9 respectively. On © about 82.5 metres, London was- being ealled and the technical operator asked for R7. 8UZ, Melbourne, was R5 at 8.30 pm. Very gushy. ZL2XX was again excellent at maximum volume. KIXR was very gushy at 10 p.m. at R4. RA97T-Statiec was very bad. Signals R8 at 10 p.m. Thursday, June 26. At 6.30 am. 5SW was better than usual, being R7 and steadier than of late. GBP was excellent at R9. 2MH was R7. Zeesen also was better volume with choral items. 2MBH, at 7 p.m., was R9, while GBP was not readable here, KIXR was noisy and gushy at R5 at 8.30 p.m., and about the same at 10 p.m., but was much improved by 10.30 pm. ZL2XX excellent, as usual. Friday, June 27. T 6 am. PCJ was just audible, reach: ing R7 by 7.80 a.m. . PCJ was the only station audible till 7 a.m., when GBP and 5SW were very weak. The 29 metre station was tuned in about 6.35 p.m. Talk in Bnglish was difficult to follow. Nauen, Germany, was mentioned. Reading and counting with a high frequency note at intervals was heard. Talk in German was heard later. Strength was R9 with a slight gurgle. 2MB and GBP at 7 p.m. were R9 and R4. RA97 at 10 p.m. was R8-9. KIXR, RG and very gushy.. ZL2XX, very loud on 62.8 metres and R8 on first harmonic. ; Saturday, June 28. T 6.30 a.m. PCJ was the only station audible; this one was R2, increasing to R8 at 7.30 p.m., when they were quite good except for slight gushiness. t 7 am. 2MP was R7; GBP R4; and 5SW R4. YZeesen was not heard during this period.

-- -_ PCJ at 1 p.m..were R4, with slight gush. Volume increased to R9 by 4 p.m.. when quality. was much _ improved. pieal Javanese music was played during the special New Zealand and Australian session. The 29-metre station was heard again from 1 p.m. at R9. with "Hullos". and counting, at intervals, all the afternoon and during the evening.

W2XAF was heard from 1 p.m. for a few minutes at. R5. When tried for at 1.30 p.m. they were gone. KA were R4.at 2 p.m, increasing to R7. GBP opened up about 1.45 p.m. by giving Sydney the latest ericket score. They were R9 then, and continued good Strength till nearly. 7 p.m., when they went off rapidly. 2MB were good from opening at the same time as GBP till

7.15 ome when they "closed the circuit till Monday morning." W8XAL at 4 p.m. were R5. WORE were quite good from 4 p.m. at Ré4, increasing to R9 by 4.30 p.m., when an orchestra "from the world’s most beautiful ballroom" was heard. XR was gushy at R5 at 7.30 p.m. Later in the evening they improved, and

by midnight were R8-9. W3XAL were "on the air" at. 9.45 p.m. to relay the Kingsford Smith talk to 2MH, They put on records while waiting, which were received at R9. A morse station started up anl wiped out 3XAL before the feature of the evening commenced. W2XAF was R8 at 9.45 p.m., but very gushy, but improved quite a lot soon after. 2MH was R5, and spoilt by morse at first,

but also improved for the duplex talk. We heard both sides of the conversations by putting 2YA on one speaker (received on a crystal) for Kingsford Smith,‘ and the Australian speakers at _2MB by short-wave set on another speaker. This proved very satisfactory. A Fox Movietone was taken at Sydney of Charley Ulm greeting Smithy, which was staged for the purpose, as Ulm had already greeted Smithy some minutes beore. Conversations continued between W2XAF and 2MB till after midnight. RA97

were, R9 at 11.45 p.m. Static was very ad. .

Stations Heard During Week Ending June 29. ZL2XX, Wellington, 62.8 metres: Each evening. RA97, Siberia, 70 metres: Each evening except Sun. and Thur. W9XF, Chicago, 49.83 metres: Saturday. . W3XAL, New Jersey, 49.18 metres: Sunday, and Saturday. 2? 2? 32.5 metres: Wednesday. 38UZ, Melbourne, 32 metres: Wednesday. ? ? $1.4 metres (about): Sunday. W2XAF, Schenectady, $1.4 metres: Tuesday and Saturday. ZEESEN, Germany, 31.38 metres: Each day except Fri. and Sat. KiXR, Manila, 31.3 metres: Each day except, Monday. PC4,. Holland, 31.28 metres: Friday and Saturday. ? ? ’ 29 metres (about): Mon, Fri. and Sat. NRH, Oosta Rica, 30.5 metres: Sunday. 2ME, Sydney, 28.5 metres: Each day except Sunday. GBP, Rugby, 27.7 metres: Each day except Sunday. CJRX, Winnipeg, 25.6 metres: Sunday. G5SW, Chelmsford, 25.53 metres: Each day except Mon. and Sun. WSXK, Pittsburgh, 25.25 metres: Saturday.