News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 27, 16 January 1931, Page 11

News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Identification Wanted ON December 5, 1930, 8.55‘p.m. (N.Z. time), located an American station. KFO, Oakland, California, was the call sign, which was repeated at intervals and. good speaker strength. He announced that they were broadcasting from "The Silver Slipper Cafe," Oakland, California. An item rendered -was "It Must Be True." Now, regarding "KPO," I have searched all the stations listed in American radio books, and also our own past and present numbers of "Radio Record," but no such station is mentioned, although some of the call numbers listed come

near it:

Wireless Bug

(Raetihi)

AMERICAN station on approx. 227 \ metres (1320 kc.), at 140 a.m. \on January 2. Announcements: "New "Year Greetings"; International Concert Orchestra playing an old favourite, "My Buddy," phonograph record. After above items, address was given, but eould only catch "138 Street." Tater two violin solos were heard.

Station faded out at 2 am-

Jaka

(Wellington).

GTATION just below 1YA on about 325 metres (920 kc.) heard on January 1 at about 7.30 p.m. Bad: hum spoilt reception. Strength was about RB and the call sounded like WWK or WWJ. Another on approximately 207 metres (1450 ke.) heard on January 1, was ‘still onthe air at 9 p.m. I am sure call was "WMBD." Would this be the station at Beoria Heights, Illinois?-W.S.K. (Nelson). A NEW Zealand station on approxi- ~ mately 230 metres (1300 k.e.), heard on January 5, at fairly govud strength, though reception was very mushy with slight fading. Lady announcer. Items heard:-8.50 p.m. "Bicycle Built For Two." 8.53 p.m., "where Did You Get That Hat," "Good Times Are Coming. " 9.0 "God save the King." I assumed call to be 2ZB Whakatane, but I am doubt£y) if this is correct as static was bad.

R.J.

R.

(P.N.).

Stations Identified J.R. (Palmerston North),-I am listening to your station on about 220 metres. I, too, cannot get his call, as he passes over it too quickly. I have heard it now a dozen times, and it seems like 8KL, 3BL or 3BO. If you set him right, let the club know, please.

T will do the same.-

Amazon

(Pal-

merston North).

D.X. Topics News from KFT. HE following is an interesting letter received by us from the radio engineer of stations KFI and KECA :- "Under the heading of ‘DX Club’ in the issue of ‘Radio Record,’ November 4, I note that a listener (J.TS., Napier) reports hearing KFI on 14380 kc. The explanation is as follows: Barle ©, Anthony, Incorporated, operates two stations, KFI, 640 k.c., and KHOA, 1430 k.e. The studios for both stations are located in the same building, which also houses the transmitter of KFI, The transmitter for KHCA is located approximately one mile from the studios. The studio apparatus is so designed that it may be switched to either station, but one studio cannot be sent over both stations. Our an--nouncers are inter-changed between the

| | two stations at various times during the day. In a few instances the men have forgotten that the stations connected to their studio have been changed and have given the wrong call letters. This is probably what happened. Another possibility is that when KECA signs off at 11.0 p.m. PST the announcer gives a resume of the programme offered by KFI for the following day. This listener may have heard KFI mentioned during this period. "Tt might add that we enjoy receiving the ‘Record’ with the radio news of the antipodes-Yours very truly, BARLE C. ANTHONY, INC.-KFI-KECA; CURTIS MASON, Pngineer." Still Many Scalps. ULLOA, D.X-ers. I have two excuses for my absence. Finance and valves. Overcoming the former, eliminated the latter. A complete new set of valves has worked wonders to "Matilda." Since the transformation I have taken a little more interest in DX-ing and have added 1ZR, Auckland, 2ZU, Dannevirke, and 2NC, Newcastle. to my list. At this moment I am endeavouring to identify an Aussie on 218 metres (1375 k.c.). Statice is bad, and my man is fading. He advertised stove black at 10.53 p.m. and played an orchestra waltz, "My Treasure," at 10.55 p.m., followed by a song, "When You--" I'll get him yet! Where are all the old-time DX-ers? Surely not sitting back waiting for win- = ter. There are many scalps to be col-

lected on odd i nights.-

Amazon

(P.N.).

ON January 3 conditions were excellent: and I logged a fair number of stations. JOAK, BK, and GK were coming through at good volume. 2NC, Newcastle, has been continually fading lately. I recently heard a station on 900 k.c. (333 metres). Call sign sounded like KVO, although I am not sure, aS teception was very gushy.T.J.L.T, (Wellington). ON January 1 I received WHNR, Chicago, on 344 metres (870 k.c.) at 820 p.m. I heard the item "For You, Just You" followed by a song. He then closed’ down-O.W. (Wellington). {Names of commercial sets must not be used as nom-de-plumes.-Hd.] AMERICAN stations received during the past month include WAPI, Birmingham, on 1140 ke. (263 metres), KWIB, State College of Washington 1220 k.c. (346 metres), KSTP, St. Paul, Minnesota, and KMJ, Fresno, California. On January 4 KTAT, Fort Worth, Texas, was heard at R5-6 on 1240 k.c. (242 metres). He said that he was on a special charity programme and would be on the air

till daylight.-

W.S.

K.

(Nelson).

HAVE received verification from 8GL, Geelong, and 2MV Moss Vale. 2MV have increased their power and their frequency is 1220 kc. (245.8 metres). Hours of transmission are 2.0 and 3.0 p.m.; 5.0 to 6.0 p.m., and 9.30 to 12.0 p.m. (N.Z.S.T.). There are no Sunday transmissions. Address "Moss Vale Broadcasting Service Ltd., North Street, Moss Vale." 3GL works on 214.2 metres (1400 k.c.) aerial output 50 watts. They state that ‘they have received quite a number of reports from N.Z. advising them that 8GL comes in at full loudspeaker strength. Address is "Geelong: Broadcasting Company, Ltd, National Mutual Buildings, Moorabool Street,

Geelong:

R.J.

R.

(PNA.

HE power of KTM taken from a verification dated November 28 is

500 watts.-

H.

Walker

(Bluff).

RAvrI0 Saigon is situated at ChiHoa, a few miles from Saigon. Transmitter is stabilised by piezoelectric quartz. Anode tension is 10,000 volts, and the aerial power 12 k. watts. Wave-length 49 metres, signal call ¥F31CD. ° Call " Hello,

Hello, here is Radio Saigon." There are two other stations in Saigon, one, a Government transmitter working on 24.91 metres on ‘phone and ¢.w. with Paris and Japan. The other is a prix vately owned station on 31.30 metres, aerial power 800 watts. Saigon time is T hours ahead of G.M.T. or 46 hours hehind New Zealand standard time-

E.

Anglese

(Nelson).

{The transmission schedule O© this station was published a few weeks ago,-Ed.] . GTATION KGMB put over a special concert for New Zealand and Australian listeners on the evening of December 25. This was very well received here, being R9, steady, and practically free from static. During an interv:1 the announcer stated that 368 letters had been received from New Zealand listeners during the year. WOAT and KMOX were recently logged, the former being at the greatest volume I have yet heard from America. The new Australian station, 2MV, is also coming in well at present. DXers will find this station ideg. above 2NC. I expect that "S.B." (Wellington) has realised by this time that the station he heard on 242 metres is 2NC, not 2HD. On December 29, at approx. 1.30 a.m., I heard the station that "Switch" mentions on 3AR’s frequency, but thinking thaf it was 3AR, I did not bother waiting for call. It did not occur to me until later that it was too late for

3AR

Jaka

(Wellington).