News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 36, 20 March 1931, Page 12

News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Ee Addresses and Addresses ’ ‘Wanted (Dunedin):; W6DWY, H. : 2 ie, 419 N. Santa Fe Ave., Calif, , Others not listed. . ‘AES ‘ (Auckland): Would like the =" address of the Huropean station on aT% nietres (1083 k.c.). , Wore N.C.G. (Oamaru) please forward: ‘us his address? Identification Wanted STATION: "heard. between 2.45 and 8 va.m.-on March 8. The "announcer Was } describing a horse race, evidently the’ a of the meeting. The winning jockeys horses were announced. A _ studio: iten ‘was then given, and then the dividends" announced for the last two races. Stati¢e ‘prevented my hearing the call. Several ‘more musical items were then Bre resented, including the ‘"Shepherd’s rendde: Save the King". was Played, andthe call again given, after which’ "it Was announced that the station wis Closing: down until 7.30 p.m. the next evening: Dial reading, 73, two degrees ahova ORG Svdnev Volume cand = hnt

static persistent:

Novice

(Hamilton)

QTATION "on 4QG’s frequency playing fox-trot, "Walking Down the Street." Signed off at 8 p.m. Correct address of waIDxr ie° Tunnmar Tifa Tnenrancei Clo.

Jackson; Mississipni:

Bung

Wai-

kato)

TILE listening to aNO, Neweastle, \ ~on Sunday, March 8,-I noticed a heterodyne whistle, so waited until they closed -down, and then found: aiiother station on the same _ frequency. Musie could be heard faintly.-‘Query" TATION heard ‘from 2 to 3 :a.m., March 8, just below 3AR, Melbourne. Fading was bad, but although: I could not get the call sign I heard music, and an announcement "that the station was now going over to the racecourse. Then he gaye a detailed descrintion of some racehorses and mentioned the names "Phanton" and "Monte Bleu." He then

mentioned a disturbance at the starting. post, and he subsequently discovered this to be due to the horses breaking away.-

L.

H.

(Invercargil) _

N Monday, March 9, about 12 p.m.,’a strong carrier with generator hum heard a few degrees above ZLW. No speech or music, but a noise every few seconds like a sawmill, Is this. a frequency test, and what station would it be? Does’ 2ME or 8MB broadcast ‘on relay on Monday evenings a number of items (vocal with pianoforte accompaniment), and choruses by girls’ voices? At

the ‘conclusion the operator calls "Hallo,

sydney, and then closes down.-

L.F.

C.

(Unristenuren).

GTATION heard on the morning of February 15 on approximately 1050 k.c. (286 metres) playing recordings. (Not 2Z0, P.N.) Another on 1140 k.e.. (263 metres), also on recordings, and announcing during items. Time, 1.40 pm. Also a Jap on 590 kc. (508 metres), heard every night from 9.30 p.m. on. Could get no call.’ Reception from

Z1O, EN was K(

C.G.

C.

(Christ-

church). 7

O*N March 7 I picked up a station in: Central Americe giving the call CMLO, Santiago, Cuba. Is there such a station? [Our latest Call Book does uot contain this call.-Hd.]

Stations Identified | the issue dated Jan. 9 "Switch" . mentioned a station on 484 metres (620 k.c.).° Some thought that this was KZRM, Manila, but a recent verification I ‘received proves it to be KGW, which operates on 483.6 metres (620 k.c.), with a power of 1 k.w. It is owned by "The. Morning Oregonian." Operating hours are from 6.45 a.m. to 11 p.m., excepting Sundays, when they start at 8.30 a.m. Their sponsored programmes are by big

advertisers such as Studebakef, General Motors, Palmolive, etc. They ‘feature Gecil-. and Sally; and Amos ’n’: Andy. They have a permanent staff of over 50 musicians and eight vocalists; and they. also handle part of the N.B.OC.’s relays from New York and San. Fran-

cisco:

Cromdale

(Otago).

"RED BIRD" (Wellington) and "Radio Boy" (Oamaru): Re inquiry on Feb; 20. You heard 2ZR, Hastings. ‘through 2ZP, Wairoa. ‘ These two stations were on a two-wav conversation —

B.

W.

(Stratford) _

J P.C, (P.N.) : Recent verification from ° JOAK states that they have a twin station operating on 490 metres (612 k.e.), "Ocol" (H.B.): You heard KGMB. They broadcast programmes by Japanese artists. A.M.H. (Tirau) : KIWB, Hollywood, California, 3816 metres (980 k.e.). "Oscar" (Marton): KPO, San Francisco, 441 metres (680 k.e.),.and KFI, Los Angeles, 468 metres (640 It.e.). ‘Civic’? (Cambridge) : There is no New York station on 1320 ke. You probably heard KGER. Los Angeles, on 1360°k.c. (220 metres). "S.G.V.4’ (Otagoy: KYW, Chicago, Illinois, on 293.9 metres (1020 k.c.). I have heard him several times lately. I notice several times in "Questions and Answers" that listeners are told that an acrial of 150ft. Sea tan lane wat it tank "2008+ tn win tha

E99 DX Cup:

M.B.

S.

Lel YCci 1i Leao (PN.)-

LA ovUvuit. aerial is hopeiessiy unselective, and would be useless for listeners in the neighbourhood of powerful stations. Again, long aerials are often responsible for noisy reception.-Hd. ] ORIS" (Dunedin): Probably KFOX on 240 metres (1250 ke). "S.G.V.4" (Otago); 83BA, Ballarat, and 3GL, Geelone. hoth onernte near that franienay

Amazon

(LN.)_

"UNCLE SAM" (Hastings): Probably KGMB. They usually outline the followine dav’s procramme hefore elos-

ing:

W.L.

P.

atua).

"(\yCOL" .(Hawke’s Bay): KGMB, who had’ a Japanese concert party there. I heard this. broadcast and the announcer afterwards explained.’ "Foreign" (Wellington): Haye you identified your foreign station yet? JT ean still hear .two Mexican: stations with call sounding like

XAAR and XEE. The former is probably XER, for my official list of Mexican . etatianae We peas na¥: ove anv fanr-lattar

ealls-

C.V.

B.

N. Auckland

"CANDIDUS" {Timaru): Station 2 degrees above 5CL Adelaide was WLW, not WVRA. I heard the same items and remarks. about a new type of

rne

Kowhai

(St. Martins).

A. M.H. etisus "Your clock must have been 13 mianten fast for 12.2 a.m. PS... is 8.2 pm. . Summer: Time. Warner Bros;’ Hollywood, operates on, 950: ke. (816 metres). "Oscar" (Marton): KPO, San Francisco, operates on 680 ke. (444 metres), and KFI, Los Angeles, on 640 k.c. 8 "Scion" (Timaru): Station on 950 k.ec. (315 metres) is probably

KFWB; Hollywood _

Seven Kicker

(Okoroire Spritigs). :

"Bis BILL" (Timarn): KGO, Oakland always closes down at 12 or thereabouts after giving" the weather: report. "Don’t Forget Me in Your Dreams" is one of their. closing items. Station ong deg. above is*KTM, Los Angeles. The announcer has a very deep voice and you evidently heard him:when he was replying to letters’ re lost articles, missing people, ete. Your frequencies are wrong however. KGO is on. 790 k.c, (380 m. ) KTM on 780 (384 m.).: "Mark" (Dunedin): Your -station sounds more like WLW, Cincinnati. About that time he would "fade. out with increasing daylight. 6WFH, Perth, should be coming in strongly at that time: instead of fading out. "N.Z." (Masterton): KMBC, ‘Kansas City, power 1-k.w. . "E.W.D." (Invercargill) ¢ Station between 7ZL and 8AR may be Xxow, Nanking. This is where I, receive them. ' Your frequencies are wrong, however. 8AR is on 480 m. (625 k.c.), KOW-on 496 m. (605 k.c.), ‘ and 7ZL on 516 (580 k.c.), "Seven * Kicker" (Okoroire Springs) : KBI, Tacoma, Washington, "D.L.0." (Hamilton): WBAP, Fort ‘Worth, Texas. Power. 10 k.w., frequency S00 kee. (375 af

m.

J.P.

C.

(RN:)

These last four mornings I have had France very clearly on the speaker. have a friend with me who understands French and he translated quite enough to enable me to write for verification-

A.

G.

. (ingiewood ) e

DX Topics Logging Australian B’s. P.C. (P.N.) 2° I: have noticed lately * that 4BC, Brisbane, ‘have changed their frequency ‘and now come in practically on 2UW.. I agree that Australian "B’s" should be inclided in the competition. ‘There are. only about six of them which are easy ‘to log." I am using ‘an eight-valve. receiver, but find great difficulty in picking up the smaller-powered of these. I picked up-a new Japanese station on approximately 635ke. (470m.), but I am not wasting any time with them, for they are very: difficult to sort out. Despite serious power interference during the last week or so I have managed to pick up KRLD, KWKH, and WHAF. ‘D.McL. (Wellington): . Re. KZRM, I think eredit was due to J.P.0. (P.N.), who revorted identification of this station e

in the issue dated -January 380.

B.

W.

(Stratford)_

Identifying Japs. ON February 15, KRLD, Dallas, Texas, was heard’ at’ R9 here. He stated that he was testing on 1040ke. (288m.). On February 1 I logged WENR, Chicago, at R7. He announces: "This is station WENR, the Voice of Service, in Chieago." J.C.S. (Beckenham), pleasé note. D.T.H. (Timaru)-is to be congratulated on his success in hearing the call signs of 32 Australians in’ one hour. Re not receiving replies from some stations, I have sent detailed réports’to a number of Australian amateurs, who were ‘testing, but have not heard from them yet, 1

Concerning the DX Competition a 4 Subsequent to a correspondent’s suggestion, we have decided to ;. divide New Zealand into seven districts, namely: Auckland, > ‘Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Nelson and Westland, Marl- > borough and North Canterbury, South Canterbury and Otago, and to > present the winner in each district, apart from the winner of the DX , Cup, a certificate acknowledging his suceess.in his particular district. y ° ¢ . PPLPPPPPPIPPPPP PDP DD NPP DEPP PPP a a ed annennyv¥

A In identifying Japs., the only satisfactory . way is to describe the items, e.g., tenor sole, orchestral selection, stringed instru-

ments, etc.-

Amazon

(RN:)

European Reception. A. EB. (Tangiteroha) does not appear * to be satisfied with my verification from Europe. Concerning the Hnglish names, etc., my experience is just the opposite to his. It is the lack of Wnglish that makes them sO hard to log, not their strength. There is another strong station coming in nearly on Bratislava’ 8 wavelength. It was not there in October when I heard Bratislava, which I did" nearly every morning, providing interference or static was not too bad. ‘These two stations were coming in at excellent strength on paprusry 26, and played -music from 4,30 a.m., -when I tuned in, until 4.45, when the announcer spoke in broken Bnglish. The only word that was clear, however, was "records." Following that, a lady spoke until 5 a.m., when I had to leave. er speech was foreign, with "ski" at the end of many of her . words, sO i presume this was a Russian I have heard similar language oy ht on 1010ke. (297m.), 780ke. (884m.), and 840ke. (8357m.). These stations may be heard at fair » strength most

mornings now.-

W.L.

P.

(fanatua ) .

Canadian 50-Watters. I HAVH zecently, receiyed verifications from CKMO, Vancouver, 50 watts, and CJOR, Vancouver, 50 watts. The latter stated that my report was the first authentic one to arrive from New. Zealand. "Kauspanka" (H.B.): I trust that you are well, for we have not heard from you since the earthquake. In a recent letter from Denver, they stated that they received our report on the same

day.-

C.V.

B.

(N. Auckland),

Verification from N.Z.B.’s. T NOTICE in this week’s copy of the "Record" the address and transmitting hours of 4ZP, Invercargill, I hope anyone writing to them for confirmation of the station has better luck that I-did. About four months ago I picked up 4ZP at about 7.45 p.m. (it was still daylight) and sent them a report of their transmission, together with items heard for a period of over an hour. Realising. that this station has no revenue-producing meeans, I enclosed 3d. in stamps to pay the postage, etc, of a reply. I am still living in hopes of hearing from them. I might add that 4ZP is the first station that has ignored my letters. I see the "Radio Guide and Call Book" will be out in a week or two now. Will it contain a list of the "B" class stations with

their Addresses, etc, i

Otewa

(UluIU-

4a4ga ) .

Listening to HKurope, OVER the last fortnight U.S.A. stations have been coming in fairly clearly, and one or two new loggings have resulted. WBT was heard on the evening of March 1 playing gramophone items and transmitting a test rogramme, On Feb. 27 WJZ, New ork, was picked up on a recorded programme, while on Neb. 25 WHAF was at good loudspeaker strength. At 5 a.m. _ On the morning of March 4 I heard VUB, Bombay, India, closing down with the National Anthem. At 4,45 a.m. I tuned in to KGU, Honolulu, on their early morning exercises. A man was counting to the tune of several waltzes, which were played as accompaniments, There is a German station which I see listed in the latest Hnglish call book as being Stuttgart, on 360 metres, which has been coming in here at good loudspeaker strength at about 5.30 a.m. durjing the past few mornings. There have been no musical items broadcast, however, so there has been no chance of writing for verification, The station on 279 metres (1080 k.c.) which A.H.B. (Langiteroha) contends has not been correctly identified is without a doubt that of Bratislava, Czecho-Slovakia. They announce in Czeck, Slovene, F'rench, German, Mayar and occasionally in Wng-

PPPS LLL SGT lish, according to the late publication of the English "Wireless Magazine." The call at all times is "Hallo! Hallo! Bratislava." I have been regularly receiving him and wrote for verification on February 27. A French station on 385 metres (780 k.c.) which is listed as Radio Toulouse, France, is also very good at 5.45 a.m, each morning, but no musical items have been received, This is ~ the only trouble with these European stations, It is evidently their news sessions which we hear, as talking is all that is to be heard from the majority of them.-

D.T.

H.

(Timaru). —

Recent Loggings. ys my notes in last week’s "Record" station KDIN should read KOIN, and KDGY should be KGDY. Last week the American stations have been coming in with good volume in Timarn. have added the following to my log this last week: KGB, KFSD, WBT, KMPC, KROW, WSUI, WMAQ, WFIW, KMTR, KVOO. We Timaru DX-ers envy listeners in the country who are not troubled with power noises and different interferences.

il Between 7 and 8 p.m. we have great difficulty in logging stations because of these noises. ‘Still, I suppose other towns have the same to put up with, and it is time the Government stepped in and gave listeners some return for t+tha nart of the license’ fee which they

Lc retain:

D.N.

A.

(Timaru).

Two Records Established. ROM advice received, amateur station G2NM, operated by Mr. Gerald Marcuse (England), transmits on 20.95 metres from 6.30 p.m. till 8 p.m. G.M.T. on Sundays, 6.30 a.m. till 8 a.m. Monday. Mr. Roy Clarke, operator of ZLZAW, Lyall Bay, Wellington, made contact (by *phone) with an American amateur, W6OLP, operated by Mr. L. Fry, Empire, California, at midnight on Feb. 11. ZL2ZAW was using a power of 82 watts in the -aerial, and got strength R65. QSA4 and W6CLP were using approximately 200 watts input. This is, I believe, the first time ’phone has been transmitted to America on 80 metres by a New Zealand amateur. And still another record. ZL2BH, Hastings, operated by Mr. J. ©. Mills (who did great work

at the time of the earthquake) made contact on Mar. 1 with an Hnglish amateur, GGRB, operated by Mr. RK, A. Bartlett, of Bristol, Somersetshire. Contact was made through CW on 80-metre band at 7 p.m. New. Zealand time. This is the, first time a New Zealand amateur hag worked Great Britain on 80 metres. The next record we will see established will bea New Zealand amateur putting ’phone across to Great Britain on 80 metres. At 6 a.m. every morning last week two, duplex stations were heard working, one on 84.5 metres, the other on 88.1 metres. Both stations were speaking in a foreign language. Strength about R6 and very clear. An American duplex station has been heard testing a music and word tank am. 2 matrac mact avaninges lately

between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

A. P.

Morri

son

(W eIzgton) .

DX-ing’ With a2 Three-valver. INGH the awarding of the DX Cup. some correspondents have expressed doubts as to the ability of the small set to "foot" it with the seven and eight-" valver. ‘The large set certainly has an: advantage on U.S.A, stations, as they are able to bring them in earlier in the day.I thus am able to log a lot of stations in’ the Hastern States, which close down be-: fore they attain sufficient strength to be: picked up by the small set. -! therwise the small set can hold its-owi with the. best of them, as my own experience goes. to prove. Using three valves only, with a. pair of head-phones I have jogged a total. "t ». hundred and fifty-one stations, and

avnect ta vet manv more yet.-

Geo

R.

Munro

(Clevedon South). —

Two New Americans. 2 T HAVE recently identified the | two" American stations I was inquiring: after in last week’s notes (one on 745 k.e,, the other on 950 k.c.). At 9.7 p.m. on March 4 I was listening to musical items on 745 k.e. (402 metres), when I. heard dance music and a call WBAL,:

PP LPPPP PLL LDA LLP PPP LPP PPD LDL DLL LLL LLL LIL EEE EEE 5 ad PLL IDL LLL LILLE LIL IPL LLL LL LID I EE AEA EEE EEE EEE EEE EE EE ENE NEE EE EES I recently constructed the "Differential One," and over the last few weeks have had excellent results, Short-wave amateurs on *phone and key have been received from Australia and all parts of New Zealand. Also broadcast from 3Z0, 2ME, Radio Rome, Saigon, GGSW, WSXAL, W3XAL, JIAA, etc. Also numerous stations on duplex, foreign and otherwise. I have discovered a-useful way of winding s.w. coils on valve bases for the "Differential One." A slit is cut in the base from top to bottom. with a hacksaw. The top is then bound with string to partially close the } opening. The turns are wound on trom the bottom and the ends passed throigh the cut.to the pins, securing with celluloid cement. The top hindines is then removed. and the spring in the bakelite keeps the turns ~wws ~~~ RRA RAPRAARRAPRPRARPRPRRPPRARRPRPDS PPP LLL LLL LLLP EEE .

rigid:

L.F.

C.

Christchurch) _

Baltimore, followed immediately after by WJZ, New York. Again at 7.80 1 heard the same thing. WdJZ’'s announcer then gave a talk on generators, batteries and oscillators, after which he remarked: "We will continue with this test programme of Victor Orthophonic Recordings." At 7.40 p.m. I became suspicious of a third station on this frequency and at -7.45 my suspicions @were verified when I heard the call KVI, Tacoma. The 1980 "Guide" gives the-fre-quency of WBAL as 1060 k.c, (288 metres) and of KVI as 920 k.c. (826 metres), so both stations must have changed their frequency. I tuned in to the other stranger on 950 kc. (816 metres) at 6.58 p.m. on March 6 and was just in time to hear the call KJR; Seattle. _ My first week’s use of a Beyerage aerial has resulted in my logging en new Americans. . Among them, KGJP, Los Angeles (100 watts) was at good strength. I also picked up the --------

Tulsa, Oklahoma, station on 1115 ke. (269 metres), but a New Zealand station came on the air and blotted.them out before I could get call. N.B.: Frequencies mentioned above are dial readings and are approximately 15 k.c. below

the gtations freauenev _

Seven Kicker

(Okoroire Springs). |

[According to the latest Oall Book, WJZ and KVI operate on 760 k.c. (394.5 metres) and WBAL on 1060 k.c. (282.8 metres), Of course, the latter may have been testing on a ‘different frequency. Would you please quote correct frequencies instead of dial readings:-Hd.] Frequencies of European Broadcasters. (CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Peters ; on his reception of a Huropean sta-. tion. For the last month I have beén up early to listen for them. At this time of the day the air is fairly clea. from interferences as regards city reception and most mornings between 4

am. and 6.30 a.m. as many ag five stations can be heard. The ‘station at Bratislava, with a power of 14 kw. (received by Mr. Peters), and one on 257 metres (1164 k.c.), which I am sure is a Swedish station operating with a power of 15 k.w., are the strongest. The London National station, operating on 261.8 metres (1145 k.¢.); using a power of 68 k.w., is often broadcasting the same programme as 5SW. ‘There would be little doubt of securing. a verification from there. In a letter ‘received re-

a a ap ae i i i ii in ip i ip in i i yp cently from an Hinglish amateur he re. marks that most of the Buropean stations transmit from noon till midnight, and they.are usually identified by their interval signals, which are characteristic of each station. Several stations use two or three particular notes on the piano, while Budapest (Hungary, 23 k,w.) uses a musical box and announces "Radio Budapest." Toulouse, France, 283 metres (784 k.c.), 10 k.w., uses a gong and announces "Radio Toulouse." Turin, Italy, 278.38 metres (1100 k.c.), 8.5 kw., has a canary chirping in the intervals, He announces "Radio Turin." Rome, Italy, on 75 k.w., announces "Radio Roma." The accompanying list of Huropean stations may be helpful to early morning DX-ers, There are many more _ high-powered stations, but if one can verify half a dozen it would be quite a record. Static is not so troublesome as might be expected, but each transmission is characterised by long fades. I have noticed at times that a station will be coming in at good strength, and then the musie will fade right out and the carrier wave eannot be found, but it will slowly come back again to the same strength. The hest tlma ta Tictan far tham tn Walling.

Sh (§q O80 ---- oe ea ace Vt ton is 5 a. m. and 6 a.m-

A. P.

Morrison

(Wellington) .

Radio In Uruguay a ee OME indication of the popularity of radio in most Latin-American States can be gauged from the fullowing facts just to hand: Radio imports into Uruguay during the first nine months of the year revealed an increase of 300 per cent. over the whole

Pll dtl tld Pd 4 LILI of the 1929 imports. In the State of Sao Paulo, it is computed that there are 40,000. sets in operation, 25,000 of them being crystal receivers, 9000 battery-operated valve sets, and 6000 all-mains models. Wired Wireless Declined — # ATER serious consideration the German Post Office has declined to sanction the distribution of broadcast programmes to telephone subscribers by means of the "wired ‘wireless’ system,

Some .. European Stations For Early Morning DX-ers

Location Vienna (Rosenhugel, Austria) Midiand Regional Station, Gt. Britain .,.. Katowice (Poland) ...... veers Bucharest (Rumania) Algiers (N. Africa) Muhlacker (Germany) ...... | e+e eset eeeeeeseoenere Barcelona (Radio Barcelona, FB. Jz. Spain) Strasburg-Brunath (France) .. eee eee ewes Bordeaux (Lafayette (P.1.T.), Franee ..... Winland ok eecc eee . Barcelona (EAJ.13), Spain ... Power 20 kw. 38 kk.w. 16 k.w. 16 kw. 13 kw. 15 kw. 18 kw. 15 kw. 35 k.w. 15 kw. 10 k.w. bbb bb bD an mah onmhniannnknmnnannwnninnnnwne__nna: Metres 517 479 408 394 363 360 349 345 304 291 268 K.e. 580 626 735 762 825 832 860 870 986 1030 1120 * os