Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 39, 10 April 1931, Page 31

Round the World on Short Wave

HIS: ‘page is conducted in the interests of shortwave enthusiasts. a A weekly log. comprising notes of reception and interesting topical events

is contributed

by Mr.

F. W.

Sellens,

Northland, Wellington;

put a1

listeners are invited to send in paragraphs’ of general interest. —

Short-wave_ News

+» TLO,° Nairobi, R. BR. T. STANTON: (Christchurch) . has just received the following particulars from the chief engineer of TLO: Wavelength, 49.5 metres;- power, 2% kilowatts. . Schedule reduced to N.Z. Standard time: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 3 a.m. to 6,30 a.m,; ‘Wednesday and Friday, 3.80.a.m. to 6.30 a.m.;° Sunday, 3.80 a:m, to 730: am.; Monday, 3 am.’ to 6: a.m.; Tuesday, 7 p.m. to 8. p.m.; Thursday, 12 p.m. to I a.m.: Friday. , ‘: : ‘e ; s "Short Waves ‘for Gentlemen." THD ; following. is ‘from. ‘Wireless: 4. World": (Hngland) :--, ef ys A "Short waves have donned evening ‘Aothes. They have gone ‘class’," runs a. circular which we have received from an Altoona, Pa., U.S.A., radio manufacturer who is marketing a new superketerodyne shortwave adaptor. forthe . ordinary radio receiver. "Shortwave reception: has definitely left the category. of merely a pastime for nuts, cranks, and wild-eyed experimenters," continues. the refined writer, who explains ‘that "one can now listen to shortwave . signals without mussing one’s hair or, being on speaking terms with kilocycles, audio frequencies, :capacities, ‘impedance, © or other obstructions to normal enjoyment." The news, that short waves are. now "classy" will come as a great relief to our readers, many of whom must- have been leading a Jekyll and Hyde existence.

The Pope’s Speech. .- . THE following is an extract from "World Radio" of February. 27 in reference to’ the Pope’s talk which was recently ‘\re-broadcast from 2YA. The interference mentioned ‘was noticed by myself, but. I do not know if-it was noticed by listeners to 2YA’s re-broadcast,. : This is an éxtract from the "Montrea Star" supplied -by the "World Radio" Montreal correspondent :- "Shortly after the voice of the Pope was heard over the air during the broadeast from the Vatican City, a whistle was heard which varied in volume during all the Pope’s talk in Latin. . The sound resembled a continuous. : regenerative squeal, and by many .listeners. . was thought to be a fault of the transmission or their own receivers. ' Canadian Marconi engineers found that the noise was not originating in the Vatican station, neither was it caused by reception or transmission on this side of the Atlantie. "They classified the noise as a 1000 -ycle note which was being broadcast with station HVJ and aused interference: which, in their opinjon, may have: been deliberate. At the close of the Pope’s talk the interference ceased: and was not heard again; the remainder .of the broadcast coming through as clearly: as a loca] transmission." |

* -* Replies to Correstiondonts, T. RS. (Dunedin) The Canadian you inquire. about. it VESCL, Winnipeg. shag further particulars see this week's og. The New. York station is WIXAZ, ‘oper ating on 31.35 metres, It" ‘relays the programmes of WBZ, Springfield, Mass., and WBZA, Boston, Mass.’ ‘The’three stations are owned by the Westinghouse Hlectrical and Manufacturing Co. The call signs of each stdtion are’ always. given---WBZ, WBZA, and WIXAZ,, the, "Z’? ‘peing pronounced "Tee," , 7 ‘Notes lon Reception. RECeeETION on .the ‘whole : has ‘been above the, average during the past week, 12RO; Rome, on’ 25.4 metres, has been the best in Europe after 7 a.m, HRB, Honduras, has been heard the loudest yet. VE9CL, Canada, with, a special programme was good, "1

Log’ for Week ‘Ending April 4

RV415, Siberia, TOA motres -Good as usual every evening.

IZR, Auckland, 68,8 metres.-I don’t know. if. this station is on. short-wave,’ or if it is the fourth harmonic of . their broadcast, but on Thursday evening, IZR was received at R9, with severe fading at irregular intervals on about 68:8 metres. ‘Quality was good, statie bad. ZL2XX, Wellington, 62° meires,-Also on Thursday evening, at RQ. HVJ, Vatican City, 50.26 metres.Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sat- ' urday mornings from 6.80‘a.m. at R9, All ta

Russia, 56 metres (about).-On Tuesday, at 6 a.m., a noisy meeting was on. Volume was R8, with slight rapid fade and static. The meeting was still going strong one hour later. Wednesday, at the same time, volume was R8-9, but static was. too bad. 7L0, Nairobi, 49.5 metres.-Up to R7 each morning, but statie: has been: bad. WSXAL,~ Cincinnati, 49.5 metres.--Were R9 on Saturday from 4 p.m. ° W3XAL, Boundbrook, 49.18: metres.Friday till 5.10 p.m. Boxing contests at the Chicago Stadium by teams,from New York v, Chicago. Dance music till 5.380 p.m. from the New Yorkers’ Hotel. R8-9. Saturday (Good Friday in New York), Music suitable for the day.till'5 p.m. R9, ‘statie very bad. W2XE, New York, ‘49.02 metres.Saturday, RO at 5 p.m. ; ‘static very bad. _ VESCL, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 48.8 métres-Were transmitting: a special programme on Sunday, which reached ‘ROY by 8.30 p.m., and then commenced to go off in volume, Static was bad all ‘through. . At:9.80: p.m; they were. R8,. but

‘gave them up at this time as s static was , More, severe. ‘HRB, Tegucigalpa, Honduras,. ; 48.62 ‘ metres,--F'riday; at 4 p.m., RZ, with -a _strong:ripple and badly distorted: _was about 50 percent. readable; ;..On aturday they were. better volume, : being 'RS-9, but readability was worse. > ‘They signed’ off at 4.80 p.m. in Bnglish ' and ‘then in another language; this was fol- , lowed by a cuckoo. call, repeated two .o1 " three times, and an orchestral selection, . going off the air at 4.34 p-m. :

46.3.. metres: (about) --Monday, .. 6.15 _am., some "Hullos’" and foreign talk at. Ri, , Statie.was bad... Again on Saturday at.7 am. at R4. . Sees ( . wroFy t Moscow, 45.4 metres (about)-BHach morning at excellent volume, but often Spoilt'morse’ almost on top. ' -Monday and Tuesday at 6.380. a.m. R5; very ‘gushy. ‘ 7 ‘ OXY, Lyngby, Denmark,.31.51 metres. W2XA¥, ‘Schenectady, 81.48 metres. ‘Good volume at 10 a.m., going off and becoming audible again about. noon, inereasing to R9 by 3 pm. This was the result'on Sunday, Friday and Satur- ’ ay. . . H . : .

Zeesen, Germany, 31.38 metres.-This station has been troubled with morse the past few mornings. , W1XAZ,. :Springfield, Mass,:; 31.35 metres.-About R5 at 10. a.m., going off soon after, to come back again about 1 pm. On Saturday they reached R9 by 3.30 p.m. with excellent quality. — _ PCJ, Eindhoven, Holland, 31.28 metres. --Thursday morning R8 with. rapid fade between 6 am. and 7 a.m: Saturday morning about the same. | . 26.4 metres (about)---Monday, 10.15 p.m., music and talk at R8, very: much distorted. . " G5SW, Chelmsford, 25.53 motres.Good volume spoilt by rapid fade. Held them on Friday: till Big Ben struck the hour of midnight at 11.80 a.m. our time, when they closed till next Tuesday. Volume at the conclusion was R5; in fact, it was-about this volume from about 9 a.m. Readability while on relay was poor, but when signing off from Chelmsford every word was quite clear. 12R0, Rome, 25.4 metres.-Every morning at 7.30 a.m. volume and quality is very good... . a WS8XK, Pittsburgh, 25.25 meitres.Sunday, just. audible at noon, increasing to R8 by .1.80 pm. Friday, R5 at 9 a.m., gtadually’ getting weaker; back again at midday. vote : PLG, Java, 18.8 metres.-Tuesday, 9.15 p.m., records at’ R7, with severe fading.

N.Z., Short-wave, Club

aeenenmd ‘ . From the Secretary's Pen Aurnouar ‘times are ‘asa ‘and ie censés, lodge fees and other ‘payments "have fallen due at this time, ‘it is’ surprising how!thd club has taken on, Very great interest .was taken with . last lecture, and it: is expected that. the next one. will. prove equally beneficial, not only to beginners but to more expexienced hands, ‘The subject will be. on. how -to tine a short-wave set, and will be de ‘Tivered by ‘a familiar to all . Teaders: Here’s. a letter which ‘tells me that ‘our slow’ transmissions have awake .ened the writer’s interest, for he has’ now bought: a. key, and -is hard at it, ‘Also, here are some letters which’ to help us by: donations for any special object; and a note.which states that the writer is up ag gainst it, but as soon as fortune takes a, ‘turn, he. will join. (In any case, a deposit will reserve a low number.).. A‘ further supply of badges is now: to hand. Members in the city ‘could have theirs leftiat a handy place. by. sending’ to their names, "It:is understood. that.only. bona-fide members can. secure: -badges:.or } cards, rhe could call between. 7 and = pm. oss

I had a 14-day DX clock sent into me for examination. This, keeps the dial on correct N.Z, _ time, ' and automatically shows the other places, For ‘a shortwaver such a clock is vety handy. I understand the maker: has-been. con verted to s.W. ' From Taranaki I have received a photo of a member’s outfit which is very neatly arranged. The pen-pal idéa Seems to. have taken on yery well, judging by comments. Members with similar sets are comparing their logs and exchanging data. As a local ‘dealer said: "The roof of our clubroom is the :sky, and we meet when he put the phones on." T have to thank members wha’ have patiently waited replies and parcels. -In a day o¥ so I hope to have posted away. Please address inquiries: A, oe -_ McDonald, 274 Cuba Street, °F LOBI, who: volunteered with slow Morse, has been heard-in a good many places with his Sunday morning trausmissions. Members tell me that his sending is easily readable.