News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 41, 24 April 1931, Page 10

News and Views of the D.X. CLUB

Identification Wanted, — RE there stations in Melbourne giving the calls "2L0" and "3BL"? Is it possible to pick up a shortwave station on a broadcast set?-‘Rey de O" (Chceh.). Ate you sure these stations-are not "810," Melbourne, and "2BL," Sydney? In general, it is impossible to pick up a s.w, station on a broadcast set. Sometimes, however, when using an unselective receiver located in the "shock area" of a s.w. transmitter, it is possible-Had ) QTATION heard on the 18th from 7.30 to 8 p.m., at good volume. A man wag: lecturing on advertising by window display and on, salesmanship. Our Duaedin "B" station came.on the air at 8 p.m., and I. wag then unable to get them. It may have been 24], but I receive them on’ SD and 6 degrees. This station’s dial redilings were 64 and 84. I heard Napier -shops mentioned during the lecture, so it may. possibly have been 2ZH, Napier.-

Mark

(Dunedin).

QYTATION which transmits in a foreign ‘> language working on 70 metres each evening at about 9.80 p.m. Usually a woman is talking rapidly, often followed ’ by two men conversing, with, occasionally, music in between. I cannot ‘et the cail sign, although. every item comes through clearly. It is possibly’ RV15, Siberia. Also, I picked up at 6.45 a.m. on the 12th a Station, dial reading 123 (31,.48m."dial 33). . A woman was speaking in a foreten language: at a very fast pace for

over 30 minutes:

W.

B.

( Gisborne) .

QTATION heard at about 5.35 p.m, on . April 15. Part of call sounded like "Radio Music Store, Halcombe." He

& just closing down _

Rambling Rose

* (Raurimu).

Pes 1ZR operate on the broadcast band? I am sure I heard the call about. -9.45 p.m, on the 10th. Records "were being played, but I did not recognise any of them. Frequency about 1100 k.e. (2738 metres). "Owl" (Greymouth). [IZR, Lewis DWady, Ltd., 191 Queen Auckland, operates on 275,.2m. ‘(1090 k.c.), on an output power of 40 watts -Ea.] A MERICAN on 85 (1YA 33, 2BL 388) on March. -29 at 7.20 p.m. Closed ‘down at 7.25 approximately, and stated » that it. was 2.4 a.m. Sunday morning in Chicago. Frequently repeats, "Gentlemen

of the Air.’’-

Six-valve

(Christehurch ).

TATION on '2YA’s frequency heard af-ter-the latter closes down. If one waits until the "Gooood-night" has died"away, a first-class gramophone recordings programme may be heard at overwhelmxing strength. JI-have heard him on. Sun--days and also on Tuesday, April 8, but

no eall is given.-

R.

H.

(Dannevirke

« {Are you sure this is not 2Y¥A test-ing?-Ed. ] AMERICAN station heard on Sunday, April 12, from 7.45 p.m. till 8.80 * p.m., operating | 14 degrees above 3YA ‘ 244, 8YA 26), on recorded organ , inusic. Could not hear ¢all completely ‘ owing to static, but soutided like- C,

Would: this be WOC, Davenport, Iowa an a frequency of 1000 k.c. (3 metres) ? 4

Jackmack

(Dunedin).

"Tt 4.45 am. recently I picked up a foreign station on approximately 880-k.c, (861 m.). It appeared to close down at 5 a.m., our time. ‘This is not the station on 2B. but is closer to 2ZP.

B.

W.

(Stratford).

Stations Identified B W.. (Stratford).-Station heard on * QNC’s frequency is either KFOX, Long ‘ Beach, Oalifornia, or VK8EF, Ellwood. More than once I have hid three stations all operating on this frequency, 241m. (1245 k.c.). Call sign of the new "B" = station operated by A.W.A. is 4MH, Oxley. The new Jap referred to by "Switch" on 447m. (670 k.c.) is JOLK. He is directly on 2FC's

frequency_

E.J.

H.

(Aranui)

"DELLVUER" (Christchurch) .-Japanese station below 4QG is JOHK, Sendai, operating on 390m. (770 k.c.). The one below 8LO is JOCK, Nagoya, on 370m. (810 k.¢.), and that just above 2BL ig JOIK, Sapporo, on 361m. (830 k.e.). Your log is excellent for a three-valve set: -~ Mi, R= station heard calling "Glade House" by several D.X.-ers. I sent a report to them and have just received a reply to the effect that this is Radio Te Anau (Standard Telephones and Oables Ltd.), ‘a 50-watter transmitting on 198 metres from Lake Te Anau Hotel at the southern end: of the lake. It is one of two point-to-point. stations for working between Te Anav Hotel and: "Glade House," a Government hostel at the northern end of the lake. They are having a good deal of trouble with

noisy transmissions.-

B.

W.

( Stratford).

DX Topics -_-_--- Recent Loggings. O’ April 11 I picked up KOL, Seattle, Washington, on 1270 k (236 m.), ‘and on the 14th KREG, a att station located at Santa California, 1500 k.c. (200 m.). I have also heard ‘KMGS (late KMIC), Inglewood, California, several times recently. In addition, I have a number of Americans which I am trying to identify. They are as follow :-One near aris harmonic, an-

other behind KGER, two near KGMB (one of them gave his call as KFPY), three near KFOX (two of these are KOL and KYA). Another is one degree below KOX; and is probably WKAQ, mentioned by. Mr. Dllis. Another heterodynes

OBIT, during the earlier part of thie even-

ing.

Seven Kicker

(Okoroire Springs)

A Good Suggestion. Wout it be worth while to have 4 DX Club member’s badge on -the lines of that of the recently-inaugurated

N Sbortwave Ulub 2

S. R.

Ellis

(Oka-

to).

LWhat do other Daers think ?-Iid.] 4ZP’s Schedule. I HAVD recently received verification from 2AY, Albury, 3KZ, Melbourne, and 4ZP,: Invercargill. After writing twice to the latter and enclosing a stamp. ed, addressed envelope, I was successful in getting their card. Schedule is as follows :-Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 7-10. p.m.; Friday, 7-11 p.m.; children’s. hour daily 6.80. to 8 p.m.; Sunday service, 6.30-8 p.m., followed by a con-

eert until 9.380. p.m.-

Scotchman

Wha-

ngarei)

Some DX Queries. HAs anyone heard 2YA on a frequency slightly lower than that of 2U9I, Sydney (293 m., 1020 k.w.)? I heard 2YA there on March 18. On what frequency does 2MB, Mosgiel, reported by "Dud" (Bay of Plenty) operate? 38BO. Melbourne, according to my latest Call Book, isnot operating.yet. I have xe-

cently logged 7 new Australian "B's" — ;

Static

(Nelson

A German Regional Station. A RADIO Society has recently been formed here in Timaru, one of its main aims being to combat the electrical interferences caused by, dia~thermy apparatus, ete,, which. we: have had to contend with for so long, Thus DX’ers need not: be, surprised to see the DX Cup finding a home down here sometime during the next year or so. Hitherto reception has been about 50 per cent. interference, but one or two new loggings have recently resulted. WKBW, operating on 202m, (1480ke.) and KLO on 214 m. (1400ke.) are my latest. Ihave. written to’ six European stations up to.the present, but still haye another four. from which to collect musical items for. verification, The Station operating two or three, degrees below OKR Bratislava, -is undoubtedly one of the new German regional stations, and . sometimes works in conjunction with the Mulhacker transmitter on 3860m.: (8380.7 ke), which is usually the loudest Buropean with me. This was strengthened by the fact that a talk was received one morning, given by .a gentleman with a peculiar high-pitched voice. This was heard from both stations simultaneously. On Mareh 19 at 5.45. a.m., I heard the quarter hour chime from the London regional station on 261 metres (1150kc.), after which a talk, too weak to be understood, was received. A recent verification from 2HD, states that they willsoon. be operating on 270 metres with a’ crystal-controlled outfit, so this should eliminate some of the generator hum which used to mar clear transmission froin this station. and class

it as a first-class B-

D.T.

H.

(Timaru)

Verification from WTI. D McL. (Wellington): .Anyone knows * KGW .couldn’t- be KZRM, but they both operate on the same frequency [I , have verification . from. both. stations. / Leave your dial tuned in to 83AR and. wait: till he closes down, and then tell me what you hear. 82H, Elwood, may be picked up any Sunday at 2 2 a.m. I wrote him six months since received no reply, so have written again. G.C.H (Masterton): I think we receive only an harmonic of 2ME. Sydney. Has anyone ever heard 2BH, Sydney? I have seen him listed. but have never heard him. I have just-received verification from WTIC, Hartford. Conn., ‘They thank me for papers on the earthquake. and remark that they are very interesting. They are goihg to turn them over to the library of the Travellers’ Insur-

ance Co, as a memento,-

J.P.

C.

(PN)=

News ‘of wol, "THE following are extracts from the verification recently received from, station WOI, Ames, Towa. Has an other DX’er heard this station’?-R.A.§ (Mamaku). . "We are rated as a daylight station operating on 640 ke. (468m.), which is the assignment used ‘by KIFI, of Los Angeles. We recently installed some new apparatus, and in order to Be sute whether or not it’ would work satisfactorily, we waited until KFT signed off late one night, and then came.on with a test programme, That is what you heard. The probabilities are that you will not hear us again for the renson that we are not able to maintain a right schedule-wW, I, Griffiths, Director Radio WOY." European Address Wanted. ECHENTLY I identified as KLO,: Ogden, Utah, 1400 ke, (214mi‘), a mystery station which I have been unable to identify for some weeks. Another which closed down at 5.30 p.m. on the Sth. / I identified as WBAL, Baltimore, 1060 ke, (288m.). KRLD also came in well, with its midnight organ recital, Wuropean stations have not been coming in so strong lately, but I collected enough data from the station on 1140 ke, (268m.) to write away for verification, I do not know his address, however, Does any

"Q" SIGNALS QRA-Location of Station. QRH-Wavelength.. Coke of signals, -Strenzth of Signals. QRM-Inter 8 . QRN-Static, QRO-Higher Power. QRP-Low power QRS-Sending slower. * ORT-Stop sending. QRU-Nothing further. QRX-Waiting, ~ QSA--Readability, QSB-Fading. QSL-Acknowledgment, QSO--Contact, R-Audibility. Ri-Fiint signals; just readable. 2-Weak signals; barely readable. 3-Weak signals: but can be copied, 4-Fair signals; easily readable. 5-Moderately strong signals, 6-Good signals, j---Good strong signals; readable through QRM and QRN. 8-Very strong; readable several feet away from phones. 9-Extremely strong signals. . QSA-Readability. , QSAi-Hardly perceptible; unreadable, 2-Weak; readable in patches. 38-Fairly good; readable with difficulty. 4--Good readable signals, ‘5-Very good signals; perfectly readable, A full list of Ham abbreviations appeared in the "Radio Record" of April 2, 1931. om.

other DX’er?-D. Mech. (Wellington). Yes, I heard 8HF on the 22nd, I wrote him last Octpber for verification, but so

far have had no reply.-

N.

J.

(Master-

ton).

Test Programme from KSTP. LA8t week up here in the King Country reception has. been excellent, One evening WENR, Chicago, came’ in at R1O and had to be toned down, It was between 7 p.m. and 7.30 when they signed off. Also, on evening of April 11 stations 83KZ (8SWR, Wangaratta), 2MV, Moss Vale, all Australians, came in at good speaker strength. Have secured ‘items for verification, Friday evening, April 11, 8.15 p.m. (N.Z,T.), KSTP, National B.C, St. Paul’s, Minnesota, ‘put over a_ test programme and desired any listeners to send in -reports of same. These they would duly recognise and forward any literature in connection with their station. Although KSTP was fading badly, several items were noted and verification "sent. for. The D.X. notepaper for reception reports is an excellent and up-to-the-minute idea, and no doubt all D,X.-ers will. avail themselves of this businesslike method of

writing up their reports,-

Wireless Bug

(Raetihi)

American LoOggings. ATEST additions to my . log are. KWEH, Shreveport; New York City; KYW, Chicago ; ; WCKY, Kentucky,; *KSTP, and Radio Te Anua. ‘J.P.C. (P.N.) and Cromdale (Otago): When I picked up KSTP I distinctly heard the call Minneapolis. but I think you are both correct, -as I notice WDGY is listed as Minneapolis, Minnesota. It would greatly assist many if D.X.-ers when giving the wavelengths and frequencies’ of distant stations would state whether they are official or approximate. Tf official, we know, for example, that

it is just above a station. we already know. If approximately it may éeither

be just above or below.

B.

W.

(Strat-

ford )

wveception heports, D P.B. (Wellington).-Your report card * is yery similar to our. verification notepaper and includes all that is neces- .

sary for a comprehensive report. Unfortunately a small reproduction would not be readable, Report from Oxley Station. FOLLOWING is an extract from the reply to the report which I sent to A.W.A., Ltd. re the Oxley radio sta-tion:-"This station will become in lieu of the present station in the near future, when it is hoped you will be afforded many additional hours of broadcast entertainment. The wavelength of the station is 262 metres (1140 ke.), and the- power 200 watts. A special type of aerial is used which may account for absence of distortion-A. S. McDonald, Chief Engineer." The latter statement

re type of aerial is due to a remark 1 made regarding absence of distortion while other stations close by were hardly

a ffected

Kowhai

(Christchurch).

Intense Heat in A.C. Valves RESHNT-DAY heater type. ac. valves mark an achievement of. the highest order in the development of severe service materials. For one thing, the insulator tubing in most valves must have a fusion point above 2270deg, C., as contrasted with 1820deg., which is the fusion point of porcelain. What is more, the insulating tubing must not warp, shrink, break, decompose, or interact with the tungsten wire at this temperature. It must remain a good dielectric at glowing temperatures, Meanwhile, the tiny holes throughout the length of the tubing no larger than the lead of an ordinary lead pencil -holes hardly visible to the naked eye -must be accurate in size and evenlyspaced at all times. The short life of earlier a.c. valves has been traced to several causes.. In the first place, materials originally employed for the heater insulator were quite unsatisfactory. The severity of the service conditions was not realised. Impurities resulted in broken-down insulation. There was frequently. a chemical interaction between’ insulating material and tungsten wire. A common cause of failure was the fusing of insulator and wire, with early

breakage of both tubing and wire, due to unequal rates of expansion and contraction. Porcelains, fused quartz, alumina, and other materials, were tried in turn, only to prove incapable of fulfilling the extremely trying conditions. The remarkable: life and Serforik ance of present-day heater type valves are due to the introduction of magnesia. This. material eliminates the heretofore critical . exhaust conditions and high shrinkage in tube production, and provides the desired operating conditions. The crolite magnesia insulated valves now available have a life of several thousand hours, and, what is more, are capable of withstanding severe voltage overloads without materially decreasing their useful life, thus solving the problem of fluctuating line voltage faced in many sections of the country. In fact, it is now possible to obtain heater type valves superior to the -filament type, due to the successful solution of the insulation problem. Receiver in Helmet. ESTS carried out in America with wireless receiving sets installed in a policeman’s helmet have proved successful, and this device has now been adapted for pocket receivers. Messages have been picked up by these small sets as far as 100 miles from the transmitting station, and it is probable that in the near future each policeman will be supplied with ong.

DX Notepaper -_-_+_- IN a panel published elsewhere is given a list of QRA signals, in- . Cuding. those used ‘in the DX-veri-fication notepaper. Audibility and readability signs are also given. In future, with all orders for DX notepaper (which may be obtained from the "Radio Record," Box 1032, Wellington, at a price of 1/6 for two dozen sheetsminimum order-or 4/- for six dozen, postage included), a copy of these signals will be enclosed. ch atain ni