News and Views of the D.X. Club

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 8, 4 September 1931, Page 10

News and Views of the D.X. Club

Answers to Correspondents "Audio" (Blenheim): Your earth is quite efficient as it is. Distant stations would be much easier to tune if a geared dial were used. Your log is fair. DX9MC_ (Christchurch): "Stickers" for envelopes will shortly be made available to members of the DX Club. Your reception table was not received early enough for inclusion in last week’s issue. DX48W (Masterton): Your log, especially of American stations, is excellent for the set you are using. "Marama" (Colac Bay): Radio transmissions are always accompanied by what might be called "secondary waves’ or harmonies. Wavelengths of -these are equal to 4, 4, 1-8, ete.. that of the original transmission, These are known as the first, second, third, ete., harmonics. Thus in: the case of Wellington, which operates on 417 metres, the first harmonic ou 208.5 metres may be found at the bottom end of the tuning dial. If

your set would tune low enough and were sensitive enough you could calculate and thus locate the second, third, fourth,- etc., harmonics. DX650C (Waimate); The latest issue of the "Radio Log" contains the DX Cup winner’s log. "Hydro" (Hawke’s Bay): Full particulars of 3Z15 (Greymouth) appeared in rast week’s issue. Reports were asked or. DX6NW (Westport): A list of European stations, giving powers and frequencies, appears in this week’s issue. Iurther lists have also appeared in the last two issues. "Searcher" (Manaia): ‘The "Radio fog is published on- the first Tuesday following the 20th of each month. We expect you have received the latest one by now. If not, let us know. DX28HB (Gisborne): Your log is certninly worth entering for the Ellis Cup. Full particulars of the sets used by tlie winners in the last competition are published in this month’s ‘Radio Log." Particulars of the station you require iden-

tified will be published in this issue, and your report forwarded in due course. DX9A (Onehunga): All logs to be entered for the current DX competition should reach our offices not later than December 31, 1931. "Nuke" (Waitara): KGO js located at San Francisco, Your suggestion concerning. a cup for the best DX-er under 15 is quite good, but where is the cup com-

ing from? There are quite a number oi stations in Japan. Which one dia you write to? . DX64A4A (Mokaii) : Full particulars otf. station KFI appeared in a recent issue of the "Radio Record." DX30W: A log of 80 verified stations which may be entered in the DX competition would be excellent for a set of the type you are using. Addresses and Addresses Wanted F.J.H. (Ross): KPO, The Chronicle Publishing Co.; San Franvisco, Cali-. fornia; WENR. Great Lakes Broadecast-

ing Co., Chicago, Illinois; WBBM, The Atlass Co. Inc., Chicago, Illinois; KGHR, ©; Merwin Dobyns, Long Beach Califernia; WLW, Crosley ladio Corporation, Cincinnati, Obio. . '’o Several Inquirers: 3HA, Western Victoria Broadcasting Co., 1 Gray Street, Hamilton, Victoria; 2&0, Newcastle Broadcasting Co., 57 Hunter Street, New-

castle

Static

(Nelson).

Identification Warited a) APANESE stations heard at dial readings 55, 58, and 63.3. Known stations ZBL, 53; 3ZR, 56; SLO, 60; and 4QG, 66.-"Audio" (Blenheim). GHORTLY after 5.15 p.m. on August 28, two Americans were heard, one on: do (2YA) and the other on 59. Both were broadcasting dance programmes, but 2YA came on the air before any announcements. were made; Also station.just below 2BL, cull being heard as W DX650C. At 11.50 a.m. on August 23, station

easting a church seryice.

~DX26OC

Dunh-

ed

{The only explanation we can oiter for your hearing the: Dunedin B station on 890 ke. (337 m.), instead of 1080 ke. (278 m.) is that some other station must bat been relaying their programme.T 1.30 a.m. on August 17, the announcement, "now a request item, ‘Happy Days and Lonely Nights,’ ivill be played." was heard. After this number the eall was given as "GIM,:the Breath of America." They signed off at 1.35 a.m., saying, "We will be back on th: -air tomorrow night, whether you: like it. or not." The station was almost on top of 3SH, Swan Hill, Victoria. Wavelength approx, 277 m. (10 80 ke.). Strength R9. -Tiny" (Palmerston North). [Thanks for remarks re DX notes. Despite its age your set appears to be still very efficient, --Kd. ] GTATION heard on 363 m. approx. (825 ke.) on the morning of August 24. Items and times were: 7.16 a.m., orchestral medley. "Lily of Laguna" was one of the numbers recognised, 7.20: and 7.25 a.m., orehestral items. 7.30 Man and woman talking. English was spoken, but was not clear enough to follow.- Announcements were unreadable "* sounded as if they were not English. I hear the sta-

Are YOU a Member of the DX Club ? if not, post your application to the DX Editor, Box 1032, Wellington, enclosing 2/6. to..cover cost of badge and certificate (post: free). Subscription to.the "Radio Log’’-the DXer’s own magazine-is 6/6 per annum, post free. Book your order now and receive the. latest in DX news, os

tion often, but strength is- always about the same. Transmissions generally weaken

after T.30 a.m.7

C.

G.

(Gisborne) .

AMERICAN . station, which heterodynes 7ZL, Hobart, heard testing from 7.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on August 17. Also, what American is on exactly the etc Soamensy as JOHK ?-DX9A (Oneunga), «~ oe STRANGER on approx. 490 m. (612 ke.), dial reading 84 (BAR, 77; TZL, 89). Much foreign talk and only one orchestral number has-been heard. He may be heard about 11 p.m. any night. Some time ago one DX-er suggested XOL, Tientsin, but the call book gives the latter’s wavelength as 480 m. Also a station on approx. 350 m. (855 ke.), which can be heard when 2BL closes down. Weird musi¢e is played and I heard an announcer say in very bad Hnglish, ‘‘We are now broadcasting on a special programme of Huropean music. The Band of the bodyuard of Prince playing a march." his annndad like a tin-whistle medlev.

Time was 3 a.m-

K.

M.

(Dunedin)

STATION heard on about 860 ke (349 _ Ia), under 2BL on August 18. SeveTal numbers were heard at good strength between 7.15 and 7.40 p.m. On 870 ke. (345 m.), on August-23 another station was heard from 6 to 6.20 p.m. (between 1YA and 2BI:).-Mostly orchestral items and no announcements. Also a station heard broadcasting classical records at 11 to 11,40 p.m. on 1000 ke. (300 m.), on August 9, English announcer. Station

was petween OMI and 5bU.-

Southland

er

(Invercargill).

At 6.15 p.m. on August 23, American station was heard on approx. 234 m. (1285 ke.). Statice bad, fading noticeable. Items heard: (1) "Mother Machree," (2) at 6.18 p.m., "The Hind of a Perfect Day." Call sounded like KVOO or KVOA, A request item. "Pal of Mv Cradle Davs."

was also heard.-

W.T.

C.

(Heathcote Val-

Jey).

TATION heard on 960 k.c. (312 m.) at 2.30 a.m. on August 25. A man with a deep voice was slowly counting from one to four, after which two orchestra] numbers were played. Station closed down at 8.15 a.m..-but could not catch

call owing to static-

J.H.

S.

(Dunedin).

MBRICAN on dial reading 47 (4RK 453), heard at 5.25 p.m. on August 26 broadcasting a drama. One line was: "There goes one of your Fokkers out of eontrol." R2 ORN very bad. Wiho hetero-

dynes 2ZP. Wairoa.-

Audio

(Blen-

heim),

TATION operating on approximately 825 k.c. (863 m.), heard on August 4 between 1.30 a.m. and 2.45 a.m., when he closed down. Orchestral music and speech-which sounded Indian-was heard. VUB was operating on 840 k.c. (357 m.), and VUC on 8.10 k.c. (370 m.,). Also foreigner, not JODK, operating on 6WI, Perth’s, frequency after he had closed. This was a good night to receive XOL, Tientsin (on 585 k.c., 512 metres), as JOAK’s twin station was

not on the air.-

R.A.

S.

(Mamaku).

Stations Identified "WJIGHT BIRD" (Dunedin): 38H, Swan Hill. DX12HB: HSPI, Radio Bangkok, Siam. "Ground" (Wanganui) : XEW, Mexico, and KMTR, Hollywood. "W.J.M." (Ozmaru): KMPC, R. S. MeMillan, Beverley Hills, Cal.; and JOLK. Fukuoka. Japan. J.H. (Wellington) : JOIK, Sapporo, Japan, DX5HB (Napier: KMOX, St. Louis, Montana. "Static"? (Nelson): KGMB, Honolulu. "Digger" (Hamilton): JOLK, as above. J.P.C. (Palmerston North). [Thanks for list of Japanese stations, Space considerations preclude its publieation in this issue, but it will appear next week.-Hd.]

DX Topics News of WLS. FOLLOWING are particulars of station WLS, "The Voice of Agricuiture," Chicago, taken from a recentlyreceived verification: Frequency 870. ke. (344.5 m.), power 5 kilowatts. Address, Agriculture Broadcasting Company, 1230 West Washington Boulevard, Chicago. They also forwarded an Ekko stamp. Latest loggings are: XHW, Mexico, 926 ke, (825 m.); KECA, 1480 ke. (210 m.); and WREE Tndiang 1400 ke (914 m.).

~DXSHB

(Napier)

2YA’s Transmission. I NOTICE in the "Radio Record" that the 2YA’s faulty transmission has been laid at the door of WGN, Chicago. which enerates ou the same frequency. Surely there is some error in diagnosis here. WGN used central standard time, and usually closes down at 5.30 New Zealand standard time, which agrees with midnight in Hllinois. Now, as far as reception of 2YA here is concerned, I find it to be quite OK during the day and late afternoon, and during the dinner musie¢ session, i.e., on recorded items. It is not until the studio numbers begin that the trouble is noticeable. On occasional nights now, however, a decided improvement in transmission has heen noticed.-

J.

C.

DX-ing With the "Ouispan Five." "THE following stations have been received on my "Outspan Five’: 30 New Zealand, 24 Australian, 5 Japanese, 16 American, HSPI, Saigon, and XOL, China, as well as about half a dozen unidentified stations, How does this compare with other DX-ers using the same type of receiver? Following are brief details of my installation: Aerial is 90ft. long and 45ft. high, and the earth consists of a buried radiator, and six pipes rang-

Ieee eesrar~s eaewa-_-ing from 6 to 12ft, in length, driven in 4ft. apart. The circuit of the receiver is identical with that’ published in the "Radio Record," but I have added a few gadgets of my own. The aerial consists of 30 turns tapped at 30, 25 and 20. A tone control consisting of a .002 mfd. condenser and a 0-10 megohm potentiometer has been fitted across the secondary of the second transformer. A pentode has been incorporated in the last audio stage. The second and third tuning condensers are ganged with a trimmer in the rf. stage. One of the good points about the "Outspan" is its knife-edged selectivity. I find that two stations, providing. that thev are not heterodyning, can be sepa-

ratelv tuned in:

FDX46A

(Cambridge

[We are pleased you are getting such good results with the "Outspan Five." One correspondent states that he has logged over 60 American stations with this set, but his locality is probably a little better than usual. We note with interest that you have succeeded in ganging the second and third tuning condensers. You evidently find it necessary to use a trimmer, however, so the number of controls ‘is really not reduced, although tuning would be a little easier-Hd.] Whet About 4Z¥? X24HB in a recent ‘issue asks if any DXer in his locality has logged 4ZR or 4ZF. At 9 p.m. on the 20th inst. 4ZR was. heard with good volume, but there is interference from certain of the Australian B stations, at least so far as

I am concerned:

Hydro

(Hawke's

Bav}

XEW Coming in Well. I RECENTLY logged 38SH, Swan Hill, on approx. 278m. (1080 k.c.); strength and tone were excellent. The operator announced that 3KU had been demolished, and the B class station 388SH had taken its place. He also said that on August 29, from 8 to 12 p.m., a grand dance programme would be broadcast by

the Shell Company, in aid of the hospitals. 3UZ, 3BO, 3WK, and 3SH would broadcast this programme. A. mumber of danees were being arranged, and all pror ceeds from them would go to charity. I recently logged and have written to XHD and XHW (Mexico). The latter was on about 330m. (910 k.c.). I enjoyed the music for nearly an hour before he gave the call "XEW, the Voice of Latin Ametr jea." XEYW broadcast a number of vid Mexican songs rendered by a tenor, ad@ companied by a piano and sometimes a guitar. An occasional item was given by, a "senorita." I have noticed recently late in the evening a slight heterodyne whistle under 2FC. After 2FO had closed down on the 16th August, the stranger was found to be another Jap. I also logged a Chinese station on approx. 8 . (980 k.e.). It was very clear. Would it per-

haps be XGAH, Shanghai?-

~DE2AA

(Taumarunul).

Recent Loggings. URING. the past fortnight I have teceived verifications from KII, Los Angeles, 640 k.c. (468m.) ; 3TR, Trafalgar, which operates on 1280 k.c. (234m.), power 50 watts aerial input; 2WL, Walongong, 1435 kc. (209m.), and 5KA, 1200 k.c. (250m.). Recent loggings are 2HD (Newcastle), 270m, (110 c.), and 2UW (Sydney), 1120 k.c. (267 m.). The Americans have been coming in very well lately, and my latest loggings ara KMOX. Tons. 275m. (1090 k.c.). and

KST, 205m.. (1460

Searcher

Manaia)

; DA IN@WS. B*Y this week’s mail I received a verification from station XEX, Mexi¢o City. No frequency is given, but it was ----

= = logged on 910 k.c. (380 m.), during July. They conclude: "We shall be very glad 4£ you favour us with a new informaticn for the futures receptions you can get." This station can be heard nearly every night. I see some DX-ers have heard the call as XEW. They may have changed frequencies. A verification was also received from KWKH, Shrevport, operated by the "Hello World" Broadcasting Corporation. They also operate KWHEA, Chreaveport. Following are some DX notes taken from American letters. Station WABC (New York) has recently increased its power from 5 to 50 kilowatts. They are using a GOOft, vertical aerial. This is the reason why WABC is coming in so well now. A new station coming on the air soon will be WRH'T. Manchester, New Hampshire, on 1480 k.c. (210 m.), using one kilowatt power. A requést by KMTR (Hollywood) to have its power increased to 1 kilowatt was recently refused by the Federal Radio Commission. Following are particulars of station VIK8RI. Melbourne, taken from a recent verification: Frequency 1350.k.c. (22.8 m.). power 25 watts, Address: Victorian Railways Institute Wireless Club, Railway Buildings. Flinders Street, Melbourne, C.I. Transmitter, coupled Hartley. I received them on an indoor aerial, and they remarked they were’ congratulating themselyes on the efficiency of their transmitter, The following is an extract from a verification recently received from the Czecho-Slova-kian station operating at Praha: "There is no doubt that you heard our station, and we feel very glad that it was heard . so far in the world. You picked up our branch establishment of Bratislava which is working on 278.8 m. (1076 kilocycles), We thank you also very much for your telling us something about Masterton, and wish you a good receiving further on." They also apologise for not answering sooner owing to the huge

= number of requests for verifications they have received.-N. Jenkins (Masterton). Particulars of 7HO. HyAv2 just received a card from: THO, Hobart, particulars of which are as follow: Address, Commercial Broadeasters’ Pty., Hobart. Input P.W.R. to amplified 200 watts. Antenna and counterpoise system; wavelength, 337 metres (890 -k.c.). Sessions: 9.30-11.30 a.m.; -2-3,30 p.m.; 8.12 midnight, N.Z.S.T. Mondays to Saturdays.. DXNing has been a little better during the last fortnight Recent loggings are KGU, Honolulu; HSPI, Siam; SAD, Adelaide; 2WL. Woollongong, and 2XL, Broken Hill, 38H, Swan Hill, was heard at R5, giving a test programme till after 2 am. on the 24thDM4G6A (Cambridge). . Open Letters. "D* 37W" (Wellington).-Sorry, bui station JOAK ghould have read JQAK. JOWHK comes in about 10 k.e. above 4QG, so I think JQAK is the culprit, as he operates on 760 ke. (395m.). By the way, DXers, if ‘you ‘send verifications to N.Z. stations, write your report on DX paper, put a penny stamp on the envelope, and leave it open. It will get there. I think the seals would be better as these should be much cheaper than the envelopes--DX7W (Marton). Particulars of 3TR. PARTICULARS of 8TR, Trafalgar, are as follow :-Aerial input power, 50 watts. Height of masts, 100 feet. Crystal controlled. Wavelength, 234 metres (1280 k.e.). Address may be found in "The Radio Guide," 1981, With reference to the remarks made by several DXergs in regard to "BY" stations not answering reports. I. too. have several offenders, namely: 4BC, TLA, 3WR, and THO. Are DXers wearing their badges? [{ have not seen one member yet.-"Bob" (Wellington).

Another Ship Station, ON August 26, at 6.32 p.m., I picked up a "new" ship calling 2ME. ‘The call was VJMS, and location was given as "Just a little north of Norfolk Island." I have heard and had verified. three ships working with VK2MB and VIM (Melbourne), but-this is the first time I have picked up VJMS.-DXIT (New Plymouth), , .

45M Now on the Air. AEM, Charleville, Queensland, is now transmitting on a wavelength of approx, 200 metres (1200 ke.), with an uerial rating of 15 to 20 Watts. Schedule is as follows:-Saturday, 4.30 to 5.30 p.m. Sundays, 11.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and £30 to 5.30 p.m. Wednesdays, some times broadcasts from 6.30 p.m. on 210 metres (1430 ke.) approx. (NZ, 8.T.). Th's station is only experimenting at pre-sent.-"Statie". (Nelson). KINT Closed Dewn. HAs any listener heard JQAK or JFVAK lately? I heard KTNT, Iowa, on June 12, 1931, on 1170 ke. (256 m.), and sent him a report. IT received a reply recently stating that station KTI'NT was closed down on June 12 by order of the Federal Radio Commission, and as they have lost run of their programme for that night they couldn’t’ verify. I also receiyed a slip of paper from WGN verifying my report, and they stated that they have ceased sending out station cards. On August 26, KFBI, Milford, Kansas, was on_the air at 8.30 p.m., N.Z. time, with a DX programme for Alaskan, Australian and New Zealand listeners. They were asking for reports and request items. They will be-on the air again at this time on September 9. At 8.40 p.m. they played an item, "When Your Hair has Turned to Silver" for a listener in Hawke’s Bay. Several listeners remark they hear KGL or KPL after KTM closes down. One

night recently I heard KTM close, and he said that KELW would follow immee-

diately.

R.A.

S.

(Mamaku).