News and Views of the D.X. Club

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 10, 18 September 1931, Page 10

News and Views of the D.X. Club

Answers to Correspondents

DX1iHB (Waipukurau): Yes, the cutting you mention has been received and is incorporated in an article appearing this week. DX260C (Dunedin): DX. envelope seals wwill be available shortly. All suggestions for a DX Club motto are being filed-and an announcement will be made later.. DX9T (Inglewood): Yes, it is possible for the owner of a battery-operated set to win both cups. Incidentally, the "Ellis Battery Cup" is not a challenge cup, but is to be won outright. Mntries for this close on December 31 next. "Boxy" (W. Coast): Are you sure it is not just your particular district which is unfavourable for reception? Yours is the first complaint we have received iu this matter. DX69W (Wellington): Your log compares. very favourably with others we have. seen and which have been compiled using a four-valve B.D, Jud. C. (Cheh.): Your set and aerial are both quite good for DX-ing. DX48A (Pokeno): Addresses of American stations as given in the "Radio Log" are quite sufficient, as is that you give of WABC. You that something should be done to eliminate inter: ference between Australian and N.Z. "B" stations. Several weeks ago a fullpage article on heterodyne interference appeared in the "Radio Record." Reports from listeners were asked for.

DX18HB (Gisborne) wishes to thank Mr, S. Ellis, of Okato, for list of stations sent. KMOX’s "Mikko" stamp is certainly a fine one. If you are in difficulties with your "Outspan" why not write to the technical editor? He will be only too willing to help you.

RE -eeE7ww eae eer ws . Addresses and Addresses Wanted

"Bob" (Wellington): There is a station KIBI. which is the new call of station KEFKB. Milford, KansasDXIHB (Waiipukurau). "Hopeful" (Christchurch): WABC, Atlantic Broadcasting Corporation, New York City.

Identification Wanted

American heard at 6.7 p.m. on September 8 on approximately 940 k.c. (319

metres). 2GB is on 950 kc, (816 metres). Items: "June Time is Love Time," "I Want to Sing About You." Strength R38.-DX8600 (Timaru). At 10.30 p.m. on September 1 on dial reading 80. Call sounded like "WLW."’ Item heard ‘Thirteen Months Ago.’

[Dial reading 80 might mean anything, depending upon the tuning coil, the tuning condenser and whether the dial was graduated 0 to 100 or 0 to 180. Such queries are hopeless unless readings of nearby stations are given as well.-Hd.] Also station on about 511 m, (586 k.c.) heard at 1.30 a.m. on August 23. Music, sounded Chinese.-DX69W (Wellington). Where is DHA situated? He appears to be a commercial Morse news station and operates on about 29 or 30 metres. -‘Blectron"’ (Wellington). Station heard from 11.30 p.m. until midnight on September 6 on 73} (3LO, 69; 4QG, 79). Church sermon or service was in progress.-J.1.H. (Christ: church), The following are early-morning stations heard between 5.15 and 6.830 a.m. on September 6: (1) Station on. 1085 k.c. approximately (276 metres), on KMON’s frequency. German speech from 5.15 to 5.45°a.m., and orchestra! selections until 6.80 a.m. (2) Loud speech and children singing from 5.15 to 5.45 a.m. on 1245 k.c. approximately (241 m.),. about: the same frequency as 2NC. Speech sounded Italian. (3) Station giving orchestral items on 9S5 ke, (804 m.). approximately 3YA’s frequency. at 6.10 to 6.30 a.m. Speech sounded French. (4) Speech and _ faint music on 835 ke. (359 m.) on KOA’s frequency. (5) Faint music and speech on 1075 kc. (279 m.). One channel above the first station. The first two stations were R8. the third and fourth R6, and the fifth R4-DX30C0 (Dunedin). ; American station on approx. 560 k.e. (5385 m.), which broadcasts recorded numbers as request items and closes down.

at 7.30 p.m-

Hydro

(Hawke’s Bay).

Station on approx. 200 metres (1500 k.c.), heard on Sunday, September 6, at 4.40 p.m., with ‘"Wedding of the Painted Doll" and other items. No announvements were made, but reception was wellnigh perfect and would appear to-be

verv close to here (Christchurch).-

J.C.

S.

(Beckenham).

What station has been heterodyning 4YA, Dunedin, several nights recently ?- DX1IHB (Waipukurau). Station heard just above 2YB, New Plymouth, on 250 m. (1200 k.c.), on September 2. Items heard: 8.45 p.m, "One Saturday Night’’;.8.58 p.m., "Sleepy Valley," pianoforte solo; 9.11 p.m.,. "Kiss Me," waltz; 9.51 pim., "Give Yourself a Pat on the Back." At 11.7 p.m. he was still broadcasting dance music, Also station on approximately 256.m. (1170 k.e.), heard on the. morning of September 1, and every morning since, broadcasting records from 7 a.m. onward.-

P.K.

B.

(Oamaru).

Station on approximately 630 k.c. (47 m.), dial reading 21 (KFI, 24; 38AR 19). Speech is American, and the word

"Chevrolet" is often mentioned.

Hope

ful

(Christchurch),

Station heard from 1.30 to 2.80 a.m. on September 5 on dial 78 (2YA, 71), broadeasting races.; He mentioned some of the runners-‘*Ark Royal," "Little Flower," "Bravo." He gave starting prices and also dividends in shillings. Another station on dial reading 99 (KFT, 92), heard broadcasting boxing matches. I heard two bouts. In the first, one of the fighters was named Webb, and in the other one was named:Connell. The fight went twelve rounds, The announcer, who was American, mentioned one of the fighters as the flyweight champion of the Orient. He closed down at 3.15 a.m.,, after remarking that the broadcast was for Australian and New Zealand listeners.

Big Ben

(Auckland)

Station heard several times on 2MH’s frequency giving call resembling "371" or "CLD." -DX260C (Dunedin),

Stations ‘Identified po

C.G. (Gisborne): 8ZR, Greymouth, on 366 _m. (820 k.c.). DX9A: American on JOHK’s frequency is either WBBM, Chieago, 770 k.c, (398 m.), or KFAB, Lincoln. Nebraska, 770° k.c. (889 m.). W.T.C. (Heathcote . Valley): KVOO, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 263 m, (1140 k.c.). "Andio"’ (Blenheim): KIX. Oakland. 880

ke, (841 m.).-

P.K.

B.

(Oamaru).

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 réceive the latest in DX news. a OO lr np pane |

GA. (Thornbury): Station below 2WL is VG3GK,° Melbourne. T° heard him

testing at 3 a.m. on the @th.-

Electron

( Wellineton).

"Audio" (Blenheim): 3ZR, Greymouth, heterodynes 2Z%P, Wairoa,.-DX2600 (Dunedin), . ; P.K.B. Station on 960 k.c. (309 m.) is 5DN, Adelaide. "Marama" (Colac Bay): KX, Portland, Oregon, on 1180 k.c. (254 m.). DX670C (Dunedin): American on 970 ke. (809 m.,) is KJR, Seattle. I don’t know how it could be in California, as there are no stations in that state on that frequency.

N.

Jenkins

(Masterton).

DX Topics

Recent Loggings: REOBNT loggings include WBBM Shicago, 770 kc (389 m.) WBOQ, Newl York (testing) ; 860 kc; (349 m.) ; and KJR Seattle on 970 ko 209

P.K.

B.

(Oamaru).

Amateurs Testing. HAS anyone heard VK3KR, Melbourne, working VK38CE on about 250 m.

(1200 ke.) latelv ?-

Electron

(Welling-

ton

3ZE’s Schedule Increased. "THE following is a further addition to 8ZH, Greymouth’s, schedule: Saturday, from 9.15 p.m. to 11 p.m. dance

music from Schaefs Fall

L. M.

Schaef

(Greymouth).

A Mystery Solved. I THINK the following will clear up the mystery concerning the station DXers received some little time ago, giving a call sounding like KXAR or WXR. Following is a copy of verification pceived from Westinghouse Radio Staon :- "We are acknowledging your letter of June 21 and wish to confirm your reception of our experimental transmitter WS8XAR, Pittsburgh, Pa. The special license for W8XAR is used in connec. tion with certain experiments this company is making in developing high-power-ed transmitters. It is very gratifying to us to know that our transmissions can be received in your section of the country and we wish to thank you for the trouble you have gone to in writing us. We should be very glad to hear from you should you again be successful in tuning in our programme.-D. A. Mayer, Plant Manager, KDKA." No frequency or power was given. Would KDKA received on the same wave count as a separate station?-W. L. Peters (Pahiaua). [Possibly, though we would have to examine both verifications first.--Hd.] Particulars of 3KR and 38BY. if HAVHED recently. received a verification _ ecard from VK8KR, and the follow- ing/ particulars may be of interest to other DXers:-Wavelength, 253 m. (1180 k.c. approx.) ; power, 74 watts; transmitter, erystal controlled. Address, Kenneth R. Rankin, Boundary Street, Kerang. I also received a card from 3BY, Melbourne, by same mail, about two months after writing for verification. (So, DXers, be patient!) Particulars are :-249.9 m. (1200 k.c.); power, (input to final amplifier), 50 watts; crystal controlled, 100 per cent. modulation. Address, H. J. and O. Hoist, 27 Bambra Road. Caulfield, S.B.7. Vie-

toria:

Hydro

(Napier).

Recent Verifications. fy | STATIC lias been bad here lately, making DXing difficult. One station on 920 k.c.. (326 m.) has been coming in well, but I have been unfble to get his call. He can be heard up to 7.30 p.m. when 4RK blots him out. Among others, verifications have lately : been received from KYW and WLS, Chicago; KFVD,, Culver City, and WHAS, Louisville, Ken-

tucky (verified twice by the same mail). WLS, KFVD, and WHAS all sent Hkko stamps. WHAS said that the station had a series of five Hkko stamps-one for each successive report. DX10C (Timaru) is complaining about the bad reception in Timaru. If he has verified 77 Americans since Christmas he has nothing to complain about. Cheer up, O.M., there must be worse localities. On September 8 KGU, Honolulu, 319 m. (940 k.e:), came in here at R7-the loudest I have heard him. ‘"Kohi’ (Auckland) : 8ZR, Greymouth, took five weeks to veri-

fy my report. I have heard 2MH, Sydney, several times lately, and his ecall-is

now VKO.-

N.

Jenkins

(Masterton).

The S.S, Malolo Logged. A FHW weeks ago I heard WIOXAI on 81.4 metres transmitting from the steamship Malolo. I wrote for verification and received the following letter from Mr. H. N. Thomas, general passenger agent for the Matson Navigation mpany :- "We are pleased to know that you were able to pick up the broadcast from .he 6.8. Malolo, July 16, and, while I am inable to give you any of the technical nformation for which you have asked in your card, I will give vou a general outline of the series of broadcasts which took place aboard the s.s. Malolo while en route to and from Honolulu and while in the Hawaiian Islands. "The participating members are known as the ‘Shell Happytimers,’ and perform each day excepting Sunday under the leadership of Captain Hugh Barrett Dobbs from the local station, KPO. It had been their desire for quite some time to experiment with direct broadcasting from a ship at sea, and, through the cooperation of the Shell Oil Company, Matson Navigation Company, and the Radio Corporation of America, this was made possible by securing a temporary permit from the Federal Radio Commission. Call signals WIOXAI were the ones assigned to this station. "Regular scheduled time of this programme is from 8 am-9 am. P.C.T., so while the ship was proceeding to Honolulu it was necessary for the artists to begin their programme at times ranging from 7 a.m. to as early as 5.30 a.m., depending upon the location of the vessel." The early-morning Huropean stations are coming in here very well now. The best time is 4.30 a.m.-6 a.m., Bratislava, 279 metres (1072 k.c.) being easily the hest, This is the only Duropean station from which a ¢all has been heard. Copenhagen, Denmark, 281 metres (1065 k.c.) should be easily identified as it sounds three strokes on a gong at every interyal. Hamburg, Germany, 372 metres (805 k.c.), sends HA in Morse. Konigsberg (Germany), 276 metres (1085 k.c.), announces "Achtung (attention), Konigsberg und Danzig." Stuttgart, Germany,

860 metres (832 k.c.), uses the three musica] notes C. D and G as interval sig-

nal (played on oscillating valves) .-

H. F.

Adcock

(Masterton).

Careless Identification of Stations. Pp K.B. (Oamaru): Schedule of 4MK, * 1190 k.c, (252 metres): Daily, and musical session nightly, 8 to 10 p.m.; announcements, 10 to 10.10 p.m., when it closes down (11.40 N.Z, time). Thursday is silent day. 3SH, 1080 k.ce. (277.8 metres). Schedule not to hand yet. "Hydro" (Napier): Thanks for compliment, but that is a big task, and would not serve any purpose unless the schedule accompanied, and that would take up too much space. ‘The best plan would be-if the editor is agreeable-to publish a division at a time. The Wireless Institute of Australia allots schedules to portions of the different divisions for certain periods. For instance, the accompanying table shows the Victorian division at present in operation. This, however, will change shortly and another batch take its place, I am seeking more information at present, and will be pleased to see it published if possible. Some of these stations are very difficult to log. At 2.20 a.m. on the 7th I logged VK7BI, Devonport, Tasmania ; also 83DH, 3BH, and 3JB. DX1T (New Plymouth): I have distinctly heard the call XHW on 910 k.c. (380 m.), although their frequency is 780 k.c. (884 m.). XEG should be on 1080 kc. (291 m.). As I stated recently, the Mexican stations do not worry what frequeney they work on. With regard to station identifying, might I suggest that more care be taken by those attempting to identify? I notice in the last two issues different ideas entirely. These must be very misleading to those wishing information. If a DXer does not know what station it is he should leave it alone rather than guess at it. For example, last week a station on 1YA’s old frequency was asked for foreign speech. One DX-er identifies as 4RK or KHJ. Now KHJ could always be heard apart from 1YA, and there is no foreign speech from 4RK; therefore it must be XEW. Another one asks for station between WLW and 2YA, giving the station as Macmillan’s station. One reply is WGN, which is the "Trihune" station. The answer is, of course, KMPC. These little details should be rarefully gone into and not anwered hap-\azardly.-J.P.C. (Palmerston North). [As J.P.C. points out, DX-ers should Xe very careful in identifying stations, ‘or faulty identification leads to much waste time and trouble. Owing to pre"ure on space the table mentioned in the above letter unfortunately cannot appear il next week’s issue.-Hd.] Particulars of KWKH. iN July last year I logged KWKH, Shreveport, on approx. 1050 kc. (285.5 m.). He wrote me stating he was since then operating on 850 kc. (353 m.), and would be using 50 k.w. shortly

(subject to the Federal Radio Commis sion’s approval). I sent another repoit to the station recently, and the followifii extract from the reply may be of interea§ to DX-ers:-"Frequency, S850 kc. (352.7 m.}. Schedule as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 9 p.m.-12 p. (2.30-5.80 p.m., N.Z.T.); Tuesday at Thursday, 4-9 p.m. (10.80 a.m. to 2 p.m, N.Z.T.) We are on the air ev morning from 6-8 a.m, (11.30 p.m. 1.30 a.m., N.Z.T.). We divide time wit station WWL, New Orleans. We ate still operating on 10 k.w. power.-Yours,

ete.,

W. K.

Henderson

99 Pregident:

Stations KWKH and KWWA, of Shreveport, Louisiana, are owned and operated by the Hallo World Broadeasting Corporation-DX381HB (Gisborne). 2YA’s Transmission, ON September 8 I noticed during the lecture from 2YA that transmissién was distorted. When the station stood by for the eight o’clock chimes I heard a station coming in well with orchestral musie on 710 kc. (422 m.). When 2YA’s chimes came on, however, this station was overpowered. Would it be WOR, New Jersey? The heterodyning was not noticed later in the evening. At 5.45 a.m. recently I logged Heilsberg, Germany, at R7, Q.S8.A. 3, Rome, Italy, London Regional, and three or four other Huropeans which so far I have identified by frequency only. Mr. N. Jenkins’s station lists are much appreciated. A Scandinavian comes in very clearly on approx. 1225 k.c. (245 metres). DX770C (Gore). . DX Jottings. PARTICULARS of 2WL, Woollongong, are as follow: Wavele 299 m. (1485 k.c.); power, 50 watts. I received a card from 3ZR last week, after waiting just on three months for it P.K.B. (Oamaru): The Jap below 4QG is JOHK, Sendai, operating on approximately 390 m. (770 k.ec.). How are things at Waitaki? If you care fo write my address is: A. Pratt, Box 12, Kakahi. [Address of KMOX is Voice of St Louis, Ine., St, Louis, Montana.-Hd.] A Calibration Tip. S the modern condenser is S.L.F. (straight line frequency), more aecuracy is obtained in graphs for station identification by plotting dial readings against frequencies. As a curve depends largely on the artistic abilities of the enthusiast, the straight line is better, for it cuts the human error down to a mini-

mum.

L. G.

Baker

(Bluff).

Views on Government Control. i QUITH agree with J.C. that the fault of distortion from 2YA does not lie with WGN. My opinion is that a Japanese station is the cause of the trouble, fo any night after 2YA closes down one of these stations may be heard right on Wel-

, lington’s frequéney. As J.O, states, it is not until about 8 o’clock that the trouble commences, and that is about the time that most of the Japs. come on the air. should also like to give my opinion on Government control. All those who are at present complaining about the programmes broadcast by .the R.B.C. will by next June want another change. I think the old saying, in a revised form, applies: "You ean please some of the publie all the time, but you cannot please all the publie all of the time.’ After all, people should know that the tuning dial is not just a decoration, but may be used to bring in items that will be appreciated

r from other stations.-

W.J.

W.

(Nelson).

WABC Testing. Oo’ September 6 I picked un WABCO, New York City, transmitting a test programme and asking for reports from X-ers. Strength R7, with a slow regular fade to R2. I picked up his carrier

we at 5.80 p.m., and for half-an-hour he put over electrical transcriptions. Latest loggings include WDAF, Kansas City; IR, Butte, Montana; WDAY, Fargo; WHAM, Rochester; and KFAB, Lincoln, Nebraska. -DX23A (Cambridge). O* September 7 VK4L:W, Rosalie, was coming through at R7. He called up several New Zealanders, and advised them that reports had been forwarded. I then tuned to VK8HK, Melbourne, and received his last two items at . On the same night I had VKSWL and VEK5WS, Adelaide. They came in at R2 and R8 respectively. My greatest thrill was to hear the call 3RG,_ Castlemaine, Victoria. He came in on 1200 ke. (250 m.), approx., at R6, On the morning of the 7th L heard a station on 806 ke, (3872 m.) which I took to be Hamburg. The announcer had a very guttural voice. I also heard Radio Mulhacker on 833 ke. (360 m.).--"-" (Dunedin). [Copies ‘of verifications from Radio Bangkok have been ~~blished several times recently.--Ed.} I AGRED with DX1T (New Plymouth) that the moon’s influence plays a great part in distant reception. I have noticed that a few days before bad weather. conditions are good, and after a big storm we will get one or two nights when stations which are not audible at normal times come rolling in. For example, I have heard WISN only once-after a big ystorm. He came in at R6, QS.A. 3. I have tried dozens of times since. but failed to get him. Recent loggings are: WIOD, WABCO, KELW, and 2KO, Could anyone give, me the address of the Russian short-wave station RV15, on 70 metres?-DX10A (Waitoa).