Round the World on Short Wave

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 18, 13 November 1931, Page 31

Round the World on Short Wave

HIS page is conducted in the interests of shortwave enthusiasts. A weekly log comprising notes of reception and interesting topical events is contributed by Mr. F. W. Sellens, Northland, Wellington, but all listeners are invited to send in paragraphs of general interest.

. Short-wave Notes Empire Broadcasting. ONE of the most interesting items to . shortwave listeners-in fact, to all overseas-in the cable news on the 7th inst. was the statement that the British Broadcasting Corporation has at last decided to erect an Hmpire .broadcasting station. This Empire station is long overdue, considering the’ very unsatisfactory service we are receiving from G5SW. This station is heard quite well in many countries, but New Zealand is not one of them, although this country appears to be favourably situated for shortwave reception from most parts of the world. We do at times hear Chelmsford perfectly, but more often reception is spoilt by a severe rapid fade which spoils readability even when volume is good. GbSW commenced testing on 24 metres early in November, 1927. The writer first heard them on the night of November 5, when they were transmitting a test programme vor twelve hours. I held them from 11.30 p.m. till 2 am. and was able to copy the name'and number of every record put on during this period, reception being very clear and steady, with fair volume. The "Radio Record" of November 11, 1927, reported reception of 55W_during the few days of November by Mr. J. Rait, Brooklyn; Mr. C. Liddell, Lyall Bay, and myself. The following week the ‘‘Record" published particulars about the Armistice Day celebrations-the first Bmpire broadcast. The service from Canterbury Cathedral was successfully rebroadcast by 3YA. In Wellington direct reception was not quite up to that standard. My log says that the service from the Cathedral was R65 in the early part, but increased to R7-8, while the organ recital from St. Mary le Bow was still a little better. After this the Director-General of the B.B.C. spoke to Australia and New Zealand. ‘The editor of the "Radio Record," who was at my home during this broadcast, was able to take down nearly all of the speech, very little of which was not readable. Reception generally on 24 metres was better at that time than later, when the wavelength was changed to 25.53 metres. Still, we have had some quite good and interesting items from Home, but are living in hopes that the new station will ensure a more reliable service,

% Metre Tests by B.B.C. A ONE kilowatt test transmitter is being constructed by the Marconi Company for the B.B.C. to use on relays within a radius of five or six miles. Midget Wave Broadcasting. THE Hotel Carlton at Amsterdam has installed an ultra shortwave transmitter. Tests are carried out every Satyrday from midnight to 1 am, N.Z. gener time. The waveleggth is 7 etres, Norway-United States. THE Norwegian authorities have established a direct shortwave telephony service with the United States. The transmitter is situated at Jeloy, near Stavanger, the wavelengths in use being 15

metres during the day and 30 metres during the night hours. Belgian Shortwaves. WO wavelengths will be used by the new station at Brussels intended for communication with the Belgian Congo and South America. During the day the transmitter will work on 1562 metres with a power of 9 k.w.; at night the power will be 12 k.w. and the wavelength 29.04 metres. YV2BC, Venezuela. GtATION YV2BO, Caracas, Venezuela, is broadcasting on 50 metres from i p.m. to 4 p.m. N.Z. summer time on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The station is rated at 100 watts. Reports will be welcomed by the owner-operator, Senor Rafel A. Cabréxa, Spartado, 272, Caracas, Venezuela. California-Hawaiian Islands. DN, California, has been selected as the site for the 20 kilowatt shortwave telephony stations that will connect the Hawaiian Islands with the United States. The stations, operating between 14 and 44 metres, are scheduled to begin operations in January, 1932.

Log for Week Ended Nov. 7 WO strange stations were heard during the week; both I took to be Russians. One was on about 41.8 metres at good volume, Friday morning, and the other on about 25.2 metres was heard Saturday night-Sunday morning. Further particulars appear in the "Log." RV15, Siberia, 70.1 metres: Good volume every evening, but static bad again. HVJ, Vatican City, 50.26 metres: Still RQ from 7 a.m. Their carrier is often on half an hour before this time. RW59, Moscow, 50 metres: Friday was the best morning, R9 at 6.30 a.m., quality very good, going off to R3-4 by 7.30 a.m. Other mornings they were not quite so good. W9XF, Chicago, 49.83 Metres.-Vol-ume good at 6 p.m., but static bad every ay. Z7L2ZX, Wellingten, 49.5 Metres.Mon., Thur., and Sat. evenings. On Saturday afternoon a’ special transmission was put on with the hopes of reaching America, ete. WSXAL, Cincinnati, 49.5. ,Metres.Another 24-hour test on November 1. Volume was gajl, R& by 5.30 p.m., down to R6 at 10 p.m., but static was very bad. Saturday they were R9 soon after midnight. Static again was bad. W3XAL, Boundbrook, 49.18 Metres. 5.80 p.m., very gushy at R7. Saturday, 5 p.m, R8-9; better quality. Statice bad.

F31CD, Saigon, 49 Metres.-Saturday, R9 from i. 30 p.m. with their usual. native music. Statice bad. WS8XK, Pittsburgh, 48.86: Metres. Sunday, only R4 at 5.30 p.m. _Interference bad. WS8XL, Boundbrook, 46.69 Metres,Sunday, reaching R9 before 5 p.m., when Paul Whiteman and his orchestra were heard from the Marine Dining Room of the Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago. REN, Moscow, 45.38 airly good till soon ater 6 a.m., when they get weak and gus 41.8 Metres (about) --Picked up at 6.40 a.m. on Friday morning, when talk was heard very alearly at R9. As it

sounded like Russian, I went over to REN and RW59 to compare notes, and found similar talk on at REN. I-check-ed this up several times with other talks and musical items and was satisfied that both stations were transmitting the same programme. No call was heard. | The station went off the air some time between 7 and 7.30 a.m. PLW, Java, 31.86 Metres.-Monday and Saturday, excellent at R9 after 10 p.m. ; VK3ME, Melbourne, 31.55 Metres.Tuesday, they were on for the Melbourne Cup; good volume, but 2ME was better. Saturday, excellent at R9, with one stage of audio at 11 p.m. W2XAF, Schenectady, 31.48 metres: On Monday an "unemployment relief" programme was heard. All the artists gave their fees to the fund, the stations concerned gave their services free (it was a coast-to-coast network transmission). Appeals were made by prominent men, including William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour, who spoke at Chicago, and Mr. Owen UW. Young at New York, There is not a national organisation, but each district is looking after their own unemployed. Volume at 3.30 p.m. was R5, increasing to RO by 4.45 p.m. They signed off at 5.10 p.m. Saturday they were R7 at 4 p.m., when they signed off till "1.45 tor morrow for football description." Zeesen, Germany, 31.38 metres: At its best, Zeesen is poor now, that is, after 6.80 a.m. Averages about R6 at 6.30 a.m., and is very weak by 7.30 a.m, VK2ME, Sydney, 31.28 metres: The usual Sunday evening and Monday morning programmes came in well. On Tuesday they put over the Melbourne’ Cup, which came through-very well, except for

the usual severe fading, but every w« was readable at the worst of the fad G5SW, Chelmsford, 25.53 metres: , extra bad week for BSW during the ea morning. Several mornings not a si of them. On Thursday they were R7 7.45 a.m, but rapid fade made talk 1 readable. 12R0, Rome, 25.4 metres: Best uw after 7.30 a.m., but not up to standai The best last week was on Friday, at a.m., when they were excellent at R8-9 WSXK, Pittsburgh, 25.25 metres: J audible about 2.45 p.m. on Saturday a short time. About R2. FYA, Paris, 25.2 metres: Hxcept Thursday and Saturday they were spo by a rapid fade. On the two days my tioned they were quite good at 8 au about R8-9, 25.2 meires (about): Tuned in at p.m. on Saturday to what appeared to all Russian talk, very clear at R&S. ‘rj RV15 to see if it was the same, but mu was on there at this time. At midni; they were R9, with an orchestra. Ree tion was excellent. The musical p} gramme coutinued till 12.30 a.m., wi @mMman announcer. They went off the ; for a few moments at 12.80: a.m., to: turn with a woman announcer, follow by, more musical items, They were st going strong at 1 a.m., with a little k volumé and slightly gushy. I thought heard the name "Khabarovsk" menti« ed in the lady’s announcement.

Short-Wave Club Note I HAV®D received a number of app ciative letéers regarding the clul monthly circular; also, many stateme! that the dx and s.w. loggings that reported in the "Record" come in ve handy for comparison both by membt and non-members, As I have been busy getting a lid fresh air lately, the work has’ mouni up. Our last meeting was a quiet, homi one. Messrs. Roy Clarke and G. Ki were busy solving members’ troubles, a various circuits were discussed. I was asked recently if I ever listen in on short waves now. I do occasi¢ ally, but not for long. However, whez have listened, results have been satisfi tory. lt is quite an advantage to try te porary aerials for short waves. By ust different lengths and heights the expe ments are very useful, _ My address is still B. MaDones Secretary, N.Z.S.W.C., 274 Cuba Str Wellington, N.Z.

DX’ers! Write for that verification on D.X. notepaper and avoid missing out important details. Takes a quarter of the time to write out, too. Obtainable from P.O. Box 1032, Wellington, in two-dozen lots (minimum order), price 1/6, or six dozen for 4/-, post free. Special paper for club members.