News and Views of the DX Club

Radio Record, Volume V, Issue 51, 1 July 1932, Page 13

News and Views of the DX Club

\ Answers to Corréspotidents me 28W (Wellington)-2ZR is a new Nelson "B" station which is at present undergoing tests in Dunedin, See descrip= tion of this station in DX Topics. We will endeavour to have your verification translated, B. W. piBtzattond) Do you know whethér KDKA and WS8XAR operate on different frequencies? It is apparent from your letter that, despite the infor mation eotitained in verifications re‘celved by other dxers there is only one transmitter. If the difference in power is the only difference then the two stations cannot count as two verifications. We ate sorry we have had to give so many varied decisions on this matter, but. the infgrmation received concerning these two stations has been definitely conflicting, For the benefit of other dxers, B.W (Stratford) received a letter from KDWA stating that that station has an experimental licénse whieh rermits it ut certain hours to broadcast experimentally on a,much higher power. The stations are identi¢al, and the gall WSXAR is used only on experimental programmes. G.B. (Clive) Both sets are of excel lent quality, and have good reputations for d If you will tell us the model of your sgt and the Way in which the dial is graduated, we could explain the various ‘readings, In one model of your type of set the dial of the shortwave reads backwatds; in other words, the maximum dial setting is thé minimum cohdensér settitig. Certainly, we would. be pleased te welcome your jwife into the elub. sisi

Identification Wanted

Station heard between 6.380 and 7 &.m. on 1110 k.c. (270 m.), on June 14-16 inclusive. Items heard on 15th were "Over the Waves," "Will You Dance the Polka?" ‘followed by a_htimorotis item, and two sélos. Static Was very bad -on ail three mornitigs=-125,00. (Seacliffe). Station heard between 5.10 and 6.20 p.m. on June 20 on 725 kc. (444 m.}.

#b W98 TXHF 01 "XBX "_

H.

M.

Havelock North).

Station on about, 1400 ke. (214 m.) heard at & p.m. on June 21, ‘Speech was foreign, and sounded Japanese. Songs and music were heard. 8GL comes in on 86,

and the stranzer' on 85_

F.E.

L.

Auck

land).

Station heard Sunday mornings on W.W.’s frequency, 720 k.c, (428.8.m.). He generally plays dance music, and closes ‘down ‘at 8 am., N.Z, time--20T, Station heard at 10.80 p.m. on June 14 laying "Bring Back My Bonny to Me" on 76 k.c, (887 m.). Announcement sounded like "XHF, Del Rio, Texas.’ Also station heard at 10 p.m. on 16th on 595 kc. (504 ti). A man was speaking in, a foreicn ‘laxisuage which sounded like

Spanish,~

J.

L.

(Wellington),

Stations Identified

87W (Karori)-Station heard was 8ZR, Greymouth, on 366m. (820 k.c.). Addréss is: Grey Radio Society, Bright Street, Cobden, Greymouth.-*Six-valve" (Chiistchurch), 140A ( Onehunga) American on _ 570 k.c. is KMTR, Hollywood (their RKKO stamp is one of the best), Stations on 780 ke are KYM, Los Angeles, and KELW, Burbank. KELW usually broad: easts after KTM signs off, but it hag been reported recently that KTM has _ been heard as late as 10 p.m. Station heterodyn: ing 1YA is KHJ, Los Angeles, 4RK, Rockhampton, also causes trouble ‘with Q 1YA. 6Me. (Christchurch),

DX Topics

DX Jottings, WHEN writing to WENKE I enclosed an International coupon, and they re tiirned this along with thelr verification. Has atiy other dxer experienced this? _LLatest verifications are: KDEKA, TP, and KEI. The last-named sent an ekko

stamp. and a personal letter from the

Riehfield reporter.-

B.

W.

(stratiord),

Heterodyne Interference. Z AS any dxer received daylight verifica- * tion of 2GB? I wrote him, and rea card, but there was no mention of daylight recéption. KTAB on 560 k.c. (585 m.) were coming in. well on June 14, while on the same night KDYL and KHAO were up to RT at 6.20 pm. Heterodyne interference is very bad on 12801280, kc, especially the 4BK, 2ZB and é¢ombination, whose efforts leave &» " ™ -_- ._ = vy

the mtich-maligned "eats’ concert’ well in the shade, 3Z0’s frequency has shifted recently to 20H’s, eatising another very bad heterodyne--32T. WSXAK Coming in Weil. GHORTWAVE station WSXAK, Pittsburg, U.S.A., on 25,.26m., has been coming in ‘well lately. According to information received from KEI, a huge ¢oast-to-coast broadcast of the opening of the Olympic Games is to be put on the air on June 30 in Americé. Selections will be played by 4 massed band of 2000 pieces, while a choir of 1000 voices will & ; heat. ‘These broadcasts will last July 14-118A (Morrinsville), American Amateurs on Phone. a DX opies of this week’s "Radio Record" I read a report by Mr. H. BF. Adeotk eoneéining American amatetit phone stations aow operatitig on q5 metres. (These baits used to work on the top 68d of the SO-tetre band, but have now dropped down to the bot+ tom end.) . Mr. Adéock mentions that WIFQU and others in that vicinity will be operating on 3907 k.c. on Tuesdays. Fridays and Mondays between 4.30 p.m. and 5 pm, Could Mr, Adcock give me 4 littlé more information? Does this mean that there will be certain other ninth district working on test apart from W9FQU., or does it mean to teport any American amateur working between 4.30- p.m. and 5 p.m.? I have found in reporting American amatetirs some are very prompt in réplying, but others either forget ot do not worry to Q.L.S8, However, I have been lucky enough to receive Q.L.S. cards from all nine districts. ‘The American hams it seems, are allowed to use far greater power than the New Zealand hamsin fact, I have reported some and have found they usé as much as 1 kw, (1000 watts), I heard two hams talking over the air recently, and it Was mentioned that W1BMS, Providence, Rhode Teland, U.S.A., was using 6 kw. I ean quite believe he uses high power by the strength he comes in here. I have hea

him in the afternoon at 3.30 p.m, at RG to 7, QSA 5. These hams work at all hours; At 10.80 p.m, last Saturday week I heard W4TM at Tennessee coming in like a local, calling CQ, DX. Hvidently he is anxious to work Australians and New Zéaland amateurs on plone, so; New Zealand hams, here is your chance for a little dx, W2XAD, 19.56 mettes, were well heard on their early morning transmission last Saturday week, I heard them at 1.30 p.ti., and algo later relaying the Lucky Strike programme. They went off the air suddenly without making any announcement. It was evidently a test programme. NRH, the little Central American station, has not been heard this last month. Has any New Zealand listener heard him since May 15? I know it was his ittetition to rebuild the sta+ Hoti and put in 100 der cent. modulation.

A. P.

Morrison

(Wellington).

Particulars of 2ZR. 6 es following report from the Nelson — .. "Hvening Mail" contains details of Nelson’s new "B" class _ station, Which is now testing in Dunedin. 22K was heard here at RS at 12.380 a.m. on June 28, when, they antounced that they were on their fina] test ~~ _ "2ZR, Nelson, testing in Dunedin," is the radio eall listeners in various parts of New Zealand have been hearing almost every night after 11 o’clock for the last week. The call has atoused general interest, and fiiany fre anxious to learn the explanation of, a Nelson éall-sign being used in Dunedin, The solution to the problem is not difficult to find, as recently the Post and ‘Telegraph Department issued to Mr. N. Braithwaite, of Dunedin, a license to operate a radio station, in Nelson, and this outfit is being assembled, tested, and adjusted in Dunedin, before being brought to this town. "A. young Dunedin man, Mr. L. Bates, is responsible for the construction of the itansmittet, which has an output power of 60 watts, aud is carefully wired with 50 atop. copper strips instead of the usdal copper wire. It is a most compact job housed in & light oak easing, which occupies the smallest space possible. "A speech amplifier is built in rack fotination, using its oWn. power supply and is of the very latest design, Special instruments have been fitted to maintain constant balarite of speech atid music, while a mixing panel is provided to accommodate two condenser microphones, ohe Western Hlecttic carbon microphone, and the gramophone pick-up amplifiers. A special cotidenser microphone has been constructed in Dunedin, and it is considered by experts to be the best of its kind in operation in the Dominion. Twin turntables of the latest synchronus type have been purchased for the playing of records. It is interesting to note thut these motors cannot alter their speed, there being no governors or regulators, so that all tecords must be played at the same rate. "Two electric pick-ups are in position beside the motors, and & special fading device ehables the. opéfator to fade one record ott at the same time bringing the musi¢ from another dise in, all in the one operation. A special relay amplifier has beett assembled for relay work. | In order to overcome mictophonie noises in this in+ strument, automobile valves have been inserted, with the result that the roughest er of this éomponent when installed in a hall for relay purposes will fail, to reproduce the slightest extraneous fioise,

"Since they have been testing with 2ZR, Messrs. Bates and Braithwaite have eived over one hundred letters from disteners from as far north as North Auckland ‘and as far south as Invercargill, the majority reporting excellent reception. Distant reports are all the more remarkable when it is stated that all tests have ’ been carried out with a make-shift aerial, which stretches from a second floor win-dow-sill to a tree very much lower than the window, and is almost completely shielded by neighbouring houses. It ‘would seem that the best reception area is in Wellington city, where listeners have logged 2ZR at maximum strength, "A local station is a long felt want in Nelson, ‘and will undoubtedly be 2 welcome ‘acquisition to this town. It will be located in. the heart of the town, and will open up here toward the end of this month. It -is the intention of the constructors to eomplete the testing work in Dunedin, so that when 2ZR is installed in its permanent home it will be ready to commence regular broadcasting without any preliminary tests being carried out, "The hours of transmission suggested are :-12 to 2 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m., with two night performances weekly, On_ one of thé nights on which the station will be on the air a children’s session will be eonducted by Uncle Doug, who has already established himself a firm favourite with Dunedin children with his sessions from 4ZB. It is also hoped that arrangements can be made to relay a church service on, Sunday evenings. The programmes will consist of allthe best recorded items, while local artists will be given the opportunity of appearing before ‘the microphone. The younger folk will be catered for with special late dance sessions... 2ZK will operate on a frequency of 1360 kilocycles. Particulars of 3AW.

J. READ with interest 29W’s report in the "Times" of the 1st instant, and I heartily sympathise with him in the way the Coverage Commission crept through the towns, as it were, unannounced. 29W asks for information concerning 3AW. This station is easy to get-comes in at 1440 k.c. on my reeeiver, which is a T-valve A.C., at about R4 strength. There is a heterodyne beat with some other station I have not as yet discovered. Name and address of 83AW-Vogue Broadcasting Co. Ltd., His Majesty’s Theatre. Melbourne. ° The. DX badges are certainly far too large-half the size would do easily. As suggested, the change can be made when ‘stocks of the large ones are €xhausted. ‘ I am sure that all dxers will agree that the president should be elected by popular yote through the "Times," as suggested by 91W at his meeting in Palmerston North. The president should certainly be a member of the club, but not necessarily a top-notch dxer. He must be very interested, and have plenty of time to work for and encourage and bind together members -of the club and keep it in real goodfellowship. — Keith Millinan (DX 106W). ' Mr. Stafford Supported. I THINK it most unjust for a member to-make a criticism, as Mr. Welsh does, of Mr. Stafford. When getting down to brass tacks, I think we all guess once in a while, and there certainly are stations that one picks up and yery seldom hears again; some neyer again. I have never written to any station by guessing, but on five occasions, when I have mistaken the calls, my letter has been forwarded to ,the correct destination. There are no "no-reply" stations as far-as I am concerned. Give them a g00d detailed report, and tell you

would be honoured to receive a card and the results are well worth while. Don’t skimp your report paper, and include enough postage. This is essential if you want results. I am glad to see we have a secretary in our district, and I hope to see this quarter become very lively with members soon.-Ron. MeLeod (118A). The R_ Signals. T NOTICE that many dxers do not appear to know how loud the "R" signals are. I notice that most stntions are logged at R9, which is very great volume. I receive 2YA at R9 on my "Outspan," and have to eut it down to half. KI comes in at R5, and is quite audible through the house. I have just received a_ verification from KMOX, and he states that most

reports are very exaggerated. He wants true signal strength of the station and the amount of fading. I do not agree with 2HB with regard to construction notes in the "Radio Times," for I, like many other dxers. like to read the technical notes, and I find they are of great interest’ to many enthusiasts. The notes also teach dxers the ins and outs of their radio. Everyone who needs to get the best out of his set must know this. Do any dxers notice that, with an aerial using a tree as a pole, they get better results? I have mine on to a tree, and get great results, and when shifted to a mast of the same height did not: get anything like as good. "Digger" has his on a’ tree, and-he brings in some great dx. Is it because the earthed objects draw waves nearer ground?--DX14A.

In the Manawatu. 5 HAT months of the yeur are defined © as summer and what winter for daylight reception purposes? [Sum--mer, September to February, inclusive, the rest winter.-Ed.] Reception has been poor here during the last fortnight, Static has been unusually bad, and the Americans weak. During the past week matters have been made worse by a persistent howler, and if I was certain of his identity I would take great pleasure in cutting his aerial down. It is a remarkable thing that, although:I believe there are two radio inspectors attached to the local post office, I have never heard of a howler being prosecuted in the Manawatu district. At the meeting of our branch in Palmerston North, I mentioned that perhaps a little humour of the schoolboy howler class might be incorporated in the "Times." By this I mean strange and impossible loggings by new chums at equally strange times. For instance, as below: An acquaintance of mine bought a midget set, and several mornings later the news was around that. Mr. So-and-so had logged Mexico at 12 noon on broadcast. Another person, last Sunday, was trying out a standard radio set and believes that he logged Berlin on broadcast. I can see old dxers smiling at these two howlers, and [am sure that dxers through New Zealand could send other items of the elass that would certainly raise a:smile on most hard-bitten dxers. Ihave received "daylight" cards from 2NC, 2UH, 2CH, and 2GB, but as 2GB ‘ d r just verified, I sent it back with three daylight reports and asked them to add "daylight" to the verification. This morning I received KTM’s card, and I have also received XHR, but I enclosed a reply coupon with the report. The only Americans on my "non-reply list’ are KRLD and WFAA. I have written these again enclosing a coupon. ~DX99W. Send a Reasonable Report. HERE has been a lot of talk about non-replying stations, but my experience has been that if you send them a reasonable report that is of some use they will verify, and are pleased to do so. There are odd stations that fail. possibly some of them because of financial reasons. I think Mr. Morley Stafford is a real (xer, and deserves all he gets. He must have had untold patience to haye the number of stations verified that he has, let alone the cost both in writing material and stamps.-DX11NW (Blackball).

, 4 Correspondent Wanted. CHAS. A. HOLLOWAY, 80 Collingwood Street, Hamilton, would like to hear from dx-ers using an allelectric Crosley "Gembox." Neutron IV. HAVE constructed the "Neutron Four," and am delighted with my : success. This is my first attempt’ at. | a valve set, and I liked the cireuit because I could use the parts from a sixvalve neutrodyne which was not giving me: satisfaction. I liked the wiy the set was described, and although :I had never attempted valve set construc‘tion, and knew nothing about radio, ‘I took the bull by the horns. It was the case of. spoil a horn or make a comb, (Concluded on page 29.)

DX. Topics (Continued from page 14.) and to my. astonishment it became the latter. I constructed a coil-winder and made the. coils, which seem to be quite satisfactory, and I did the whole thing in less than a week, so that. says a lot for the simple way in which it was laid out in the "Radio Times." I have fitted the "Neutron Four" into a combination console which I had picked up quite cheaply, and am using a good cone speaker, and now haye something worth while. Last night I was listening to a concert relayed from the Town Hall, which wads a revelation, each instrument was so clean ‘and clear. I have a few bits left over from my old set; so I will be looking out for something to build to use them witha shortwave adaptor would appeal to

me-

J.S.

J.

(Lower Hutt).