News and Views of the DX Club

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 22, 9 December 1932, Page 21

News and Views of the DX Club

\ Answers to Correspondents \ J.M.S, (Timaru): Between 4 a.m. and S p.m. summer time (November-April) and froni 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. An excellent log. "Proton" (Te Awamutu): Yes, there are several copies left. 27A (Waihopo): The correspondent to whom you refer was NZ27A, Short-wave Club member. D.N.A. (Timaru): The following Australians can be accepted if logged in daylight (see above): 2BL, 2FC, 2CH, 2CO, 28M, 2NO, 2UE, 2UW, 84R, 3LO, 4QG, 4RK, 50K, 7ZL. After the next competition all the Australian stations will count. Stations such as KDKA and W8XAR will count as separate verifications, as they are, ‘of course, on at different times. Addresses Wanted VRK2UZ, on approx: 1200 ke.-127W. Identification Wanted Station on approx. 590 ke. (508 m.) heard wecently at 2.30 a.m., broadcasting and popular orchestral music. Strength about R3.-127W. Station heard at 6.80 a.m. on Nov. 24 on about 451 m. (665 ke.) at R4-5. Piano numbers and singing were heard. Closed down or faded away at 6.45 a.m.-*"Pro-ton" (Te Awamutu). Station on 595 ke. (504 m.) heard from 2.46 to 3 a.m. 6n Noy. 12, playing recordings, including "Keep the Home Fires Burning" and "Colonel Bogey," fol- lowed by music similar to HSP1. 3 a.m. chimes, each of which appeared to have . two echoes, thus, "Dong, ding ding." AnYouncement in a low quick voice, apparently foreign, followed by "God Save the King."-188A (Auckland). Two Europeans, one a fraction below Bucharest, 761 ke, (894 m.), second on WOAI’s frequency, 1190 ke. (252 m.) heard almost every morning from R46, -131A (Rangataua). Stations Identified 22W: KOB, State College, was heard about 18 months ago but not since. 15A: JCA, Calcutta, on JOCK’s frequency. STHB, KOAC, "Omsk": CFAC is on 690 ke. (4385 m.), I heard him last year at about 1.30 a.m., but not lately. XGAH comes in on 828 m. ‘ Perhaps you mean JFAK on 900 ke-*‘Proton" (Te Aramutu). DX Topics Recent Loggings, | LATESr loggings are as follow:KW4J, Portland, Oregon, 1060 ke, (283 m.); €¥MBI, Chicago, 1086 ke. (276 m.); WWL, New Orleans, Louisiana, S50 ke. (858 m.) ; WFIW, Iopkinsville, Ken., 940 ke. (819 m.); WIFI, Taccoa, Georgia, 1450 ke. (207 m.); KOMA, Okla-

homa City, 1480 ke. (203 m.). The last is a new station. I caught on test at 6.40 p.m. on Nov. 26. WCCO on test programme on Noy.: 27, asked for reports from N.Z, Came in at R9. KGB was on a special programme on Dec. 1, asking for reports -131A (Rangataua). , 6WF on New Frequency. PB, Colombo, sent me a "Radiv Times" and the "Ceylon ‘Times,’ with a paragraph concerning my report. 3YJ, Mount Dandenong, operates on 1460 k.e, (206m.). Recently in the early

mornings I heard XGOA giving a lecture in English on the League of Nations. 6WE: appears to have changed frequency for he has heen heard several tinieec on

595 kc. approx. (504m.)-~

Ranganui

(Dunedin),

4ZL. Testing New "Mikes." TIAVE received one of S3HA’s new cards as per their letter stating one would be forwarded when they were available. 4ZL was heard on Noy. 25 asking for reports on their new microphones, but so far no reply is to hand.--1540C (Timaru), American Jottings. A® midnight on Noy. 12, I heard KMMJ, Nebraska at R6 very clearly on their morning session. KFBI, Kausas, also came in at R6. Has anyone had more than one Ekko stamp from WHAS? There is a set of five, and the first has stamp No. 1 on it. Lately 1YA has heterodyned this station, making logging of items difficult--111A. (Tauranga). Particulars of 3HA. FTER 8 months’ delay I have at last received verification from 8HA, Addressed 37 Gray St., Hamilton, Victoria. Aerial power, 200 watts. Frequency, 1010 k.c. (297m.), Transmission times, week days, 12-2 p.m., 6.80-10,30 p.m.; Sundavs. 7-11 nm (Melhanrna timn) ....

Red Bird

Olioi0 (Wellington) _

Radio Reception and Solar Activity. FRREMARKES are occasionally .made iu these notes of the influence of winds

and the full moon on radio reception. Dxers may be interested to know of experiments carried out in America, described in "Popular Astronomy," 1929. For the measurement of radio reception the investigators used a supeérhet, receiver with multiple stage amplification together with a self-recording galvancometer, From 9 to 10 p.m. was found to be the best time for determining the index figure of receptivity. Station WBBM, Chicago, was the co-operating station, because of its reliable consistency in power transmitted. Any departure from normal conditions was communicated to the investigators, A curve of intensities of signal strength revealed in the period 1926-28 maxima of reception in July, 1926, and September, 1927. These were dates when sunspot numbers were relatively low. 4; Minima of reception occurred in Febru--ary, 1926, April, 1927, and July, 1928, which even more notably coincided with maxima in the sunspot numbers, A rather definite fifteen-month period in solar activity shown by both sunspots and radio reception was the most outstanding fact revealed. This 15-month period should help dxers to determine the best periods to carry on their dxing. Roughly brought up to date, the period reveals that best reception could be expected last August, and reception is now declining to a minimum due about July next year. Beyond the minor fluctuations of the 15-month period, reception on the whole should be good for the next few years, as we are now entering upon the minimum of solar activity, which should occur about the beginning of 1933. Another interesting ‘point mentioned by the investigators is that the general impression that radio reception is universally poor in summer and good in winter, is quite upfounded. "Generally speaking," they state, "reception should be better in the winter months on account of the shortened days and decreased daylight. On the other hand, the sunspot and radio curves of 1926-28 show that the increased solar activity actually gave much poorer reception in the winter months of both 1926 and 1927, and during the summers of the same years, "With the recent decrease in spots on the sun, radio reception during the last two months of 1928 has shown considerable improvement." The high degree of statie due to summer thunderstorms causes the average listener to decrease the sensitivity of his set during the summer to lessen these disturbances, with the necessary accompaniment of low audible intensity of distant stations. This is probably the cause of the géneral impression of low intensity of signals accompanving warm weather temperature-DX 188A,

DX. Branch Meetings Otago Branch Gn Tuesday, December 6, in the Club Koom, Unique Buildings, Stuart Street, at 7:45 p.m. H. W. NATTA (90.0t.), District Secretary. Auckland Branch On Wednesday, December 7, in our Club Room, care Keystone Radio Corporation, Room 16, Bon Marche Building, Karangahape Road, at 7.45 p.m. sharp. A lecture will be given. D. SUTCLIFFE (194A.), District Secretary.