News and Views of the DX Club

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 33, 24 February 1933, Page 22

News and Views of the DX Club

Identification Wanted Station operating on approx. 820 k.c. heard every morning from 4-5.15 a.m., when it gradually fades out. astern musie is heard-i160W (P.N.). American heard on February 5 shortly after midnight on approx. 1090 k.c. "Beautiful Ohio’ was sung, and then standard time was announced as 6.25 am. This was followed by another song, "Sleepy Time Gal," with piano accompaniment, Shortly after the announcer stated that the prayer song for the morning would be "What a Friend We ‘have in Jesus." Local interference spoilt further reception. No call was given-H.M. (Christchurch). Station heard at R9, at 11.30 p.m. on February 14, on 38.2 m. English news re situation in Manchukuo was given, coneluding at 11,44 p.m. Call sounded like ZALY. Later a woman was heard speaking in a foreign language. From 11 p.m. on February 14 a station was heard broad--easting musical items at R5 on 48.8 m. -¥Ie was still on the air, though weaker, at 11.50 p.m.-780t. (Dunedin). American heard on 580 k.c. on the aveaninge nf Wehrnarvy 15 Sienals were

| weak and were fading badly.-

N.

J.

(Mas:

| terton).

Station heard on 820 k.c., from o to 3.45 am, on February 12 at R3-6, At 3.30 a.m. "Over There" was played, with singing in a native language, or extremely poor English. The item finished with a piccolo solo. Similar items were heard until about 3.45 a.m. No announcements were made. The language had no resemblance to either Japanese or Chinese. -115W (P.N.). Station heard on 870 k.c. between 9 and 9.15 p.m. on Wednesday, 15th, at R6-7. I heard three orchestral numbers. then the announcement: "Station on 870 k.c." I think the middle letters of the call were CB or CD. He then played another number, and either faded out or closed down, for thirty minutes later I heard JOAK on the same frequeney. Also a station on 1175 k.c. on Feb. 12. Numbers similar to the Japs were heard, and the call sounded like JOCK or JOGK. He closed down at 2.45 a.m. after three-quarters of an hour’s silence. durine which he blew seven whistles.-

Waitiri

(Dunedin).

Stations Identified ¥.G. (Auckland) : Station just below 4Q0G is KGU, Honolulu. 9 p.m, our time equals 11 p.m. their time, the previous

night:

N.

J.

(Masterton).

DX Topics

Reception Improving. JRRECEPTION in this district is fast improving, although static is still very troublesome, On February 13 at 11_p.m. XHTEM, "The Voice of the Western Hemisphere," was heard at good strength on 585 ke., the official frequency allotted by the Mexican Government. WIS was also. heard one night on a late programme. KFVD, 250 watts, has been coming in very well lately, Recent verifications are from 1RO, Rome, KFAB, WREN, KOMA, WDAY, Horby, Breslau, WRVA, and KTBS. I also received a, letter from IBA, Bari, Italy, 1112 k.c. 2 kw, but as it is written

in Italian I cannot tell whether it is a verification or not. They also sent a posteard view of their station. Did anyone hear the special broadcast for our elub from WWNOC? He was inaudible

here.-

N.

J.

(Masterton)-

High-powered Europeans. THE Australians are coming in faiyly well and have not dropped off! in strength this summer as they generally do. A new station at Bamberg, Vienna, 120 k.w., will be testing soon. I read recently that XHR, Mexico’s, power is to be increased to 500 k.w. Leipzig on 339.6 m. now uses 150 k.w. An-

other station which has increased f its power and which should now be heard * in New Zealand is°irankfurt-on-Maine, 259.8 m., 17 k.w. Milan has recently reopened with 60 k.w. power. The Empire short-wave station will be unnecessary soon, if the broadcast stations increase their powers much more. Conditions on short-wave have been very good. On 20 metres the American phone stations come in with fine strength and quality. A very fine station heard on the 80-metre band is ZL2LI, Nelson, but since the floods not much has been heard: from him. Zeesen, QXAF, W1XAZ, W8XAL, WO9XF, Radio Paris, GSD, and GSC provide very fine proerammes. RV15 has not been heard for

some time-

H.F.

A.

(Masterton).

American Reception. QVERSEAS stations, especially Americans, have been coming in well since the beginning of the month. /\hey can now be. heard from 6.30 p.m. also heard some of the American BHastern stations, notably WLW. beginning their day’s broadcast at 11.45 p.m. Reception from the Buropeans is also strengthening a little, the best being Trieste, Heilsberg, Breslau, and Poste Parisien. On November 1 last I made out a fair report on a transmission from London National, enclosed an I.R.C., registered the letter, and posted it within five hours of reception. So far I have received no reply. Latest verifications include Stockholm, Vienna, Poste Parisien, WMT, JOHK, and KFWB, the last-named after wait-

ing 10 months.-

Digger

(Hamton ) .

Recent Verifications. AMERICAN reception is improving every night, the best stations being KHJ, KNX, KFWB, KGO, KFOX, KGER, WCCO, WTAM, KSL, I notice’ KNX has increased his power. He now uses 25,000 watts. Latest verifications are 8HA, 2GN, JOHK, 1ZQ, 4RK, 3HA. replied by return mail, also 2GN. "Radio," Wellington: IZQ’s verification was a ‘big pamphlet advertising their goods, with a dx letter crammed into one

Wellington Branch Meeting The. Wellington branch will hold its next meeting on Thursday, February 23, in "The Dominion" Buildings, Mercer Street (Third Floor), at 8 p.m.

D.P.

BOUVERIE

Branch Secretary.

\ corner, He took nearly a month 6WF hag been very geod lately. VK3RG was heard at R7 on Saturday, 11th. VK3NEF and 28M, Sydney, are now four months overdue, Has anyone had difficulty in setting these two to réply? A week or so ago I heard a VK which no one else down here seems to have heard. If he verifies I will let others know his call

and frequency.-

Waitiri

(Dunedin).

Two DX Tests. TS a verification just received from 10AB, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, the secretary of the Moose Jaw Radio Association asks me to give publicity te the fact that they are putting on two special dx tests on the mornings of February 26 and March 12 from 5 to 7 a.m, Mountain Standard time. This station has a power of 25 watts, and is listed as 1200 k.c, frequency, but I picked them up on4J185 kc, I have also received verifications from YVIBC, Caracas, Veneyuela, and LI4, Buenos Aires. The manager of YVIBC wrote to say 2& special dx programme would be broadcast on February 12, and wished for publicity. 1 did not receive the letter till the 15th, so I have written to arrange a futere date, when we shall have the in-

formation in time.-

J.P.

C.

(P.N.).

The Necessity for Complete Reports. ) UST recently I had a test out of conditions on various wavelengths, which included the -8U-metre amateur band. — There has been complaint that a number of stations have not sent cards. HEvidently this is because of careless and incomplete reports. I find in my replies Gromarks such as "This is the best report I have ever received since coming on the nir." "The best report received at this station. for a long time." Now I completely avoided technicalities. Asking the stations to look on my report as that of an ordinary listener, I filled in the orthodox card, but, in a letter enclosed, I gave an exact description of the aerial and set. giving details of valves, voltages, etc., and mentioned that my standard was to give a local. broadeast station R9 and judge others accordingly. By writing full details the stations were able practically to sce. for themselyes the outfit used, and, with the way I arrived at the R standard, would get an idea of how they came through. To give an idea of how such a report was appreciated I received from one amateur a souvenir card which he specially reserves for overseas stations, and greetings were sent me by the president of another branch. Tf listeners will endeayour to make their reports as full and complete as possible I am quite sure that there will not be many complaints of ‘tblacklisters." It be remembered that the large majority of the amateurs are working men like ourselves, and the upkeep of the station, together with the cost of their station cards, needs something more than merely to tel] them they. were heard to

justify a reply.-

A. M.

McDonagh

(Sec

N.Z. Short-wave Club).

Improved Reception. RECEPTION has greatly improved in this locality during the past fortnight. I logged four VK’ s, TCH, 3RI, °RO 380%. and also 6KG. on

February 4.-

G.

F.

(Hokitika) _

WTETI on 2 Special Programme. NJ RECENTLY heard WTFI on a spe- ~"& cial dx programme, and ‘as they were offering a special inducement to those dxers sending in reports I sent a further one, despite the fact that their verification was about que. I hope this inducement is not in the form of the one received from WJAX by D.N.A. (Timaru). KOMA was heard at good strength on a special test recently. Latest logging is KOMO.-99W (P.N.). 7".