DX CLUB News and Views

Radio Record, Volume VI, Issue 51, 30 June 1933, Page 23

DX CLUB News and Views

HJN, Bogota, Verified — XER Ceases All-Night Programmes — Extracts from American Verifications — DX Conditions Improving — S.S. "City of Panama" Heard by Two Dxers — WICC Wants Reports.

Answers to Correspondent "Digger" (Hamilton): It would greatly lighten the task of judging if you submitted your entry as requested. Address Wanted Has apy member the address of KMOA?-141MC (Lyttelton). Identification Wanted Station operating on 1265 k.c., heard between 3.80 and 4.0 p.m. on June 22. A man was speaking in a foreign language, with items by a band at intervals. No call sign was heard, Speaker sounded as though he was giving a running description of a race or some other sporting event.-‘"Puzzled’ (Okaramio). On Thursday, June 8, a station was heard at good volume behind 1YA, giving the call XKR, and asking for reports to be sent to Los Angeles, California. Station was on till 8 pm., our time. Information was received that this was RXKR, s.s, City of Panama, cruising in the Pacific, but whether this is so or not I could not say. Did any other dxer hear this station? -2HQ (Timaru). [Yes-"Bulova" did. See "DX Topies." Ed. J Stations Identified G.MLS. heard station XGOA; 141MC heard XEHR; and J.M. probably heard wr (or 2KY).-‘Bulova" (Timaru). J3.M. (Hamilton). -WTAM, or 2KY, Sydney, 141 M.C. (Lyttelton), XERXHF changing over. I have heard XEF close down at ‘10 p.m., saying, "Stand by for our sister station XBR." G.M.S. (Temuka), XGOA, Nanking, China. "Omsk" (Whakatane), the station on 1270 kc. you refer to as LR9 is LS9.-4HQ (Gisborne). DX Topics Dx Cénditions Improving. (QONDITIONS in this locality are now on the mend, and all stations are once more up to standard. On

June 19, I overslept the time for logging VK’s, but switched on just before 8 a.m., when all Hastern stations were coming in well. KZRM and HSP1 were excellent, and VUC, Bombay, was Pair. Several strangers were also heard-one on 900 k.c., which I think was XILY, Mukden. A Chinese station on approx. 1085 k.c. was also heard, but no call was given. During the past fortnight, I have received the following verifications :-Trieste, Italy (and also a fine photograph of the aerial array); Moscow Stalin, who sent lists of books on "Life of a Soviet

Sailor" (the writer also remarked that he was passing my name and address on to the editor of "Moscow Daily News"). YVIBC sent «a descriptive booklet; WSAI, a letter; KEFSG, a letter and Ekko stamp; KIAB, a letter; WCOA, letter and Ekko stamp; WMAQ, letter; WCAU, a card with a picture of station; WLS, a letter and Ikko stamp; KOMA, card; WBAL, pamphlet; KVYOR, a card; WDAB, letter and schedule; WREN, letter, with map of locality on the back; WHAM, eard; CFRB, letter; WHAS, second Ekko stamp; WRC, letter; JOPK and JOJK, photos of aerials. I have heard 26 countries, including New Zealand. Can any other dxer beat this?-‘Dig-ger" (Hamilton). New Loggings. RECEPTION here of American stations has fallen off, although the following have been logged this week: -WFAA, WCAU, WHAS, WLS, WKY, WBSO, WJSV, WTAQ, KGMB, WOWO, and WFBL. Verifications have been received this month from KMTR, kwG, KJR, WOC-WHO, WWVA, KVI, KGGM, and from 2UR, 2KY, and 28M for daylight reception. At 4.15 p.m, on June 21, KFI, WABC, WLW, WOC, KMOX, and KSI. were heard at good strength on an indoor aerial. Australians coming in best at 3.30 p.m, are 2FC, 2BL, 2GB, and 2CH.-‘Ren-atzky" (Wanganui). Reports to 22M. HAVE forwarded a number of verifications to dxers who have reported to station 2ZM, Gisborne. Seyeral of these reports were wceived at a time when Mr, Stevens was very busy or away on business, The letters had been placed aside, and consequently inadvertently mislaid. I have undertaken to answer reports, and will keep the dx correspondence up to date as far as possible.-L. Illingworth (DX4HQ), District President. Latest Loggings, pN a verification, WOWO states that they have received a number of reports on their transmission of the Columbia "Beer Parade." :-WNBX inform me that I won a special prize for the greatest distance report on their specjal programme, broadcast in March. Latest loggings are WLBW, VK’s 80Y, 38PY and 5WB. YUB, Bombay, has also been reported to for the fourth time. The following Americans have been re-

DX Competitions. Chain Stations Count. Several dxers have drawn our attention to the fact that in the conditions governing the DX Competitions, published last week, it was stated that verifications from statidns on chain programmes do not count. Our correspondents have pointed out that this is contrary to an amendment published in the June "Radio Times," which states that verifications from chain stations DO count as separate verifications. This ruling is, of course, the correct one.

ceived at good strength lately. KDYL, KTBS, WCKY, KPRC, WFIW, KMPC. KTFI, KFOX, KOH, KOMO, KGMB, KEAC, and WLAC. Welcome back to another old-timer, B.W. ‘(Stratford). With notes by "Amazon," "Bulova," "NJ." and "BW." in the "Radio Record," the DX pages seem to be like oid times again.-IHQ (Invercargill). WICC Wants Reporis. QTATION WICC, in verifying, stated that they would like more reports from New Zealand dxers, and asked me to convey greetings to the N.Z. DX Club. DX condiitons have been very variable lately, and though quite a number of new stations have been logged, DX has been. almost impossible on many nights. Australian stations have been coming in with wonderful volume. N. Jenkins (Masterton): Did you ever think of trying for LR3, Buenos Aires, on 950 k.e., power 7.5 k.w.? Try them -2HQ (Timaru). RXCR Heard. RECEPTION is still variable here. Sunday, June 18, was a fairly good night, and I succeeded in logging sev eral new stations, RXCR, Panama City, on 815 k.c, was coming in very well, although hetrodyned by another station on the same wave-length. LV7, Tucuman, was also heard faintly on $26 ke, but KOA made identification very difficult. The only recent verification is from HJN, Bogota, 690 k.c, (447 m.), 2 kw. Schedule: Noon to 1.80 and 7.80-10.30 p.m., their time. My South American verifications are begin ning to mount. I now have four, and three other reports away. XEPN has disappeared entirely. Has anyone heard him lately? XBHAN or 750 k.e, has been heard drowning WJR XER continues to come in very well up till p.m., when 5CL comes on the air and spoils reception. Japanese and Chinese stations are beginning to come , in well again, and I have added nine new ones to my log. One on 570 k.e. is still unidentified. Has anyone heard 2HZ, India, on 857 ke, yet?-*Omsk" (Whakatane). Extracts from Verifications. ALTHOUGH conditions have been good lately, owing to the long spell of southerly weather, there are not many new stations to be heard. The Americans and Australians are coming in very well and provide excellent entertainment. One of my recent loggings *4 W31CD, Saigon, French Indo-China, who was held at quite good strength for an hour. I notice XER has stopped its all-night programmes now. While they were on we had some excellent items, Talking about XWR. has any other

dxer noticed that when the announcer gives the call out in Mexican it is XEF (pronounced X-Il-effa), while it is XER in English? Recent verifications include the fol-lowing:-WOKO (with Ekko stamp), WPG, WRHM, KMAC, KPRC, CFCF, XEAW, and WHP. WPG seem to be very keen to get reports (especially from N.Z.), and the following from their letter may be of interest: "Although we are always interested in hearing from a radio fan, we can assure you it gives us greater pleasure and satisfaction to receive a report such as yours (from such a far distant place). Last year we received numerous reports from N.Z. However, LI believe to-day is the first time this year that we have heard from N.Z. In to-day’s mail there were four reports." This station enclosed a folder showing their studios and offices, etc., situated in Atlantic City’s 15,000,000-dollar Convention Hall. KMAC say their best DX is New Zealand. From XBAW’s card: "This verifies your reception of broadeasts from XEAW, transmitter located at Reynosa, State of Tamaulipas, Mexico. We operate on 10,000 watts, and 965 k.c., and

we are on the air each evening till 1 am., Central standard time. Keep tuned to XHAW, the ‘Voice of International Service," presenting the most interesting, romantic, and instructive programmes offered by any radio station on the North American continent.’ WRHM say they "think the report sheets are fine as they give every detail of the reception."-N. Jenkins (Masterton).

Radio Wrinkles

Ebonite panels might quite easily be chipped or cracked by over heavy use of the centre punch when marking out. If, however, a finely pointed bradawl is pressed firmly into the panel and twisted like a gimlet, it will make a small hole quite sufficient to start the drill, and will not slip and mar the panel, while there is no danger of eracking the ebonite. Any burrs produced by the drilling should be removed. = 2 Small drills: very often cause a good deal. of annoyance to home constructors, for many of them obstinately refuse to be gripped adequately by the chuck of the brace. In such instances, the usual practice is to bind paper round the drill or else to pack some -material or other in the jaws of the chuck. A better method is to wrap sev-. eral turns of insulated wire round the end of the drill, % % In sjivcteas constructional and repair work, one often wants a soldering iron with a small bit for attending to delicate repairs. Such irons are difficult to work with, however, for owing to the small volume of copper they cool very rapidly|. A very handy tool may be made from an old worn-out soldering iron. The point is cut off with a hack-saw and the end trimmed up more or less square. In the end of the old bit is drilled a hole and piece of Hin. copped rod-about 1din. long-is forced in. If necessary, it may be made perfectly secure by making deep indentations with a centre punch round its junction with the bit.

Branch Club Meeting

Poverty Bay Branch. The monthly meeting of the above branch will be held,on July 5, at 7.30 p.m., in the club room at St. Andrew's Sunday School Buildings, Cobden Street. All interested in dxing, whether club members or not, are invited to be present.

CHAS

WEBSTER

(25H.B.),

District Secretary.

(Lone Star"? Ladder

This week the two leading competitors have changed places, ""Bul- | ova’ now being top, with a total of | 23 "lone stars," and S. Robson (1HQ), second, with 18. For the benefit of dxets who have not seen details of this competition, the object is to see who can top the "lone star’ ladder by entering verifications which no other dxer holds. Once a verification is ‘‘claimed’’ by someone else, that station is deleted. CAN YOU BEAT THESE? t.-"Bulova"’ ........0ee00- 23 KFDY, WIBO, WMCA, WRUF, XEFD, WESG, WGCP, KFJZ, KUJ, WSMK, WFOX, WHIIBL, WEBR, WOKO, WIBL, WJAS, WwrRec, WPTY?, WIP (U. S.A. yy VK’s 30K, 3GK. IN, Bogota. 2.-S. Robson (1HQ) ....... 18 Lyons (France); Berlin (Germany) ; Sundsyaal (Sweden); Hitvergsum (Iloland); Gleiwitz (Germany); Odessa (U.S.S.R.); Plorenee (Italy) ; Johannesburg (South Africa); CKOVI (Canada) ; WRDO, Wcsit WERI, WNBX, WMBC, WEVD, WoOvVv (U.S.A.) 3 VROWIL. 3.-N. Jenkins (22W) Sane oes 17 KOY, WXKBH, WCFL, WLTH, WRHM, KMAC, KFOR, WDBJ, WAAW, KABC (U.S.A.); XEX (Mexico); Paris, 670 k.e. (France) ; SBB, Goteborg (Sweden); VK38AM, "VK3KU, VK2HM, VKSCB (Australia). . 4.-A. Maule (34T) ......... i) Huizen; Frankfurt (Germany) ; VK's 2D8, 2BK, 2WS, 2RJ, 28S, 2CM, 8Cl. 5.-F. Carr (150W) ........ . 7 WHA, KGBZ, WPCH (U.S.A.) ; JOQE (Japan) ; ; VK4YG, VE4LP, 6.- "Omsk" (121A) ......+-: 6 CHRC, CKFC, CKAC, CKNC, CKLW ; LSi1 (Argentine). 7.-L. Illingworth (4HQ) ...... 2 GLBR, R.M.S. Monowai; ZLX, Portland Island. 8.-L. G. Hopkins (164A) .... 2 KGHL (U.8.A.), Moscow Stalin.

Special DX Broadcast

From 2ZM, Gisborne.

Dxers are reminded that, by courtesy of station 2ZM, Gisborne, 1150 ke., the Gisborne branch of the DX Club will broadcast a DX programme early Friday morning, June 30, from 12.30 a.m. to 2 a.m., N.Z.T. All authentic reports, accompanied by a stamped and addressed envelope, will be promptly verified. Address:-P. R. Stevens, 158 Gladstone Rd., Gisborne, or L. Illing~ worth, 146 Russell Street, Gisborne."

L.

ILLINGWORTH

(4HQ)

(District Secretary).