AROUND AND BEHIND THE DIALS

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 4, 4 August 1933, Page 23

AROUND AND BEHIND

THE DIALS

A Section for

the DXer, Short-wave Listener and Home Constructor Conducted by...... The Technical Editor ‘ —

News and Views |

Answers to Correspondents "Southlander" (Winton): Your letter will appear in the August "Radio Times," "Maunganui" (Wellington): Sorry, but shortwave stations are not permitted in the "Lone Stat" Ladder. Identification Wanted At 11.15 p.m. on July 21, a station was heard on 680 k.c., where KPO usually comes in. Someone was heard giving a lecture in broken English on Soviet

Russia.-

D.

D.

(Bay of Plenty).

Gn several Saturday afternoons from $.10 p.m. onward, I have picked up five foreign’ stations-one just a _ fraction above 8YA, one a fraction above KRLD, another approximately on 1ZR, another just below WHAM, and one just below WOAI. Speech from all stations appears to be Spanish. The stations near WHAM and KRLD appear to relay the same programme, which is usually a play. There is often loud applause from an audience. Mhaca two atatinne have heen eomine in

very clearly at at R6 and 7.-

T.S.

B.

(Ran-

gataua).

Japanese station heard at 12.10 a.m. on July 25 on 1075 k.c. Call sounded

like JOEK.-

R. W.

A.

(Timaru),

Stations Identified 55W: Your station on 680 k.e. is XGOA, Address is: The Central Broadeasting Station, Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang, Nanking, China, (Postage to China is 23d.)115W (P.N.). 183MC (Christchurch): Japanese station on 670 k.c. is JFAK. He is on later thdn most Japanese stations. H.T. (Christchurch) : Japanese station on 1080 k.e. is JOBK, No. 2.-164A (Morrinsville). 18T: Your Mexican is XEAI, Mexico City, 982 kc. I have heard them every Sunday for the last six weeks. 210A: _ Tf vou enre to write nie I can give you

a list of over 300. stations —

Omsk

(Whakatane).

Japanese Reception Improving: XEPN Coming In Well: Experimenting With a Beverage: New Chilean Station Heard: Extracts from Verifications: Reports

Wanted

by

V.

K's.

DX Topics Japanese Reception Excellent. JAPANESE reception is excellent at present, latest loggings being JFBK, JOOK, JONK, JOBK-2, and JOCK-2. This brings my total to 30. On July 23, at 11.30 p.m., JOXK on 980 k.c. was RG; JOFG, 990 k.c., R5; and JONK R3. Recent loggings include XEPN (heard on morning session), V.K.’s 5LR, TCW, 2LU, KVOO, KMJ, 4RO, and 8AK. WOAL has been heard closing at 4.45 p.m. on Saturday afternoons. Latest verifications. are from 5KA, 8MA, 2GB, JOPK, 2ZM, 4RK, and 4ZM. The following is an extract from a letter from JOPK: "The transmitter and its accessories is thé production of this country (Japan). Antenna power, 500 w., frequency 780 k.c. The antenna: is 45 metres high, and is built on the top of a hill 100 metres above sea level. The power is fed through a feeder line 240

metres long." Th letter is signed ‘by* the chief manager, Mr. S. Tanno. American reception is still very poor* KFI. KPO, KMOX, KGO, and KSL be-.

ing the best stations at present:-

Radio

{ Wellington).

Reports Wanted by V.K.’s, ue American stations have fallen off a little lately, but although one‘ of my aerial poles’ is down, XHPN’ still roars ins On July 26, they wére on as’ late'as 7.15 p.m. Latest. verifications this week are from VK3BY and WPAI. 3BY’s hours are Sunday, 12.30 to. 2. p.m., and 10 p.m. onward (Australian time). Input to final amplifier, 50.w. Crystal control, 100 per cent. modulation.. Frequency, 1114 kc. WAPI signs off at 9 p.m., C.S.1., every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, in favour of: KVOO, On Sundays WAPI is on until 11.p.m., C.8.T.. According to advice from Queensland, VK’s 2DL, 2LZ, 2XW, 20R, 4HF, 4HR, 4MM, and 4WI are anxious for reports from New Zealand. All operate. on 200250 metres after the main, stations have closed down. -- Arrangements are being made with two .VK’s to supply dxers with more VK news in several weeks’ time. 6BY, 306 m., 50 w., are still anxious

for reports from dxers.-

Elgin

W a-

nganul)

Trying Out a Beverage. DURING a recent week-end "143W" and I erected ‘a- rather rough Beverage aerial, about 800 feet long and 10 feet high, running in a N.N.B. direction. Results are quite good on my T.R.F, set, but would probably be much -hetter if the nerial were properly erected. At present ‘most of the "insulators" are 4in. nails. "I can now hear the Americans about three-quarters.of an hour earlier than formerly, but they are ‘very: weak. Jt makes quite an appreciable: difference on KFI, which is my best American. "Amazon," who lives a little over a quarter of a mile from me, as the crow flies, states that his best Americans are KSL and KMOX, and that hecan hardly .heaz KFI, ‘This is certainly a great ‘proof that locality is a very ‘important factor in distance reception. © a ws Last Sunday night, July 23, I got up at- midnight and in the.ensuing. three

Special DX Programme A SPECIAL DX programme has arranged from VK3KW on August 2, 5, 6, 9, 13 and 16,from about 11.30 p.m. to 1.30. a.m. Victorian time.(] a.m. to 3 a.m., New Zealand time). Frequency will be 1260 k.c. As this: programme has been arranged for our DX club, I would like as many membets as possible to forward reports, particularly as the station has had only one report from New Zealand and is very anxious to receive more. Address is W. ‘Heillor, 9 Pakington Street, West Geelong, Victoria.a-1IHQ (invercargill).

hours logged VK's TCW, 5LR, 5WH, 3JB, und 8RG, obtaining sufficient data to write to all of them. — I noticed that they were received much better on the Beyerage aerial than on the normal "I" type, ~ although the direction of the former should "theoretically reverse these results. On July 24, I logged XEPN, on 585 k.c., who provided good entertainment from 6.5 p.m. until 6.30 p.m., when a series of fades commenced. these days are very tew and far between, my latest being VK8PY-a grand total of two in the past three weeks. Over three months ago I sent a daylight report to 2IKY, and have had no reply yet, although he has replied to several local dxers on reports on eyening reception. KRLD and KGMB are also long overdue. 9T: Iiow about a little information on VEI1OBI and W6FK-they appear to be rather unusual loggings?-115W (P.N.). An Outstanding px Evening. RECEPTION in this locality for the past few weeks has been very bad owing to static and local interference, but it is now improving, and the Americans are coming in great strength. The evening of July 20° wis my best night since Easter, Vhe following were heard from R+ to RO:--KDB, KOMA, WTFI, KGER. KIFAC, KOIL, KFOX, WOAIL, WCAU, WOWO, WHAM, KSI. IKFSG, KMOX, KNX, KRLD, WHO-WOC, XHAW, WFIW, KHJ, WENR, KOA, WIAA, KGO, WBBM, XER, WLW, KPO, and KFI. WOAI, WCAU, KSL. KNX, WHOWOC, XHAW, XER, WLW, KPO, and KFI were heard at great strength and volume-in fact it was necessary to turn down the volume. Europeans are being heard at 6.45 a.m., a station on approx. 1140 k.e. being the best at R4. The London National, just a fraction below this station,.is heard very faintly. I logged him lact eanconn hnt ennld not eat en mf.

cient data for a a report.

T.S.

B.

(Ranga-

taua).

New Chilean Station Heard. URING the past three days, I have been listening to a station in Santiago, Chile. Musie comes through well, though speech is not quite so good. I take this to be the call "PH-ENVIAR-CE-ODO-OCH-DHO." Then in broken English "PER-THEE-HTH." I heard this repeated often on different occasions. This station is between two others, and very close to an Australian on 880 k.c. His transmissions are characterised by a long slow fade, ‘He is evidently not on the air everv night, and I eould get him

only twice at nights during a week.

A.

Greening

(Inglewood).

4ZW Changes Frequency. L{VIDENTEY 4ZW has changed its frequency from 1080 to 1480 ke, The Australians are coming in very well now, the best being 2BL, 2UE, 2SM, 2CH, 4BH, 4RK, and 5CL. Best Americans are WOAT and KOMA. Tas anyone heard 2HC on 1120 k.c., and WOWU on §20 k.c.?-141MC (Lyttelton). Extracts from Verifications. REGENT verifications include KSO, WHET, WADC, KGIR, KVOR, WEBO, and WNAC; and, after two years, VK8GK. From WEBC’s verification: "We commence operation in the morning at 6.58 am. and sign off at night at 12.00 midnight. On Sundays we commence at 7 am. and sign off at 11 p.m., on 1296 kc." From WNAC’s verification: "We commence at 6.380 am! and sign off at midnight, daily. We operate on 1230 k.c., with 1 k.w. power." KGIR sent a Night Owl’s certificate with their verification. VIK3ZO sent a photo of the station. They operate on 214 metres, with 14 watts power. Recent loggings: R.M.S. Monowai, WEEA, WPRO, and VK5QR. Generally, reception has been poor from America, but good from Australia -37T (Hawera). DX_ Conditions Improving. RECEPIION has been good here for the past fortnight, static being very

light most evenings. However, the Americans are very weak for this time of the year. This evening, July 27, they were the best I have heard ‘them for weeks. -Loggings this week are: KEX. RXER, XEB, KTFI, and a Mexican station .on 1000 k.c. (approx.). Has any. dxer identified this station yet? RXKR, Panama City, has been heard well, just behind 1YA. XEPN is heard regularly closing down between 7.30 p.m. and 8 o'clock. Lutest veritications to hand

are: KGO, WHO-WOC, JOHK, S8YB, and BMA. 3MA operates on 900 k.e.

power 50 #£4watts--

L.G.

H.

(Morrins-

ville).

rr Ae Americans Poor. FRRECEPTION here seems to have imv proved somewhat. ‘American reception, especially, was very poor in this locality, only oné new station, KMTR; being logged since May. TFastern stations have been very good, though, and quite a number of new ones have been heard, and some logged. lLoggings are JODK No. 1 and JOFG. The following Eastern stations were heard, but not identified (approx. frequencies) : 745 k.e., 910 k.e., 970 k.e., 1015 k.c. and 1085 k.e. Recent verifications are: KGA, KGO, KMOX, WOC-WHO. K\WKH, WSM. On visiting "Bulova" recently, I found out that he ‘was a schoolmate. He has some very interesting verifications and I-regret that time would not permit me to see them all-157W (Wellington). VK’s Coming in Well. xX reception in this district is not nearly as good as it was last winter, particularly ag far as the American stations are concerned. The best Americans heard are: KFI, KMOX, KFAC, KGMB, WHO-WOC, WBBM, KVOO, KSL and KFVD. Latest loggings are: KHQ, XEPN, VK2LZ, VK8AK, JOBK (No, 2), JOCK (No. 2), and 83MA. Verifications at present are coming in very slowly, the only ones to hand recently being It. Mulacher, Germany, and VK3JN, Chelsea. The latter station would appreciate further reports from New Zealand. Frequency, 1291 k.e. (282.8 metres) ; power, 14 watts. Ile may be heard around 12,30 a.m. Monday mornings, VK’s at present are at excellent yolume the best being 8BY, 8RE, TCW, 5DR, . 288, 4WI, 2L% and 83AW. XER has resumed their all-night programmes. KTM has also been heard on all-night programmes on Tuesday evenings, but they are padly heterodyned by JOPK.-160W Easterners Coming in Well. FIASTERN stations have been very good lately. Amon those heard are: KGHR, XXGX, XGMS, and XGKO, all in Shanghai. Calls are given in Bnglish. I am sure I heard Vladivostok on 725 k.c, about 11.30 p.m. on Sunday, July 23. Speech was Russian. On the American continent, CECI, on 600 k.c., was heard closing at 4,80 p.m. on July 23. On 905 k.c. CE90 was heard on July 17 on a test programme. (Gave call in Spanish and English. "Bulova": Congrats. on logging Boras. Look out for the verification from XGLY, Shanghai (10 watts of power). I am certain T heard this station on 1500 k.e. a few days ago. Volume was not R1 even and often faded out completely. It was heard just before midnight. . I wonder if Mr. A. Greening or 38HB can tell me how to distinguish between a Mexican and a South American? have heard both at the same time and programmes have been identical, or I should say of the same type, and only Spanish has been spoken; in fact, I know That very few S.A. stations announce in English. With a small smattering of Spanish I have been able to pick out the call, so I would be pleased if some dxer will tell me how to distinguish one from’ another, XETW, on 830 k.c., has been heard heterodyning KOA. He closes at 4.30. Do not confuse him with LED. XENT, 1115 k.e., has been heard, but not like a

Jou R:W. station:

Omsk

’ (Whakatane).

Branch Meeting NELSON BRANCH. HE next meeting of the Nelson Branch will be held on Friday night, August 4, at 7.30 p.m., in the hall-room (upstairs), Harley Street, Nelson. All members and others interested in dxing are invited to attend.

W. J.

Welsh

(20N), |

Dist, Sec.