AROUND AND BEHIND THE DIALS

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 10, 15 September 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 Fifteen 100-watters ‘ Heard: WHOM Heard Clearly:: Reception in Wellington Excellent: 4MK Verifics Promptly: Reports Wanted’ by 5DR: A Chinese Puzzle

ve — Answers to Correspondents "Oranky" (Feilding): QSL forms for non-members of the DX Club are no longer available.. "Elgin"? (Wanganui): I listened . for KEFAB on 770 k.c. for the ten days mentioned, but the only station I heard was WBBM. 113W (Palm. N.): I have a log of 61 Australian stations (not including VK’s), with .57 verified and 2 reports away--164A. (Morrinsville). Addresses & Addresses Wanted J.0.3. (Christchurch): XGOA, the Central Broadcasting Station, Central Executive -Committee of the Kuomintang, Nanking, China, . Identification Wanted Station heard on 660 k.c. on August 29 between 5.20 and 6.15 p.m. The station had a strong carrier, but music was very weak, at R1-164A (Morrinsville). Station heard Monday night, August 28, at approximately 7.35 p.m., on same frequency as XGOA (680 k.c.). Announcer stated time as midnight and gave caul, which sounded like KCL. Also foreign station-speech from which sounded like Chinese-heard Wednesday night, August 830, at 1.20.a.m., on approximately. 855

k.c:

L.W.

H.

(Auckland),

Stations on, 595 k.c. and 780 k.c. respectively, heard on Monday morning, September 4. The items of the. former, which were heard at 12.45 a.m., consisted of dance music and organ solos, the announcer speaking with an American aceent, The latter station was heard at 1.15 a.m, Items consisted of gq speech, by a man with an American accent, on unemployment in Washington, followed by a duet with flute accompaniment, After this the announcer spoke in a foreign language. Also two JHastern . stations heard on same morning between 1.30 a.m, and 2a.m., on 740 k.c. and 945 k.c, re-spectively.-74W (Wellington). Station heard on Friday morning, September 1, between 6 p.m. and 6.35 p.m., on approximately 900 kc. Bird calls were: heard before: each item. The announcer spoke ‘in.a-foreign language, The items .consisted of band music, singing, and speeches.by n-man and a woman,-

J.

H.

(Dunedin_

Station heard Monday -evening,.. September 4, at 10 p.m., evidently located in

a town called Burnie. -At the time mentioned a violin solo was in progress. This was followed: by the announcement "WG calling.’ Shortly. after.a-man spoke on Tasmania. This was followed by a bass solo, "The Trumpeter." At 10.15 p.m. the announcer stated that they were starting the Hmu Bay Railway Company’s sponsored session, which commenced with 4

violin solo, "Romping." At 10,19 p.m. Miss Lane sang " he Blackbird’s Song," and at 10.21 p.m. the manager of the Emu Bay Railway. Company gave a talk on the railways radiating from Burnie. Wach item was preceded by the announce.

ment, "WG calling.’’-

Cranky

(Feila-

ing)

DX Topics ‘ Wifteen 100-watters Heard. RECEPTION has been very good 10 this district lately. I have loggeil fifteen. 100-watt stations, and VONTF (100 w.), Newfoundland, calling the seal fishermen. The following is a list of the: stations I have-heard since August, 3:WNBR, WIS, WWVA, EQ7,, WHN, XEFO, LT1, LR10, LS1, KFXR, W2X-

BF (50 w.), ZBW, JOKK, KLX, WS, VONEF, WJJD, KPCB, CMCD, WLBLI, WGES, WDAS, CMKJ, KXL, LU7 and VK’s 2GR 4RJ, and 4JM.-38HB (Gisborne). New. Australian "B." RECEPTION has been very noisy this week, the stronger American stations being the only ones audible. Several new stations have been logged at midnight. A Mexican on 1000 k.c. has been good here until 2¥C comes on. VR's that have been heard during the last fortnight are 3PW, 3ZL, 3RG, 230, 2Dh, 20R, 2YZ, 2GR, 2LZ, 2AL, TAR, QF Wy SBY, 5WB, 5DC, 5DR, and 5WS (1110 -k.c.). 2FW mentions that he is receiving good reports from New Zealand, A new "B" station situated at Bathurst, New South Wales,.is coming on the air shortly. Last Monday’s American mail brought 21 verifications. The following paragraph, given below, appeared in the "New York Evening Sun," Saturday, August 5, under the Voadine: "WHOM Heard Clearly in New

Zealand."-

Elgin

(Wanganui).

"Arthur F. Wagstaff, operator of sta-. tion DX159W in Wanganui, New Zealand, picked up signals from WHOM, approximately 8860 miles away, and held them for more than an hour recently, According tothe report from Mr. Wagstaff, the signal was clear, despite considerable interference and local ‘storms. While there was some rapid fading, Mr. Wasstaff was able to log musical selections and announcements. He used a nine-tube set and a four-wire antenna 800 feet long." , Recent Loggings. RECEPTION in Wellington is excellent, Japanese, Australian, :Chinese. and American stations all coming in at excellent volume. My. latest Japanese logging is JOAG (930 k.c.). Nagasaki, which was heard closing at 1.30 a.m, Monday morning, September 4. I have now reported to 29 of these stations, and

DX Club Meeting ae WANGANUI BRANCH. The. next meeting of the Wanganui Branch will be held at 2] Lowther St., on. Thursday, September 14, at 8 p.m. F. Carr (150W), Dist. Sec.

lagged 33. XGOA, which has now altered its frequency from 680 k.c. to 660 k.c.. and interferes badly with 2FO, has been like a local during the past week, easily reaching R8 at 12.30 a.m. American -reception is also excellent. KI, KPO. and XER_ all reach R7 at 5.45 p.m. KLX, KFWB, KOA, KFSD, KMTR, KTAB, KMJ, and KHQ all come in at R6. KFSD at 7.80 p.m. is sometimes as loud as KEI, but is heterodyned badly by 1YX. Recent loggings are WMAQ, WWYVA.’ WSB, WHAM, WCAU, 1Y¥X, JOAG, XGOD, COTN, Rome (680 k.c.), Milan (900 k.c.), Leipzig (770 k.c.), and 4ZM (1050 k.c.).. Latest verifications are JOFK, XGOA (who sent a photograph of their giant wireless masts), WHOWOC, and ‘VK’s 8AR, 2UE (daylight. 4.35 p.m.), and 8TR. European stations are coming in at moderate volume Praha, 614 k.c., which reaches R6, is easily the best.-74W (Wellington), A New Mexican? A MEXICAN station calling XEGPF. on approximately 585 k.c., has been heard several nights during the week ended September 2 at its closing time of 5.30 p.m. Has any other member heard this

station ?-

Sigma

(Auckland),

4MK Verifies Prompily. ECEPTION has been very poor during the past week and static has been very severe on some nights, The Americans are very weak at present and consequently new loggings are scarce, the only ones being: KLZ, JOAG, JOCG. and EAJI, Rarcelona. Latest verifications to hand are: WBAP, WAPI, WHAS, WSB, KMOX, KFBI, KGW. 4QG, 4RK, 4ZL, 6BY and 4MK. In thei: verification GBY state they are pleased to get reports from New Zealand, TI haye noticed a number of times in the "Radio Record" and "Radio Times" that dxers have been unable to get a verification from 4MK, Mackay. They verified my report promptly and sent a letter, card, and souvenir of Mackay.-164A (Morrinsville). Reports Wanted by 5DR. ie another letter from VK5DR, in repli: to a second report, he requests mi to inform dxers that he is now using : new master oscillator transmitter with 10 watts input, instead of, as formerly a 25 watts Hartley. This power maj be increased at a later date. He doe: not expect to be heard: here on the low power, but: would be very interested to

hear from any dxer who might pick him up. Anybody reporting on -this station can be sure of a verification, provided that 2d return postage is enclosed. Frequency is 1800 k.c., and address:°P. W. Deer, VK5DR, 21 Maitland Terrace, Seacliff, South Australia. My only recent logging is VK8GK and latest verifications XGOA and: VK8CY. I would be grateful to any member who could supply any information about VPD lbw. Several New Easterners. (THERE have been very few new stations logged in this district lately. On August 30 I sat up late and secured the following data :-2HZ, Rangoon (857 k.¢.), is now on the air and can be heard when HSP1 (856 k.e.) signs off at 2.30 a.m. Yolume was poor. VUC and VUB: were both good, though the former was badly heterodyned by a Chinese station calling XX-Y, XQHE was also heard weakly, while the Eastern station on 1500 k.c. is heard now and again at R1. JOAG, Nagasaki, was testing on 935 k.c. on August 380 at R3-5. KGHR (778 k.c.) provides typical Hastern programmes and occasionally announces in English. My only verification worth mentioning is from XQHE, Shanghai, who sent a mosi interesting letter and mentioned that my report was the most distant ever received. Their power is 250w., and their call, "XQHHE," was previously RUOK. I hope, in the near future, to be able to supply dxers with a complete list of Mhinese stations and their schedules. The Muropeans are still poor, but will. prob-

bly improve irom now on.

Omsk

‘Whakatane),

A Chinese Puzzle. ONDITIONS for dxing have been very bad during the last fortnight on account of QRN, which has been very ‘roublesome, but on Saturday, September 2, conditions were ideal. My loggings for this date were: 8AK (50w.), Melbourne; VK5LR (12w.) ; JOQK (500w.) ; JOTEK (500w.); JORK (500w.); and JOJIK (8k.w.). American stations have been very poor, my best being KII, KNX, KHJ, WHO-WOC, and KPO. The Australian stations have also been very good, 83AK coming in at R8, and VK5LR at R6. Latest verifications are:-KFI, KNX (2 eards), KSL and 6PR, Perth. On Wednesday I logged JOCK No. 1, On Sunday morning, September 38, at 12,388 a.m., I picked up a Chinese station on 660 k.c. At 12.50 a.m. the call ABOA was given out, and talking continued’ for the next 22 minutes, At 1.12 a.m. the call XKOR, Nanking, was given. XGOA, Nanking, is on 680 k.c., but was missing.. Three months ago I heard the same call, ABOA, XKOR. On Sunday night XGOA, Nanking, was on 680 k.¢., but sKOR ‘(660 k.c.) was missing;: on

Wednesday night, at 12.36 am., XKOR and XGOA were both on. This has puzzled me, and if any member could supply any helpful information I would be exceedingly grateful. -186W (Wellington).

CCORDING to-new regulations in Germany, the sale of wireless sets is to be restricted to registered dealers who, with their assistants, must pass a test. in wireless theory and practice. * * s NEWS bulletins in the English language are being broadcast daily by the Zeesen (Berlin) short-wave station, "In the main they consist of official ecommuniques mostly of a. politi-. cal nature, ard generally refer to topical events which have taken place in Germany.

Special DX Programme In a recent verification fromm the new Australian station 6BY, Bunbury, they state that they are putting’ on a- special DX programme .for-Australian and N.Z. dxers on the mornings of September 23 .and 24, from ' 3.15 a.m. to 4 a.m., N.Z. time. All correct reports will ,be verified. Frequency 980 kce., 306 metres. Address, ‘"Bunbury Broadcasters, Ltd., Bedford Hall, Bunbury, W. Aus-tralia.""-164A (Morrinsville), .