The WORLD on SHORT WAVE

Radio Record, Volume VII, Issue 46, 24 May 1935, Page 48

The WORLD on SHORT WAVE

Conducted by the

N.Z. Shortwave Club

Club Notes

meso From the Sectetary’s Pen. (By A. B. McDonagh, Sec,, N.Z,S.W.C,, 4 Queen St., Wellington.) ETER a long absence the club artist has reappeared to adorn the cover of the members’ station list, which takes’ up eight close-typed pages. Vill any member who has not received his copy please notify me immediately? A proof of the new N.Z.S.W.C. QSL eard is to hand. It depicts a Maori warrior in one corner and the badge in blue at the bottom right. A better quality of card has been chosen, and there is provision in the centre for the member’s receiving call.

A. new Indian Amateurs’ League has been formed, of which our Indian representative, Mr, D. .R. D. Wadia, is president, In New York the Harlem Radio Club (controlled entirely by negro amateurs and listeners) is becoming a very strong society, They have a very striking card, Our West Australian representative advises that many names are coming in for the W.A. Short Wave Club. The latest radio club is located at Parramatta, N.S.W. The B.B.C. write that they are particularly interested in reception notes of the speech by H.M. the King and would appreciate newspaper reports. A large number of letters are to hand from readers asking for station data, ete., and forwarding news. I appreciate these letters, and hope that, with increasing membership, we will be able to render more service. Owing to increase of membership I have had to obtain the services Of several assistants, among whom is a special foreign correspondent who will undertake translations for overseas matter. Several amateur stations who transmitted slow Morse have closed down ewing to lack of reports, If sufficient’ interest is shown arrangements will be made to again transmit Morse for Jearvers, I have received a number of requests from non-members regarding the station list, which is now in print. As this eoyers telephony and experimental stations as well as the wavelengths and tinies of the shortwave broadcasters it takes up no less than eight close-typed foolscap pages and to print this separately, especially in view of the fact that another month will bring a large number of amendments, would be a costly matter. This list is being posted free to all financial members. There is another aspect of club work, the constant stream of letters Overseas and the publicity we give to stations has resulted in much of the reception we are getting. If there had been no reports from the Dominion it is hardly likely that we would have had special transmissions, hence the need of the N.Z.S.W.C. being actively supported. It costs a lot of money to ryn a club such as this and the low subscription does not allow for any

paid officials. Therefore I feel justified in asking the active support of more listeners, in view of the way in which we: haye endeayoured to assist all interestedg in the game. We wish to better the ser-) ’ vice in every way, and this can only be’ done by means of increased membership.

The Q and R Signals

HAVE been asked to give a brief explanation of the letters Q and R, with which we illustrate our reception notes. These are abbreviations handed down from the original "radig shorthand" used by amateur transmitters, principally to save precious time when experimenting. This system is known as the Q code, and is in universal use among amateurs. Also, many of the tcrms are used between listeners and stations. Wor instance, QRA means location of the station, or address of the listener, and 60 on. R means strength, or audibility of the programme, and Q or,:to use the full title, QSA means readability. Thus, in reporting, if I give a station as Rd. QSA5, I would be telling them that their strength, or audibility, was moderately . strong and I was able to read them (or hear the programme) 100 per cent, clear. Before giving the tables ofthe various R and Q signals, I would like to state that no station can be more than R9 or QSA5. There is a lengthy unsettled argument about R9. I am half a mile from 2YA, so I call 2YA -R9. Can I truthfully give an overseas station R9 as well when this is the maximum allowable? Therefore, personally, I adhere to this rule. A station can be R38, yet still can be QSA5, and -vice versa. R-STRENGTH. Ri. Faint signals, barely readable. 2. Weak signals, just readable, 3. Weak signals, but can be copied 4, Fair signals, easily readable. 5. Moderately strong signals. 6, Good signals, 7. Good strong signals, readable through interference and static, 8. Very strong, readable several feet" from headphones, 9 (or maximum). Extremely strong signals. ‘ QSA-READABILITY. QSA1. Hardly perceptible-just readable. 2. Weak, readable in patches. 8. Fairly good, but readable with difficulty. ; 4. Good readable signals, d 5. Very good signals, 100° per cent. readable. * QRM is interference, (Morse, . local interference, etc,) QRN is static (free, light, severe, ete,), QRH is wavelength. A further description with added details will appear in the members’ "Shortwayer."

Reception Notes

from Mr. H. I. Johns (N.Z.171W), ie following shortwave notes are Wanganui :- SATURDAY, MAY 11. One cannot:help but write a few notes on the wonderful reception that was to be had on the above date round about 1.30 pm. 2RO, 31.18m., was heard coming in at good loudspeaker strength, closing down at 1.48 p.m. The German station DJA was also found to be coming ._ in at real good speaker strength; likewise W2XAF and FYA. WS8XK was. also very good; in fact, all stations coming in were of good entertainment value, on all bands. Even the 20m, American amateurs were good. On the whole, so far this sea» n, they have not been so good as last year. The latest advice from shortwave staPion ORK, Belgium, regarding hours of transmission is as follows:-DEvery day from 18.30 to 20.0 G.M.T., 6.80 to a.m. N.Z.S.T.. Wavelength. 29.04m.; input, 20 kew. Address, Radio IMuysselede, West Flanders, Belgium. SUNDAY, MAY 12. _RNE, 25m., opened up at 8.20 a.m., after.-which a lecture was- given ‘in French, Station: usually closes down at 9-a.m. approx. . Signals at R6, QSA4, 8.25. a.m. DJID, 25.51m., with a talk in German. Signals R5, QSA4, at 8.30 a.m. . FYA, 25.25m., with a programme of good musical items_and vocal. Signals clear at 8.35 a.m., R6, QSA5. GSB, 31.55m. The best station this morning for volume, transmitting a dance programme, Signals very clear. R7, QSAS, at 8.45 a.m. Conditions very poor this morning on the 49m, band. DIN, 31.51m. Station at only fair strength. A very fine programme of piano compositions was put over, but signals somewhat spoilt by slight noise level; R5, QSA4, at 12.20 p.m. 2R0, 31.13m. Also very weak. Announcements being made in Italian. R5 QSA8, at 12.22 p.m. WYA, 25.60m. Talk in French. Signals very good. R7, QSA5, at 12.25 p.m. At 12.30 a programme of music was put over, WiXK, 31.28m. This station coming over well to-day with a programme of dance music. Station has been weak for some time past. Signals at 3 p.m. R6, QSA5. CIRX, 25.6m, Coming in right alongside KYA, but very distorted. Musical programme. Signals R4, QSA1, at 3.10 p.m. OAX4D, 51.9m. Coming in at fair ., Strength, with a musical programme. ‘English and Spanish announcements were given out. ‘This station relays programmes from OAX4C, Lima, Peru. Signals at 3.20 p.m., R4, QSA4.

W9XF, 49.18m. Dance music programme. Station always seems to have fairly high noise level. R6, QSA4, at 4.44 p.m. GSD, 25.5m. Station at good strength, putting over a programme of French music, orchestral and vocal. ‘R8, QSA5, at.4.55 p.m. GSF, 19.82m., was heard at 10.15 p.m., with a relay from St. George’s Chapel, Windsor. This came over very well, clear and steady. Signals R5, QSA4, DJB, 19.74m, Transmitting to New Zealand and Australia. Not heard at 10.25 p.m, ° MONDAY, MAY 13. GSB, 31.55m. Wasily the best station on any band this morning, both for volume aud programme, the programme being of very fine music. Signals at 8.30 a.m., R8, QSA5. RNE, 25m. Heard at 8.35 a.m. witb playing of "International." Signals from this station in the morning are not of the best. The speech is not very clear, always being clouded with a slight noise level. At 8.40 a.m, signals were Rd, QSA8. TUESDAY, MAY 14. GSB, 31.5m. Transmission No. 4. Signals very good from GSB this morning. The musical items being very clear. Signals R7, QSA5, at 8.45 a.m., which is 9.15 p.m. G.M.T., or 10.15 p.m. British summer time. 2RO, 31.13m., with musical items by a dance band, something very different from the good operatic music one hears from this station in the mornings, Signalg yery good; R7, QSA5, at 8.55 a.m. GSD, 25.5m. Not so good as GSB. Signals only R6, QSA4, at 8.58 a.m. FYA, 25.2m. Dance music programme. R5, QSA4, at 9 a.m. A German station heard sending 4 programme to the National Broadcasting Company, America, for relaying in U.S.A., on 29.15m. Signals at 10.5 a.m. were R5, QSA4. It happens to be the same programme as DJA, on 31.38m., at same time. The station on 29.15m, will vo doubt be DIQ. Closed at 10.16 a.m. KWU, 19m., approx. Always on in the mornings between 22.00 and: 24.30, G.M.T. Heard this morning calling Tokio. Rd, QSA4, WOXF, 49.18m. Very weak. Transmitting the usual dance music. Rod, QSA3, at 5.3 p.m. GSB, 31.55m. Concert by the B.B.C. Orchestra. Station putting over a wonderful' signal again to-night. Since returning to the beam system signals have much improved. Very clear to-night, and steady. R8, QSA5, at 5.15 p.m. VPD, 29.96m., with usual session from 5-Gp.m. Signals Rd, QSA4, at 5.22 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MAY 15. WSXK, 48.9m. Dance music programme. Signals RG, QSA4, at 4.20 p.m. GSB, 31.55m. Organ recital from Paramount Theatre, Leeds, came over well; R7, QSA5, at 4.85 p.m. 3LR, 31.3m, Relaying national stations to-night, with very fine orchestral concert. R6, QSA5 at 9.55 p.m. This station is now known as 3LR and not VK3LR. ‘ VK3ME, 31.35m. Programme of Trecordings. Station very good, with much less fading than usual. R8, QSA5, at 10 p.m. YDA, 49.02m, Talk being given in English, but as station has slight noise level and signals are only QSA8, it is hard to follow. R5 at 10.10 p.m. PKAWKE, 85.96m. Very weak. These stations are of no great strength till round about midnight. Signals R3,. QSA2, at 10.18 p.m, ,