RADIO NOTES

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 222, 20 June 1928, Page 7

RADIO NOTES

(By

“Aerial.”)

In reply to "Standard” (Te Aro), galena makes an excellent crystal lor reception with line copper wire as a catwhisker. The crystal should never bo handled, but should be picked up with tine pliers or tweezers. The tip of the catwhisker should be snipped off from time to time with scissors. Evidantly the distortion described by “Amplifier” (Newtown) is due to the omission of a “C” battery in his set. Every audio amplifying valve to which over 45 volts "B” battery is applied should have a “C” battery. After a period of quiescence, a roariug electrical leakage broke loose in the city last Sunday evening, and quite obliterated reception of all stations outside Wellington. Its effect was widespread, and it could be heard equally loudly in areas' in Kelburn and in the Mount Victoria side of the city. Those who listened only to 2YA did not experience interference from this racket, because it became evident only when one reached out for distance. Fortunately the noise had ceased at 10 p.m., but it returned twice during the next hour, though for a short while ou each occasion. The heavy gale on the New South .Wales coast last week had a blanketing effect on reception in Wellington of the Sydney stations. The Melbourne stations and 4QG, Brisbane, did not suffer to the - same extent, but were not as loud as usual. "T.S.H.” (Kilbiruie) writes: "1 think that the only practical way of dealing with the howling valve nuisance is a personal inspection of the receiving sets in use. A radio Inspector would be far more useful making these personal inspections than sitting in an oihe-e all day. in Kilbirnie I know of three sets which are of a type supposed to lie neutralised, but which ! have examined and have found to be anything but. neutralised. These three sets must disturb some scores of listeners In the surrounding district, and I venture to suggest they would trouble us no mon if a radio inspector paid a visit to those, who operate them. I think the Welling ton Radio Society is to be commended for offering the suggestion of the most practical method of decreasing the hoi..: valve nuisance.” The Gisborne broadcast station 21M has come to life again under the call letters *>ZM The wave-length is 275 metres. Correspondents report hearing this station testing recently. Letters are to hand from three Welling ton listeners reporting reception, in the earlv evening, of the Californian broadcast station KFON, Longbeach, 242 metres. Each listener states that reception was of good headphone strength. In the country, where reception of the American stations is incomparably better than in Wellington. KFUN is heard almost nightly from loudspeakers. The early fall of darkness on these winter evenings is causing the American stations to be heard by some new listeners. A Karori correspondent, “Rheo,” writes that he has received .KGO, Oaklaud, California, on two occasions lately, just at nightfall. This station three and four years ago was regularly heard by listeners in Wellington, but since then it appears to have gone oil’ considerably in strength. “Inter Alia” (Seatoun) asks: On which wave-lengths do the harmonics of the Government Morse, station VLW fall?” 300 metres, 200 metres, 150 metres, 120 metres, 100 metres, 85.7 metres, 75 metres, etc. To ascertain, for example, the tenth harmonic of a 600-metre' station, divide tlie 600 by 10, the result being 60 metres. “It was particularly gratifying to listen to the successful re-broadcast of 21'C, Sydney, on short-wave, by 2YA, Wellington, last Saturday week,” writes “Insulator” (Oriental Bay). “The faulty line between Sydney and Brisbane was manifestly the cause of the blurring, but the remarks from 2FC were splendidly clear. Let the 2YA staff know that more rebroadcasts from Australia, when conditions are favourable, would please many of us listeners.” JOAK, Tokio, Japan, 345 metres, came in extremely loudly for so distant a station last Sunday night on the writer s loud-speaker. The Jap was audible with such volume that he could be heard all over the house from 11 p.m. onwards. The items included a Japanese man and woman singing a duet to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument similar in tone to a mandolin. JOAK tuned very close to 2BL. and occasionally the Sydney station could be heard faintly In the background. Only five metres separated the two stations. JOAK faded a little at widespread intervals for only a few moments. Possibly, as has been suggested, this station is on its new power of 10,000 watts aerial input. The writer had not previously heard a Japanese station with such volume. At times it almost rivalled 2BL. Sydney, In strength. Thorn was a good deal of excited dialogue in Japanese, but most of the items sounded like Japanese love songs, sung by males, to the accompaniment of the musical Instrument previously mentioned. The music was thoroughly Eastern, and unspoilt by Americanism. SCL, Adelaide, was a mere whisper compared with JOAK. Apparently the Japanese stations have settled into their stride, for on Monday night both JOAK and JOHK were heard on Wellington loudspeakers from 10.39 p.m. till after 1 a.m. The writer found JOAK a trifle louder than JOHK. The former is subject to slight interference from 2BL, Sydney, but the other, which is just a trifle below the wave-length of 4QG, Brisbane, is not interfered with by the Brisbane station on the writer's set. A correspondent residing in Wellington states that he' has heard the Japanese stition, JOBE, this week, on a wave-length just above that of 2FC, Sydney. In reply to “Curious” (Khandallah), uuder average conditions 2YA, WellingtoT, should be heard with good • headphone strength on a crystal set at a distance of thirty miles, but Mie locality, height, and general efficiency of the aerial, and character of the earth and receiving set, have an Important bearing on reception. With a very fine aerial, earth, receiving set, ana a favourable locality. 2YA has been regularly heard.north of Auckland. This, however is a most exceptional case. There are several factors governing good long-dis-tance reception. A general meeting of the Amateur Radio Society will be held in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute, Building, Room 14, tonight, ■at 8 o’clock. • “Rheo” (Hawera) is requested to forward the type number of his superheterodyne, as the makers have three six-valve superheterodynes on the market. One type requires an additional . aerial coupler, which can be procured from the Wellington agents. TO-DAY'S PROGRAMMES.

Following are to-day's broadcast programmes : —

IYA, AUCKLAND (333 metres).—3 p.m.: Afternoon session—selected studio items. 3.30: lecturette by Mr. B. Howard-Taylor,

"Diseases of the Feet.” 3.45: Selected studio items. 4.0: Literary selection by tlie Afternoon session—Selected studio items. 4.25: Sports results. 4.30: Close down. 6.0: Children's session, conducted by Unde Tom—Opening Chorus, record ; recitation. Cousin Frank, “The Best Friend”; letters and birthdays; song, Uuncle Tom, selected; record; recitation, Cousin Frank, ‘‘Noise ; story-time; closing chorus. 7.15: News and market reports. 7.45: Lecturette on 1 nysicnl Culture," by Mr. Norman Kerr. 8.0: Chimes. 8.1: Relay of municipal organ recital from the Town Hall— organist, Mr. Maughan Barnett, assisted by the IlazellSutherland Duo and Miss Lynda Murphy, who will perforin the following items from the studio:—Contralto solos —Miss Phyllis Hazell. (a) "Cradle Me Low” (Brahe), (b) “Lie There, My Lute” (McCunn). Boubrette—Miss Lynda Murphy, (a) Cautionary Tales” (Belloc), (b) "IVe Ain t ‘Arf Proud o’ Dad” (Anon). Baritone solos —Mr. Frank Sutherland, (a) ‘'Little Miss Over the Way" (Bennett), (b) “Thy- Sentinel Am I” (Watson). Vocal duo —HazellSutherland Duo. (a) "Love is .Meant to Make Us Glad” (German), (b) “How Sweet tlm Moonlight Sleeps" (Lehmann). 10.0: Close down. 2YA, WELLINGTON (420 metres).— Silent.

3YA, CHRISTCHURCH (306 metres).— 3 p.m.: Afternoon session—Selected studio items. 4.25: Sports results. 4.30: Close down. 6.0: Children's session—Uncle Peter and Mother Hubbard. Bedtime stories and birthday greetings, Uncle Peter. Maori legends and songs by Mother Hubbard. Nature stories for tlie little ones by Aunt Robin. 7.15: Addington stock market reports. 8.0: Chimes and overture. 8.5: Baritone solo—Mr. A. G.' Thompson, "The Gladiator” (Adams). 8.9: ‘Cello solo—Mr. Harold Beck, “Andante Cantabile Franeatelle” (Vautier). 8.14: Soprano solo —Ml-,s Hilda Hutt, “I Go My Way Singing” (Smith). 8.1 S: Trumpet solo—Mr. Percy W. Reeves, “Carnivale de Venice” (Arban). 8.23: Tenor solo—. Mr. T. G. Rogers, “Like Stars Above” (Squire). 8.27: Instrumental trio—Christchurch Broadcasting Trio, “Allegro Animate” (Gade). 5.37: Contralto solo—Miss Nellie Lowe, “A Japanese Love Song’’ (Brahe). .8.41: Humorous recital—Mr. 11. Instone. "Publicity” (Green). 8.46: Saxophone solo—Mr. R. C. Brundall “Saxophobia" (Widocft). 8.51: Vocal Quartet —Dulcet Quartet, “Where My Caravan Has Rested” (Lohr). 8.5 G: Weather forecast. 8.55: Overture. 9.5: Baritone solos—Mr. A. G. Thompson. “Harlequin” (Sanderson). 0.9: ‘Cello solos—Mr. Harold Beck, (a) "Hungarian Folk Melody” (traditional); (b) “The Butterfly” (Pepper). 9.16: Soprano solo—Miss Hilda Hutt, "A Song of Sleep” (Somerset). 9.19: Trumpet solo —Mr. Percy W. Reeves, “Coinin’ Through the Rye” (Rimmer). 9.24: Soprano and contralto duct, followed by tenor solo—The. Dulcet Duo, Mr. T. G. Rogers, (a) “Arise, O Sun" (Day): <b) “A Furtive Tear’’ (Donizetti). 9.32: Instrumental trios—Christchurch Broadcasting Trio, (a) “Valse" (Rebikov); (b> “Canzonetta” (Godard). 9.42: Contralto solo—Miss Nellie Lowe, “The Dream Canoe” (Squire). 9.46: Humorous recital— Mr. 11. Instone, '/Meßrae's System” (Wood). 9.51: Saxoplione solo—Mr. R. C. Brundall, “Norwegian Cradle Song" (Morel). 9.55: Mixed vocal quartet—Dulcet Quartet, “Alas I That Spring Should Vanish witli the Rose” (Lehntann). God Save the King. 4YA, DUNEDIN (463 metres).—Silent.

3ZC, CHRISTCHURCH (250 metres).— Noon till 1 p.m.: News and concert session.

2BL, SYDNEY (349 metres).—B p.m. to 11.30: Concert items, news, and ilan-e music.

2FC, SYDNEY (442 metres).—6.4S p.m to 11.0: Concert items anil news.

4QG, BRISBANE (385 metres)—A programme of dance music by Alf, Featherstone and his Studio Syncopators. 10.0: “The Daily Mail” news. Weather news. Close down.

[NOTE. —New Zealand time is an hour and a-half ahead of eastern Australian time.]