SHORT WAVE STATIONS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XLVI, Issue 3271, 13 November 1928, Page 3

SHORT WAVE STATIONS

EXPERIMENTAL TRANSMISSIONS

BROADCASTS HEARD

[ During the last few weeks many ■short wave stations carrying out experimental transmissions have been on the air with entertaining and instructive programmes. English, Dutch, American, Russian and Australian stations have been coming in at great strength at all hours of the day, and the work being carried out by 2ME, Sydney, W2XAF New York and ANE Java, has been of a very interesting nature, especially their experiments with Duplex Telephony. WGY New York is on the air Almost every day and is heard at good strength every afternoon in New Zealand between 3.30 and 5.30 p.m last Sunday week the signals from this station came in loudly ana the many dance numbers played and broadcast by WGY came in at excellent speaker strength. •

For half an hour, at the conclusion of their ordinary session, WG-Y transmits photographs, which are received in New Zealand between 5 and 5.30 p.m. The tickings of the photographic transmissions come over very steadily, and are interesting to hear, either from phones or loud speaker. Last Sunday afternoon the American announcer said that if the transmission of photographs became popular, and enough reports came to hand giving satisfactory accounts of these experimental transmissions, the sessions would be lengthened and much improved.

W2XAP, Schenardy, also of New York, is the best and most consistent of the American stations and its duplex telephony work with ANE, Java, and 2ME Sydney, has of late made it very popular with short wave enthusiasts. The announcer has a pleasant voice and is much more easily understood than a good many of the Ameri« can announcers. The transmissions come in best over here about the hours of 10.30 to 12.30 at night, which is very early morning in New York. . Signals from 2XAF always fade considerably during the period of sunrise, which at the present time is somewhere about 7 a.m. American New York time. Except for the period of fading mentioned, speech and music from 2XAF is at good loud speaker strength and absolutely free from the surging effect so noticeable with short wave transmissions.

2XAD New York, is another of the experimental stations that works in conjunction with WGY and 2XAF, but it is not so well known. Signals from this 9000-miles distant station can be heard here almost every Sunday afternoon at varying strength from good phone to medium loud speaker volume. As a rule the signals from 2XAD are not so steady as those received from 2XAF or WGY and they are more inclined to fade and become distorted.

SSW, Chelmsford, England, is on the air fairly regularly and at times is at great' volume, but other times very weak, and the surging effect is very noticeable. This peculiarity spoils a good deal of the matter broadcast. The best time to hear SSW is during the early morning, when the signals seem to be at their best.

PCJJ, Holland, is well known to short wave enthusiasts and has of late been putting over some excellent programmes specially for Australian and New Zealand amateurs. The modula-

tion and strength of this favourite station is even, and little fading is noticed, The musical items put over are always first class and much above the ordinary fare that is on the air from the majority of short wave stations. The strongest signals are received from PCJJ during the early hours of the morning, and in almost every instance the programmes are worth the little extra effort of rising earlier.

KFM, Eussia, still continues to come in at good strength at any time about 9.45 in the evening. As of old, most of the transmission is talk and more talk in a foreign tongue. At times the signals from EFM are really deafening and absolutely roar from the speaker. When musical items are put over from this station they are a treat not to be missed. AN.E, Java, is becoming very popular with short wave listeners of late, i mainly on account of the work being carried out by it and American and Australian stations experimenting with duplex and triple* telephony. The announcer at ANE is good to listen to,» his voice being clear and easily under- | stood. Most of the music transmitted is of the gramophone type. Volume and 'modulation are good, but fading is more

pronounced than is the case from other international stations. On several occasions lately when ANE's signals could not be received direct by 2XAF, [the Sydney station 2ME .picked them iup and relayed them to 2XAF quite successfully. It was interesting to hear the ANE engineer having a friendly talk with the chief official at 2XAF, through 2ME, with just as much ease as if the two gentlemen had been sitting in the one room.

2ME, Sydney is the short wave station working in conjunction with the popular Sydney broadcast station that is heard on this side of the Tasman almost every evening. The signals from 2ME come in very loudly and are always at sufficient volume to operate the loud speaker whether received during the hours of light or darkness. Most of 2ME's transmissions are re-broadcasts of 2FC, and therefore the quality is always first-class. According to the New York announcer at 2XAF, the programmes are thoroughly enjoyed by a large American audience. The policy speech of the Federal Leader of the Labour Party was re-broad-cast one evening last week, every word coming over clear as a bell. The applause and barracking of the large audience in the Town Hall could be heard distinctly, this being remarked upon by the American officials at 2XAF, which station was re-broadcast-ing the speech. Mr McDonald, the engineer in charge at 2ME, seems to enjoy his work thoroughly and it is a real pleasure to listen to his many talks with America and Java. His voice is most easily understood by jthe American operators, and when he is having a spell the relieving announcer is informed that he cannot be understood at 2XAF and Mr McDonald is asked for, as his voice comes over clearly and strongly. The Sydney station seems to be the prime mover in the Duplex telephony tests with ANE and 2XAF and certainly sets a high example for the other two to follow.

3LO, Melbourne, the short wave station connected with Melbourne's popular broadcast station with the same call letters, comes in at excellent strength, the modulation being perfect, and at the present time easily ranks first in the list of short wave stations .now on the air. The matter broadcast is always of the highest quality. Signals from this station come in well at any time of the day or night, but are exceptionally good between 6 and 8 a.m., New Zealand time. The station closes, down directly after the time signals are transmitted.

6AG, Perth, Western Australia, still continues to come in at great strength, but the modulation from this station is not of the same class as the others mentioned. The signals fade rather badly. The best time to receive this station is between the hours of 8.30 and 11.30 p.m.

2AQ, Taihape, the big noise of the New Zealand amateurs, is again on the air but he is only a ghost of his' former self. Modulation has suffered and terrific noise accompanies each transmission. Other New Zealand stations heard at regular intervals are 280 and 281, Wellington, 3 AS and 3CM, Christchurch, and 3AR, Ashburton. The modulation and strength of these staitions leaves much to be desired and the music put over is of the cheap gramophone variety which is not improved by the time it leaves some of these transmitting sets. ' ,

All these stations have been heard by the writer during the last few weeks, the set in use being a threevalve short wave receiver convertible into a long wave receiver by simply throwing over a switch which automatically cuts in one stage of radio frequency amplification, and the set is then a four-valve long wave receiver of efficient design.