SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER

Evening Star, Issue 22252, 1 February 1936, Page 4

SEARCHERS OF THE ETHER

ITEMS FOR THE DX-ERS Conditions for the reception of overseas stations have been much the same as last week. Plenty of noise, but no 'stations. Early morning American stations are still just fair, the lower powered ones being as elusive as ever. As previously stated, some of these stations have altered their schedules and are opening earlier than usual, so a list of these, together with a few of the best received (with the exception of stations such as WLW and KMOX) may bo helpful. In the following list the frequencies are given after each call sign, and all times are New Zealand summer, and are good for every night except Sunday 10.30 : WSPA (920). 11: WMT (600) and KGER (1,360). 11.15: WWJ (9201. Midnight: WHB (860), WTCN (1.250), KGNC (1,410), WCKY (1.490), and KTRH (1,290). 12.30 a.m.: KFTI (1.240) and KSTP (1,460). 2: KFRC (610), KHJ (900), and OFCN (1,030). 2.45: KMTR (570). KHO (590), and KFI (640), KWSC (1,220), KOL (1,270), KMO (1,330). 3: KWJJ (1,040) and KALE (1,300). KALE (1,300), opening at 3 a.m.,' comes through the 24-hour station. KFAC, on the same channel. Australian stations are so far providing the best DX. Many of them are being heard at fair volume before 9 o’clock (if the noise goes off), and a beginner can build up a good log from this portion of the globe in a short time. FREQUENCY TESTS. Do not forget the United States frequency testing for the Federal Communications Commission, commencing to-night, and continuing until next Friday. The list, together with the operating times previously given in this column, is made up of the easiest logged stations . SPECIAL PROGRAMMES. To-night.—WOl, Ames, lowa, 640 kc, 8 to 9 p.m. To-morrow. WOW, Omaha, Nebraska, 590 kc, till 5.30 p.m., though it may possibly go later for various other clubs; OKOV, Kelowna, British Columbia, 630 kc, 9 to 9.30 p.m. Monday.—CJLS, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, 1,310 kc, 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday.—WEßß, Buffalo, New York, 1,310 kc, 7 to 7.30 p.m. W.OI and WOW will provide the best signals, as both use 5,000 watts, and will be on clear frequencies. The other ■Three stations use 100 watts only, and (ofi, these) CKOV: ; will' provide the best signal, as it is on the Pacific Coast. WEBR will possibly be next in volume, using Eastern standard time, and then CJLS in the Atlantic standard time zone. The above times are New Zealand summer. SHORT WAVE RECEPTION Daylight reception on the shortwaves has not been very good lately, any many listeners have tried, unsuccessfully, to tune in to some of Daventry’s transmissions. Even the more powerful foreign stations are not so good as they were some time back. It seems certain that unless Daventry uses a special directional aerial suited to this zone any special broadcasts receivable here in the morning or afternoon are not likely to be at sufficient strength for worthwhile reception. The No. 1 transmission continues to be at excellent strength, and with the expected increase in power, probably to 100 or more kilowatts eventually, although commencing at 60 kilowatts, Daventry’s New Zealand transmission will be reliable and almost as loud as local transmissions. At night conditions continue to be fairly good, although the summer static still romps in. The 20-metx - e amateur band still provides numerous new loggings in KAIAK—VKs, 488, 2LZ, 2AS, 3XU, and others—so there is ample scope for those wishing to report them. The 40-metre band is still very good, and the following VKs have been heard announcing their frequency:— 2VO (7.149 m.c.T, SJB (7.176 m.c.), 2DL (approx. 7.500 m.c.), and 3ZX (7.300 m.c.) ; also VK, 4JU, 21 A, 2UY, 2DK, 2SI, 2YB, and 2DW have been heard operating on the band. The 80-metre amateur band still has its numerous new stations although listeners here have more noise to contend with. Station W2XAF (9.530 m.c.) has been excellent before it signs off at 5 p.m. It is anxious to receive reports, and will answer them if correct without a reply paid coupon being enclosed with the report. The address of W2XAF is care the General Electric Company, Schenectady, New York. Station W9XF (6.100 m.c.) also welcomes reports from its listeners, and can be heard asking for them in several different languages when signing off. Its address is care National Broadcasting t Company, Chicago, Illinois. LBW, Hongkong (8.750 m.c.) has been heard at fairly good strength shortly after 10 p.m. Late in the evening RVIS at Kharbarovsk has been heard on 4.250 m.c. AMATEURS’ ACTIVITIES. Beginning at 7 o’clock on the evening of Tuesday, January 28, amateurs throughout the Empire combined to honour the late King by transmitting a continuous signal for 3min, after which absolute silence was observed until 7.15. This ceremony, by its very simplicity, was most impressive. In view of the hidden transmitter hunt, to bo held to-morrow, local amateurs have been busy experimenting with loop aerials and portable receivers. Other outings will be held fortnightly during the next few months. These will take the form of low-power phone and C.W. contests and 5 metre contests.

Lectures, designed to teach those with little or no knowledge of radio all that is required to obtain a transmitting license, will be delivered each Tuesday at the club rooms, No. 3 Stafford street, at 7.30 p.m. All those interested in the practical or technical side of radio aro cordially invited; amateur radio is a hobby not being confined to young men and boys.