RADIO PROGRAMMES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 45, 22 January 1936, Page 3

RADIO PROGRAMMES

SCHEDULES CANCELLED. Consequent upon the death of His Majesty the King, the programmes schcdidcd for transmission by the National stations this evening have been cancelled. Instead each of the stations will observe Sunday hours, and appropriate programmes will bo presented. The operating ‘frequencies of the stations are ns follow IYA Auckland (461 metres; 650 kilocycles) ; IYX Auckland (340.7 metres, 880 kilocycles). 2YA Wellington (526 metres; 570 kilocycles) ; 2YC Wellington (356 metres; 840 kilocycles). 3YA Christchurch (416.4 metres, 720 kilocycles) ; 3YL Christchurch (250 metres; 1200 kilocycles). 4YA Dunedin (379.5 metres; 790 kilocycles); 4YO Dunedin (263 metres; 1400 kilocycles). 2ZF Palmerston North (312.3 metres; 960 kilocycles). •

EMPIRE SIIORT-WAVE STATION. TRANSMISSION I. 8 to 10: GSB (31.55 m) and GSF (19.82). 9.45; Address by Mr Stanley Baldwin. The modern radio receiver needs modern service equipment and skilled radiotricians. During this season of the year your radio must be adjusted to its manufactured specification' to give perfect reception. Our equipment is the best that money can buy, and we feel confident to carry out your repairs—bo they large or small. —D. Dickie and Co., Ltd., Rangitikei Street, P.N.* EMPIRE BROADCASTS. DRASTICALLY REVISED. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. 21. A cablegram from the British Broadcoasting Corporation states that at the announcement of His Majesty’s death, all Empire transmissions were suspended. These will be resumed at 11 a.m. (New Zealand summer time) on Wednesday, January 22. The news bulletins are being broadcast at intervals. The Prime Minister (Mr Stanley Baldwin) will broadcast from London at the following hours (the time being New Zealand time): —9.30 a.m., 12.45 p.m., 3.45 p.m. and 9.45 p.m. on Wednesday, and 1 aim. 4.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. on Thursday ' All Empire broadcasts for the rest of the week will be drastically revised. BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS. RADIO AND THE AIRWAYS. (By “Microphone.”)

After having associated aircraft radio more particularly with the Unßed States, New Zealand last Wednesday for the first time came into actual contact with the principle applied to its own aircraft. The broadcasts from the airliner on its way south from Palmerston North would constitute a novelty for many listeners, as indeed it was, the success attending the transmissions being quite outstanding. When the boutbern Cross made her Tasman flights and the YA stations relayed the Morse signals, many imagined they also heard the noise of the 'plane’s engines, but this was a mistaken impression. Wednesday’s broadcasts over Canterbury and . Otago were probably the first of their kind heard in this part of the globe. The power output of the aeroplanes is about 25 watts—the usual for aero radio —-the transmitters being of simple design. It is understood that the imput of the transmitter at Milson is about 300 watts, the radiation being 200 watts. The ’planes can use both Morse and telephony (microjihone), but the Milson station, while receivng both, transmits Morse only. The wave is that used internationally—9oo metres—so that tlie majority of sets will not pick up the signals. Important tests were recently made at Darwin (Northern Territory) demonstrating the value of radio for guiding ’planes in difficulties. The pilot of the Qantas-Empire Airways liner Sydney (Captain H. B. Hussey), who assisted in the tests by sending out signals permitting the delicate adjustment of equipment m Darwin, was able to profit by Ins own work when he was overtaken by a blinding monsoonal storm. Although t; C ould not see the ground below him, a compass bearing from Darwin, and made his way back to the aerodrome without difficulty. He kept liis ’plane in the air until after .the storm had moderated, owing to difficulties in landing. Two and a-quarter inches of rain fell during the storm, but despite this the wireless reception on land and in the air was good. JAPAN ON THE AIR.

Reference was made in last week’s notes to the powerful signals of the Japenese short-wave stations, and the impressions then noted have been emphasised since. On Monday, the 13th, Tokio was at remarkable strength before 9 o’clock with apparently the children’s sessions relayed from the broadcast studios of JOAK. Almost English in rhythm, the items, to pianoforte accompaniment, were most enjoyable, being at full speaker strength. The signals emanated from

JVM, on 27.9 metres. At 9.55 eacli night an American gives news; in English, the station call not being announced before or after the brief session. Even the courtesy of a greetin'g or a “Good-Night” is omitted. On Tuesday evening at 10 o’clock JVII (20.5 metres’* was beard on telephony tests wiui FYA Paris, JVH being announced as working on exactly 14,600 kilocycles. .TVO and JVX were also stated to have been testing. A search of the 14-20 metres band disclosed no fewer than a dozen Japanese stations on that night at excellent strength. UNIQUE ANNOUNCEMENT. American short-wave stations were unusually strong on Saturday evening, and till about 7 o’clock offered good entertainment. TYBXAL (49.4 metres), of Boundbrook, grew increasingly strong till it signqd • off at 7 o’clock. However, it was slightly bettered by W9XE (49.1 metres), of Chicago, which signed off about 6.52. This station gives its call and invites reports, in' about a dozen languages, from Spanish to Japanese. It is not the work of a multi-lingual announcer, hut the use of a record that provides tlie broadcast. Several months ago there were assembled in the studios of 9XE a dozen citizens of Chicago, all of different nationalities. They spoke the station call and other matter in turn and a recording was made. That is what announces the identity of 9XE about 7 o’clock each evening here. A South American station has ben heard on about 28 metres at excellent strength in tlie early evening. The call' could not be distinguished, though Colombia was mentioned several times; it may have been HJ4ABA. « AROUND THE DIALS.

Recent evenings have seen increased activity on tne (80-metre) band, first district stations and those m tlie tiiird district, particularly tlie Vest Coast, being Heard at surprising strength. ihere is a certain amount ot congestion about 360 U kilocycles, with the result that overlapping is not infrequent. Oil the 40metre band Australian amateurs are very good late at night, especially N.fc>.\\. and Queensland. Berlin provides excellent musical fare about S.b'J or 6 o clock in tne evening after a session of news spoken in better English than that used by Paris. It calls Australia and New Zealand. On Sunday night the transmisions were announced as coming from DJO (19.6 metres), DJN (31.4 metres) and DJE. London has changed its schedule for Transmission I and is now on the air at 8 a.m., instead of 8.30. On Sunday night the Empire service was received excellently. Greater power is apparently being radiated by ZLAV, the 'Wellington terminal of the radio-telephony circuit with London and Sydney, for the volume has increasd. The station is on the air for 24 hours a day and lias 22 fixed times for calls apart from other traffic. Apia Radio, in Samoa, calls seven times from 8.15 a.m. to 11.45 p.m., while Rarotonga is similarly linked at four regular times, and the Dominion’s nearest island possession, the Chathams. makes daily calls, except on Sundays, at 9.20 a.m., 11.20 a.m., 1.20 p.m., 3.50 p.m. and 6.55 p.m. Nukualofa, the capital of Tonga, has three regular schedule calls. Niue Island signals are received and acknowledged at least twice a day, and there is also a schedule exchange of signals with Papeete. New voices are being heard from the Australian National stations. Victor Segal, who has had considerable experience abroad, is with 2EC and 2BL, while, Frederick Hughes has started with 3LO and BAR Melbourne. He was on the air from Sydney when radio was in its infancy, and acted in a number of plays, later appearing on the stage. Lewis Myers, of 7ZL Hobart, is now heard from 3AR. ; He was formerly “Monty” in tlie Tasmanian children’s sessions. The Victorian Divsion of the A.B.C. has acquired tlie lease of a two storey building in Hardware Street, Melbourne, as a further outlet for its ever increasing activities. 3AR and 3LO are two of the busiest in the Commonwealth and tlie volume of work required for the organisation and running of both and the regional stations, requires further space for tlie office staff. Shortly 7 before 8 o’clock oil (Monday 7 evening HBO Geneva was at amazing volume, strength being deafening on the speaker. It transmitted records and announced itself as working on 26.35 metres, calling 3LR Lyndhurst (Australia) for the weekly session. Geneva was as powerful as any 7 ’ station ever heard on the short-wave band.