BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 30 September 1936, Page 3

BITS ABOUT BROADCASTS.

VARIETY FROM HONG KONG. (J3y “Microphone.”) To the short-wave listener it seems increasingly pointed that there is no limit to tlie scope of the entertainment which is available, or the hour of the day or night at which it may be heard. The principal factors are the foresight and enthusiasm of the operator. "With the change of season erstwhile “regular” stations are lost for the summer months, and others which have not been received during the winter make their reappearance. Particularly does this latter aspect apply to Eastern transmitters, and it seems that both JapaSi and China will be in a position, to afford very acceptable entertainment, probably the latter chiefly. At 11.30 p.m. on Saturday (corresponding to midnight on the summer time rating—which will be used hereafter) excellent reception was experienced of ZB\V Hong Kong, the British outpost in China, 7000 miles from New Zealand by air line. For an hour and a-half a most enjoyable recorded variety programme was transmitted, with announcements by a lady—all in English. An interesting feature was that at 1 a.m. (9 p.m. at Hong Kong) there was an interval for half a minute, after which the familiar “pips” of the Daventry time signal were heard and China relayed the Empire news bulletin from London. Reception (apart from static) was excellent, and remarkably steady. Not a great deal of information is available about ZBW, but latest schedules state that the power is 2000 watts. Actually the call is supposed

to be ZCK, with ZBW as the broadcast band transmitter which is relayed, but from announcements it ajjpears that a change lias been made and that the calls are ZBWI, ZBW2, etc. Several waves are used simultaneously, and those announced were 21).36,-i11.29, 34.29, 19.35, and 15.90 metres, while it is also scheduled on 55.45 metres. Its schedule is from 7 to 11 p.m., corresponding to 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. New Zealand summer time. The address is Box 200, Hong Kong. ADDRESSES EBOM GENEVA. Probably the League of Nations radio station has not had its capabilities so well exploited as during the present session of the Assembly. Nightly, Kadionations broadcasts to Australia special recordings (or direct speech) with addresses by outstanding men at present in Geneva. Introduced by “The Watchman,” of the Australian Broadcasting Commission, who travelled to Geneva for the occasion, these speeches are intensely interesting. Each evening at 6 o’clock the stafion comes on the air to transmit to 3LII Lyndhurst (Victoria), and New Zealanders experience fine reception. Originally Hl5O (26 metres) only was used, but seasonal changes have made it imperative also to employ HBH (16.23 metres) and HBF (15.83 metres), neither of which the writer lias heard, although HBO gives full speaker strength. The talks will continue till the Assembly adjourns. CUBAN BROADCASTS.

Several weeks ago speculation was aroused by the appearance of COCQ, Havana, Cuba, on 31 metres. The station is now giving splendid reception from about 3 p.m. till it signs off at 6 p.m. English is frequently used, and reference is made that CMQ is being relayed. However, there lias recently fceen a new Havana transmitter making its appearance on 26.2 metres. There is a strong ripple which spoils an otherwise fine signal. An interval signal by bell is used and announcements are made ill Spanish. An Australian writer gives tlie call as COCAT —it is obviously not so —while tlie New Zealand Short-Wave Club believes it to be COCX. Careful listening by the writer places it at COCH, although this station operates on another wave (31.82 metres). It leaves the air at 6 p.m. THROUGH THE MICROPHONE. A communication received this week from Miss Eileen Foley, operatorannouncer of VK9MI, on the Kanimbla, states that negotiations are at present under way for a rebroadcast of tlie station by tlie national stations of New Zealand. When details are completed readers will be advised. There is also a possibility of a rebroadcast of more direct interest to Manawatu listeners. Berlin is excellent in tlie afternoons and early evenings at present. 'lbe waves announced are: DJA, 31.38 metres; DJB, 19.74; DJE, 16 89; DJN, 31.45, directed to Asia; DJL, 19.85 metres to Alrica. The amateur band on 20 metres lias proved most disappointing in the past week, but on 80 metres iSew Zealand amateurs are very busy. Christchurch listeners appear to be enjoying more satisfactory broadcast band reception of American stations than is being secured in the Mainiwatu. Stations beard recently include KSL, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1130 kilocycles, 50,000 watts, 0 p.m.: KUA, Denver, Colorado, 830 kilocycles, 50,000 watts, 6 p.m.; IvEI, Los Angeles, California, 640 kilocycles, 50,000 watts, 6 p.m.; also, ZJ Suva, Fiji, 910 kilocycles,’ 400 watts, 7 p.m.

BLIND OPERATORS. The first blind man to pass the New Zealand Government examination for amateur radio transmitters, Mr J. T. Taylor, of '2B West View Road, Grey By mi, went on the air lor the first time last week as ZLIMM, Ins contact being with another blind operator, Mr J. Parsons, of ZL2JO, Ormond, near Gisborne. Mr Parsons was actually the lirst blind transmitter in the Dominion, but as he is bedridden his set is operated for him by las parents, under special authority 1 roiii the Post and Telegraph Department. Mr Taylor bad to pass practically tlie normal transmitting examination, and lie wg.s subsequentJy complimented on his work by tilts examiner. The transmitting set, which is fitted iri his bedroom, was built by a friend, Mr A. Allen, of ZLIJQ, in accordance with the latest developments in amateur transmission, it is controlled by three switches on a panel close to Mr Taylor’s hand. . Also on the top of the desk are microphone, telegraph key, and turntable and pickup lor tlie transmission of records. J fie transmitter and power equipment, which suujetncd to rigid tests by the Post and Telegraph Department, is in a loaned cupboard under tlie desk, so that there is no danger of its blind operator touching the ‘live” parts and so receiving an electric shock. It has an output of about 14 watts on telephony and 20 watts on telegraphy.

INTERFEuenIE PROBLEM. The following information, in the light of the comment published recently concerniiig the severe electrical interiereuee m tne city, is of interest: —Three years ago the Council of the Institution of Electrical Engineers (England) decided to go into tne tjuestion of electrical interference with radio reception. The principal recommendation is that some responsible body should be given power to insist upon radio interiereuee suppression in cases where there is no likelihood of enective relief without the exercise of something more persuasive than a request for correction of the offending equipment. The recommendation cannot well bo ignored because the investigating committee was thoroughly representative of all the interests concerned, viz., all sections of the electrical and radio manufacturing industries, the British Post Office, and the British Broadcasting Corporation. The first thing it did was to establish a standard which assumes that a listener is entitled to receive his local stations without interference. It has made no provision for avoiding trouble in cases where signals can only be picked up by relying upon the receiver to supply considerable amplification. Tlie proposed standard is that there should lie a difference of at least 40 decibels between the signal and the interference, the signal being 1 millivolt per metre modulated 80 per cent. After it had become clear to the committee that interference problems could be dealt with satisfactorily its attention was directed to the question of choosing between voluntary and compulsory effort in overcoming these, troubles. The majority of the members, including manufacturers of equipment of an interfering type, were of the opinion that voluntary methods alone would not bring about an elective lessening of interference.

it, of course, remains to bo seen whether the recommendations of this committee will he followed. If they are they will only apply to Great Britain, but the fact that a committee of the J.E.E. lias apparently arrived at * practical basis for tackling the problem may open the way to some action in New. Zealand.