THE WIRELESS WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18991, 12 October 1923, Page 2

THE WIRELESS WORLD.

NEWS AND NOTES. (By Magna Vox.) [ltems of news, comment, suggestions, etc., will bo welcomed by ‘,‘Magna Vox,”] A correspondent “Crystal” writes: Dear “Magna Vox,” —From time to time you record results obtained on valve sots, and it has occurred to me that it may interest some of your readers to know something of what can be. done on a simple crystal set. At a distance of two miles 1 got 4 Y.A. instrumental music very clearly, but the vocal items are, especially the female voices, very harsh—l have no trouble in picking up morse messages. The results obtained from 4 Y.O. have been wonderful, as it has often been possible to hear this station with aerial and earth connections cut off. I have used a loud speaker on the set and received music quite clearly. Tho climax was reached recently when, with two friends besides myself “listening-in” on telephones, we coupled up the loud speaker and wore even then able to bear though if faintly. Gisborne’s wireless enthusiasts are getting excellent receptions from outside centres, and on Friday and Saturday nights Mr P. R. Stevens and others were able to receive a broadcasted concert. programme from Los Angeles, California. The twovalve reception was so clear that at first it. was thought to be a Wellington concert, the conditions evidently being very favourable. When transmitting a concert on a recent date, Mr Chas. M'Clurgan, Strathfiold, Sydney, asked listeners-in to “drop him” a post card. He receiver! over 1700. Mr F. D. Bell, Shag Valley, states the Trans-continental tests will commence on tho 25th hist., and that he will enter. There is an amateur wireless enthusiast at Motueka, Mr K. Lane, who is frequently picking up broadcasted concerts from California and the States, and he has invited the Mayor and Postmaster of Motueka to attend and hear one of the performances for themselves. Referring to Tuesday night’s concert from Dunedin Mr Lane telegraphs: “Received music O.K. fading slight, atmospheric bad.” Mr Goodwill, Hamilton, telegraphing with reference to the same concert, “Last night’s transmission excellent, static bad, bugle calls the best, periodic fading absent, slight spasmodic fading but nothing to worry about.” Mr John S. Brake, Arthur’s Pass, writes: “I pick up 4 Y.A. frequently, some nights better than others, and last night (September 27) was very good The trombone solo was fine, and the notes wore very clear as was the solo “Memories.” This was as distinct as if the operator was only a few doors away. 4 Y.A. and 4 Y.O. are the only two stations 1 can got. I am 37 miles in amongst the mountains in a narrow valley at Arthur’s Pass, and the mountains on each side are some thousands of feet high. lam using a Dicta valve and two steps of amplification. I think I could achieve belter results, but I am very badly screened, and my aerial is not high enough —only 40ft. Four years ago the Chinese Government purchased 200 portable wireless telephone and telegraphic sets of tho Y.C.I type from the Marconi Company. During the various revolutions that have taken place round Peking since then, nearly one-half of these sets have been captured by the provincial authorities. About 25 of them are now in the hands of General Chang Tso Lin, in Manchuria, and it is interesting to hear that although the Marconi Company only guaranteed a transmitting range of 70 miles, General Chang’s wireless experts are getting a constant range of 250 to 300 miles. Most people are aware that experiments have been made in telegraphing pictures and photographs, but few are aware that efforts have been made and with a measure of success to transmit photographs and pictures by wireless. It is possible to do by wireless anything which has been done by the telegraph, and moving pictures have been transmitted a distance of 60ft in the laboratory by wireless. It seems as if it. i§ only a matter of time when pictures will bo sent by wireless just as easily as songs and news are sent now. Tho next decade will bring wonders hitherto undreamt of. Those at tho head of the film industry are pursuing their scientific investigations for all they are worth. If there is one section of the community which will benefit materially as well ae socially, it is the farmer in the country who receives a mail about twice a week, and whose social life is of a very limited character. His weather reports reach him when it is too late to take advantage of them, but if he has a receiving set installed he can pick up the'daily weather report, the day’s market prices and other information invaluable to him, if he can get it within an hour or two of its being available. Add to this tho fact, that ho will be able to entertain his family circle and his employees, so that the days will have a little more variation, and life on the farm is going to have a far greater attraction than it has had hitherto. That feeling of separation will be reduced almost to vanishing point, and the fact that there is a listening-in set on a farm will be a strong inducement to those who would otherwise look askance at a back country engagement. DOTS AND DASHES. Another use of radio is in, connection with the New York Police Department, which has equipped some of its cars and motor cycles with receiving sets for tho reception of orders from the powerful broadcasting station at police headquarters. A typical example of the effect of radio broadcasting was furnished by the statement of Mr Wendell Hall, a song writer, who made the declaration that “Mellow Moon,” which he had written, made no appreciable headway in tile hands of the publishers until he began singing it at WDAP and KYW, broadcast stations in Chicago, where, as a result, during April tho sale of "Mellow Moon” jumped to 100,000. Quite a number of motor cars in various parts of the world have been equipped with receiving set s for tho entertainment of passengers, and the experiment has been extended to trains and aeroplanes. Tho Berlin-Hamburg express carries a complete duplex telephonic outfit, enabling passengers to communicate with telephone subscribers while the train is in motion. Terminal station called “Zugstationen” (train stations) have been installed at Bergederf and Spandau near Hamburg and Berlin respectively, and through these stations connection is made to the telephone exchange. A 15-watt transmitter is used with a wave length of 5000-4000 metres. The following is a useful “tip” for the amateur who has a single wire aerial attached to a tree. If, in windy weather, the tree sways and causes the wire to sag, the latter may be balanced as follows :• —A rope is taken from tho insulator, carried over a pulley block suspended from tho tree, and then attached to some sort of weight (for instance, a bucket filled with stones), which keeps the aerial reasonably taut, no matter how much the tree sways. Experiments with police wireless have proved so successful in Melbourne that the Chief Commissioner (Mr A. H. Nicholson) has decided to install a reviving and transmitting station at police headquarters. At present 'wireless messages to the police motor night patrol are first telephoned from tho Criminal Investigation Department to the wireless station in the domain, where they are then transmitted to the Flying Patrol. This method causes delay, and the new set to be installed will overcome the present difficulties. It is tho intention of the Commissioner to erect wireless plants at several of tho suburban stations and messages will then bo sent to various districts simultaneously. NEW ZEALAND STATIONS. Tho following list, of New Zealand amateur and broadcasting stations, with code calls, wave lengths, and power, should bo of general interest:— 1AA —0. N. Edwards, Auckland, 140 metres, 5 watts. 1AB —V. J. Penny, Auckland, 140 metres 5 watts. IAC—L. S. Spademan, Auckland, 140 metres, 5 watts. lAH—Garlic and Gray, Auckland, 155, 165, 175 metres, 50 watts. IYA—Auckland Radio Service, 260 metres 500 watts. 2YA—Wilkins and Field, Nelson, 335 metres, 10 -watts, 2YB —Wellington Broadcasters (Ltd.), 275 metros, 15 walls. 2AB—JJ. Wilkinson, Motueka, 140 metres. 6 watts. 2AC—I. H. O’Meara, Gisborne, 155, 165, 175 metres, 50 watts. 2AI) —P, R. Stevens, Gisborne, 140 metres, 0 watts. 2AE —R. J. Patty, Gisborne, 140 metres, 5 watts. 2AF —W. J. Sinclair. Gisborne, 155, 165 175 metres, 50 watts. 2AG—L. K. Ewen, Wanganui, 140 metros, 5 watts. 2AII —Wanganui Amateur Wireless Club 155, 165, 175, 220 metres, 50 watts. ’ 2AI—W. L. Harrison, Wellington (Aus- . tin street), 140 metros, 5 watts. . .

2AJ— —. Bransgrove, Stratford, 140 metres, 5 watts. ZAP—X’. Collier, Brooklyn. Wellington, 140. 155, 165, 175 metres, S watts. Dominion Radio Co., Wellington, 275 metros, 15 watts. 2AK—L. Rawson, Hawora, 140 metres, 5 watts. 2XA— Experimental Station, Wellington. 3AA—R. J. Orbell, Christchurch, 155, 165, 175 metres. 50 watts.SAB—F. Vincent, Christchurch, 155, 175 metres, 20 watts. 3AC—Radio Society, Christchurch, 155, 175 , 300 metros, 15 watts. 3AD—R. G. F. Blake, Greymouth, 140 metres, 5 watts. 3AF--L. F. Ball, Christchurch, 140 metres, 5 watts. 4YA —British Electric Lighting Engineering Company, Dunedin, 370 metres, 500 watts. 4YO—Radio Supply Company. Dunedin, 370 metres, 500 watts, 4AA—F. D. Bell. Palmerston, 155. 165. 175 metres, 50 watts. 4AC—R. K. Robinson, Dunedin, 155, 165, 175 metres, 50 watts. 4AD—A. E. Jordan, Invercargill, 155, 165 175 metres, 50 watts.