RADIO NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 22217, 9 January 1934, Page 3

RADIO NOTES

(By “Night Owl.”)

An improvement in reception of all stations has been noticed during the last week and listeners have been able to tune in to more stations above the noise level and have had more choice for programmes. Tire old 3YA, now broadcasting under the call 3YL, has been very good on its frequency of 1200 k.c., but at times interference from another station has caused severe fading. The alternative programmes provided by 3YL and 2YC are much appreciated. On Sunday evening 3YA broadcasted Wagner’s famous opera, “Tristan and Isolde.” The station was coming in at excellent volume and as a result this broadcast was well worth listening to. Three new Mexican stations with powers varying from 150 to 500 k.w. are now in the course of erection and are expected to be on the air - within a few months’ time. New Zealand listeners will be well catered for next year with powerful distant stations to listen to. On New Year’s Day a number of American stations were heard broadcasting special programmes. The best were KSL, KMOX, WHO, WOC. WTAM, KDYL, and KHJ. These all came in very well, being much better than KFI, KPO, and KGO. Another station on 1160 k.c. came in at good volume, but the call was not heard. This will be either WWVA or WOWO. Short Wave Notes. The schedule for the British short wave Empire station is as follows: Transmission I.—GSF, 19.82 m, GSD, 25.53 m, 8 to 10 p.m. Transmission 2.—GSG, 16.86 m; GSE, 25.28 m, 12 midnight to 1.45 a.m.; Mondays, 12.30 to 1.45 a.m. Transmission 3. —GSE, 25.28 m, 2 to 6 a.m.; GSF, 19.82 m, 2 to 4 a.m.; GSB, 31.55 m, 4 to 6 a.m. Transmission 4.—GSD, 25.53 m; GSC, 31.30 m., 6.15 to 10.45 a.m. Transmission 5. —GSC, 31.30 m.; GSA, 49.59 m., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. All times given are New Zealand summer time. The above calls and times are at present being used, but the actual wavelengths in use may be altered from time to time, consequent upon changing seasonal conditions, and reports that are received by the 8.8. C, on reception of these stations. The alternative frequencies in the 31 (GSB and GSC) and 25 (GSD and GSE) metre bands may be used at short notice. GSD has been excellent of late and no doubt many short-wave listeners have been listening to this station. Some of the American short-wave stations have been coming through at good volume, the best being W3XAL. The Australian stations VK’s 2ME and 3ME have been excellent, although fading is rather frequent from the former. Dx Topics. A new Australian B class station is to come on the air shortly with the call 2GF, the address being Grafton. The power to be used will, I understand, be 50 watts. This station may have commenced broadcasting already, although so far I have not heard it. The frequency is 1220 k.c. On the Ist inst. a number of new American stations were heard relaying the programmes of the National and Columbia broadcasting chains. Apart from the station mentioned above a number of others were heard, including KDKA and KFOX which stations, however, were not oh chain programmes.

Several DX-ers have received a number of verifications lately, including KTAR, KDYL, WOW, KECA, WLW, SWB, 4WI, 3AR, 3LO, 2CH, IRO Rome, Paris PP., Trieste, Leipzig, 4PK, 2AJ, 2ZO, 3KU, SWH, Bisamberg, Austria and WOS.

Conditions have been rather changeable of late, but the last week has, if anything, been rather disappointing for overseas reception. One listener reports logging 10 new American stations on their early morning programmes and another reports logging several Chinese stations, but in the main few new ones have been heard. VK’s have been very difficult to listen to owing to the noisy conditions prevailing after 10 p.m. and only one new one has been reported to the writer.

The secretary of the Southland branch of the New Zealand DX Club informs pie that at the last meeting of the club five new members were enrolled. It is evident that DX-ing. is becoming more popular in this district. Notes from DX-ers would be appreciated by the writer and any DX-er wanting information regarding stations heard if he writes to me I will endeavour to obtain the desired information.

I understand that a 50-watt American station will be testing shortly and if details come to hand in time I shall see that the date is published. Next week I hope to publish a list of American stations and the times that they may be heard after midnight. DX-ers in New Zealand will have the opportunity shortly of acting as judges in a novel competition to be arranged by the Wireless Institute of Australia. I understand that the conditions will be published in the Radio Times.