WIRELESS WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 December 1923, Page 9

WIRELESS WORLD.

LOCAL AMATEUR’S RECORD. AMERICA “PICKED UP.”

(By

“Honeycomb.”)

The last few days have been excellent for reception, and some excellent concerts have been heard from the different stations. The usual bugbear, fading, is still in evidence, though not to the extent of spoiling programmes. One moment the volume will be deafening, and •the next it is almost inaudible. This is noticeable with some stations more so than with others. Apparently it is a difficult fault to remedy. At last a New Plymouth amateur has been successful in “picking up” an American amateur. “Honeycomb” has not previously heard of any local amateur hearing these stations. This noteworthy performance was achieved by Mr. J. Weale, the writer being present and listening in at the time the signals were heard. The station received signed himself 6AOS, and he was calling BEMB, the signals being easily readable. Being a sixth district station he would most likely be situated in some part of California. Up to the present this station has not been identified, but as soon as this is done Mr. Weale will write for a verification. It is indeed a feather in the cap of the Yankee amateur who gets his signals through to New Zealand, in this instance a. distance of some 6000 miles. In view, of the lower power used by these amateur stations it is a most creditable performance to both the sender and receiver.

Mr, Weale’s set is a five valve Neutrodyne of his own construction. This circuit is a most complicated one and takes some handling, the tuning being particularly tricky with a dozen, controls to watch. However, when a station does come in it requires very little tuning to hold it for the duration of a performance. As an indication of the merits of the Neutrodyne circuit, it has brought music in clearly up to distances of 2000 miles without employing an aerial of any kind. The implification powers of this circuit are enormous; in fact, they are more so than in any othc*r hook-up employing the same number of valves. AIUSIC BY WIRELESS. On Thursday and Friday last week, conditions were ideal for reception, there being a total absence of static. Items from TV A (Auckland) apd 2YB (Wellington) came in beautifully clear and strong. It is noticed that when listening to musical items by radio the tone of some instruments is faithfully reproduced in the phones, whilst with others the tone is totally different to what it should be. The cornet is particularly suited to the microphone, as all those who have listened to a cornet solo by radio know. Its tone is faithfully reproduced with good volume. Another musical instrument which comes in true to tone is the Hawaiian guitar; items rendered with ’this instrument are a treat to listen to. On Friday night last, IYA transmitted an item entitled “Hawaiian Hotel” played with the guitars, which, in the writer’s opinion, was the “star” item of I the programme, it coming in beautifully clear and sweet toned. An American has invented a piece of apparatus with which he claims to reproduce faithful to the notes of the piano. On every occasion that “Honeycomb” has heard a piano by radio it has had a “tinney” sound. With some stations you can hear the hand clapping after each item; this always sounds as though someone were hitting a kerosene tin with a stick. Whether or not we heard good musical and vocal items depends to a good extent nn the individual directing operations in the studio of the broadcasting station. Ho has to place the microphone whore it is most suited for particular performers and items. One person singing into a microphone would come in perfectly, whereas with another person in exactly the same position he or she may be either too loud or harsh or else hardly audible at all. This also applies to musical instruments, more so jn fact than with vocal items. From this it can be understood that the work of the director i» no child’s play, requiring a sound knowledge of the acoustical qualitiV-' of the different performers and musical instruments. LONG DISTANCE SIGNALS. The writer has for the last few days been listening-in on the long wave h*ngth<. There is a certain amount of fascination listening-in to stations on the other side of the world. On Sunday morning last “Honeycomb” was listening to the big American station at Kahuku, Hawaii, working with Iwaki, Japan. Quite a number of messages contrined Christmas greetings from people in all parts of the United States to their friends and relations in Japan. Kahuku's signals are as easily readable and as strong as those of any New Zealand station, and can be heard working at any time of the day.

Another station heard very clearly is Bandoeng, in Java, working direct with Holland. Amateurs who want a little practice in receiving morse signals should tune in to this station, ns he sends very steadily, about 18 words per minute, and sometimes less. The stations heard most clearly during the night are Cavite, Philippines and Guam, Marianne Islands. Another big station employing an automatic transmitter is heard clearly. Judging by the sound of his signals he sends at a clip of 100 words per minute. It sounds like a long string of dots with a. small pause now and again. The coils used to bring in these stations were the ordinary enamelled wire slab type, employing the largest size (about 30,000 metres) for the primary. As a result of the exhibition recently held, the Wireless Institute of New South Wales will probably made a clear prdfit of £lOOO, which will be devoted to the equipment of club rooms and laboratories, etc. 4 A RELAYING LEAGUE. The following is from an Australian wireless journal:—“Following on the success of the last trans-Pacific tests, Melbourne amateurs have conceived the ambitious idea of establishing a relaying league, which shall embrace all Englishspeaking countries. Connection has already been firmly established in America and co-operation is being sought in South Africa, Jndia, and British possessions on the route from Australia to the United Kingdom. This matter is to be taken* up vigorously after the new trans-Pacific tests are over. The Melbourne pranch of the Victorian division of the institute proposes to seek the assistance of experimenters in all parts of the Commonwealth, in making careful observations of the meteorological conditions affecting wireless communi-

cations, and to investigate static and fading phenomena.” At first glance the above appears to be a tall undertaking, but after consideration it will appear quite feasible. And what a great system it would be .-hould it eventuate! It would mean that the New Zealand amateur could send radio messages to his colleague in England and receive a reply in fairly quick time. The message would be relayed from onp country to another by those amateurs who are members oi the league Let Us wish the Melbourne amateurs good luck in their venture.