RADIO CLUB NOTES

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19308, 8 October 1932, Page 15

RADIO CLUB NOTES

Secretary and Treasurer— Mr D. W. Beswick, 197 Otipua Road or C/o C.F.C.A, Club Room— Strathallan Street.

The fortnightly meeting of the Timaru Radio Club was held in the Club Room on 28th September. There was a good attendance of members.

Discussion was not so interesting as at thep revious meeting, theb usiness being done in quite a short time. Mr Gray and Mr Hyde commenced a lecture on the receiving set which they had constructed. This proved very interesting and terminated shortly after 10 p.m. This set is to be used for such lectures. In order that those present could follow the lectures. Mr Gray went to a lot of trouble in showing the signs and symbols used to describe the various parts of the set. The lectures will carry on from that to something of more interest to those who already know all the signs and in a circuit, and will continue until the whole set has been thoroughly described. All interested should be there every night.

The radio inspector of Timaru, Mr Wheeler, has consented to come along to our next meeting and talk to members on interferences, causes, and remedies. This should prove very interesting, and there should be a big meeting to meet Mr Wheeler. All members and those interested are invited. Mr Wheeler would be pleased to meet as many listeners as possible, especially those without licenses.

Reception has been a great mixture of late, and the only really satisfactory time to tune in has been in the daytime. One night is hardly listenable, another quite good. New Zealand stations quite often have not been

worth listening to, while Australian stations have been good. Sunday night early was quite a good night for Americans, while Monday night was frightful. With 60-kilowatt stations within 100 miles of us reception would be good, and the old man “static” could blast away as.he liked. European stations have been heard but that is all that can be said of them. Up till the time the Easterlies and fog came, 20 had been logged and written to, but since it has not been worth while getting up early. Reception on Tuesday night, and the broadcast of the recital by Joseph Szigeti from 2YA and stations linked up by land lines, was as perfect as one could wish. In fact, it would be the best reception sbme listeners have ever had, as static and other annoyances were not heard. Some of the announcers at present on YA stations need a bit of knocking into shape, and it is a pleasure to

hear the regular announcers at night time. Listeners would welcome the return of the 3YA announcer last Saturday, and what a contrast between morning and afternoon announcers. Reading through lists of American stations heard by DX.ers in different parts of New Zealand, one is inclined to think that Timaru is one of the worst places for distance reception in New Zealand. While we have been suffering with these fogs and poor reception of distant stations, DX.ers in other places in New Zealand have been pulling in 100-watt American stations. The Literary Competition found much interest among’ a section of the listening public. Just short of 1000 entries were received, and as many more would take an interest in t without sending in an entry. One competitor, an Auckland student, won four prizes, htree in the student’s section, and the general section from 3YA. This was an outstanding performance.

In Germany radio sets are subjected to all kinds of tests. Some are packed

and for weeks are run round the country in vans, while others have their knobs twirled many thousands of times. If they are satisfactory after all this ismhandling, they are considered suitable to be sold to the public. On Sunday we go on to daylight saving time, and all readers should remember to alter clocks accordingly. Those interested in long distance reception are waiting to see how the half-hour will affect reception of stations. It really gives those so interested a half hour earlier to get to their hobby. Eastern American stations close down at 4.30 p.m. and with our half hour on, these stations will be heard here at 5 p.m. Central stations | go off the ah' at 5.30 p.m. and DX.ers I will have till 6 p.m. to log them when we are on daylight saving time. But our big disadvantage is that to hear the Australian stations, which numbers of New Zealand listeners regularly tune in for high class programmes,

we have to wait another half hour, making it 10 p.m. in New Zealand when Australian stations start their concert programmes at 8 p.m.

Listeners in Oaraaru get much the i same reception as we Timaruvians, I the only difference being that 4YA is a [ good station there. Other stations ! are received just as we get them, fading and distortion being very noticable at night time. I Timaru has been having a good clean up by the Post and Telegraph : Department. Those readers who have a set in use and do not possess a license to use it, are advised to dig deep in the old stocking and rush the Post Office at 9 a.m. in the morning, and procure the necessary piece of paper and avoid having to pay a fine on top of the price of a license. Some listeners caught have been using an unlicensed set for eighteen months and over, and these will surely pay dearly for so doing.